Actually, the trouble is really two troubles.
The first trouble comes when you happen to read a book that has just been published, and you are all excited about reading the next installment, and you realize that you will have to wait another whole YEAR before you get to read the second part. It's bad enough that you have to be on the edge of your seat waiting to find out what happens next for all that time. But do you know what is even worse? Waiting that whole year and finally getting into that second book, only to discover that you have forgotten some key points about the plot or the characters. And then you are just slightly confused for (if you are lucky) the first half of the book. Pretty much until you either remember the bits and pieces, or just give up and decide to ignore the fact that you don't remember and try to move past it. Either way, it puts a bit of a damper on the enjoyment of the whole thing.
My suggestion: If you know ahead of time that a book is going to come in three parts, wait until the second one has been out for at least six months before reading the first one. That way, you can read straight through the first two, and only have to wait a few more months to get the ending. (An added bonus: the copies should be readily available in the library, so you won't be the tenth person in line placing a hold!)
The second trouble with trilogies is really as much, if not more, annoying that the first. And that is that sometimes the second and third books in the series are not as good as the first one. That, my friends, is terribly disappointing, especially when the first one was amazing and you have been looking forward to the next one (sometimes even for a whole year!!!). I really don't know what to say about this problem, other than I hate when that happens! And, unfortunately, there isn't really anything you can do about it. Here are some examples of trilogies that I've read that I recommend you give a try - no troubled ones here!
The Razorland Trilogy by Ann Aguirre
Enclave, Outpost, Horde
This is a great post-pandemic action/adventure series with a bit of romance thrown in. It follows a girl and a guy who have been living in an underground society because the above world has been over-run with, not zombies, but some weird mutated monster things (I imagined them looking like this Warhammer kroot). They realize that their dystopian little society is not so great, right about the time the society decides to do away with them, so they decide to take their chances above ground. It is a fresh idea, very well written, and the last book is just as good as the first. (For a tad more info, see my earlier comments here.) (Reading Level: 4.8/5.5/5.9/Middle Grade +)
The Goddess War Trilogy by Kendare Blake
Antigoddess, Mortal Gods, Ungodly
This is a Greek-mythology-in-the-present-day kind of series. It is fantastic! And I'm not just saying that because I like that sort of thing. Blake really outdid herself - this series is so much better than her Anna Dressed in Blood set. It has the Greek gods and goddesses (special focus on Athena), still alive and looking like they just graduated from high school because, of course, they are immortal. The only problem is, they are losing their immortality and slowly dying (the way they are dying is in line with their special traits). Anyway, it just so happens that Apollo is dating a teenage girl and she and her brother and friends get caught up in the war that the dying gods/goddesses start with each other. It has interesting twist after interesting twist, and is so full of action that I think guys will love it even though there is considerable attention paid to the romance aspect (see my comments here). Ignore the cheesy covers on the second two books (why did she change the format after the first one ?!?!) - this series is so good, the other mythology-based trilogies that I've read can't begin to compare. (Reading Level: 4.5/4.1/4.3/Upper Grades)
The Darkest Minds Trilogy by Alexandra Bracken
The Darkest Minds, Never Fade, In the Afterlight
This is another post-pandemic action/adventure with a bit of romance thrown in for good measure trilogy. (Hmmm, I'm starting to see a pattern here. Maybe that's the recipe for a great series.) So there was a virus, that only attacked kids, and if they survived, they came out of it with special abilities. I know what you're thinking - like you haven't heard that one before. I know. But this series does it so well. So well, in fact, that they are making it into a movie. They are casting the extras for it as we speak. So run out and pick up this trilogy and get it read before the movie comes out, because, you know, the book is always better. (Reading Level: 5.7/5.9/5.9/Upper Grades)
The Dark Divine Trilogy by Bree Despain
The Dark Divine, The Lost Saint, The Savage Grace
So...I really don't want to be a spoiler, but I feel that I might want to warn you - this is a trilogy about werewolves. Now, had I known this before I picked up the first book, I never would have read it. After the whole Twilight hype, I just couldn't bring myself to read those books. And it kind of turned me off to anything that sounded like it might be similar. But I have to say, when I discovered that the series was about werewolves, I was surprised. Both because that isn't what I was expecting (based on the blurb I had read), but also because the books were actually good. All three of them. They were, of course, primarily romance novels, but they had some good mystery and action stuff to round them out. Also, they were a refreshing change from the teens behaving badly that I've come across so much lately (see my previous post here on this topic). Well, the bad boy in the story does behave badly, but it isn't justified as being okay or normal to act that way. So. I've noticed that most people either loved or hated this trilogy. Maybe the fact that I've avoided most of the other books like this helped me enjoy it, or maybe it's because they weren't as superficial as I think a lot of those other books might be (yes, I'm being judg-y, which is why I haven't read them). Anyway, if you like romance novels with a twist, and don't mind paranormal/supernatural type stuff, give this one a try. (By the way, what is up with those book covers? Do they think only twelve-year-olds are going to want to read this? I hate book covers like that!) (Reading Level: 4.5/5.0/5.2/Upper Grades)
