Continuing A Series After The Author's Death

The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy, The Wheel of Time and The Millennium Series, all have something in common (besides being on my bookshelves); after the death of their authors, someone else has continued the series. Why does an author feel compelled to do that, finish someone else's series? Is it love? Why does a publisher go ahead with this? Is it money? Is it also love?

Though all these series are in my home, I haven't read them all. The Wheel of Time is my Hubby's. I'm not sure if I'll read it one day or not. I want to, but the books are huge! I have read The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and recently The Girl Who Played With Fire (finally), but not The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest. I don't know why, I suppose I just haven't gotten around to it. I have read the five Hitchhiker books and loved them. Was I a fan of the ending? Not necessarily, but it felt like an ending; it was complete. When I heard about Eoin Colfer's book And Another Thing, as a continuation, I was excited and hesitant. I managed to pick it up (a long time ago - my son was an infant) at a charity book sale. It still sits unread on my shelf.

I've been thinking about this lately. I've also been making an effort to read the books that have been on my shelf for a while, like And Another Thing.  I'm so hesitant to read it, but I want to and I want to love it.  I'm concerned that my expectations are too high. I know Hitchhikers isn't for everyone, but I loved it. What if I hate this "sixth" book?  Would it ruin the series for me? Would my ire be worse than normal? Am I over thinking this?

What do you think about authors who continue a series?  I know I mentioned The Wheel of Time, but that was a different case, right? From what I understand, the series was clearly not finished and Brandon Sanderson worked from Robert Jordan's notes. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.  That is not the case with Millennium, as the author is creating a completely new work, not using the partially finished manuscript Stieg Larrson's girlfriend controls (not that I expect anyone to ever have a chance to finish that novel).  I don't know if Douglas Adams left notes for another book.  Did Eoin Colfer write a book to give himself and fans a better ending to the series? I thought the end of Adams' fifth book was pretty final.

I should just read them, right? No? Do I want to read David Lagercrantz's The Girl in the Spider's Web? I don't know. Yes and no.  If I ever decide to read The Wheel of Time, I will read the books written by Sandersen. That case is different, right? I would go into the series knowing it would be finished by someone else. I finished Hitchhikers years before Colfer wrote his book.  I started reading Millennium as a trilogy. I love reading, and I want to give authors a chance. My fear is that they will change how I feel about Larsson and Adams' work. Though at the rate I'm going, it'll be years before I get around to reading these books.

Top Ten Books I’ll Never Read

The Broke and The Bookish have presented us with an interesting list for Top Ten Tuesday. What are the Top Ten Books I’ll Never Read? That’s really difficult. I don’t want to count any book out. However, after thinking about it, I came up with ten books, for different reasons, I don’t think I’ll ever read. This is the order they came to mind, not the order of importance, though I did want to end with number ten.

1. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy – It’s not that I don’t want to read it. I actually own it (it was 50 cents, how could I resist?). It is just so BIG. It seems like there is always something else on my shelf more appealing/less daunting.

2. A Million Little Pieces, James Frey – There was some controversy about this book when it came out. There was some lying involved. I admit to not knowing what the actual story was. I don’t tend to read something just because of media attention. It just gives me a feeling like I don’t want to read it.

3. The Firm, John Grisham – I know, I’m about to be stoned. I saw the movie, which I know isn’t always a good indicator of a book, though it wasn’t a bad movie. There’s a part of me that wants to read it, I just don’t feel like I ever will.

4. Misery, Stephen King – I know, more stoning. How could I not want to read it? As many people know, I’ve read quite a few Stephen King novels. I even own Misery. But do you know what it’s about? I do. I saw the trailers for the movie (which I also haven’t seen) and I’ve read the synopsis for the book. It’s just a tad too creepy for me.

5. The Wheel of Time, Robert Jordan – My husband owns these books (except the new ones) and has read them. He thinks, however, that I won’t like them; I’ll get bored with them. They are also really, really long. All of them.

6. The Vampire Diaries, L.J. Smith – I’ve had enough of the sugary vampires that teenage girls fall in love with. What happened to Dracula, Lestat or even Selene? The show has just put me off ever wanting to read the books (even though I think Ian Somerhalder is super sexy).

7. Confessions of an Heiress, Paris Hilton – I hope I don’t have to explain this.

8. Star, Pamela Anderson – See above.

9. Eat Pray Love, Elizabeth Gilbert – Maybe if I could jet around the world to find myself, I’d be more interested in reading this book. I’m sure it’s well written to be so appealing to so many people; I just don’t think it’s for me.

10. A Shore Thing, Snooki– (Yup, it's got a title.) See 7 & 8.

Now, I’d never say never. Who knows how I’d feel about 1-6 and 9 in a year? But, if I had to choose right now, those are what I’d pick (or not pick, as the case may be.) I don’t believe in banning books, so if you’re a fan of any of these books, I support your choice to read them. Maybe your opinion on them could even change my mind. After all, I’m currently reading The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo because of peer pressure and really enjoying it.