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Friday, May 20, 2016

Bookish Thoughts #3 - The Rise of the Duology and Companion Novels

Is it just me or has there been a rise in the number of Duologies and Standalones with companion novels?  
 

I don't know if it is that I have just stared to notice them more (especially in Young Adult), but recently I have noticed quite a few duologies being published whereas before it was a rarity. I will be going a Show Me The Books post about all the duologies that I have come across this Sunday, but off the top of my head, there has been:   
 
 
 

Advantages to the duology:

1) Only have to wait a year between starting a series and ending it (when you read new books as they are published).
 
2) If it had been one big book then it could have created issues with spine creasing, fitting it in your bag, holding it up to read in bed etc.
 
3) If it had been made into a trilogy then you what ended up with smaller books and that's not good either as it would cost you more (no reader needs more expenses than their addiction hobby already costs them). Also if you are like me and worry about going out for the day and running out of reading material then you might need to take two books.  
 
Overall I am quite happy about a series being a duology
 

So same story with standalone's + companion novels there seem to be a sudden influx of them, every standalone I look into reading (in the last few months) has a companion novel currently being written by the author. For example:
 
 
I haven't actually ever pick up a companion novel for a standalone, but I have read a spin-off series and my main issue with this kind of story is that I get to attached to the main characters from the original book (s) and I just want to know about what they are up to. Especially if it from a POV that I know is going to interact with my favourite characters, I am just hanging on for those moment and not giving the new main character a chance.    
 

WHAT ARE YOUR BOOKISH THOUGHTS?

Have you noticed the rise of the duology and companion novels?
What are your opinions on duologies and standalones with companion novels?