# When an author leaves cliffhangers



## PhotonGuy

Sometimes an author of great books might leave cliffhangers with some of the characters, as to what happens to them and so forth. This can be frustrating but their books are still great works of art.


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## CB Jones

Still waiting on Martin's Winds of Winter


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## PhotonGuy

Well for this one author, the cliffhangers in his book will never be resolved, at least not by the author since unfortunately the author is dead and has been for over 50 years.


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## Headhunter

It's a good way to sell a sequel by not finishing a story so fans have to buy the new book


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## PhotonGuy

Headhunter said:


> It's a good way to sell a sequel by not finishing a story so fans have to buy the new book



That's all fine and good IF the author does write a new book.


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## CB Jones

PhotonGuy said:


> Well for this one author, the cliffhangers in his book will never be resolved, at least not by the author since unfortunately the author is dead and has been for over 50 years.



Sounds like he needs a ghost writer.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf

What book are you talking about?


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## PhotonGuy

I am talking about the author Jack although Jack was not his real name it was just a nickname.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf

PhotonGuy said:


> I am talking about the author Jack although Jack was not his real name it was just a nickname.


Jack whom? What's the book? The only dead Jack author I can think of is Jack Kerouac, but as far as I know none of his books were cliffhangers.


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## PhotonGuy

kempodisciple said:


> Jack whom? What's the book? The only dead Jack author I can think of is Jack Kerouac, but as far as I know none of his books were cliffhangers.



Well the Jack Im talking about wrote a bunch of books and book series. The particular series that Im talking about, one of the characters, Susan, her fate is left unresolved.


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## Tez3

PhotonGuy said:


> Well the Jack Im talking about wrote a bunch of books and book series. The particular series that Im talking about, one of the characters, Susan, her fate is left unresolved.



It can't be that good when you don't remember the author's surname, the titles of the books or the character's names.


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## jks9199

Is there some bizarre reason you don't want to give the name or series?  

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


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## PhotonGuy

Jack Lewis and his character Susan, her fate is left at a cliffhanger. He was going to write a book which comes to a conclusion about her but unfortunately he died before he wrote it.


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## Tez3

The only Jack Lewis I can find who is/was an author is this one, which sounds unlikely as he's not dead!. Jack Lewis (author) - Wikipedia


There's nothing stopping you using your imagination and using the clues in the book to make your own ending for characters.


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## Chris Parker

Really? Is this what this is about?

You're upset that CS Lewis, who took the nickname "Jacksie", later "Jack", after his dog who was killed when he was 4, and was known as such to his friends and family, but not as an author nom de plume, died in 1963, and never got around to the book where he continued the story of Susan Pevensie, second eldest of the Pevensie children from the Chronicles of Narnia series, showing her adventures after 1949? Really?

Dude. He died 54 years ago. I think it's time you accepted that he's not going to tell you what happened to her.

And what was so difficult about saying that was the book and author you were complaining about?

Seriously....


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## Monkey Turned Wolf

Chris Parker said:


> Really? Is this what this is about?
> 
> You're upset that CS Lewis, who took the nickname "Jacksie", later "Jack", after his dog who was killed when he was 4, and was known as such to his friends and family, but not as an author nom de plume, died in 1963, and never got around to the book where he continued the story of Susan Pevensie, second eldest of the Pevensie children from the Chronicles of Narnia series, showing her adventures after 1949? Really?
> 
> Dude. He died 54 years ago. I think it's time you accepted that he's not going to tell you what happened to her.
> 
> And what was so difficult about saying that was the book and author you were complaining about?
> 
> Seriously....


Thank you.


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## Tez3

Ah it was CS Lewis. Thank you Chris..

He didn't get around to writing what happened to Susan because he had finished the series and never intended to write another book about Narnia. The last book was 'The Last Battle' and it told of the end of Narnia and finished the series so I'm afraid it was intentional that you don't know what happened to Susan the only survivor of the train crash. The book was written in 1956. The series ends with the revelation that it was only the beginning of the true story, "which goes on forever, and in which every chapter is better than the one before." but he didn't intend to write any more and of course he didn't so it's entirely false to say he died before writing what happened to Susan. 

PS I think only his friends called him 'Jack' it would be respectful to call him CS Lewis or Mr. Lewis if he means that much. He's know in the UK as CS Lewis not Jack Lewis.


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## hoshin1600

i think he didnt want to say it was Narnia because it is sometimes viewed as a kids book and didnt want to have his chops busted.


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## Tez3

hoshin1600 said:


> i think he didnt want to say it was Narnia because it is sometimes viewed as a kids book and didnt want to have his chops busted.



