Reading as a Stand Alone Book

Use this forum to discuss the October 2019 Book of the month, "Skills of the Warramunga" by Greg Kater.
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briellejee
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Re: Reading as a Stand Alone Book

Post by briellejee »

Wokeread wrote: 16 Oct 2019, 02:14 I read this book after reading the second one in the trilogy, and I still haven't read the first book. Whilst I think it is easier to follow the story after reading the earlier books as one is familiar with the characters and their quirks, this does not stop one from enjoying any of the books as a standalone. The only background information that one really needs is on the two main characters' relationships, and there is ample reference to this in all the books to give sufficient background. :D

Here is a link to my review - viewtopic.php?f=63&t=108592#p1183503
Are you still planning to read the first book? I’ve started from the first one and i agree that it other books have ample references or backgrounds for it to qualify as a standalone.
"All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost"
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briellejee
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Post by briellejee »

Dorcas Serwaa Adu wrote: 29 Oct 2019, 21:47 No, I haven't yet. And on the idea of reading the whole series, it depends on you. For instance when they talk about how Jacko and Harry stopped human trafficking and you are curious to know more, then you go back to the other books. But at the mean time if you are okay with that piece of information, that one too is alright. Remember, it isn't a sequel that is following where the other book left off, it isn't compulsory to read the others first.
But will you read the whole series? I do agree with it not being a sequel and that it depends on the reader whether they would want to read or not. I think the author did it on purpose by giving enough background as to not leave the reader confuse but also make them interested a little bit to go back to the first two.
"All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost"
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Post by Kro92813 »

Howlan wrote: 01 Nov 2019, 02:10
Kro92813 wrote: 31 Oct 2019, 21:39
Howlan wrote: 10 Oct 2019, 10:19

Yes, it's true one can read this book totally as a standalone, the story is easy is follow and it seems fine. The only problem is that the characters of Jamie, Jacko, and Sarah are not properly introduced in this book and I feel that we need to know about them more.
I agree! I felt like we jumped right into the book without much background info on the main characters. I found myself with a lot of questions about them
Yes you should read the other books in the series. You would enjoy the story even more.
I didnt particularly enjoy this one, so I will have to pass. But for those who enjoyed this book I would believe reading the prior two would add to the experience tremendously!
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Post by Nimisha_91 »

Jyockel08 wrote: 03 Oct 2019, 11:31 When I start a series out of order, I often find myself stopping mid-read and going to look for the first book. So going out of order never works for me. Thanks for the heads up!
I'm the same way. It bothers me when i think i missed anything!
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Post by Ivana Tomaš »

I prefer to always read books in a series in order. Although I believe that certain books in some series can be read as standalones, I am still skeptical.
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Post by Don Pwai »

Yes, I am lucky to have read the other book series of this novel. But despite that having read the earlier books, I believe this book can stand alone since it has an excellent flashback that connects the happenings in this novel to the earlier books.
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Post by Ander Carlos »

Yes, this book content is freely flowing and can stand alone. Everything about the characters is well brought out hence made it easy to understand them and their roles.
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Post by Dorcas Serwaa Adu »

briellejee wrote: 01 Nov 2019, 10:23
Dorcas Serwaa Adu wrote: 29 Oct 2019, 21:47 No, I haven't yet. And on the idea of reading the whole series, it depends on you. For instance when they talk about how Jacko and Harry stopped human trafficking and you are curious to know more, then you go back to the other books. But at the mean time if you are okay with that piece of information, that one too is alright. Remember, it isn't a sequel that is following where the other book left off, it isn't compulsory to read the others first.
But will you read the whole series? I do agree with it not being a sequel and that it depends on the reader whether they would want to read or not. I think the author did it on purpose by giving enough background as to not leave the reader confuse but also make them interested a little bit to go back to the first two.
Oh yes, i would definitely like to read the other two. And you are so right on the getting hooked part :D
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Post by Jimi Adewole »

Urgh! I know that feeling that there's too much important stuff going on that you know nothing about. Series that avoid that feeling are few and far between.
Experience is a harsh tutor for she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards. - Vernon Law

You might as well read about it in a book.
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Post by Abacus »

The Warramunga books are easily read as stand-alone. Kater provides all the information you need in each book. I love the characters in these books, a little old-fashioned by today's standards, a little more gallant, and all heart for catching the bad guys.
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Post by Reader5698 »

I think this book works really well as a standalone novel. There were no open plot points from previous books that needed to be resolved in this one, and I found that any references to previous events were well explained. However, I felt that we did not get much character development in this book as far as the three main characters are concerned, probably because the author had two books to introduce them, and by this point they were already well-established.
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Post by La Cabra »

Kelyn wrote: 03 Oct 2019, 17:39 I don't mind starting a series in the middle, but if it's one I end up liking, it's not unusual for me to go back and read the others. I think it's difficult for a book in a series to truly be a 'standalone' if any part is based on something that happened in a previous book. With this one, even in the sample, there were references to events that obviously had occurred in earlier books.
Absolutely, I agree with you completely. Although if I do start a series in the middle, and I didn't have too much problem catching on I'll only ever go back to the first book if I find it that interesting. I've read some of the Narnia books and really liked them too, but I've never actually read the first two haha.
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Post by Lisa A Rayburn »

La Cabra wrote: 10 Nov 2019, 08:35
Kelyn wrote: 03 Oct 2019, 17:39 I don't mind starting a series in the middle, but if it's one I end up liking, it's not unusual for me to go back and read the others. I think it's difficult for a book in a series to truly be a 'standalone' if any part is based on something that happened in a previous book. With this one, even in the sample, there were references to events that obviously had occurred in earlier books.
Absolutely, I agree with you completely. Although if I do start a series in the middle, and I didn't have too much problem catching on I'll only ever go back to the first book if I find it that interesting. I've read some of the Narnia books and really liked them too, but I've never actually read the first two haha.
Never? *sputter* Never read the first two??!!?? What a sad, sad thing! You absolutely must go back and read them!! I adored the Narnia series so much I actually wrote a research paper on it as an undergrad! I definitely think the first two are a must!!
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Post by La Cabra »

La Cabra wrote: 10 Nov 2019, 08:35 I've read some of the Narnia books and really liked them too, but I've never actually read the first two haha.
Kelyn wrote: 03 Oct 2019, 17:39 Never? *sputter* Never read the first two??!!?? What a sad, sad thing! You absolutely must go back and read them!! I adored the Narnia series so much I actually wrote a research paper on it as an undergrad! I definitely think the first two are a must!!
You wrote a research paper on Narnia?! How do I find the dumbest things to say to the completely wrong people :doh: :lol2: I will have to read them now, I guess. A research paper wow.
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Post by Pearl Hijabi »

The review stated that this book could be read as a standalone. As I'm halfway through it, I agree completely with the review. I have no difficulty in relating with the characters or enjoying the story. And I haven't read other books in the series
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