Vampire Diaries author L.J. Smith has excited fans by announcing she will pen another trilogy. This is wonderful news for fans of her books and the CW television series as well. The television series does not follow the books exactly, choosing instead to craftily weave story lines into the always intriguing plots.
The new trilogy will begin with the book Phantom. There is currently no information as to publication dates for the books, their plot lines or even the time and place of their settings. Those unfamiliar with the books may be surprised to learn that Phantom will begin the third trilogy of the Vampire Diaries saga.
The original trilogy, consisting of The Awakening, The Struggle and The Fury, was released in 1991. After finishing the third book, many fans began to pressure L.J. Smith to write a fourth book. She released The Dark Reunion in 1992. On a personal note, without The Dark Reunion, I would probably have given up on the book series and never read another word of it. If you haven’t read the series yet and The Fury leaves you, well, furious, you are not alone. The Dark Reunion makes up for it.
Smith announced the second trilogy, The Return, in 1998, but the first book did not hit shelves until eleven years later. Damon fans rejoice, he is the main protagonist in this trilogy. The Return: Nightfall was released on February 10, 2009, followed by The Return: Shadow Souls on May 16, 2010. Smith recently blogged that she has completed The Return: Midnight and it is currently being edited. The projected release date is March 15, 2011.
Fans of the Vampire Diaries books certainly have a lot to look forward to. If you haven’t read the books, now is the perfect time. It’s a wonderful way to get a Stefan, Elena and Damon fix while waiting for the second season to premiere in September. They are very interesting and there is a certain thrill that comes from recognizing a book plot line during one of the episodes.
Have you read the books? How do you think they compare to the television series? Can’t wait to hear what you think.
Comments
I started reading the books when I knew it was becoming a tv show (because when we talk of book adaptations, I like to know the book first). I didn't read all the books but really enjoyed it, it's well written and the plot keeps us wanting more...
The tv show well... has nothing to do with it except the name of the characters (and even that it's not always kept), the plots are totally different. It's better when you don't know the books ;)
"On a personal note, without The Dark Reunion, I would probably have given up on the book series and never read another word of it. If you haven’t read the series yet and The Fury leaves you, well, furious, you are not alone. The Dark Reunion makes up for it."
I couldn't agree with you more! Great article!
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