The Half Bad Trilogy by Sally Green
Half Bad, Half Wild, Half Lost
This is one of my favorite trilogies of all time. It is an urban fantasy series with modern day witches in modern day England. I won't say much more about it here, since I wrote a detailed post about the first book last April (see post here), and I talked a bit about the third book back in September (see post here). All three books did a fantastic job with character and plot development, as well as going deeper with a fully developed theme. That's the kind of writing that pushes a book (or series) into the 4 and 5 star categories for me. I couldn't get these books out of my head for weeks after finishing them, that's how good they are. (Reading Level: 4.5/4.5/4.6/Upper Grades)
The Mara Dyer Trilogy by Michelle Hodkin
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, The Evolution of Mara Dyer, The Retribution of Mara Dyer
This trilogy is another paranormal romance. I know, there are a ton of those out there. This isn't a vampire/werewolf type of paranormal, but a people-with-powers type of paranormal. I know, there are a ton of those as well. So what sets this one apart? Well, the types of powers and the way the characters find out about them and then use them was pretty original, but what I like the most were the characters and the dialogue. Actually, make that one character and his dialogue. If I were younger (much, much younger) I would have literally fallen in love with Noah on the first page he showed up. Seriously. Even though he isn't a real flesh and blood person. Michelle Hodkin has made a male lead that is that amazing. I'm really not exaggerating here. I didn't even like the female lead very much anymore by the third book, but I didn't even care because reading about Noah more than made up for that. And don't worry, this is not just a gushy romance - it is chock full of mystery and action as well. You can read my mini reviews of the three books here, and here. (Reading Level: 4.3/4.3/4.6/Upper Grades)
His Fair Assassin Trilogy by Robin LaFevers
Grave Mercy, Dark Triumph, Mortal Heart
Teenage girls. Who are nuns. But also assassins. That's the premise behind this series. I was a little leery before reading the first book, because I had come across some really not so great fantasy novels before, but I was pleasantly surprised. Very pleasantly surprised, in fact. All three books were really, really good. They probably fall more into the historical fantasy category than pure fantasy, and are full of intrigue, action, and romance. Each book focuses on a separate assassin, but by the middle of the third installment, all three have come together. This series is quite original and very well written. If there were a fourth book (or fifth) I would definitely read those as well. (Reading Level: 5.9/6.1/6.4/Upper Grades)
The Pendragon Cycle by Stephen Lawhead
Taliesin, Merlin, Arthur
This trilogy was originally published in 1987-1989, and five years later the author added the first of three additional books, but they take place later in time, so really the first three in the 6 book cycle form a trilogy. I read these way back when they first came out in paperback (kind of tells you how old I am!), and loved them so much that I've reread the original trilogy two or three times since then.
This series is historical fiction but with a strong fantasy element to them as well, which is necessary considering the setting and legend involved. Basically, Lawhead did extensive research to try to uncover the kernel of truth behind the King Arthur legends, placing the story in the time frame and places that historians say the "real" King Arthur (you know, whoever inspired the original stories) would have lived in (which is nowhere near the time in which it is usually portrayed). He also did extensive research into Celtic mythology and bardic tradition, including research on the famous bard Taliesin. Of course, in order to address the whole concept of the fey, and the strange immortal nature of Merlin, the series had to come up with an explanation, hence the fantasy part. And let me tell you, the explanation he comes up with is brilliant. Not only is the story amazing, but Lawhead's writing is about as good as it gets. I highly recommend you read this trilogy! (Reading Level: not leveled, but nearly all his books are 6.0 or well above/Upper Grades)
The Forest of Hands and Teeth Trilogy by Carrie Ryan
The Forest of Hands and Teeth, The Dead-Tossed Waves, The Dark and Hollow Places
I wrote a review of the first book in this trilogy way back when (see post here). I was a bit worried about being a spoiler, because one of the things I liked so much about the book was the way the author set it up to where I didn't realize what was actually going on for quite some time, but when I finally did, I was like OMG how did I not see that?! Which brings me to this: The new book covers completely give away that this is a series about zombies. So . . . the author and publisher just put it right out there and you won't be able to experience the aha! moment that I did. But, I think you will still enjoy and appreciate how good the writing is and how deep the story runs, which is one of the reasons I didn't catch on right away (okay, that and the fact that this was actually the very first book about zombies that I had ever read). This isn't the mindless, scare your pants off, action/horror type of series. Well, it does have action, and some pretty scary parts too, but it also has a very well developed theme, with complex characters and all the stuff that make a book enjoyable for someone other than the average twelve year old.
