Shiver Me Timbers! A Series Shake-Down – Part One

Shiver Me Timbers mateys!  Me Series be spiraling out of control!  Many of me crew lament and wail about how series never seem to be finished and are hard to keep track of.  That got me to thinking about what series still be languishing in the hold hoping for love and completion.  Now here be the thing, when I started the official tally, I realized that subcategories would be needed due to the sheer volume or me noggin would self-destruct.  So I will be splitting this up into multiple posts.  The six (!) categories thus far are:

• Series that be completed that I have not finished (Much to me shame!);
• Series that I be caught up on but am waiting on the author to supply me with the next volume (Write faster dang it!);
• Series that are not finished but I haven’t caught up with all the released books yet (Why?);
• Series that be completed that I haven’t even started yet (Oh my!);
• Series that are not finished that I haven’t started yet (Sigh!); and
• Series that I am gonna toss overboard for a myriad of reasons (Dun Dun Dun!).

This first installment will focus on series that be completed that I have not finished (much to me shame!).  They be listed by category with the series titles in no particular order.  Clicking on the series titles will lead ye to the series’ Goodreads page.  Clicking on the links in the descriptions will take ye to the reviews of the books I have read so far.  This will seriously be a long list so continue at yer own peril . . .

Sci-Fi:

1. Culture (Iain M. Banks) – The First Mate introduced me to this series when I was lamenting that there were no standalones that were somehow intertwined in one universe or world.  There are 10 books total that can be read in any order.  I am chosing to read in publishing order and have read two so far.  There is no review for consider phlebas because that was read in the days before the log.  But player of games has one.
2. Oxford Time Travel (Connie Willis) – Well I thought I only had one book to read in this series but there are three more!  The doomsday book is one of me favourite books ever (thank ye First Mate!) and so I will have to read the rest.  Arrrr!
3. The Forever War (Joe Haldeman) – The first book won the Hugo and Nebula and was awesome.  There be two more and the First Mate says his last one is his favourite.
4. Frontlines (Marko Kloos) – I recently read the first book in this series.  There be 5 more!  This is a military sci-fi series that, so far, be fluffy and fun.
5. Jane Hawk (Dean Koontz) – I am a huge Koontz fan and have read 60 of his books.  Ye can read about that here.  I enjoyed the first book in the series and the last book (#5) comes out in May 2019.  So it’s being included on the finished series list.
6. Dire Earth Cycle (Jason M. Hough) – I read the first book and enjoyed it.  There be four more!
7. Children of Titan (Rhett C. Bruno) – I read book two of this series courtesy of the author and loved it (it had a different title then).  I would like to read the other two books in the series.
8. Sunflower Cycle (Peter Watts) – there be four stories in this series.  I have read two.  I need to read the other two.  They be short.  There is no excuse.
9. Time Salvager (Wesley Chu) – Another duology I haven’t finished.  This one deals with time travel.  Should reread then finish.
10. Linesman (S.K. Dunstall) – I really loved the first book of the trilogy.  Book two was pretty good.  Just need to read the last one!

Fantasy:

