What is it with this American thing of milking?

[sunnyd]

Well we''re definitely milking the vampire thing for all it''s worth! Twilight, True Blood, Vampire Diaries...I''m sure there are others too. Crazy!

 

[tlh]

Date: 1/4/2010 6:29:27 PM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 1/4/2010 6:11:07 PM
Author: Mrs Mitchell
Did you enjoy Life on Mars? It''s my all time favourite tv show. I think the American version was different to the original, though. Well worth tracking down the UK series if you can.

There was some amount of milking, though. I have a copy of DS Hunt''s Guide to Modern Policing...

Mrs Mitchell, I never watched the American version, and no way am I going to start. I hadn''t watched TV in years and TGuy got a multi zone player so we were able to watch the UK Life on Mars. I was blown away by it...LOVED it. At first I told TGuy I wasn''t interested in watching it, and he said it was only 16 episodes. I told him, OK, I can commit to that. It was my idea of a perfect series.

The American version if it''s caught on (I don''t know anything about it) will go on for 8 seasons and take the joy out of the show.

BEG, I''ve heard lost is good, but 6 seasons is a bit long for me.

I think I might have liked 24...the first season wraps up all the loose ends, right? Hm.

Twilight is only 4 books, but I couldn''t get past the awful writing and gave up after the first book.

When you wrote this - I immediately thought about Twilight! ha!
Twilight should have been only one book, unfortunately it got a deal and the author struggled to stretch it into 4... it was horribly written. It was written to be a movie... in that is was so poorly done that it only gives an adaptive screenwriter place to improve by their selective reductions. come on... those books are 700 pages with only 300 pages of actual material.
Sunny-D --- the vampire diaries was written in the early 90''s I think. But with the success of Twilight, and True Blood - gotta milk the vampire success. Though I do like the romace of the vampire - which is why the idea of living forever and being young and beautiful has appealed to many for such a long time.

 

[HollyS]

Kind of like the "Left Behind" series. Didn''t read them. But exactly how many ways are there to survive The Apocalypse? Or get ready for it? Or whatever they did after they missed the Second Coming?

 

[ChinaCat]

TGal-

What about the British version of The Office? 2 seasons, plus one 2-hour "special" that wrapped it up. Genius, hysterical, and you get in and get out.

It''s very uncomfortable humor, so it takes some getting used to, but I think it would be right up your alley.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 1/5/2010 4:20:11 PM
Author: ChinaCat
TGal-

What about the British version of The Office? 2 seasons, plus one 2-hour ''special'' that wrapped it up. Genius, hysterical, and you get in and get out.

It''s very uncomfortable humor, so it takes some getting used to, but I think it would be right up your alley.

I''ve been wanting to check out the British version of the office...I think I would love it. Thanks CC...I''ll see if I can pick it up on Amazon.

 

[Gypsy]

What do you read? If you read fantasy I just read a really great series, best series I've read in YEARS... The Night Angel series by Brent Weeks. http://www.amazon.com/Way-Shadows-Night-Angel-Trilogy/dp/0316033677/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_a

Mystery... I really liked this series that started a couple of years ago. I read the author's other series (Molly is the title character of that series, but it's a long series) and it was quite good (lots of character growth, movement) and this one is completely different. Which I adore because it shows that the author isn't just a one note wonder. But then again, the author is British. http://www.amazon.com/Her-Royal-Spyness-Mystery/dp/0425222527/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b Rhys Bowden is the Author and the main character cracks me the heck up! Her name is Georgiana.

Oh, and avoid Donna Andrews. I adored her first book. The rest just deteriorate fast. OH, and don't start the "Bubbles" series, unless you want more of Stephanie Plum-like frustration.

Have you read the Olympian series (Lightening Theif, etc?) -- they were really good. Ended when they should have. I enjoyed those. I like YA lit.

Terry Pratchet (English) is my favorite all time author. So if you are in the mood for wacky funny fantasy, it's great. His Night Watch series is the best.