The arguments about the Narnia books are rarely about whether it's for children but because of the religious context that many don't like.
'Narnia represents everything that is most hateful about religion'
Religion in the Chronicles of Narnia


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## hoshin1600

Tez3 said:


> The arguments about the Narnia books are rarely about whether it's for children but because of the religious context that many don't like.
> 'Narnia represents everything that is most hateful about religion'
> Religion in the Chronicles of Narnia


i can understand that.  but i wouldnt remember. i havn't read it since i was 8 or 9 yo.. i did really like the lion.


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## PhotonGuy

hoshin1600 said:


> i think he didnt want to say it was Narnia because it is sometimes viewed as a kids book and didnt want to have his chops busted.


I would have to agree with hoshin1600.

Also the fact that its a fantasy series and I've had my chops busted here before when I mentioned fantasy stuff.


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## Dirty Dog

PhotonGuy said:


> I would have to agree with hoshin1600.
> 
> Also the fact that its a fantasy series and I've had my chops busted here before when I mentioned fantasy stuff.



Correction. You've had your chops busted here when it appeared you were having difficulty differentiating between fantasy and reality.


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## Tez3

PhotonGuy said:


> I would have to agree with hoshin1600.
> 
> Also the fact that its a fantasy series and I've had my chops busted here before when I mentioned fantasy stuff.



No, as DD says you haven't, you have quite often seemed to mistake fantasy for reality. In the case of the Narnia series you should have looked up the author and read his intentions, which were to finish the series and not write any more books about Narnia. The last book actually rounded up everything to HIS satisfaction. As I said somethings the author will leave to his readers imaginations and it's so in this case. You can't complain, it's the author's wish and he knew what he was doing.


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## PhotonGuy

So anyway this thread has died down but since we were discussing children's books and cliffhangers I want to mention this. There was this American author who wrote a children's book about a mouse and in the end of the book the mouse goes looking for his friend, a bird, and it ends in a cliffhanger because it doesn't say if he finds her. A classmate of mine said the author wasn't fair because he doesn't say if he finds her or not.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf

PhotonGuy said:


> So anyway this thread has died down but since we were discussing children's books and cliffhangers I want to mention this. There was this American author who wrote a children's book about a mouse and in the end of the book the mouse goes looking for his friend, a bird, and it ends in a cliffhanger because it doesn't say if he finds her. A classmate of mine said the author wasn't fair because he doesn't say if he finds her or not.


This entire thread was focused around trying to know what book you were talking about, so it only briefly got to cliffhangers. Now you are reviving the thread, by mentioning a different book and again not mentioning its name...


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## PhotonGuy

kempodisciple said:


> This entire thread was focused around trying to know what book you were talking about, so it only briefly got to cliffhangers. Now you are reviving the thread, by mentioning a different book and again not mentioning its name...


Exactly.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf

PhotonGuy said:


> Exactly.


But all that will do is repeat the issue. . which brings me to my question. What book are you talking about?


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## Buka

As an avid reader - minimum of a book a week, usually two, for well over fifty years, I appreciate what everyone is saying. Certain cliff hangers irritate me, as do books where the bad guy gets away. And yes, I know a sequel will be written and eventually he'll get caught. But it still irritates me.

I'm uncommonly passionate about books. Several books I disliked so badly that I tore them into pieces upon completion. Even read a couple of them decades later to see if I had matured. I hadn't. I tore them up with even more vigor.

As for kids books, so what, I'm a kid at heart anyway. I remember a few years ago, somebody told me about the book "Holes" which was common reading in a lot of schools. I had never heard of it. Oh, my God it blew me away. Absolutely loved it.

Everyone should read. Yeah, yeah, nobody has the time. Probably don't have time to train either.

And they all lived happily ever after.


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## pdg

Buka said:


> Everyone should read.



I can't agree with this sentence more.

I love reading, it engages the mind and activates imagination so much more than TV/film can.

I don't read as consistently as you describe - not due to "don't have the time" but more down to mood. Last Wednesday I started reading The Hobbit and yesterday finished Return of The King - that's a series of books I reread at least once a year (along with the Narnia books as it happens, and the fifty shades set).

Our local doctor's surgery has a charity bookshelf that does 5 books for £1, I fairly often go and grab an armful of random books and drop off the previous armful (minus the ones I think I'll read again) - I pretty much view it as open ended rental.

It's also an activity I encourage in my kids - not that they need much encouragement but imo there's definite value in it for them.


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## Buka

I frequently reread books. Right now I’m retreading Centennial by Michener. Probably for the tenth time in forty something years. I’m enjoying it as much now as I ever did. In my opinion it has the richest cast of characters I’ve ever encountered in a novel. Not really surprising as it takes place over centuries.

But big thanks to you, Pdg, Made me realize I haven’t read them in years. They’re up next!


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## PhotonGuy

kempodisciple said:


> But all that will do is repeat the issue. . which brings me to my question. What book are you talking about?


