I read 50-60 books a year and something that I've noticed about many of the books that I've read which have been written in the last 5-10 years are the increasing occurrence of and length of epilogues and it's starting to drive me crazy. Like, just end the book already!
I can't count how many times I've been reading a book and have reached the crescendo moment, only to look and see that there are 30 or 50 or even more pages left to go in the epilogue.
Why?!
Do authors think we cannot handle a story in which the MC has the big event happen and then the book ends right after they catch the Uber to go home? Do we need to now what happens during the next 5 generations of their family to get some sort of satisfaction from the story?
Be more like the original Matrix movie! Leave me wondering about the characters and details after it ends? Whoa?! Is he actually the One? Are we in a simulation too? I don't need to know the whole backstory of the Architect. If you want to write a follow-up, that's cool. But leave me something to chew on or think about, please!
Do you prefer a story with a long epilogue and every last detail all wrapped with a red bow? Are you ok with a quip and "the end"?
by mreguy81
8 Comments
It really depends on the story. Big fantasy series sometimes benefit from a longer wrap-up because there are a lot of plot threads. But for most books, a tight ending tends to be more powerful
I adore an ambiguous ending.
I like epilogues. It gives me a sense of closure at the end. Project Hail Mary and Watership Down handled epilogues perfectly, imo.
I prefer shorter endings. I think one of my favorite examples is The Running Man by Stephen King. It ends as soon as the MC does what he sets out to do.
Not only do I dislike epilogues, I loathe lengthly quotations at the start of chapters. I know that the author intends them to be relevant, but I won’t read them. I also never read song verses inserted into the story (I’m looking at YOU, George R.R.).
Sometimes I like a book that winds down after the climax, other times I like a book that climaxes over and over again. I don’t mind a book that climaxes quickly so I can put it down and get on with my day. If I have time, I’ll take a book that keeps getting close to the climax and stopping, then getting back close again before the climax. Depends on if it’s evening or night, too, as maybe I’m starting my day or trying to wind down.
A great example is the Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros. I appreciated the epilogue but I didn’t necessarily need to know what happened 10 years later.
Optional epilogue. I don’t always care if they went on to have babies and a friend that might need to get married. Lol