Exploding Casts of Characters

I’m stockpiling my e-reader for a long international trip. A lot of my purchases are old mysteries and some lovely old romances like Georgette Heyer. And of course, I can’t resist dipping into them when I have a few minutes to spare. (Right now, that means while in shopping lines or waiting rooms because my workload has tripled trying to meet deadlines and do Christmas shopping before we leave!)

What I’m discovering is that readers in days of yore apparently did not mind multiple point-of-views and a staggering array of characters. This, of course, intrigues me because I’m having a serious crisis of doubt over the books I’m writing—all of which have a large cast of characters whose stories will continue from one book to the next. 

I’m aware that a number of romance authors are currently writing small town series with multiple characters who do cameos in later books (Anne Gracie, I’m looking at you!). But with my dreadful memory, I may vaguely remember the names or occupations but will remember utterly nothing about the character’s story. Fantasies like George R.R. Martin’s GAME OF THRONES use an army of minor characters—I have no idea how anyone keeps up with them either.

Oh yeah, and then there are those doorstopper books I wrote in the 80’s—I’m reissuing some of them this week in a series called Dark Lords and Dangerous Ladies. How did I ever remember all those characters while writing 150,000 words? While editing this time around, I had to add full names, titles, and descriptions just to remind me of who they were from one chapter to the next! But I remember readers loving all the extra characters, so maybe it’s just me.

Do you recall characters from one book to the next? Or even in the same book? I just read a mystery with a dozen suspects (shades of Agatha Christie!) and finally gave up because I couldn’t remember whose story was what. Is there a secret to remembering which character goes with what name?

Or do you just not care as long as the story grips you and keeps you reading?

Comments

[Mary T]

I guess I'm okay with it as long as it holds my interest. When I first retired and started reading again I wasn't aware of series at all. I remember finding a book by Mary Balogh in the library called SIMPLY LOVE. I wasn't aware that this book was from the middle of a four book series (Simply series) and even contained characters from a previous six book series (Slightly series). Of course, I loved the book from the get go - the love story absolutely held my interest. But I do remember thinking - Holy Cow, I've never read a book with so many side characters (smile).

[Lillian Marek]

Personally, I like a book or series with an ensemble cast. I like having the hero and heroine live in a world with other people in it, be they friends, relations, or simply walk-ons. And I like them to have connections with other people.

After all, unless the hero and heroine are stranded on a desert island, there really should be people around to lend an air of verisimilitude to what would otherwise be a bald and unconvincing narrative. *Grin*

[Patricia Rice]

And so you observed the very first clue that you were in a series! But yes, this is how I stumble into them as well. Glad you stuck with it because Mary's books are delicious.

[Patricia Rice]

Yes, yes, doing happy dance! It gets really boring on the page to read nothing about two people doing nothing but arguing and boffing. And I love characters more than action.

[Mary Jo Putney]

I agree that more characters are needed for context and a sense that the protagonists live in a real world. But in a continuing series, the players can get out of hand, particularly since series are written over years.

With the help of a wonderful reader, I'm putting together a list on major characters in a series and which books they show up in. I hope that will help when I finally get it up on my website!

[Sue McCormick]

I love the full world with many characters.

Much as I love Georgette Heyer, it bothered me that (mostly) none of her characters never met. On the other hand, in the interlocking Cynsters, Bastion Club, and special adventure quartets, the characters waltz in and out of each others' stories with never a by-your-leave. And I love it.

In Mary Jo's "Bride trilogy" (is that an official name or did I make it up?), characters from the past show up and intermix with this newer generation. And I love it.

I don't pay too much attention the the details of all these lives as I do my reading, but it gives me a sense of realness to e reading in worlds where people in the same social class will run across each other.

And, finally — what I always say. Write what makes YOU happy. An author happy with the universe of the author's creation will write a story that I like.

[Sue McCormick]

should have read "none of her characters ever met."

