When does a series jump the shark? [BTT]

by Kay | Sep 30, 2010 | Weekly Feature | 4 comments

I read a lot of different series and – as a general rule – love doing so. When you find a character you love and a setting that you want to live in, it is easy to want the good times to go on! But sometimes I do worry that a series will jump the shark. And when it does, I tell myself it is ok to let go. I will read on if I truly loved the first books, but I try not to let the new books affect the way I think about the characters I love.

There are a lot of examples out there of series-gone-bad. In UF, the most common example is Laurrell K Hamilton’s Anita Blake books. I am only 4 books into that series – supposedly the pre-shark jumping phase – and love it. But I have no idea how I will feel when basically Anita turns her home into a brothel, and shall have to read before I judge. Nevertheless, I completely understand why fans were rather horrified – it is quite the change from the horror and action of the first books!

In YA, Twilight is example of good-gone-very-bad. Honestly, even though I enjoyed Breaking Dawn, it was such a change from the first books that I struggled to accept it. When I think of Twilight, I try only to remember the teenage swoon-worthy romance of the first book – and perhaps the heartbreak of the second book – and leave the rest. While I wouldn’t say Meyer “jumped the shark”, she certainly got in the water with it.

But for me, the most unfortunate case of good-going-very-bad was the Study series by Maria V. Snyder. I adored the first book, loved the second – but had to force myself to finish the third. Epic disappointment. The characters were self-centred shadows of their former selves, and my only consolation was that at least the series was ending. It was actually very sad.

Other than those, most of the series I am following have stayed on track. Although sometimes I can read the first in a series – love it – and then hate the rest of the books. Karen Chance’s Cassandra Palmer series is one I won’t be continuing – after the sour taste that the second book left in my mouth. Vicki Pettersson’s second book in the Sign of the Zodiac Series was also a supreme disappointment, and while I haven’t gotten rid of the rest of the series yet, I am hesitant to pick up book three.

Perhaps series do better when there is only a set number of books? In other words, when the author has a contained plan where the end is known right from the beginning. My favourite series, Harry Potter and the Darkest Powers Trilogy, seem to be prime examples of that!

Jump the shark?  To those of you wondering where this peculiarly phrase came from, watch this highly informative video featuring The Fonz!