Serial vs. Suspense

I was watching an old Indiana Jones movie on Friday night.  It was one I had never seen and chalk full of action.

Indiana Jones

On Saturday night, I had sixty or so pages left to read in my current book selection.  It too, was full of action.

The two major differences?  Friday night, while I didn’t know exactly how it was going to play out, I knew that Indy would conquer the evil and all would be right with the world.  Saturday night…well…Saturday night I had no idea.  I found myself flipping from page to page as the anticipation continued to build up.  This was a standalone book.  Once I reached the end of its 566 pages that would be it.

Most television programs, many books, and a great deal of movies are part of a longer running serial.  While suspenseful, you can take comfort in knowing that everyone will live to see next week.  Or the next book.  Or the next movie.  Are there exceptions?  Absolutely.  A star wants out, an author gets bored, the ratings are down and they need to shake things up.  But the majority of the time if it’s part of something longer and broader, it doesn’t matter how beat up the main characters get - they continue on.

Let’s go back to Indy.  Even when all the odds were against him you knew he’d make it out alive.  What if there had only been one movie?  How much more intense would the situations become when all bets are off?  Back in 2008, I jumped from an aircraft.  While thrilling, I ultimately knew I’d be okay because the parachute will get me safely back on the ground.  How about jumping without a parachute?  Amps things up a bit, doesn’t it?

Heading up to 10,000 feet in the plane.

There’s a clear difference in the level of suspense between serial and standalone works.  While I enjoy the familiar feeling I get from picking up a book and continuing the adventures with a cast of characters I know and love, my darker side enjoys a nice one-off.  A selection that leaves you guessing about everyone and everything until you reach a true end.

As writer, do you prefer serial or standalone works?  As a reader, what is your preference?  Let me know in the comments section below.