[LindaB]

I loved those huge, old books with all the characters, multiple POV's and lots of subplots. And I didn't mind the head-hopping, either, not that I knew what it was then.

Part of the attraction is that everything is in one book. No reading the second book and trying to remember who AAA from a previous book is, or having to dig out the book to find out. I don't like doing that.

But there is such a thing as overdoing the number of characters. If you need a character list at the beginning of the book, that's too many characters. (Some Jane Austen fanfic is like that.)Otherwise, OK.

[StephanieL]

I love a created world. I love to get immersed in the world that the characters are living in and live there with them. I have this thing of getting wrapped up in a series and loving the fact that there is another one. It then continues the lives of book 1's lives but gives some of the other characters there own stage and so on. As for keeping them straight, I don't know. At some point they become friends and I just remember who they are. If I don't, the book isn't holding my attention enough.

[Patricia Rice]

oh on the website would be cool! I was building one for the books but yours would really benefit for a longer series listing.

[Patricia Rice]

But it's good to know that it doesn't bother readers when all these people I don't remember waltz in and out. :)

[Patricia Rice]

I was just writing an author note to the effect that we used to have a huge stage and cast of characters to play with, but can't do that any longer. Good point. But I need those character lists, even if they can be intimidating. In mysteries, it helps me to remember elusive characters, the ones that don't play a large part.

[Patricia Rice]

excellent point about book holding the attention enough to be immersed in the author's world! That's a tough task and not everyone can pull it off. It's good knowing that I'm reading readers right and they like the world building!

[Shannon Arthur]

I can remember about 7 continuing characters plus their spouses. Over that, forget it. I'm more and more a fan of trilogies, because threes come naturally to my thinking.

This doesn't mean I don't read authors that have 15+ books with the same family, but unless I reread, I have no idea about who most of these people on the edges are. And some of the later books tend to be epilogues for several other character's stories with the "central" couple really more plot moppets, which is great if a) I remember the previous couple, and b) I like them well enough to want to know about their HEA.

[Mary Jo Putney]

Sue McCormick--yes, it's officially the Bride Trilogy, and it takes place in the same world as the Fallen Angels. TO some extent the Bride Trilogy was created so I could show Catherine Melbourne's daughter all grown up. *G* She's the heroine of The Bartered Bride, and she has her family and friends around her.

[Patricia Rice]

you're doing better than I am, but yes, trilogy length is about as much as I can handle too. After that, the extra characters become scenery--which may be what I'm after with this new series. The butcher, baker, candlestickmaker won't have to be renamed in every book. ;)

[Vicki L.]

Hmmm, intriguing question. I do like lots of characters and I usually can remember them from book to book in long series.

I can think of 4 series that has lots of recurring characters - Robyn Carr's Virgin River series. Every now and then it feels like she just threw someone in but for the most part they pop in and out to good effect.

Susan Mallery - Fool's Gold series. One thing she did that was interesting is that she had the big series but there were trilogies as well. You'd start reading and realize, ahhh...these are the three people who are going to be the main hero/heroine in this book and the next two.

A few of her past characters would do pop in's but only one pop in character appears in every single book... name escapes me but she is VERY important to every book. The Mayor of Fool's Gold.

As Sue McCormick said Stephanie Lauren's series have reappearing and reoccurring characters. I really enjoying "touching base" with past characters again. Luckily I do remember them so can appreciate their contributions to the plot.

Robin D. Owen's Heart Mate Series also has reappearing and pop in's from previous books. A few months ago I actually made myself a timeline so I could see how the books were connected.

Long Answer Short - I can remember characters if they are 3 dimensional. If they are flat..I can't. If it is lots of battles and they are flat, no. But a well developed story line with well developed characters. Clear logical language also helps!

So Yes, I can remember them from one year to the next.

[jeanette dilts]

In well written series, Balough, Burrows, Krentz as Amanda Quick, and the Wenches, for example, I have no problems remembering the multitudes of characters and I agree with others that they help make a "real" world in which the characters live. In poorly written series, that same multitude sometimes feel as though they have just been added to people the imaginary world and are rather like cardboard figures - no real dimensions and so become eminently forgettable to me
.