Oh, it's a standalone but try Good Omens by Gaimen and Pratchett!

If you like historical fiction (probably not available, but you can try it) in the vein of Gone with the Wind (but with less annoying characters) try the Wild Swan trilogy by Celeste de Blasis.

Fun chick lit... Jennifer Cruise has some good ones (a couple of duds). Try "Bet Me" and "Tell me Lies" and "Crazy for You." Standalones though, all of them.

If you read romance, just let me know. I have a list of suggestions (and books to avoid like the plague) as long as my arm.

I read Fantasy, Mystery, Chick Lit, and Romance.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 1/5/2010 8:03:21 PM
Author: Gypsy
What do you read? If you read fantasy I just read a really great series, best series I''ve read in YEARS... The Night Angel series by Brent Weeks. http://www.amazon.com/Way-Shadows-Night-Angel-Trilogy/dp/0316033677/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_a

Mystery... I really liked this series that started a couple of years ago. I read the author''s other series (Molly is the title character of that series, but it''s a long series) and it was quite good (lots of character growth, movement) and this one is completely different. Which I adore because it shows that the author isn''t just a one note wonder. But then again, the author is British. http://www.amazon.com/Her-Royal-Spyness-Mystery/dp/0425222527/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b Rhys Bowden is the Author and the main character cracks me the heck up! Her name is Georgiana.

Oh, and avoid Donna Andrews. I adored her first book. The rest just deteriorate fast. OH, and don''t start the ''Bubbles'' series, unless you want more of Stephanie Plum-like frustration.

Have you read the Olympian series (Lightening Theif, etc?) -- they were really good. Ended when they should have. I enjoyed those. I like YA lit.

Terry Pratchet (English) is my favorite all time author. So if you are in the mood for wacky funny fantasy, it''s great. His Night Watch series is the best.

Oh, it''s a standalone but try Good Omens by Gaimen and Pratchett!

If you like historical fiction (probably not available, but you can try it) in the vein of Gone with the Wind (but with less annoying characters) try the Wild Swan trilogy by Celeste de Blasis.

Fun chick lit... Jennifer Cruise has some good ones (a couple of duds). Try ''Bet Me'' and ''Tell me Lies'' and ''Crazy for You.'' Standalones though, all of them.

If you read romance, just let me know. I have a list of suggestions (and books to avoid like the plague) as long as my arm.

I read Fantasy, Mystery, Chick Lit, and Romance.

Ooh, thanks! Yeah, I''ll take any suggestions, and I love brain candy, that includes romance, but not the harlequinn type stuff. I have been enjoying mystery, fantasy (if you consider all this vamp stuff fantasy) chick lit too, so it seems we read the same type of stuff. I''ll look all of those up. I''m reading a book a night so I could use a long list to work on. If start right after Amelia goes down and stay up until 1am, I usually can finish two of those stephanie plum books, so I am happy to have a ton of stuff lined up on my Kindle!

 

[VRBeauty]

T-gal, have you read Tony Hilerman's mysteries? They're set in the four corners area -- I really enjoyed them. Tony Hillerman died last year, so he's milked all he's gonna milk... Fast reads all, but fun. For chick lit I'm liking Debbie Macomber's Blossom Street series, but I was chick lit starved for a long time, so I'm easy...

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 1/5/2010 10:18:35 PM
Author: VRBeauty
T-gal, have you read Tony Hilerman''s mysteries? They''re set in the four corners area -- I really enjoyed them. Tony Hillerman died last year, so he''s milked all he''s gonna milk... Fast reads all, but fun.

OK, is it morbid that that made me laugh?

And will be getting lots of sample chapters on my Kindle...boy oh boy.

 

[gardengloves]

Date: 1/5/2010 10:18:35 PM
Author: VRBeauty
T-gal, have you read Tony Hilerman''s mysteries? They''re set in the four corners area -- I really enjoyed them. Tony Hillerman died last year, so he''s milked all he''s gonna milk... Fast reads all, but fun. For chick lit I''m liking Debbie Macomber''s Blossom Street series, but I was chick lit starved for a long time, so I''m easy...

