I think serial novels are killers. They (the novels) hide in the book shelves in libraries or bookshops, taking furtive glance at me as I think of what to read, and subsequently decided on a plan to kidnap me into their world of "you-would-be-left-wondering-what-happens-to-the-characters-FOREVER".
Yes, such is the cruelty of serial novels. Don't believe me? Case 1: KUSZA (a.k.a UniSZA) library, 2002. I was wondering what next Archer's masterpiece to read once I finished As The Crow Flies. There they were, Kane and Abel and The Prodigal Daughter. Mind you, the latter is the sequence of the former. I took Kane and Abel, spent few days reading it, and by the end of the story I want more of Archer. Luckily, both books were published few years before I was born and finding them is not hard in the library.
Case 2: MPH, 2011. I was wondering what to do with the voucher given to university students. At that time I have spent half of it on stationeries. Books? Oh please, RM200 could only buy one, ONE metaphor book, my dear PM. So I spent the money on stationeries, at least I would not have to worry paying RM7 for a pen. It's free!
Ok lets get back to the story. Since it was a week away from the voucher from being a useless piece of paper with "RM50" stamped on it, I had decided to get at least one novel. So I browsed through Archer's latest publication and found "Only Time Will Tell". I had read the book up until the last few pages, and after a considerable amount of teardrops (I mean, what kind of soul would not cry reading Archer's?), I stopped reading and turned to the back page. There it is, that paragraph of death "The Clifton CHRONICLES is Jeffrey Archer's most ambitious work in four decades as an international bestselling author".
CHRONICLE?!!
I looked for the second instalment but to no avail. I found out that it would be out in May 2012. I had to wait for the paperback which will be available beginning mid September. So, I still don't know what will happen to Harry. Sigh~~
Case 3: Book Xcess, 2012. Now this one is a happy ending story. I picked up "Corduroy Mansions" as I thought it looks interesting. Once I finished it, then only I found out that it is one of three books in the series. So I checked Book Xcess website and found out that they have the second book (yay!). Not quite satisfied with the website, I called them last Sunday and they confirmed that "The Dog Who Came In From The Cold" was still available. I got dressed, took the Putra train to Taman Jaya and walked as fast as I can to the bookstore (which has crazy price on everything). And what did I find first? The third book! As I looked around the store for The Dawg, I found "A Conspiracy of Friends"...and I don't need to tell you the rest now do I? (Just finished The Dawg, want to continue with "Friends" but I am quite sleepy now).
They're all worth it, you know...all those novels I've read. I'm glad I have the chance to read them. Right now I'm waiting for Sins of The Father to come out in paperback, and I would buy it with normal price at MPH instead of waiting for the price to go down at Book Xcess.
What chronicles/serial novels have you read?
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