[Judy Goodnight]

Just yesterday I finished reading both Mary Balogh's Slightly and Simply series. One of the many things I liked about it was the way the characters appeared over and over again in different books along the way. I was absolutely tickled when 2 characters from one of her Christmas novellas had cameos in the first Simply book. (Love you, Lord & Lady Heath!)

I do appreciate extras on authors' websites like family trees, however.

[Patricia Rice]

thank you! Your memory is far better than mine, but it's good to know characters can carry over if they're well-drawn. I can sort of recognize them but recalling their stories...would require re-reading. ;)

[Patricia Rice]

Yes, even though I may not specifically remember a character, knowing that there is a large family and relationships really develops the story for me. The trick is that "well-drawn" part!

[Patricia Rice]

ah, family trees, always a good thought designed to send me into hiding. I've done them but developing those relationship lines gives me gray hair! I hadn't thought to check Mary's site for those...

[Mary M.]

I like it when there's a family (birth or found) in which the characters are so distinct that they're memorable—and maintain their characters from book to book. I'm less fond of a wimp from book 1 becoming the hero in book 2, while the strong hero from book 1 goes all soft and domestic in book 2. Likewise heroines. There are series where I don't permanently remember the plot, but do remember characters as they move from the beginning of the series to the end. An author who can pull that off is usually Amazon ***** in my book (or, rather, theirs).

[Nancy]

I think a book in which all the action and attention and focus is only on the two main characters is unrealistic. Few people are that isolated.
As for series I like Mary Jo's Lost Lords and have even reread the set. Patricia's Genius series is a good example of a series in which the story is complete in one book but the whole is needed to ties it all up. I like a cast of characters in books. However , as an aspiring author, writing such a book is more difficult than with a more limited cast for me. Scenes with more than two people are not easy to write.
Mary Balogh's Survivors is a good series. I find the dialogue too modern, especially all the references to having sex.

[Kathy K]

I like books that are so big in sweep and scope that they require a cast of characters. For example I cite David Weber's series that begins with "Off Armageddon Reef." Perhaps part of the problem with large casts is that they require a many pages to develop character and let them interact in the plot. And today's books seem to be to be shorter, on the whole, so the author doesn't have that many pages to work with. If you try to have a large cast in a shorter book the characters are bound to be 2 dimensional.That being said, it's also possible to go overboard and really require an editor. I cite again David Weber. He is apparently dictating his latest books in the series. There are lots of repetitions and many passages that could be tightened up.

[Quantum]

I like each story to be self-contained so that reading earlier books in a series is not essential but can of course enhance the enjoyment. I don't mind a lot of characters but prefer the main focus to be on a few dominant characters, (I can just about count to 5). This is particularly the case with audio books where it is tiresome to roll back to remind oneself of some person or event. Julia Quinn for example is very good at this. There are nine books (I think) in the Bridgerton series and each audio book can be enjoyed independently.

Hope you enjoy your globe trotting Patricia .... great way to generate new ideas!

[Annette Naish]

I like some series, but they have to have characters who are engaging. I loved your Unexpected Magic series and Cindy Kirk's Good Hope series is one of my favorites.

But, I have not enjoyed some series which involve events and characters from a previous book with little or no explanation. It is as though I have been dropped into a foreign land.

If there are past events or characters introduced, it is much more kind to the reader if there is a background provided.

[LindaB]

Definitely, shorter books work with fewer characters.

As for dictating, apparently that's the wave of the future. Authors try to put out books as fast as they can nowadays, and talking is faster than writing.

Dictation may be a good idea for the first draft, but after that, you have to edit or all you have is a first draft with all the holes and repetitions intact. Although some people publish first drafts and people buy them.

