Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Ten Books You Wish Had Sequels (Top Ten Tuesday)



Top Ten Tuesday is the brainchild of the ladies over at The Broke and the Bookish. I've played the top ten game once before and it was a lot of fun. Time for round two!

This week, we are discussing the stories that we wish the authors had continued in another book or two. I didn't come up with ten books, but I am happy with the seven I picked. So many books are a part of a series these days that it's hard to find a great standalone. 


1. Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway
Angelmaker
This is one of my favorite books, possibly ever. The characters are divine and Harkaway sends us whirling around the world to so many places and time periods that I am desperate for more time with them. 

2. March by Geraldine Brooks
March
March is a retelling of Little Women from the point of view of Mr. March. It got me thinking about the rest of the characters. What does Beth think about while she is sick in bed? Is Meg jealous of the drama and romance her sisters experience? Imagine a whole series from the viewpoints of the different family members...

3. Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi

This book is about writing and storytelling and I wrote in my review that "the novel seems to start off traditionally, until we break into the stories created by Fox and Mary. Each one is so engaging that I wished it was an entire novel itself." I'm game, Helen Oyeyemi. Make it happen. 

4. Oracle Night (or any book?) by Paul Auster
Oracle Night
Oracle Night has two plots...to start with, anyway. Suffice it to say that in Auster's capable hands, we could have multiple plots going on for a long time, through several books, and continue to be fascinated by each. 

5. The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
The Dovekeepers
This novel, based on the Roman siege of the Jewish fortress Masada, was meticulously researched. More than that, the characters were so compelling that I want to spend more time with them and find out what their lives were like before the events in this book. 

6. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Ok, Erin Morgenstern says she has no plans to revisit the circus in novel form. But I think the world she has created is just begging to be let out to play again. 

7. The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman
The Imperfectionists
Technically, I suppose I am arguing for a prequel here. This novel uses vignettes to tell the story of the last days of a newspaper staff in Rome. While we get a lot of insight into the end and a bit into the beginning of the paper, I want to know all about the characters and events in the middle - during the newspaper's glory days. 


Which of your favorite books should have had a sequel??

20 comments:

  1. Oh, you picked so many first books have are on my TBR that you're making me want to go pick them up even more! I've been meaning to read both of Nick Harkaway's books for so long...they're definitely my Christmas vacation books, I think.

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    1. Mission accomplished. :)

      I must read The Gone Away World soon, but Angelmaker is the perfect one day read during vacation!

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  2. Yes to the Dovekeepers! I loved that book so much, a sequel would be fantastic.

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    1. I would be so happy. I guess a re-read will have to do for now. :)

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  3. Basically what I just did is went down your list and added each book to my TBR on Goodreads. Your choices, and your descriptions of each, are so compelling! I recently read Mr. Vertigo by Paul Auster and really enjoyed it. Oracle Night, and March, both sound great!

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    1. I'm so glad to hear it! They are some great books.

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  4. I LOVED The Dovekeepers! I'm so glad you mentioned it. Such a powerful story.

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    1. I loved that story so very much. I've only read one other book by Hoffman so far. I think it's time to read some more of her novels!

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  5. Amazing picks! I've wanted to read The Night Circus for so long. It sounds so AMAZING.

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    1. Thank you. The Night Circus is so imaginative. I hope you enjoy it!

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  6. Mr Fox sounds intriguing!! And the Dovekeepers has been on my TBR list for a while.

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    1. Mr. Fox was a really great story and The Dovekeepers was fantastic too. Writing this list is making me want to go back and re-read a bunch of these books!

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  7. Yes to The Night Circus, please. I loved that book and would enjoy the further tales of the black and white tents.

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    1. I feel like Morgenstern really excelled at creating a whole world, not just one story. Maybe if enough readers ask, she will write one!

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  8. Angelmaker looks really interesting, I'll have to check that out! And so glad someone else agrees with me about The Night Circus...I just loved that world so much!

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    1. I loved Angelmaker so much. If my mom hadn't borrowed it, I would probably be re-reading it at this very moment.

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  9. I've not read any of these, but I REALLY want to read March (I loved Little Women a crazy amount when I was little. Especially Jo, but I hated Amy haha). I just got my hands on The Dovekeeper - I LOVE Alice Hoffman, she's by far one of my favourite authors.

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    1. March is great. I've enjoyed everything by Brooks that I've read so far. The Dovekeepers is fantastic - it's one of those books you want to give to everyone you know. I hope you love it!

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    2. Yeah I read People of the Book which I thoroughly enjoyed. And I feel like that about all of Hoffman's books. I think the first one I read was The Ice Queen which is one of my favourites to this day. But they're all so beautiful!

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    3. I really liked People of the Book - I think it's my favorite of hers that I've read yet. (I still have Caleb's Crossing on my shelf.)

      I haven't read The Ice Queen yet! I will look that one up at my library. :)

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