ENGLEWOOD — It’s May, folks, and that means spring and the start of the summer vacation season that ends in September. This might be a good time to latch onto authors who have bestselling series, which you could read through the summer and fall. A book series is a sequence of books written by the same author. Let’s start with some cozy mysteries, then get into some epic fantasy novels and end up with some warmth and humor.
• Carrie Bebris, seven book series
This award winning author is best known for her Mr. and Mrs. Darcy mystery series. Set in England, the novels entangle some of Jane Austen’s beloved characters in intrigue, sharp dialogue and romance. You can start with “Pride and Prescience” and work your way down to her newest book in the series, “The Suspicion at Sanditon,” which has been a series itself on PBS and was based on Jane Austen’s last and unfinished manuscript. As Darcy said to Elizabeth, “My investigations and decisions are not usually influenced by my hopes and fears.”
• Brandon Sanderson, four book series
His “Storm Light Archive” is an ongoing fantasy series with four planned volumes. Start with “The Way of the Kings” that begins an incredible new saga of epic proportions. The planet Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the terrain and have shaped ecology and civilizations alike. A reviewer wrote, “For my taste as a reader, I cannot imagine another series will ever come along that I liked more than this.”
• Patrick Rothfuss, three book series
It begins with “The Name of the Wind” and is the first book of this ongoing fantasy trilogy. Following will be “The Wise Man’s Fear.” This is a high-action story written with a poet’s hand and is a masterpiece that will transport you into the body and mind of a wizard. No one writes stories like Patrick and he will definitely leave you full of secrets and mysteries.
• Diana Gabaldon, 10 book series
The first book of this series was “Outlander” and Gabaldon has currently written eight of the planned 10 volumes. “The Outlander” focuses on a 20th century British nurse, Clair Randall, who time travels to 18th century Scotland and finds adventure and romance. This is ranked as one of the top 10 best loved novels in America on PBS’s “The Great American Read.” Gabaldon said she is getting closer to writing her ninth novel, “Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone.”
• Andrzej Sapkowski, eight book series
In “The Witcher” fantasy series, the best way to read Sapkowski books is to start with “The Last Wish” then read “Sword of Destiny,” and you’ll be ready for the rest. Geralt of Rivia is a witcher, a cunning sorcerer, a merciless assassin and cold blooded killer. His sole purpose is to destroy the monsters that plague the world. If you watched “The Witcher” on Netflix, you’ll want to read more about this series.
• Robyn Carr, nine book series
You will want to go to Thunder Point where the series all began. Start with the “Wanderer,” where nestled on the Oregon coast is a town of rocky beaches and rugged charm. The locals love the land’s unspoiled beauty, but developers see it as a potential goldmine. Hank Cooper learns a friend left him his entire beachfront property and finds himself getting involved with the town and with Sarah Dupre, a woman as complicated as she is beautiful. Robyn Carr said, “You’ll love Thunder Point, and you’ll never know to look at it that dreams are built there. See you there. Bring your dreams.”
What is a series? Well. a second book in a series is a sequel, three is a trilogy, four books can be called a quartet and five or more is a serious series. I can’t get all these series books in this column, but you can go to the authors websites and find those you might like to read. Happy series reading, everyone!