[Patricia Rice]

now you're presenting a challenge! I like my characters to grow, preferably through the romantic relationship because that's what I write, but whoever they are, they need to learn lessons. So maybe what they fear in the first book can be overcome in the next. But the author has to SHOW how they got there, not just wave a magic wand.

[Patricia Rice]

thank you--those are encouraging words. I'm getting bored with the focus on two characters. But it's a tough line to walk in romance because romance does require the focus of seeing only the one you love.
Scenes with more than two characters are tricky--I really flubbed them up in my first books. But once you've learned the balancing act, you're good.

[Patricia Rice]

Oh, audio books, I hadn't even given them consideration since I cannot listen to them. I need to force myself to do so!

Think I can add a few Maori warriors to the next tome? ;)

[Patricia Rice]

I'm keeping track of these series to track down and test out. I think the small town settings make it easier to keep track of background--but then, some authors overdo it and repeat everything that happened in the previous book,boring me to death.

[Mary Drake]

I love continuing series and can mostly remember who is who. But, as has been said, I think that is because of the strength of that author's writing and how involved in that world I am. That world lives for me and I am happy to return to it and the people living in it. It can be so strong that I can be annoyed at other books that contradict some 'fact' from the world I particularly love. Sometimes I do need genealogies such as in Stephanie Laurens' books where she has moved onto the third generation and I am trying to get the connections right. But often I don't bother as I assume it will become obvious if it is necessary to the storyline. This is the drawback of ebooks as it is very hard to see maps and family trees and such on them. The only time I object to a multiplicity of characters is when the storyline itself seems to be about getting all the protagonists together and is therefore weak, or when they have names that I find hard to distinguish or remember. I completely agree that being the same informtion about characters or plot over and over in book after book is completely boring and off putting.

[Patricia Rice]

third generation! You and Stephanie are stronger than I am! I'm not sure I remember my own family that well. ;) And yes, as much as I love maps and family trees, e-readers really fall down on the job there, dangit.

[Vicki L.]

For Stephanie Lauren's new books...the family tree is important to orient yourself. That is if you've been reading since the Cynster series began. Otherwise, I think you'd be okay.

Long series do occasionally have a dud or one that feels flat. Sometimes the last few feel like they ran out of energy.

One series that did that (for me) was the Cat Who books. There was a lot of rehashing and not getting anywhere. They weren't romance to begin with but they were witty, interesting and did have "movement" in them.

Robyn Carr's Virgin River series was much stronger in the first half. Then there was a run of okay, then a few really good ones. The last one felt like a throw it together to tie it all off and connect everyone to everyone else. (My opinion....)

In many of the "small town" setting books, the town itself becomes an important underlying character. Now that I think of it, most of the small town setting series that I've read are contemporaries. Interesting, I'd never realized that before.

[Patricia Rice]

yes, the small town books seem to rely on the setting, the historical romance relies on families. Must analyze--I feel another blog in the making!

Patricia Rice
http://patriciarice.com

[sidney kay]

I like books in a series, however, I do have a tendency to forget who did what to who when.I think my favorite type of series might be where the characters are connected because they live in the same village or on the same street instead of the family series'. If it is a town/village/street series and a character is missing from the picnic-epilogue it doesn't bother me as much as a missing family member.

One problem I have from reading so many books in a series is the occasional book which isn't in a series. I don't know how much time I have wasted reviewing other books by the same author looking for secondary characters which aren't there.

[Patricia Rice]

Its good to know someone cares enoughto look for those poor missing family members!

Patricia Rice
http://patriciarice.com

[Janice]

I like standalones because I don't have to try to remember characters from previous stories who are just standing around doing cameos and have little or no role in the current story. In fact, that's how I treat reappearances in series books - I don't even try to recognize them (I do or I don't but I don't feel I have to take notes or reread previous books in the series). I am engaged in the current story and stuff that I'm obviously supposed to remember that I don't is just an annoying distraction.

[Patricia Rice]

Janice, I pretty much do the same because I have no memory. But I do like creating a cast of stable characters!

Patricia Rice
http://patriciarice.com