In Which I Am Seduced

[valancy_s]

You might be surprised to learn that, though I read all the time, I don't buy books much. In my opinion, trying new books is what libraries exist for. If I'm going to buy a book, it's because A) I'm trapped somewhere with nothing to read, B) I know I'll read it again and again, or C) it's part of a series I've got some of already

Comments

[main_hoon_emily]

The Dead Sea Cipher is one of my favorite of Elizabeth Peters's books! It has a low Amazon rating? How silly. And the Vicky Bliss series is definitely worth finding #1 and 2 for. The first one takes some time to get going -- you have to get past Vicky's "poor me, I'm tall and blond and voluptuous and men always stare at my chest" monologue, but the rest are very good.

I agree about putting series numbers on books. It's annoying when you pick up a book and find out it's number four in a series and have to find three other books before you can read it. My mom doesn't care, she just reads them out of order, but the OCD part of me can't do that!

[valancy_s]

Yay that you like Dead Sea Cipher! I'd take a personal recommendation over Amazon ratings any day. Okay, I feel better about that purchase. And I'll definitely give Vicky #1 a try.

I'll read a series out of order if I'm told it really doesn't matter, but if there's any developing story from book to book I want to get that right. (For example, I read the earlier Wimsey books in any old order but had to read the ones with Harriet in sequence.)

[snarkhunter]

I second the recommendation of Dead Sea Cipher (though I prefer Summer of the Dragon, myself).

And *definitely* read the Vicky books in order--or at least read #2 before #3. You really need to meet John.

Actually, b/c I'm OCD about reading things in order, I would suggest reading The Camelot Caper in addition to VB #1, b/c that's technically John's first appearance, even though it's not a Vicky Bliss novel.

[tinuviellen]

Well, you know I'm down with that wish. Drives me mad crazy, always hunting for the proper order in which to read a series once I've started it.

(And as you know I'm in the same boat about that Julian Kestrel book - must get #s 2 and 3 out of the library, especially now that I'm out of Lynley's.)

[valancy_s]

Oh Julian! I must decide on something that reading the final book can be my reward for.

[winkingstar]

Yes, big GRRR to the lame publishers who cannot be bothered to indicate a series order. I am a compulsive book-buyer in the stores, so it's especially vexing because if I find a series I have to wait and go home to look it up on the LAPL site or somewhere to see what the proper order is. Because you can't even tell from the blurbs! I spotted a new series a while back where I was trying to decide which one was first between the one listed first in the front matter (which wasn't in alpha order, so I thought maybe it was in the proper order) and the one whose blurb sounded like the first. And when I looked it up at home, it was neither of them. It makes me hiss pretty much every time I'm in a bookstore or library.

[valancy_s]

Oh, so true about the blurbs! I took a chance on the one that turned out to be #3 because there was another in the pile that said "a Vicky Bliss mystery" and this one didn't, and the description sounded like a first novel ("He was a thief, a cheat, irresistibly wicked - and the pounding of her pulse was louder than the message from her brain. Three days later the statuesquely beautiful Dr. Victorian Bliss had left the National Museum with a one-way ticket to Stockholm and a note in an archaic language. It would be a journey into romance and laughter and mystery and terror...").

Okay, it sounds AWFUL - but it does sound like a first book, right?

Thanks for that url, btw. I've mostly been relying on customer's lists on Amazon.

[winkingstar]

It sounds AWFULLY GOOD. Do let us know when you've finished it! :D

You're very welcome for the link! There's another site that's specifically for children's/YA series and sequels here. I found out about those sites when I was working at a public library a couple years ago. They're totally the best sites ever. (Though they do on occasion still have a few chronology issues, so the best way to check a series order is the author's website, if possible.)

[breathingbooks]

That drives me nuts too. I'd keep the Vicky but read at least #2 first (#1's good, but you need J, S, and V for the most fun). For what it's worth, I generally like Peters but disliked tDSC.

[snarkhunter]

If you want the order of the Peabody books, I can provide. :) I loves them. I has most of them. My dissertation broke my grammar.

[valancy_s]

That's all right, I found the list in several places online. The problem is that this doesn't help when I'm out at a book store/sale. I should print it out, keep it in my pocketbook at all times...