Reading as a Stand Alone Book

[kdstrack]

This book does work as a standalone. However, readers would be enriched by a deeper understanding of how Jacko and Jamie met and solidified their relationship. A knowledge of how Jacko and Monique met makes the ending sweeter. The more background information you have about the characters, the easier it will be to relate to the characters and connect with their experiences.

Yes, and also in the earlier series we also get the trust which gets built up among Jamie , Jacko and Johnny Cook and we understand how in the book they didnt hesitate at all at the thought of saving their friends.

I agree with this. I think the author tries to build on this in the book, but it is the past, shared experiences that they lived through in the first book, that established this trust and dependence on each other.

[Howlan]

This book does work as a standalone. However, readers would be enriched by a deeper understanding of how Jacko and Jamie met and solidified their relationship. A knowledge of how Jacko and Monique met makes the ending sweeter. The more background information you have about the characters, the easier it will be to relate to the characters and connect with their experiences.

Yes, and also in the earlier series we also get the trust which gets built up among Jamie , Jacko and Johnny Cook and we understand how in the book they didnt hesitate at all at the thought of saving their friends.

I agree with this. I think the author tries to build on this in the book, but it is the past, shared experiences that they lived through in the first book, that established this trust and dependence on each other.

Yes and I think thats what important in building a trilogy. You get a bunch of likable characters with history and include their new adventures.

[Samy Lax]

I have always been one to start reading a series right from book one. In the case of this series too, I feel that the reading experience of the book could be enhanced if the readers got to see how Jacko and Jamie initially came about to meet each other and build their relationship.

[Maríe Wamakima]

I don't support reading it as a stand alone book. I don't know, it just doesn't sound right. How will you know how Jamie and Jacko became friends? A lot of things in the first and second book provide explanation for what is happening in the third book.

[kdstrack]

Yes, and also in the earlier series we also get the trust which gets built up among Jamie , Jacko and Johnny Cook and we understand how in the book they didnt hesitate at all at the thought of saving their friends.

I agree with this. I think the author tries to build on this in the book, but it is the past, shared experiences that they lived through in the first book, that established this trust and dependence on each other.

Yes and I think thats what important in building a trilogy. You get a bunch of likable characters with history and include their new adventures.

I guess a person's response to this question would be a bit biased if you had already read previous books in the series. That's how I felt about this one. Since I had read the first book, and had all the background information about the characters, I felt I had an advantage. Do authors really want a book from a series to work as a standalone? Isn't the idea to get you to read the whole trilogy?

[mcdonaldchola]

I started by reading Greg's fourth book which is not part of the trilogy. When reading The Skills of the Warramunga I was now able to understand the genesis of some events in the fourth book. I now even have ideas of what to expect in the first two books of the trilogy because Greg gives a very good flashback. This is indeed a stand alone book.I am looking forward to reading the first two books to have the complete story of the adventures of Jamie and Jacko.

[Halima Lawan]

I really think this book could be read as a stand alone. I haven't read the previous books in the series, this is the only one I have read so far but the author wrote the story in a way you wouldn't feel the need to check the other books for recaps. He included all the necessary information you need to know for this book.

Did it, in any other way, made you interested in the other books? because I could see other people saying somehow after reading this, they would want to read the first two books. Was this not the case for you?

Yes I would like to go back and read the first two. Not only to understand the relationship between some of the characters like Jacko and Sarah but because I really enjoyed the story and I want to know how it all started.

[MsH2k]

This was my first book of the series. I rarely read all of the books in a series. Knowing that this was not a standalone book, I anticipated having to get up to speed on the characters quickly. It was like drinking from a firehouse reading the first few chapters and learning all the players and organizations. I don’t know if that particular aspect would have been easier if I had read any of the previous books or if this is just how the author started this book. It was not critical to the plot, but I would like to have known more about Jacko and Sarah’s family history. I wonder if it was addressed in either of the previous books. That was the only thing I felt I missed.

[Kro92813]

For any series, there should be sufficient flashback to understand role of any characters. Also some events from previous books should be explained in short, if these things are included, surely that book will stand alone.

There was not much for flashbacks or background information, but I didnt find this book terribly confusing. It just felt as if we were missing out on some of the history if the characters. I did have some questions about that.

[Kro92813]

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 powered through this one and I didnt like it enough to read the other two, but I generally dont like to read out of order either.

[Kro92813]

If I know there are other books in a series, I have to start with the first one. Same with tv box sets, I have to go to the first season and start there. I don't do stand alones

Then this one is not for you. Unless you plan on reading the first two

[Kro92813]

I doubt I will enjoy reading the third book first even if it's a standalone; I won't be able to shake off the feeling that I 'm missing some details.

I personally thi k you could follow along with this one, but I did feel like I was missing some background info on the main characters

[Kro92813]

I am reading the book as a standalone, but I think had I have read the previous books I would have had a greater understanding of each of the characters. I would have liked to have had more in-depth knowledge of Jamie and Jacko's characters.

Yes! My sentiments exactly! There was a lot of history I felt I missed out on by not reading the other 2. I just cant bring myself to read them

[Kro92813]

I definitely prefer to read books in a series in order, but my overall impression is that most people who read this one as a standalone did not struggle to understand it.

Agreed. There was information I wish I had known about, but I was able to comprehend this story

[Kro92813]

I have mistakenly read the second book in a series instead of the first, and when I go back to the first, many things I thought I understood really start making sense. So I'm an advocate for correct order reading hehe

Interesting! I advocate for reading in order as well for this very reason