# What are your favorite series novels? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [January 26, 2024, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646 "2024-01-26T02:18:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2024, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646/41 "2024-01-26T20:54:14Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > He spent a lot of time bringing in stuff Stout wrote, like “the gold book mark a client gave Wolfe so long ago”, perhaps to prove that he actually had read the Stout books. He knew the books well. He just wasnt the writer Stout was. Few are. There are a bunch of Wolfe pastickes around, some are decent. ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2024, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646/42 "2024-01-26T20:54:19Z")
Ah, forgot to mention the Inspector Rebus novels by Ian Rankin. I think I read them all up through _Exit Music_. If you’re into quirky fantasy, I can’t recommend Malcolm Pryce’s [Aberystwyth Noir](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louie_Knight) detective novels enough. Really fun and unlike anything else I’ve read. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2024, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646/43 "2024-01-26T20:55:56Z")
> [@veryfrank](#): > > Ah, forgot to mention the Inspector Rebus novels by Ian Rankin. I will try one- thanks. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2024, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646/44 "2024-01-26T20:57:20Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > Sigrid Undset, Kristen Lavransdatter Wow, I read some of those many years ago when I worked at a library, an occupational hazard. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@salinqmind1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind1)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2024, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646/45 "2024-01-26T23:47:57Z")
Kind of all the same, but he writes like poetry. SO descriprive. The worst violence - sheer poetry. (he has a couple other series with other protagonists, too.) ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2024, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646/46 "2024-01-27T00:46:02Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Lawrence Bloch’s _Scudder_ and _Keller_ . Nitpick: Lawrence Block. Have you tried his Bernie Rhodenbarr series (The Burglar Who…)? A more lighthearted mystery series about a (quasi-retired) professional burglar. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2024, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646/47 "2024-01-27T01:26:34Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > Donald E. Westlake’s Dortmunder books are a treasure to be treasuredly treasured. > > Also, Sue Grafton’s alphabet series My two favorite are the same two. I have the alphabet series and many of the Dortmunder books. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2024, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646/48 "2024-01-27T01:45:31Z")
_Rivers Of Time_ by L. Sprague De Camp. Likewise, his _Krishna/Viagens_ series. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2024, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646/49 "2024-01-27T03:47:54Z")
Yes, but I’m not a big fan of the series. I left off Evan Tanner too. ---
**Author:** ![epbrown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47774/32.png) [@epbrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2024, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646/50 "2024-01-27T04:00:53Z")
Right now, I’d say Ben Aaronivitch’s _Rivers of London_ urban fantasy series. I own all the books and just bought all the graphic novels last week. And speaking of urban fantasy, Harry Connolly’s _Twenty Palaces_ series. Block’s Keller and Rhodenbarr series. I just started working through the Expanse books for the second time. And I regularly run through the Jeeves and Wooster series. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2024, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646/51 "2024-01-27T17:19:01Z")
I recently came to the conclusion that on my death bed, reading the Vorkosigan Saga will stand out as one of the greatest experiences of my life. My son is named after the series protagonist. I respect Bujold so much as a writer because she never wastes a single moment. Every moment serves some greater purpose in the narrative. Take the character of Mark Vorkosigan, Miles’ assassin clone brother. This could have been such a throwaway plot device, but instead she used it as a springboard to create another fully realized character. The book that delves into this tortured soul’s point of view, _Mirror Dance,_ is my favorite in the series and one of my top ten favorite books of all time. It’s certainly the greatest redemption story I’ve ever read. I’ve read _Mirror Dance_ a few times just to try to understand how she did what she did. All I can say for certain is that I didn’t realize how special book series as a medium could be until I read this series. There are moments that wouldn’t be nearly as impactful without the books that came before them. In a completely different direction, I greatly enjoyed, in the fun romp kind of way, the post-apocalyptic romance _Earth Resistance_ series by Theresa Beachman. It’s steamy romance in a plot straight out of _Alien,_ all sorts of biological horror, taut action, lovers who can’t get enough of each other. Extremely fun. It’s rare to read a romance writer who writes action that well (Carolyn Crane’s _Undercover Associates_ series also kills it, with a more disturbing edge. The villains in her books are downright terrifying.) > [@epbrown](#): > > I just started working through the Expanse books for the second time. I’m a huge fan of the TV series. So far the books are great. I’ve read the first two. I think I have more empathy for Holden having read the books. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2024, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646/52 "2024-01-27T18:14:04Z")
> [@epbrown](#): > > And speaking of urban fantasy, Harry Connolly’s _Twenty Palaces_ series. I just ordered one, I will check it out. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2024, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646/53 "2024-01-27T19:05:33Z")
Another favorite series: N K Jemison’s “Broken Earth” series ---
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2024, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646/54 "2024-01-27T19:08:35Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > In recent years Discworld. I re-read [almost] all of Terry Pratchett every year. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2024, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646/55 "2024-01-28T04:36:52Z")
> [@vbob](#): > > I re-read [almost] all of Terry Pratchett every year. Same here along with Nero wolfe and Rivers of London. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2024, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646/56 "2024-01-28T07:29:02Z")
Older series loves: when I was in elementary school, Nancy Drew. The old old ones with the blue covers. Travis McGee (John D. MacDonald) Darkover (Marion Zimmer Bradley) ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2024, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646/57 "2024-01-28T14:25:27Z")
The Doc Sidhe novels by Aaron Allston, if two books are a “series”. I re-read them a lot. The Vorkosigan and Sharing Knife series by Lois McMaster Bujold are others I re-read a lot. The Belisarius series by David Drake & Eric Flint. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2024, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646/58 "2024-01-28T20:51:31Z")
Jimmy Corrigan, The Smartest Kid on Earth. If your unfamiliar with it, it’s Chris Ware’s dense graphic novel documenting the lives of three generations of the titular character. It was serialized in comics and The Chicago Reader before being compiled as the book, which I’m happy to say is available to be read [here, at a size that’s easier on the old eyes than the printed copy, and it’s got a ton of tiny details.](https://viewcomiconline.com/jimmy-corrigan-the-smartest-kid-on-earth-tpb-part-1/) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2024, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646/59 "2024-01-28T21:10:18Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > The Doc Sidhe novels by Aaron Allston, if two books are a “series”. I re-read them a lot. I ordered the 1st based upon your rec , etc. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2024, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646/60 "2024-01-28T21:39:45Z")
Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan, Mars, and Venus series. Michael Moorcock’s Elric series. I got into these as a teenager. Older readers tend to be less impressed. Donald Hamilton’s Matt Helm series. Of course, James Bond is a cooler character, but I think Hamilton was a better writer than Fleming. (Or at least had more consistent editors.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-favorite-series-novels/996646.md?page=4)