Waiting on a New Release to Resolve a Cliffhanger? You’re Not Alone
Check out some of the popular series that are waiting on another installment and what to do while waiting for the anticipated ending.
Waiting on a New Release
Waiting for the next book in a series to be released can be difficult, especially when the author has left you on a cliffhanger. This has been something people have been struggling with since the first fiction books were written centuries ago.
One of the most well-known series was written by Stephan King, who took more than 20 years to complete the Dark Tower series in its entirety. One continued story that no one saw coming was the 50 years between Harper Lee’s two novels, To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman.
Some of the library’s most popular series are still waiting on satisfying conclusions.
The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon
The first book in the Outlander series was released in 1991. Since then, seven additional books have been published. The most recent book came out in 2014, just before the series made its television debut. The release date for the ninth book in the series, Go Tell the Bees That I’m Gone, has not been announced.
The Jack McEvoy series by Michael Connelly
Michael Connelly released the first book in the Jack McEvoy series in 1996. Jack McEvoy is a Denver crime-beat reporter who ends up suspecting a serial killer in the area after researching his own brother’s death. The series has been released slowly over the years, with the second book coming out 13 years later in 2009. The author is releasing the third book on Jack McEvoy, Fair Warning, on May 26.
The Brad McLanahan series by Dale Brown
While the two series above have had long wait times between books, some series have relatively short times between releases. The Brad McLanahan series is just one example. The first installment, Tiger’s Claw, was released in 2012. Author Dan Brown followed it up with the second book less than two years later. This was the longest time between two books in the series. The seventh book, Eagle Station, is set to come out on May 26, almost exactly one year after the last book was released.
Now is a great time to get started on these series and start wrapping up the published books in time to read the latest installments as they release!
While You Wait
If you’re stuck on a cliffhanger, try some of these tricks and activities to make the time go faster, or to share and compare your thoughts with other people dying to know the ending.
- Research Fan Theories: There are many online groups to discuss every topic under the sun. You’re bound to find other people just as obsessed as you are with your favorite series. See what they have to say and maybe add in your own ideas to how the next book will end.
- Reread the Books: If the release date for the next installment is finally in sight, break out the books you read years ago. There are likely some details you’ve forgotten in the last 13 years (yes, I’m talking about you, Michael Connelly).
- Make a Playlist: If music is something you go to when having strong feelings, good or bad, this could be a great way to cope with the stress of a cliffhanger. It can also take up a lot of time. The average Spotify playlist is 500 hours (or 170 songs). If you listened to a playlist with this average length, it would take you 20 days to listen to all of the songs if you are listening 24/7.
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