Book & Information 17 Apr 2007 11:15 am
Why can’t they just SAY the order?
So readers, are you ready for another rant? This applies specifically to romance novels, but can be generalized to all genres really. You have an author you love, and then you find another title by that author, and start reading only to discover that it takes place BEFORE the book you just finished. There was NO NOTATION anywhere that the first book was part of a series. NOTHING AT ALL.
This really irks me. Have no fear, I have a specific example for you.
Hawk’s Prize, Passion, Pursuit and Pledge are a series of 4 romance novels. They are about four siblings, separated years earlier. Overall each is a decent story, and though there is some repetition, it is a good set of four books. From the back of the book,
Theirs was a tale of Tragedy and Triumph. Four children abandoned in an orphanage. Two missing parents. One man whose hatred had divided a family, whose duplicity ended in murder, inextricably weaving all their lives together in a web of lies that only time could untangle.
Are you ready to see the confusion?
Here is their order.
Hawk’s Pledge, by Constance O’Banyon is the oldest brother, Whit’s story. Hawk’s Passion, by Elaine Barbieri is the first sister Elizabeth’s story. Hawk’s Pursuit, (back to O’Banyon) is the story of one of the sisters, Jena Leigh. Hawk’s Prize, (this one by Barbieri) is of the fourth brother, Drew.
Two different authors, nothing saying it is a specific series. On our computer at work, the spelling of Hawk’s is actually different. Two have Hawks and two have Hawk’s. The second through fourth do make mention to a “Hawk Crest” series but no where in our computer database at work does it reference that. Additionally, though the third and fourth book have cover inserts of the first two as reference, the second book has no reference to the first.
This series at least tried to let you know, with the series list inside, but depending on where you started, you just couldn’t know it was a series.
Trust me dear readers, other authors are much worse at listing this information. (Also, I know it isn’t just the authors. They may write the books, but it is the publishers who choose what goes on the cover and what get listed in terms of other books the author has written.)
And with that, have a good day!
Tags: barbieri, constance o'banyon, elaine barbieri, fiction, hawk crest, Hawk Crest Series, hawk's passion, hawk's pledge, hawk's prize, hawk's pursuit, hawks, mass market, novel, novels, o'banyon, order, paperback, rant, ranting, rants, romance, romance novels, series, series order