1. The Steerswoman (Rosemary Kirstein) – I read an omnibus of the first two books way, way back in the day and adored them.  Then Sarah @ brainfluff reminded me that these books existed and told me there were two more!  Because of how long it has been, I want to start the series all over again and savour them all.
2. Eternal Sky (Elizabeth Bear) – I read book one and loved it.  I actually have the other two books in the series waiting in me bunk.  Soon.  Very soon.
3. Craft Sequence (Max Gladstone) – I love this series of interconnected novels.  I have read books one, two, three, and four.  I have two more left.  I don’t want these to end so I have been spacing them out.  Arrrr!
4. The Checquy Files (Daniel O’Malley) – I hear this is becoming a tv series.  I have read the first book and adored it.  I still need to read the second.  I do wonder if there will be more books due to the upcoming tv show.
5. Elemental Blessings (Sharon Shinn) – I love this author’s writing.  I have read the first three books in this series and discussed them in me Broadside No. 2.  Book four was about to come out then.  I still haven’t read it.  Sigh!
6. The Copper Cat (Jen Williams) – I read the first book and enjoyed it.  I own the rest of the trilogy and haven’t read it.  It is currently buried in about one hundred books in me cabin.  I will fish it out eventually.
7. Spellslinger (Sebastien de Castell) – The sixth and final book is set to come out in 2019 but I am pretty sure that it will be complete before I get back around to reading it again.  Hence why  it be on this list.  I read the first book of the series and really enjoyed it.
8. World of the Five Gods (Lois McMaster Bujold) – I have only read one of the three novels (gave it five stars) and none of the six related novellas.  MUST read them all.
9. Drakon (C.A. Caskabel) – When I made this list, I went back to see if book two was out.  It is.  So is three and four.  I very much enjoyed the first book of this self-published series.  I want to see if the rest are to me taste.
10. Acacia (David Anthony Durham) – The first book was published in 2007.  I don’t know when I read it but I do know that I never finished the trilogy.  I gave this book five stars in me noggin though there is no review as it was before the log.  This is another start over, actually write a review for book 1, and then finish
11. World of Riverside (Ellen Kushner) – I read the first book.  It also has five stars in me ‘ead.  There is no review.  So start over and read books two and three.  There a lot of other stories set in this universe (apparently) but I am not sure if I will read those.
12. Isles of Glory (Glenda Larke) – I got the first book for 25 cents and it entertained me.  I bought the second book but haven’t read it.  I need to read the rest of the trilogy.
13. Memoirs of Lady Trent (Marie Brennan) – I read the first one and enjoyed it.  There be four more.  Dragons!
14. Book of the Ancestor (Mark Lawrence) – I loved the first book about killer nuns.  The last book in the trilogy is just around the corner.  Will finish this.
15. Archivist Wasp Saga (Nicole Kornher- Stace) – The first book is under-appreciated.  Matey Sarah @  theillustratedpage led me to this series and I still have yet to read book two!
16. Keeping the Castle (Patrice Kindl) – I adored the first book which was a silly twist on pride and prejudice.  I need to buy and read the second one.
17. Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne (Brian Staveley) – As I stated in me NetGalley Rejections Part Five, I wanted to read the prequel book of this series so “I went back to read me old reviews for a refresher only to realize that a) I never wrote them; and b) I apparently never even read book three!  So I sadly gave this [the prequel] back to the library and got book three.  But when I started to read book three, I realized that I didn’t remember enough of the plot of the previous two.  So I gave that back to the library too.  The goal be to reread the first two books, actually read book three, and then go back to read this prequel.  Sheesh!  The good news is that I know I loved what I did read.  Arrr!”

Young Adult – Sci-Fi:

1. Starbound (Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner) – I read the first book back in 2018 and really enjoyed it.  The series was already completed when I began and yet I never finished it!  I do want to read the rest of the trilogy.  But I have to admit that I am not in a rush.

Young Adult – Fantasy:

1. the Obernewtyn Chronicles (Isobelle Carmody) – In the days before this log, this book was listed on an Australian list of books to love.  I read the first book, loved it, and immediately went out and purchased them all.  And NEVER read the other five.  Sigh.  At this point, I have to restart the series and actually complete it this time around.
2. Akata Witch (Nnedi Okorafor) – I read the first book in this duology and loved it.  I keep meaning to read the second book and failing.  Seriously, it be sad.
3. Emily the Strange (Rob Reger & Jessica Gruner) – I am not doing so poorly on this.  I adore Emily and her weird ways.  Book one was awesome and I have since read books two and three.  I have to review those.  Only one to go!
4. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place (Maryrose Wood) – I listened to the audiobook of book one and thought it was so divine and wonderful.  There are five more in the series.  I be excited.
5. Court of Fives (Kate Elliott) – I read the first book eons ago and then I never finished this trilogy.  I have picked up book two multiple times and put it back down.  I haven’t been in the right mood for these yet.
6. Song of the Current (Sarah Tolcser) – I read the first book in the duology and adored it.  I have got to read the second!  This series is seriously underappreciated.  Sea yarns y’all!
7. Finishing School (Gail Carriger) – I read the first book and thought it was fun and fluffy.  I have to be in the mood for these and so far it has not happened.  But I have not given up on it yet.  There be three more books in this series.
8. Kingdom of Xia (Cindy Pon) – There are currently four works total made up of two duologies.  I apparently read only the first book in each.  I would like to finish these.  I will likely start by rereading the first book because I don’t have a review for it.  But this series is not the top priority.
9. Bone Universe (Fran Wilde) – I read book one and loved it.  Never finished the trilogy.  I do think this be a series where I can just read two and three.
10. Gifting (K.A. Ganshert) – I read the first book of this self-published series and remember loving it.  I don’t know if I would still love it as it has been so long but I would like to try again and finish the trilogy if the answer be aye.
11. Hunter (Mercedes Lackey) – I only thought I was one book behind.  Turns out I am two.  Oops!  I loved book one for the giant Hounds and basically want to read the rest for the same reason.

So thus far we have THIRTY-EIGHT (38) completed series which I have not finished with a total of ONE-HUNDRED THIRTEEN (113) unread books (including the needed rereads).  I knew it was bad.  But not this bad.  Yikes!  But I be determined to succeed.  I think 2020 will be the year of doing battle with the series.  These are the first on the that list.  I will need to draw up a battle plan.  Arrrrrr!

Keep a weathered-eye out for more lamentations about unfinished series and always remember:

Q: What do ye call a pirate who skips class?

A: Captain Hooky!

Hardy har har!

x The Captain