Big Tony Hillerman fan here. Used to love traveling the four corners and Navajo reservations while reading Hillerman, Turned my kids onto it.

 

[ladypirate]

Arrested Development--short and sweet and funny as hell.

 

[Gypsy]

Okay so here are some other suggestions.

Fantasy:
Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman: Deathgate Cycle series (7 books-- relatively short ones) are great, period.
I adored Jim Butcher''s Codex Alera Series (5 books) right up until the fifth book, which was good, but not AS good it should have been. But the series is still great, and the last book did provide a definite ending.
Anne Bishop''s Black Jewels Trilogy (there have been spin offs, which are not worth the time), the original three books are great.
Avoid Kusheil''s Dart series (trust me).

Romance
Iris Johansen''s Windancer Trilogy
SOME of Suzanne Brockman''s Troubleshooters books are worth reading if you can handle military stories. In order: Unsung Hero, Gone Too Far, Flashpoint, Hot Target, Breaking Point, Force of Nature
Supernatural (but NOT vampire... I''m so sick of vampires) Immortal Witches Series by Maggie Shayne: Infinity, Eternity, Destiny
Nora Roberts has two series I really like: Dream Series (Finding the Dream, Daring to Dream Holding the Dream) and the Born In series (Born in Fire... Ice...Shame). If I had to pick one... I''d take the Dream series as it has, to me the best of her work represented. Of her standalones Honest Illusions is my favorite.
Historicals:
Julia Quinn''s books are so much fun. My favorite book though, starts off a series that went on too long.
Mary Jo Putney''s Fallen Angel Series is really good. But if you want a shorter series her Silk Series (Silk in Secrets...) was good.

Favorite All Time Romance Novels:
Lisa Kleypas : Dreaming of You
Loretta Chase: Lord of the Scoundrels
(they are tied for number one for me and are the best examples of historical romance novels that I''ve read).

Historical Fiction
If you can find it, To Dance with Kings by Rosalind Laker

I have 100s of other suggestions if you want them, let me know what you''ve liked and disliked, and I''ll see what I can recommend.

 

[Gypsy]

Oh.... remembered some more Romance I really loved.

Annie''s Song and Keegan''s Lady by Catherine Anderson

Steph Ann Holm: Harmony (it''s part of a series, no need to read the rest though, it ends and you are satisfied. It''s a great book).

Jill Barnet''s Wonderful (funny! Not a lot of substance, but lots of laughs)

Susan Elizabeth Phillips has a lot of good ones(and a few big duds). Most are about Football and a ficticious team called the Stars. My favorites are "It Had to Be You" and "Heaven, Texas", "Nobody''s Baby but Mine" and "Dream a Little Dream." You can stop reading right there, but there are two others in the series. No need to read them though, unless you can''t get enough.


Another series I hestiate to mention because the heros are extremely Type A and to the point that you want to beat them with something, but that I re-read often and enjoy is Elizabeth Lowell''s Series: Untamed, Forbidden, Enchanted. It''s a Medieval Series set at the time of the Norman Conquest. The reason the Type A thing works is because of the setting and background of the hero''s but if domineering men aren''t your thing... best to avoid. But the heroines are their match, not dominated.

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 1/5/2010 9:48:47 AM
Author: curlygirl

Date: 1/5/2010 1:29:12 AM

Author: arjunajane

Tgal, I know you said books -

but as far as TV series,

''The Wire'' - After the sopranos, best.show.ever. Great actors, great character development and awesome writing. 5 seasons, all with a different ''theme'' and new characters that you really come to appreciate.

Definitely left wanting more!


If you''d still prefer to stick with books, George Pelecanos dis alot of the writing for The Wire and imo has great novels.

They are not exactly a series but could be read as such as are pretty much all based in and around Baltimore.


