You've probably already guessed what, but MOCKINGJAY is released today!
Unfortunately, the state of Pennsylvania has not yet deemed that I am old enough to operate a functional vehicle, so I have to wait until this evening to get it. (Friday, be quiet.)However, since Mockingjay is the final installment of a trilogy, it inspired me to write a post about trilogies and patterns I see and what are some really incredible trilogies and interesting tidbits like that.
First, I think trilogies are a pretty cool way to write a series. If they're done well they leave me feeling like the story was doublely complete. Think about it-- each story has a beginning, middle, and end, and then the trilogy overall is a beginning, middle, and end. Some of my favorite trilogies that I've read recently: the Heir Trilogy (Cinda Williams Chima), the Mortal Instruments
(Cassandra Clare, and yes I count it as a trilogy right now. The other three to come are their own, I think), and Poison/Magic/Fire Study (Maria Snyder).This works with movies too. Pirates of the Caribbean (as of now. Are they really making a fourth?) is a good example. Star Wars--the original ones, I mean. I count that. I haven't seen transformers, but #3 is coming out soon, so it's a trilogy.
With these I tend to like the first one best, the third one second best, and the second one the least. (Did you follow that?) I feel like the first one is the one where the most character development happens--probably because we're only just meeting the characters. The third
one wraps everything up and I feel satisfied when long overarching plots finally come together. The second one always starts in the middle and ends in the middle, and usually I don't feel like the characters grow as much. Also, it's almost always a cliffhanger, which I love and hate at the same time.For example, Pirates of the Caribbean and Star Wars? Yeah, the middle ones--PotC 2 and t
echnically SW 5--end in a huge cliffhanger. (Does anyone else notice that both cliffhangers happen to be the awesome/funny/quirky/BA male lead in dire peril after being kissed by the female lead? Just saying.) However, Dead Man's Chest followed the pattern and was my least favorite of the three, but Empire Strikes Back was my favorite, which did not follow the pattern.As for books, City of Ashes (Mortal Instruments 2) was my least favorite of the three. (
I still loved it, though.) But The Wizard Heir (Heir 2) was my favorite of those books. Probably because Seph is my favorite character, and since he wasn't introduced until Wizard Heir--and because Wizard Heir is practically all about Seph, YAY.I know, I'm making it sound like there actually isn't a pattern. But there is! Star Wars and the Heir trilogy just break it. What trilogy patterns do you see?
Kieryn
www.kierynnicolas.com
www.kierynnicolas.blogspot.com
PS check out my sister's new book review blog, Winnie Worth 1000!
