I stuck the weasel word mostly in there for a reason and then defined my idea of Fantasy Series. Yes there is continuity across the books. That does not mean the story of the book does not get satisfyingly concluded with a novel.
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Acknowledged and I agree that each book tells its own story: but you concluded with "there is little assumed knowledge between the books" and I would have to take issue with that assertion. In many cases - Vimes, Granny, Tiffany being noteworthy examples - a character's story spans many books.
aug 20, 2025, 1:59 am • 0 0 • view
Vimes is A Cop, Granny is A Witch, that is usually enough for a reader to know what they are doing in any particular book. If more knowledge than that is needed Terry will give it. Tiffany in particular has her back story given in the early chapters of each of her books.
aug 20, 2025, 2:07 am • 0 0 • view
Do we follow people’s lives through multiple books ? Yes. Do following those lives make the reading experience better. Yes. Is following the lives necessary for the reading of any one book. No.
aug 20, 2025, 2:16 am • 3 0 • view
Within a novel. I was contrasting Wheel of Time Which is currently up to 14 books , which in my experience ( the first 3 ) are one continuous story. And a reader therefor cannot pick up a single book and read it as there is no conclusion, it is not a stand alone novel.
aug 20, 2025, 1:59 am • 1 0 • view
There is absolutely no way you can grab a random Wheel of Time book other than the first one or (mayyyybe) the prequel without having read any others, and have even the slightest idea what is going on.
aug 20, 2025, 2:29 am • 3 0 • view