Today’s topic comes from QSFer Blaine D. Arden:
“Why so many Fantasy Trilogies (and endless series). What is wrong with stand-alones?”
OK, so I come down on the trilogy (or more) side of this fence myself. I love losing myself in an epic fantasy that I can return to again and again. But I also see the appeal of stand-alone books.
It seems to me that this also connects to the debate we had last week about Epic Fantasy and story length… and the argument that High Fantasy, at least, might not lend itself to short stories. Does it lend itself to stand-alone novels?
So what’s your take? When reading Fantasy, especially High Fantasy, are you satisfied with a stand-alone novel, or do you yearn to roam free in a trilogy or more? And what are your favorite examples of each?