tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1969010260405454424.post4796559273229984055..comments2023-10-30T12:38:04.631+01:00Comments on Shelfspace Needed: Discussion: do you believe in Second Book Syndrome?Carmen B.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04477953957925317205noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1969010260405454424.post-19892750316131450702013-10-18T22:01:35.662+02:002013-10-18T22:01:35.662+02:00I agree, there are some that are sub-par. But is i...I agree, there are some that are sub-par. But is it because they come second or just because they're simply not very good books?<br />This is way more complicated than I thought when I wrote the post >.<<br />I also love it when book 2 outshines book 1! One such case for me was Crown of Midnight.<br />Thanks for taking the time to comment, Jen :)Carmen B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04477953957925317205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1969010260405454424.post-63283825973837398252013-10-18T21:27:33.475+02:002013-10-18T21:27:33.475+02:00I don't think all sequels suffer from Second B...I don't think all sequels suffer from Second Book Syndrome, but I've ran into quite a few that have. It's not even because of my expectations, though. It's just because the book failed to add anything to the story and because of this the plot and characters remain stagnant. When that happens, it takes awhile before I'm ready to pick up book 3. Like with Fever by Lauren DeStefano and Crossed by Allie Condie. They were just kind of boring. In those cases, I think it would have been better for the series to be a duology instead of stretching it into a trilogy. However, I LOVE it when a sequel outshines the first book. That's how a series SHOULD progress, in my opinion. I've read quite a few of those, too.<br /><br />Great discussion post!starryeyedjenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15841350560201331032noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1969010260405454424.post-157862217628658952013-10-17T21:08:40.500+02:002013-10-17T21:08:40.500+02:00Hm... I agree that the action can stall, but I thi...Hm... I agree that the action can stall, but I think when it comes to character development and the relationships between the characters, the second book is more important than the third. The third is preoccupied with all the action and winding up the plot. With longer series than trilogies I think you have a point though :)<br />I loooved Days of Blood and Starlight! And I still haven't read Covenant, though I have the first book on my kindle >.< I really should get to that and to Mistborn!<br />Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts, hun :)Carmen B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04477953957925317205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1969010260405454424.post-36329250543828925372013-10-16T17:53:15.720+02:002013-10-16T17:53:15.720+02:00Interesting discussion post topic ^^ and I loved ...Interesting discussion post topic ^^ and I loved reading that your reading experience seems to not be affected as much by Second Book Syndrome. <br /><br />I actually began to notice SBS even before I started blogging. When I got into reading fiction again, I started noticing that the second book in a trilogy OR series was almost always my least favorite out of the bunch. It happened with Harry Potter, Twilight, Fever, His Darkest Materials...and to a lesser extent Divergent & Percy Jackson. My main complaint is that usually I don't find much happens in the way of plot development and character growth - and this is especially true in longer series. I think it's because the story is still in the introductory stages BUT the freshness and originality of the world have begun to wear off...<br /><br />That being said, since I've begun blogging I've read many second books that I've loved as much and sometimes even more than the first book in the series. The sequels for Mistborn, Daughter of Smoke & Bone, Hunger Games, Covenant and LotR are all ones that come to mind, all of which I adored! So I guess at this point, it's kind of a curse BUT some series manage to escape it all and I love them for it heheMichelinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09220874121683955988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1969010260405454424.post-76918196546809327852013-10-14T22:03:06.512+02:002013-10-14T22:03:06.512+02:00It's strange how people's perceptions of t...It's strange how people's perceptions of the same books can vary so much! But that's part of the joy of reading, imo :)<br />About expectations: I get what you mean, but at the same time I also think the author has the right to write 'their' story without buckling to reader's wishes and basically serving them whatever they want - which is always lots of contradicting things anyway. Still, it always sucks to be letdown. Though for me, I usually fear this from the last book, especially in a trilogy.Carmen B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04477953957925317205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1969010260405454424.post-59549330344730833132013-10-14T22:00:18.599+02:002013-10-14T22:00:18.599+02:00Hm... I agree that the first and last books might ...Hm... I agree that the first and last books might have more action, but I think the second one gets the bulk of the character development. So I wouldn't say the second book is a filler - two book serieses exist too (Bethany Griffin and Kendare Blake's, for instance). But I get where you're coming from!Carmen B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04477953957925317205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1969010260405454424.post-24459926224534032502013-10-12T17:56:32.772+02:002013-10-12T17:56:32.772+02:00Hm, this is interesting. I almost never like the 2...Hm, this is interesting. I almost never like the 2nd book more than the first. Insurgent, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Catching Fire, Scorch, Linger, My Soul to Save, etc. - they all suffer from Second Book Syndrome, imo. Yes, maybe I had too high expectations, but it's not my fault when the author fails to deliver.<br />Sweet Peril did work for me though. I wouldn't go as far to say that it was better than Sweet Evil, but I liked it, quite a lot :)Caycehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17878030813967203887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1969010260405454424.post-70751508894994413922013-10-11T10:39:13.284+02:002013-10-11T10:39:13.284+02:00I'd like to say that I don't believe in it...I'd like to say that I don't believe in it but it's true. I hardly ever read second books that blow my mind. I think it's more of the middle books in a series as well. Since trilogies are the thing, the second book is just a filler. That's why they're usually so slow for me. The first book has the most intro action and then the last has all the ending action. <br /><a href="http://musicplusbooks.blogspot.com.au/" rel="nofollow">Laura @ Music Plus Books</a>Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03112274983603740211noreply@blogger.com