Many fictionophiles LOVE series fiction.   I am one.   Once started you loyally and  fastidiously follow the series until its completion.  And you NEVER, ever read a book out of order within the series.

Which leads me to ponder….  what happens when your favorite author writes a PREQUEL to the series?   (or in the case of one fantasy series, a prequel trilogy)

If you’ve not started a series yet and want to read it – would you begin reading the prequel first – then the series?  Or… would you read the series in the order in which it was written/published?  Do you think prequels generally contain spoilers or do they lay a much needed foundation to the subsequent novels?

Case in point.  Elizabeth George wrote “A Suitable Vengeance” fourth (publication-wise) in her Inspector Lynley mystery series.   However, if one wanted to follow the series chronologically, one would begin with this novel as it lays the groundwork for the rest of the series.     I would want to begin with “A Suitable Vengeance” before reading the other novels in the series. (and I did!)