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Just finished reading a dystopian sicence fiction novel, "Pure," by Julianna Baggott. It is well written, with well developed characters, and lots of plot twists. It is also quite dark.

So why am I ticked off? Because the book ends with a semi-cliff-hanger, and now I find out it is Book One of a triology. That's okay, except it is never mentioned; not in the books jacket, not on the title page; actually not even at the end. The cliff hanger led me to look up the author, and THEN I find out it is part of a trilogy (Books 2 and 3 haven't been published yet). Why do authors (and publishers) do this? Do they think we will not read a trilogy, or any multiple volume story? Let me hear your thoughts.

That's a good point, Cattleman.

I'm writing a book that's going to be part of a larger series, and i never thought to indicate that soemwhere...

Maybe "Book one" should be included on the jacket or something to that effect?

It's one thing to write an independent book; then write more with continuing characters, etc. It's another to write a continuing plot without warning your readers. By the way this is not the first time this has happened to me.

Another peever, though not with the author or publisher, is to walk into my local library, and pick up what looks like an interesting read, only to find "Volume 4 of the Whatever Infinitology," and then what do I do? Usually I just sigh and put it back on the shelf.

I would read it anyway, Cattleman. You would pick up what's happening. And then read the ones that came before. I've done it often

Cattleman I have done that many times. One time I pick up a book that was in the middle of a series and I didn't realize it. I read it and didn't understand half of what was going on. When I finished I looked up the author and found out there were 10 books in the series before the one of read! So of course I had to go back and read them all.

Cattleman - Yes, that is very annoying. Even more annoying is finding a book that sounds good and checking out, or buying it and then finding out somewhere in the back of the book, after reading it, that it is Part 2 or Part 3 of a four or six part series!!!!

Of course you want to go back and read Part 1 in order to get the full story, but then it is sort of worthless as you have already read what happens to the characters!!!!

I do agree that authors should put that right on the book front or if not on the jacket or the front somewhere.

What I also hate is that a book ends in a cliffhanger and then the author shifts to a new character. We see a lot of authors who shift characters, are very successful with the new characters, and never actually complete the story of the others. I have gone on some of these author's websites and/or blogs and written them notes about this. Often I get what you would expect; I have to write what is selling and can't write two or three books at once.

Understood, but that does not mean we have to be happy about it!!!

I cannot help to think that there are commercial - and only commercial - reasons behind these trilogies or series that ends with a lot of unfinished or unresolved plot threads. A book or volume should, in my opinion, tie most loose threads together at the end - then the sequal can untie them and complicate things again - no problem, but leave the reader with a finished product.

Just finished the first volume in The Hunger games with the same feeling you describe... I hate it!

Comments about issues with series echo mine. Have been to library shelves to browse and there is a book in a series, but others aren't available at that time. If I know it is a series, I put it back.

The problem with reading the 4th or 5th in a series and then going back is then we already know what happens. We have seen the future. Not much suspense or questions. I agree that one benefit would to understand the story line. This is sort of like if you come in at the third or fourth episode of a series on Masterpiece Theatre. Just hope previous episodes are available on demand!!! Can't get books that way.

Then there are the authors that just write one huge book about 2,000 pages (or so) and then they chop it up at key points. A reader can usually tell if this has been done because when the page is turned there is nothing, not even an attempt at writing a good ending place. Building suspense is one thing; dropping off a cliff another. The author takes risks at the reader's expense. What if their early work is not successful and others are not published? Or if they die (higher being forbid) before they can get the next story out.

I guess that we might resolve the series notification issue by writing to the authors; they almost all have websites. Doubt if the other issues will be resolved. Hard to take time from reading to lodge a protest!!! Although this is frustrating.