Poll and Discussion: Series Serials

I am noticing a growing trend where instead of releasing a full novel, authors’ works are now being published chapter by chapter as they are writing their story; this is in a similar vein of fanfiction. I used to be a major manga reader (Japanese comics) and while I’m used to a story being piecemealed for years at a time with 17-40 pages (in either weekly or monthly installments), I’m not so sure of how I feel about that translating to novel format.

I recently read and immensely enjoyed The Immortal Circus, which initially was released in serial format. I was glad to read it as a final product. The second book is now out, but it will be released the same way. Though I’ve purchased the book I sort of want to hold off until it’s all finished. It only takes me a few days to read a novel, but I want to be fully engrossed in it until it’s done. At the same time, my TBR list is very long and it will take years for me to read everything I want at my rate. Serials would be a good change to get more of a taste of everything.

Interestingly enough, with the growing popularity of services like Netflix and On Demand, even when it comes to television I find that I enjoy marathoning a show as opposed to watching one episode at a set time on a set day every week. Books seem to be going in the opposite direction. How do you feel about this evolution in reading habits?

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