I also agree with whoever mentioned ''Sons of Anarchy'' - don''t get turned off that it''s a series about bikies, it''s very well done. I believe there is only 3 seasons of that one..or is it only 2..?



ETA: MZ, completely agree about Deadwood, it had so much more potential!

Big ditto to this! The Wire was an amazing series--incredibly well written and acted and heartbreaking when it came to an end after 5 seasons. It will definitely hold your attention.


Also loved Oz but it''s not for everyone. We watch Mad Men and Breaking Bad as well, highly recommend both.

Curly, we just finished watching the first season of Breaking Bad and loved it, can''t wait until second season is available here.

Also discovered Oz from the beginning and followed it religiously - although I agree, it may be a bit much for some folks..

It sounds like we have similar tastes in TV

 

[dragonfly411]

TG - my grandmother recently had this happen with her favorite author''s most recent book. I won''t name the name but I will say this author is known for a longer historical romance series (longer as in the books are thick as dictionaries). I told her to just find another author.

I don''t like series that drag out either. It''s part of why I don''t watch a lot of TV, b/c a lot of the shows on right now aren''t really captivating to me. Lost is retarded btw.

 

[princesss]

Date: 1/6/2010 10:38:35 AM
Author: dragonfly411
TG - my grandmother recently had this happen with her favorite author''s most recent book. I won''t name the name but I will say this author is known for a longer historical romance series (longer as in the books are thick as dictionaries). I told her to just find another author.

I don''t like series that drag out either. It''s part of why I don''t watch a lot of TV, b/c a lot of the shows on right now aren''t really captivating to me. Lost is retarded btw.

Kind of a threadjack, but could you please find another word to use to express your sentiment in the bolded part? I find that usage of the word "retarded" pretty offensive.

 

[Porridge]

Switch to Brit altogether! There are brilliant series, tv and books, out there. Download, watch, and be left wanting more

I just finished watching The IT Crowd and The Inbetweeners, loved them, only about 18 episodes long each I think.

 

[Porridge]

Date: 1/5/2010 4:32:30 PM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 1/5/2010 4:20:11 PM
Author: ChinaCat
TGal-

What about the British version of The Office? 2 seasons, plus one 2-hour ''special'' that wrapped it up. Genius, hysterical, and you get in and get out.

It''s very uncomfortable humor, so it takes some getting used to, but I think it would be right up your alley.

I''ve been wanting to check out the British version of the office...I think I would love it. Thanks CC...I''ll see if I can pick it up on Amazon.

The Office is hilarious. I didn''t like it when I first saw it years ago, but I watched it again and it grew on me. I love Ricky Gervais though. For me I don''t feel that it translated as well into the American Office, but I think that''s just a difference between british and american humour. And when you''re used to one thing, it''s hard to switch I suppose. If you liked the American Office, and like british humour, then you''ll definitely enjoy the original.

 

[princesss]

You know, I don''t know what''s with it. People just chasing money, I guess. I can understand where it comes from, in part, though. I read the Laura Ingalls Wilder books when I was a kid, and it made me so sad when I finished the last book. I wanted to keep reading about her (though I totally could have done without Farm Boy - hated that book!), and would have read anything else she wanted to put in the series.

As far as things that don''t milk it for all it''s worth - it''s why I like novels and not series (in general). I read the Sword of Truth books, but after a while it became less about the plot and more about the author pushing his agenda and his take on world affairs, and it just wasn''t enjoyable. (I read them anyways, though...

)

I do agree with whoever suggested Arrested Development. That show was amazing!

 

[TravelingGal]

Gypsy, thanks for the additional book recs!

I actually think I can''t read romance anymore. I like a romantic element in books, but I hate the formulaic stuff. I downloaded the first book of the Black Dagger Brotherhood since I found the rec on PS and it''s just a bodice ripper in disguise. I''m struggling to get through it...ugh, it''s bad. I just don''t get books where studmuffin and hot babe fall in love because each thinks the other is beautiful.

 

[Liane]

Date: 1/6/2010 12:07:04 PM
Author: TravelingGal
Gypsy, thanks for the additional book recs!

I actually think I can''t read romance anymore. I like a romantic element in books, but I hate the formulaic stuff. I downloaded the first book of the Black Dagger Brotherhood since I found the rec on PS and it''s just a bodice ripper in disguise. I''m struggling to get through it...ugh, it''s bad. I just don''t get books where studmuffin and hot babe fall in love because each thinks the other is beautiful.

In that case the Black Jewels books may not be for you (of course, I could be biased since I don''t like ''em anyway

). And I also found the BDB books to be, at best, unintentionally hilarious.

The board ate my other post but I was going to second the Lisa Kleypas and Loretta Chase recommendations, and add Joanna Bourne as a really excellent writer of historical romances. The Spymaster''s Lady just blew me away when I read it -- Bourne is so good at dialogue and internal narrative, and she makes it look so easy (which, oho, it is not). It''s one of the novels I recommend to readers who have a dim view of romance, because it''s remarkably well-written and the story works as a story even if romance isn''t altogether your thing.

 

[Gypsy]

Okay, that's good to know. The Black Dagger Series gets worse from the first book on (that was the best one of the lot). But you might like Keegan's Lady and Annie's Song by Catherine Anderson. Mary Jo Putney has substantive love too, but it's much more formulaic. But the rest, I'd give a pass to. But the Loretta Chase and the Lisa Kleypas... if you ever want to read what historical romance should be, give them a try (Dreaming of You, especially).

As for the Black Jewels... yeah, probably not for you.

Laine, I haven't read Joanna Bourne and am going to have to pick that up. I need some decent reading. Have you read Harmony by Steph Ann Holm? It has one of my favorite heroines ever in it. I'd love to get additional recommendations as I'm always looking for something decent, and having a hard time finding it!

 

[Liane]

Gypsy -- well, let's see. If you liked Brent Weeks and Margaret Weis/Tracy Hickman, you might also like Peter V. Brett's The Warded Man (also sold as The Painted Man, depending on whether you buy the US or UK edition), which is a fun adventure fantasy. It has some troubling subtexts, IMO, but if read as a quick lightweight adventure it's fun.

I suspect we have different tastes in fantasy, though, so I dunno how accurate my recommendations would be beyond that.

If you like urban fantasy/romance crossovers, I'd also recommend Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark series, which is by far my favorite in its subgenre: funny, fresh, and (apart from one book -- either the seventh or the eighth, I can't recall offhand, but it's the one with drastically lower ratings on Amazon and I'd suggest skipping that installment) remarkably consistent in its quality across the series. There are some vampires in her books, but the stories held my interest anyway, and I'm pretty burned out on vampires so that is not easy.

I haven't read Harmony. I'll keep an eye out next time I'm at the bookstore.

Edited to add: both Brett and Cole have excerpts of their work available for browsing online, so it's easy to try a sample of their writing and see if it's for you.

 

[Gypsy]

Ooh Laine, thank you. I will look those up. (T-gal hope you don''t mind a mini thread jack too much!!) I generally look for creativity, humor, and character development. I like romantic threads in my books (though not absolutely necessary) and if there are romantic threads, I don''t want one of the couple needlessly killed (killed is okay, but with good reason). I''m not a fan of things that are too Machiavellian and stories where the author spends 3/4 a book making me fall in love with a characters only to kill them all off (George R R Martin). Terry Goodkind made me want edit him books down to a trilogy, and I''m not re-reading and then reading the last 6 books of the Wheel of Time until Sanderson has published his last in the trilogy he''s doing. I like Dresden, but wish he''d kept it to 8 or so books with a clear ending in site, and thought the last one sucked. I adore Pratchet''s creativity and satire.

 

[TravelingGal]

Mini jack away! I''m excited to look up all these new series!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Umm if we''re doing books, I wanted to add S.M. Stirling''s series.

So the Nantucket series (On the Oceans of Eternity, etc.) is a trilogy (due to some mysterious occurrence Nantucket is transported to 3000 BC and the people need to learn to live in that new/old world). It ends a trilogy. Discrete, separate, great.

Now there is an accompany series starting with Dies the Fire (what happens to the rest of the modern world once Nantucket disappears - which is that all modern gadgets stop working and the people need to learn how to adapt to living without any of our tools and devices). Also a trilogy and ends with A Meeting in Corvallis.

I HIGHLY recommend both of those series - and BF, who does not like sci-fi at all, loved both. It''s just so well-written and creepy - I have an overactive imagination so I start figuring out ways to make sure I can survive in a post-apocalyptic world

).

Now what I DON''T like is that Stirling is doing ANOTHER set of books set 10-20 years after A Meeting in Corvallis and that promises to be 5-6 books long. And those are not nearly as good as the two trilogies and I really recommend you stop with the two trilogies.

So yes, milking it, but the first two trilogies you can read without the current books coming out, and those are awesome, so highly recommend them.

Sorry for the dissertation on this!

 

[Dreamer_D]

I quite enjoyed the Ian Rankin Inspector Rebus novels. They are not a series per se, but are murder mysteries with the same main character and you follow him chronologically. Like CSI.

I also like the Brother Cadfael mysteries! Set in 1100''s england, my favourite historical period. Again, murder mysteries but chronological and with lots of fun things going on.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Twilight is worth reading to get to the last book, which I thought way macabre and disgusting and awesome!

Can''t wait to see them make it into a teenybopper movie

BEST SERIES EVER : A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin. He has only written 5 books and there are supposed to be 2 or 3 more in the serioes but it is just awesome. Fantasy but not *too* out there, set in an alternate medieval world. With dragons

 

[Gypsy]

Okay so... I read Twiilight, and seriously gritted my teeth to get to the last book and IMO the last book was the worst of them all. For me it was a total wallbanger (so bad you throw it against the wall in disgust) that I only read because my niece was visiting and wanted me to read them (

). Admittedly George R. R. Martin is talented, but dreamer... doesn't it bother you that he spends all that time writing about a character, their motivations, everything... only to kill them off a the turn of a page? I wanted to rip my hair out and had to stop reading. I like being emotionally manipulated like that on occasion and with reason... but every two chapters or so was too much for me. LOL. And I, admittedly, love happy endings. (Hence the romance novel addiction).

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 1/8/2010 12:43:04 AM
Author: Gypsy
Okay so... I read Twiilight, and seriously gritted my teeth to get to the last book and IMO the last book was the worst of them all. For me it was a total wallbanger (so bad you throw it against the wall in disgust) that I only read because my niece was visiting and wanted me to read them (

). Admittedly George R. R. Martin is talented, but dreamer... doesn''t it bother you that he spends all that time writing about a character, their motivations, everything... only to kill them off a the turn of a page? I wanted to rip my hair out and had to stop reading. I like being emotionally manipulated like that on occasion and with reason... but every two chapters or so was too much for me. LOL. And I, admittedly, love happy endings. (Hence the romance novel addiction).

hhhaaa.. you hated the last book of Twilight? Really? I guess I thought it was so macabre like frankenstein or something, so I liked it. I won''t go on because some people may want to read it and haven''t, but I liked it.

As for Georgie boy, I guess when you put it that way its true, there are a few main characters who die

. But I liked it and didn''t think it was manipulative. Rather, it annoys me in most series where you know if the person is a main character they will never die. It removes any of the thrill of the dangerous parts. No holds barred for him. And in that time period if you are going to run around in the woods or be a sword fighter, well the odds were pretty good you would have died. So I thought it was more realistic. Well, as realistic as you can get when their are undead and dragons and other strange things going on. But I think some of the characters are not really dead

I am waiting for the Wench to come back.