Series fiction refers to a group of independently published works of fiction that are related to one another, usually through similar elements of setting, often including characters. A common example of series fiction is a book series.
Typically authored by a single writer, some series are collaborative efforts driven by publishers, as seen in The Hardy Boys or Sweet Valley High. Series fiction can be classified into "progressive" series, where characters grow and narratives are chronological, or "successive" series, which consist of self-contained stories that can be read in any order. The popularity of series fiction has grown with the commercialization of publishing, the rise of fan communities, and the expansion into multimedia franchises. However, it has faced criticism for formulaic plots and perceived low literary value, particularly in series aimed at younger and female audiences.
History
Stories that share certain elements, like characters, have a long tradition (for example, William Shakespeare reused the character of John Falstaff in several of his plays).[1]:7
In the interwar period, series fiction expanded from literature (novels) to other mediums, notably comics and films.[2]:539 During that time, Edward Stratemeyer's Tom Swift series was extremely popular among young readers in the United States.[3]:881
The postwar period saw the emergence of a female protagonist in series fiction.[2]:540 The use of female protagonists during this period is often criticized for being one-dimensional, with a focus solely on beauty.[3]:882
The popularity of series fiction rose during the internet era, from the late 1990s onward.[3]:882
Characteristics
Victor Watson defined series fiction broadly as "a sequence of related stories about the same groups of characters, usually by the same author",[1]:6 as well as "a series of narratives, published separately, often over a considerable period of time, mostly about the same characters, and usually written by one author". He notes that its key characteristics that distinguish it from other types of fiction is its "extended overall length and its composition in separate narratives".[2]:532 Watson although noted that there are notable exceptions to his definition. While the unifying feature for most series are characters, for some, that can be a concept, a place or an institution. For example, the Greyfriars School series by Charles Hamilton, the Chalet School series by Elinor Brent-Dyer or the Green Knowe series by Lucy Boston feature changing characters, and are connected through a particular place; while Lucy Fitch Perkins's Twins series had a theme of featuring twins, with characters, countries and historical periods varying between the installments.[2]:534–535 Likewise, while many series are primarily written by a single author, there are some notable series written by various writers (such as the Twins series, The Hardy Boys series, the Bobbsey Twins series, the Sweet Valley High or the Animal Ark series). Watson classifies them as "publisher's format series".[2]:535
While series are common in genre fiction, they have also been found in mainstream fiction (as early as with Honoré de Balzac's La Comédie humaine from 1829).[3]:884 Series fiction is often incorrectly pigeonholed into one primary genre, but in fact many series can have elements of different genres; those genres can also change over time as authors mature or experiment with different styles.[2]:532,535,537 A long running series that was set in times contemporary to the readers can be seen as historical if the time in the series progresses very slowly, and it becomes long-running (ex. Alison Uttley’s Little Grey Rabbit series begun in the 1920s and continued into the 1970s, with later books receiving explanatory notes about history).[2]:536
Brian M. Stableford noted that series fiction is a result of commercialization and mass production of fiction, and its formularization to meet readers expectations; he writes that "powerful market forces pressure publishers and writers to follow up successful works with sequels". He also observes that series are often likely to suffer from the problem of "melodramatic inflation"; i.e. "the necessity of increasing the magnitude of threats that the hero is required to overcome". One of the solutions to the later is the creation of sidestories (spinoffs) or prequels.[7][8] Other reasons for continuing the series have been described as the author's desire to "fill in narrative gaps" or to write "major ideological reappraisals".[2]:535–536 On the other hand, some writers have noted that continuing the series can be challenging for various reasons such as becoming burned out in the context of a particular setting or character.[2]:541[3]:882
Waiting for the next installment in a series is a part of the appeal of the series, used to boost their popularity through improving and managing recipients anticipations, with purposeful marketing, journalistic and fan speculation, and related methods.[2]:536 Consuming more than the first part of the series implies commitment; as noted by Watson: "There is often a chanciness in choosing to read a single novel [but] you cannot read a series of twelve novels by chance".[1]:1Fan communities are more likely to form around longer series, to which some readers are drawn to due to the existence of such larger communities.[3]:880 Such communities, particularly in the Internet era, can also lead to increased interaction between readers and writers, influencing the course of the series in line with fan's wishes as expressed online.[3]:882
Shortest series can be as short as a single trilogy.[3]:880,886 Larger series can number as many as several hundred installments, particularly in cases of larger franchises and shared universes, such as, for example, Star Trek and Star Wars science fiction series, or the Longarm westerns.[3]:885,888
Other terms related to series fiction, sometimes used as synonyms, include, among others, multi-part novels, sequences, and sagas.[3]:880 Also related are the concepts of shared universes, fan fiction and canon, particularly common in speculative fiction series (science fiction, fantasy and horror).[3]:885
Reception
Reception of the series can wane over time, particularly in terms of critical reception; it is common for the first installment or installments to receive much critical reception, while the later ones, despite being still popular with the readers, and technically not inferior to the first parts, are often at best summarized or just listed in catalogues.[2]:537[1]:2 Critical reception of the series can be impacted by the stereotype that longer series are mass produced works of inferior quality;[1]:2–3,9 this is in particular common, and sometimes justified, for authors that produce numerous installments a year, and where editing is of low-quality.[3]:880 Series directed at young audiences, as well as series belonging to the romance-genre, usually tend to have the weakest reputation, due to the volume of production and expected formulaic plots.[3]:881 Series targeted at teenage girls have also been a target of criticism, due to their common focus on activities such as "frenzied shopping, gossiping, partying, and sexual encounters", and portrayal of beauty and wealth as most important and desirable qualities.[3]:882–883 Series based on television and film franchises (tie-ins) also have a poor reputation among critics.[3]:882
Nonetheless, even series that suffer from lack of critical acclaim and formulaic repetition can be long running, commercially successful and have a dedicated fanbase.[1]:1–2
Expected familiarity with the setting, character and author style has in fact been identified as part of the appeal of series fiction.[1]:7–8,205
Types of series
A series is sometimes differentiated from a work that is divided into smaller installments due to its size, but which forms part of a single story that begins in the first volume and concludes in the subsequent ones. Such works are often referred to as trilogy, tetralogy, etc. depending on the number of installments, and while literary scholars classify them as series fiction, they are not referred to as such by publishers. They can be compared to the concepts of "books published in installments",[3]:880 similar to how some shorter works (usually later published as individual books) are published in a serialized format in magazines.[9] A well known example of such a work is J.R.R. Tolkien’sThe Lord of the Rings (split into three volumes The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King).[3]:880[10] A proper series, on the other hand, features more strictly defined tales in each of its installments, and such installments can be more easily read without familiarity with previously published parts of the series.[3]:880
Victor Watson distinguishes progressive and successive types of series, with the former being characterized by character growth, with books intended to be read in order, usually chronological. The latter, on the other hand, show much less character growth and can usually be read in any order without significant impact on the reader's understanding of the story.[2]:532–533 Some series can change from progressive to successive, or vice versa.[2]:535–536
Series fiction spans all types of media. Major types of series fiction include, among others:
Detective fiction is a subgenre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator or a detective—whether professional, amateur or retired—investigates a crime, often murder. The detective genre began around the same time as speculative fiction and other genre fiction in the mid-nineteenth century and has remained extremely popular, particularly in novels. Some of the most famous heroes of detective fiction include C. Auguste Dupin, Sherlock Holmes, Kogoro Akechi, Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. Juvenile stories featuring The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, and The Boxcar Children have also remained in print for several decades.
High fantasy, or epic fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy defined by the epic nature of its setting or by the epic stature of its characters, themes, or plot. High fantasy is usually set in an alternative, fictional ("secondary") world, rather than the "real" or "primary" world. This secondary world is usually internally consistent, but its rules differ from those of the primary world. By contrast, low fantasy is characterized by being set on Earth, the primary or real world, or a rational and familiar fictional world with the inclusion of magical elements.
Crime fiction, detective story, murder mystery, crime novel, mystery novel, and police novel are terms used to describe narratives that centre on criminal acts and especially on the investigation, either by an amateur or a professional detective, of a crime, often a murder. Most crime drama focuses on criminal investigation and does not feature the courtroom. Suspense and mystery are key elements that are nearly ubiquitous to the genre.
Contemporary fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy set in the present day. It is perhaps most popular for its subgenres, Occult detective fiction, urban fantasy, low fantasy, supernatural fiction and paranormal fiction. Several authors note that in contemporary fantasy, magical or fantastic elements are separate or secret from the mundane world.
Mystery is a fiction genre where the nature of an event, usually a murder or other crime, remains mysterious until the end of the story. Often within a closed circle of suspects, each suspect is usually provided with a credible motive and a reasonable opportunity for committing the crime. The central character is often a detective, who eventually solves the mystery by logical deduction from facts presented to the reader. Some mystery books are non-fiction. Mystery fiction can be detective stories in which the emphasis is on the puzzle or suspense element and its logical solution such as a whodunit. Mystery fiction can be contrasted with hardboiled detective stories, which focus on action and gritty realism.
A romance novel or romantic novel is a genre fiction novel that primarily focuses on the relationship and romantic love between two people, typically with an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending. Authors who have contributed to the development of this genre include Maria Edgeworth, Samuel Richardson, Jane Austen, and Charlotte Brontë.
Narration is the use of a written or spoken commentary to convey a story to an audience. Narration is conveyed by a narrator: a specific person, or unspecified literary voice, developed by the creator of the story to deliver information to the audience, particularly about the plot: the series of events. Narration is a required element of all written stories, presenting the story in its entirety. It is optional in most other storytelling formats, such as films, plays, television shows and video games, in which the story can be conveyed through other means, like dialogue between characters or visual action.
Historical fantasy is a category of fantasy and genre of historical fiction that incorporates fantastic elements into a more "realistic" narrative. There is much crossover with other subgenres of fantasy; those classed as Arthurian, Celtic, or Dark Ages could just as easily be placed in historical fantasy. Stories fitting this classification generally take place prior to the 20th century.
A book series is a sequence of books having certain characteristics in common that are formally identified together as a group. Book series can be organized in different ways, such as written by the same author, or marketed as a group by their publisher.
Literary fiction, mainstream fiction, non-genre fiction, serious fiction, high literature, artistic literature, and sometimes just literature, are labels that, in the book trade, refer to market novels that do not fit neatly into an established genre or, otherwise, refer to novels that are character-driven rather than plot-driven, examine the human condition, use language in an experimental or poetic fashion, or are simply considered serious art.
Dark fantasy, also called fantasy horror, is a subgenre of fantasy literary, artistic, and cinematic works that incorporates disturbing and frightening themes. The term is ambiguously used to describe stories that combine horror elements with one or other of the standard formulas of fantasy.
Supernatural fiction or supernaturalist fiction is a subgenre of speculative fiction that exploits or is centered on supernatural themes, often contradicting naturalist assumptions of the real world.
Elements of the supernatural and the fantastic were an element of literature from its beginning. The modern fantasy genre is distinguished from tales and folklore which contain fantastic elements, first by the acknowledged fictitious nature of the work, and second by the naming of an author. Authors like George MacDonald (1824–1905) created the first explicitly fantastic works.
Fiction writing is the composition of non-factual prose texts. Fictional writing often is produced as a story meant to entertain or convey an author's point of view. The result of this may be a short story, novel, novella, screenplay, or drama, which are all types of fictional writing styles. Different types of authors practice fictional writing, including novelists, playwrights, short story writers, radio dramatists and screenwriters.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to fiction:
A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living writing novels and other fiction, while others aspire to support themselves in this way or write as an avocation. Most novelists struggle to have their debut novel published, but once published they often continue to be published, although very few become literary celebrities, thus gaining prestige or a considerable income from their work.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to fantasy:
Twitterature is a literary use of the microblogging service of X. It includes various genres, including aphorisms, poetry, and fiction written by individuals or collaboratively. The 280-character maximum imposed by the medium, upgraded from 140 characters in late 2017, provides a creative challenge.
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