While each novel does stand well on its own, the richer experience comes when gathering up the whole thread, and even more so on re-reading the whole thread, and again ;)
Lois's work is harder to read in timeline order because of her shorter works published in one volume, but covering many points on the timeline. When I start a re-read, I can never remember which short work is where. I think I wrote it all down somewhere, but, ahem, I can't find it.
I only buy used when trying to fill the gaps in a series I've picked up where the earlier ones are now out of print.
And when I recommend a series, I don't say, "But don't start with this one," I tell them, "Buy this one, and if you like it, buy the whole series because it's a richer experience to start at the "beginning." :)
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Lois's work is harder to read in timeline order because of her shorter works published in one volume, but covering many points on the timeline. When I start a re-read, I can never remember which short work is where. I think I wrote it all down somewhere, but, ahem, I can't find it.
I only buy used when trying to fill the gaps in a series I've picked up where the earlier ones are now out of print.
And when I recommend a series, I don't say, "But don't start with this one," I tell them, "Buy this one, and if you like it, buy the whole series because it's a richer experience to start at the "beginning." :)