Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, featuring a different top 10 theme each week.
This week’s theme is Top Ten Books I Wish Could Have Had Sequels. According to the description, the point here is to identify books or series that are complete (i.e., not open-ended or on-going) — but where you want more anyway! That sounds easy to me. How many times have I finished a book or series with tears — not because of the actual plot developments, but because I just didn’t want to leave that world? Here are my top 10 choices for fictional worlds I want to live in forever:
I never did get my acceptance letter…
1) Harry Potter: Well, obviously! J. K. Rowling may think she’s written all she needs to about Harry and friends, but I beg to disagree! I’d read about Harry and the gang any time, any place. They can be grown-up, middle-aged, and dealing with their mortgages — I don’t care. Take me back to Hogwarts, please! Don’t abandon me to the Muggle world just yet…
2) Lord of the Rings: I guess it’s clear that I belong in a fantasy world. I know there’s a lot of additional material available regarding Middle Earth, but I want more of THIS story. Tell me what Aragorn did once he was king! How did Frodo make out after he sailed away? I love the characters in LOTR so much, and I want to know what happened with the rest of their lives, even if they mostly sat around singing songs and smoking their pipes!
3) The Sparrow and Children of God by Mary Doria Russell: Children of God is the sequel to The Sparrow, and the story is certainly complete after the second book. Still, I’d like to know what happened to the children and descendants of the main characters, and how society developed back on the planet of Rakhat after all these events took place.
4) All Men of Genius by Lev AC Rosen: Here’s a book that just cries out for a sequel… and I believe the author still hopes to write one. The world of All Men of Genius is original and engaging and just SO MUCH FUN. Please, please, please do more!
5) The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley: I believe that the author has said that she’s written all that she intends to in this world — the kingdom of Damar — but I’d love to see another adventure involving the unforgettable Harry Crewe and King Corlath.
6) The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger: Again, this story had a very definitive ending, as it should have. And yet… I’d love to see TTW: The Next Generation. After all, there’s still Alba. What was her life like? How did she manage her gift? How was her experience impacted by the scientific discoveries brought about by Henry and his research? I’d really love to know.
7) His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman: Just rip out my heart and leaving me hanging, why don’t you? I need more Lyra, I need more Will, I need to know that they find a way to see each other again!
8) Codex Alera by Jim Butcher: The series had a great ending — but I would have happily continued reading about Tavi, Kitai, and their realm.
9) Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell: Yes, I do know that there was an officially sanctioned sequel (Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley) — but it wasn’t written by Margaret Mitchell, so for me, it doesn’t count. I actually disliked Scarlett very, very much, and unless it came from the pen of Margaret Mitchell, I refuse to believe that that’s how Scarlett’s story was supposed to go. So there!
10) Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer: Because I want to know whether spending eternity with your stalker the guy you fell for in your teens — with everything about him always staying exactly, exactly the same — is really that great a life. And just how many times can you sit through high school?
I’m sure there are plenty of book worlds that I’d love to go back to. Which obvious ones did I miss? What books do you think would be even more perfect with a sequel or two? And seriously, can someone please convince JKR to write another HP book or seven?
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Bookshelf Fantasies 
I agree, it would be interesting to see the next generation in The Time Traveller’s Wife.
The other official sequel is Rhett Butler’s People which tells a different story of Scarlett and Rhett getting together. Honestly, I think if Mitchell had lived she wouldn’t have written one.
I hadn’t heard about Rhett Butler’s people — but being “authorized” by Margaret Mitchell’s estate doesn’t make it legit, in my view! I agree with you, I doubt she’d have written more. GWTW ended perfectly (I used the ending in last week’s top 10 list!) — but I guess I’d have loved to sit down for a chat with MM and find out what she envisioned for Scarlet next!
The Time Traveler’s Wife would be an interesting one.
I’d definitely have to agree with you on Harry Potter and LotR as well as add Hunger Games to that list, and here’s why: I totally thought the endings were perfectly executed and I wouldn’t have changed a thing about any of these series BUT I loved them so much that no amount of time spent with them will ever be enough. And at one point, I probably would’ve also said Twilight, but not so much anymore. It’s more of my “guilty pleasure” type of reading these days. Great list!
I also have Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings on my list. I just can’t get enough of those worlds!
Nice list! I think more HP would ruin the series, but then that would never stop me from reading if there was more 😀 I think the books ended well though.
“And just how many times can you sit through high school?” Ahahaha awesome, ain’t that the million dollar question 😀
Big yes to Harry Potter and His Dark Materials! The Amber Spyglass had such a disappointing ending… it definitely could have gone on. Gosh I loved those books, makes me want to re-read them. 🙂
Me too! Someday, when I have more time 🙂 I definitely want to read the whole trilogy again, straight through from start to finish. Lyra is such an amazing character!
A million times yes to Harry Potter and Twilight. Great picks!
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My TTT.
I almost included Twilight, too, even though I’m one of the people who actually liked Breaking Dawn. But it’s fun to think that a sequel might show Edward and Bella getting torn apart by Volturi. 🙂
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Stephanie @ Inspiring Insomnia
I’d love to read an HP prequel about James and Sirius & co.’s time in Hogwarts! That’d be awesome ^^
I didn’t think of His Dark Materials but I faintly remember the ending being a little vague, so I’d love to go back to that for a bit 🙂 I haven’t read most of the others, apart from LOTR of course.
Thanks for stopping by my list! Oh, and you should definitely read the 4th Dark Tower book! It’s my favorite in the series – we get to know all about Roland’s past!
Ooh, yes to a Hogwarts prequel! I’ve always loved Sirius — would love a story focused on the “marauders” and their adventures!
Ahh Harry Potter and LotR totally! I didn’t consider full series that I wanted more of for my prompt or else I also would have added those! His Dark Materials is one of the saddest endings ever. I always cry when I read it. It was really well done, but I agree it would kind of be nice to read about Lyra and Will finding a way to be together once more.
I know, His Dark Materials really just breaks my heart at the end!
Harry Potter is a really good one that I forgot on my list. LOTR is also amazing! I’m curious as to what may have happened next too. And I’d never turn down more Edward. 🙂
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~Sara @ Forever 17 Books