A Morning Reading Rant

Is there some kind of trend in fantasy fiction these days that I missed where you don't actually end the book? 

I'm not talking about wrapping everything up.  Obviously there needs to be some kind of continuing thread to lead readers to want the next book.  I'm talking about not wrapping anything up so that readers have to read the next book to get any kind of closure.  And with the first book not wrapping anything up, how are they supposed to trust anything will get wrapped up in the second book?

After spending hours upon hours reading a story to get to some kind of end, it's a total let down to reach the final pages and find no real end. 

That's happened twice to me in the last week or so.  And it's making me leery of opening the other new fantasy novels I have on my Kindle.  Who wants to get burned a third time? 

And another thing... it's making me have to leave ratings under 4 stars, which I hate.  I don't actually finish books if I think they're going to be under 4 stars.  But this crap isn't happening until the very end of the books.  Gah!

And it wastes my time.  Since fantasy novels are typically pretty damn long, I could probably read two other books in the time it takes me to read all the way through one of these fantasies-with-no-end books. 

:steam:

I know the theory is to have people get so wrapped up in the story, they automatically one-click the next book and keep reading.  I get it.  But it's a dirty trick to play on someone.  Give them an ending that makes them want to learn more.  Like every other genre does with their series. 

Don't even get me started on the one I read last week that didn't even have a sequel published yet.  First book doesn't end, and no sequel available?  GAH!

Ack, I hope this is a trend that doesn't leak onto other genres.  I can't imagine getting to the end of a suspense only to discover there is no end and you have to read the next book to find out how they stop the killer.  Or reading a romance that stops in the middle so you don't know if the boy gets the girl until you buy another book. 

Come to think of it, I have seen this in a couple of other genres - but even then, the author has been thoughtful enough to say Part 1, which lets the reader know ahead of time it's not a complete book.  Still cheeses me off, but at least there's a warning there so I know not to buy the book unless and until all the parts are published.

:heavy sigh: 

Oh, I'll keep reading these newly published fantasy novels.  I can't let a couple bad apples spoil the whole bushel of potential fun.  But I swear to god, it's making me want to poke people in the eye.

:end rant: