Top Ten Tuesday #12: Favorite Sequels

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where book lovers post their top ten books for various themes that are given.

September 24th: Top Ten Favorite Sequels

Caleb’s Picks:

Another top five. I couldn’t think of ten sequels worthy of a top ten, and only one or two I disliked. In short, I couldn’t think of a lot of sequels!

1. Perelandra by C.S. Lewis – As much as I enjoyed Out of the Silent Planet, Lewis took everything to an even greater level in the sequel. The characters were even more lovable than before, and more fascinating; the plot was more dramatic, and more exciting; the perspective more imaginative and broad; the themes were deeper and more thought-provoking than ever: is it any wonder I’m itching to read That Hideous Strength? I’m only waiting for just the right moment, as I’m sure most bibliophiles will understand.
2. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien – Talk about building on your success! It’s mind-boggling what Tolkien did. The Hobbit was a great book, there’s no question, and by following it up with his massive, ambitious, incredibly intricate trilogy, Tolkien established himself as one of (if not the) best fantasy writers of all time. It’s as if Lewis Carroll turned around and wrote Crime and Punishment.
3. The Return of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs – It’s hard to call this a sequel, because it picks up right where Tarzan of the Apes left off, regathering the loose threads and tying it all up rather neatly. Really, Tarzan of the Apes cannot be read without The Return of Tarzan, which is part of the reason this is such a great sequel. In the first book Burroughs leaves you ravenous for more and you are not disappointed.
4. Garden of the Purple Dragon and Dragon Moon by Carole Wilkinson – For years I thought the series began and ended with Dragon Keeper, until a friend told me that there were two more. I was thrilled, and I’m still very grateful to that friend. I enjoyed the sequels even better than the first.
5. Inkspell and Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke – I bought the whole series at once and read it through in a couple of weeks. Inkheart compares beside the others almost as a stand-alone, worthy in its own way, but personally Inkspell and Inkdeath were my favorites. An amazing writer, Cornelia Funke. I don’t read much fantasy, but at least I choose my fantasy wisely.