The Immortal Game by Ann Aguirre
Mortal Danger, Public Enemies, Infinite Risk
This trilogy is kind of like high school drama meets supernatural action adventure. I know, you're probably saying, yeah, I've read that one. But wait. This one is entirely different. It is super original and super interesting. The basic premise is that there are "Immortals," beings (mythological characters, urban legends, etc.) who have come into actual existence because their story has been told so many times, who are basically playing chess with humans as the pawns. The story has more twists and turns than Arizona scenic route 288 (trust me, very twisty). Along with the scheming and action, there is the romance story, which develops along the three books and is also NOT typical. It seems pretty conventional at first, but then there is a big shocker and a subtle shift that turns into a development so unexpected that it is staggering. My favorite part? That horrible, terrible character that I should hate, but whose story is so achingly sad that I end up loving him. And you know why? Because Ann Aguirre does such a masterful job with her writing of the dialogue and descriptions that you can't help but FEEL when you read it. Those parts of the story add an entirely different, deeper dimension that I loved. The trilogy finishes up with an ending that I didn't see coming (maybe I should have), but is entirely satisfying in more ways than one. (Reading Level: 5.3/5.5/Upper Grades)
The Skinjacker Trilogy by Neal Shusterman
Everlost, Everwild, Everfound
The Skinjacker trilogy is not your typical ghost story. Neal Shusterman really got creative when writing this series. It takes place in a dimension between life and death, called Everlost, which is where the souls of the dead - no, make that the souls of dead children, because there are no adults there - end up when they somehow don't make it through the tunnel of light. And in Everlost, some older children (teens) have come to sort of rule over the other souls, and of course some are good and some are bad, and so the story turns into not just a ghost story, but a fantastic action-adventure with no end to the surprises. This trilogy is absolutely brilliant, and after reading it for yourself, you will see why Neal Shusterman is one of my favorite authors. (Reading Level: 5.6/5.9/6.4/Middle Grade+)
The Unwind Dystology by Neal Shusterman
Unwind, Unwholly, Unsouled, Undivided
Okay. This series is a bonus, because it isn't really a trilogy. It is a four book series, because Neal Shusterman couldn't tell the story in three books. So we get four books of great, great stuff. I had seen these books in the library for ages, and they were all raggedy from being checked out so many times, and I was like, ewww, I don't want to touch those. I had no idea what I was missing! I finally checked the first one out and stuck a homemade book cover on it, and then I read it non-stop and went right back to the library for the other three books. This is a fantastic series about a not so distant in the future time in America where civil unrest and political maneuvering have had the effect of allowing teenagers to be "unwound," which basically causes them to cease to exist as a person without actually killing them. I can't even say enough good things about this series. I just bought the boxed set for my home library, so that about says it all. (Reading Level: 5.0/5.8/5.7/6.3/Middle Grade+)
The 5th Wave Trilogy by Rick Yancey
The 5th Wave, The Infinite Sea, The Last Star
The 5th Wave is another science fiction trilogy. You may have heard of it, because it has been made into a movie. I didn't watch it, so I don't know if it was any good or not, but I enjoyed the books. The basic premise is that the aliens have invaded (sort of). Actually, they are just depopulating the earth with a series of disasters. The story follows one of the few survivors as she searches for her brother, and then tries to destroy the enemy. She ends up teaming up with one of the enemy, because he rescued her and is actually (now?) a good guy. The story is full of action, so if that is what you are looking for, this is a good choice. It is kind of confusing at times, though, so if that bothers you, you might want to pass. Reading all three books one after the other helps, but there are some plot elements that don't seem to make a lot of sense and some questions about the bad guys that I never did figure out even in the end. Even so, the series was good enough that I recommend you give it a try. (Reading Level: 4.6/4.7/4.9/Middle Grade+)
The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater
The Raven Boys, The Dream Thieves, Blue Lily, Lily Blue, The Raven King
I had to include this series, even though it is another four book installment and not a trilogy, because this is my all time favorite! You should read my review of the first book (here), and then continue reading this. As soon as I finished reading The Raven Boys, I rushed to the library and picked up The Dream Thieves. It might be even better than the first one. I know, how is that even possible? Put the two together and . . . unbelievable. Right after I started reading the second book, I rushed to my computer and bought my own copies of the first three books (there was no question as to whether the third one would be good or not, and the fourth one wasn't published yet). I ordered the final book as soon as it was available and if you can believe it, have had it sitting on my shelf for almost a year without reading it. Your'e probably wondering if I've lost my mind or something. No, I just don't want the series to be over. And once I read that final book, that's it. So I'm savoring the anticipation. That, and I want to re-read the first three books again first, so all the details are fresh in my mind when I read the last one. But I'll tell you this, I've read more than two hundred books since I finished The Raven Boys, and combined with the more than five hundred that I had read before, this is still my favorite one of all. Go get yourself a copy already! BTW - I've always said this would make a fantastic television series - a movie wouldn't do it justice - and guess what?!! Check out this article for the scoop. (Reading Level: 5.0/5.1/5.4/5.7/Upper Grades)