Alright, the book is Stuart Little by E.B. White


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## Monkey Turned Wolf

PhotonGuy said:


> Alright, the book is Stuart Little by E.B. White


There were multiple questions in that book that went unanswered. I don't think it's unfair; rather I always thought it was the point of the book. Not everything ends wrapped with a tidy little bow, and I appreciate a children's book that acknowledges that.


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## drop bear

PhotonGuy said:


> I would have to agree with hoshin1600.
> 
> Also the fact that its a fantasy series and I've had my chops busted here before when I mentioned fantasy stuff.



Don't stress. Being a nerd is cool these days.

Otherwise Narnia is a good example because they were just kind of kicked back out in to the real world.

I have been racking my brain to think of books that just left me in the lurch.

Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy series ends pretty brutality.

The book mostly harmless anyway. Apparently the series has continued with a new author.


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## PhotonGuy

kempodisciple said:


> There were multiple questions in that book that went unanswered. I don't think it's unfair; rather I always thought it was the point of the book. Not everything ends wrapped with a tidy little bow, and I appreciate a children's book that acknowledges that.


The only question that went unanswered that I can think of is whether or not Stuart finds his friend, the bird.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf

PhotonGuy said:


> The only question that went unanswered that I can think of is whether or not Stuart finds his friend, the bird.


It's been a while since I read it. But from what I remember, as a kid I thought there were a lot of unanswered questions, and loved that. That could very easily have been my child-mind misunderstanding it-I'll have to find it from my bookshelf.


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## granfire

drop bear said:


> Don't stress. Being a nerd is cool these days.
> 
> Otherwise Narnia is a good example because they were just kind of kicked back out in to the real world.
> 
> I have been racking my brain to think of books that just left me in the lurch.
> 
> Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy series ends pretty brutality.
> 
> The book mostly harmless anyway. Apparently the series has continued with a new author.


Eowin Colfer wrote the 6th book, supposedly finishing it.


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## PhotonGuy

So I mentioned before how when authors leave cliffhangers it can be frustrating, especially if you know the author isn't going to write any more, which would include writing a conclusion to the cliffhanger, because the author is dead. Now, authors can obviously write what they want but in everybody's opinions, is it fair when authors leave unresolved cliffhangers? What a friend of mine in elementary school said about the author Elwyn was that he was not fair for ending his book in a cliffhanger.


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## Tez3

drop bear said:


> Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy series ends pretty brutality.



As did the writer dying of a heart attack.


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## Tez3

PhotonGuy said:


> is it fair when authors leave unresolved cliffhangers?



So what, make up your own ending or move on. It's fiction and there's so many more books out there to read to worry about the ending of one that you didn't like...millions of other people may like the ending and find it unfair that you are moaning about it, as I said before it's the author's book to write, read it or don't read it.


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## PhotonGuy

Tez3 said:


> millions of other people may like the ending and find it unfair that you are moaning about it, as I said before it's the author's book to write, read it or don't read it.


I never said I didn't like it Im only asking other people what they think of cliffhanger endings. If people think Im moaning about it and if they think that's unfair that's their problem.

And for the record I do think Elwyn was a good writer, even if he is a bit gruesome in some of his books which are supposed to be children's books.


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## drop bear

Tez3 said:


> As did the writer dying of a heart attack.



Well there you go.


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## O'Malley

I really hate cliffhangers. And do you know what's the worst part about them?

Well


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## Tez3

PhotonGuy said:


> If people think Im moaning about it and if they think that's unfair that's their problem.



Nope it's not our problem that you are whinging, it's yours, we are just replying to you. Btw do you read adult fiction or did you read these books as a child and it's still bothering you that they don't end how you think they should ? The fact you think they should finish how you want them to is very presumptuous.


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## PhotonGuy

Tez3 said:


> Nope it's not our problem that you are whinging, it's yours, we are just replying to you. Btw do you read adult fiction or did you read these books as a child and it's still bothering you that they don't end how you think they should ? The fact you think they should finish how you want them to is very presumptuous.


How the book ended is not bothering me, not anymore. It was my friend who said the author was unfair not me. I do read some adult fiction too but unfortunately some of the great adult classics can be hard to find in modern adult bookstores that often like to keep more current stuff on their shelves.


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## Tez3

PhotonGuy said:


> the author was unfair not me.



What is unfair is blaming an author, they spend time and considerable effort writing and for you to blame them for _your_ dissatisfaction is incredibly unfair.
I think if you are looking in 'adult bookstores' you are looking in the wrong places! Bookshops sell all sorts of books, you can also buy books online and in secondhand bookshops. Classic books never go out of fashion.


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## Steve

I think it's highly unlikely George R R Martin will ever finish the Game of Thrones series.  I doubt we'll ever know how he would have wrapped that up.  Unfortunately, all we'll have is Season 8 of the HBO series. Booo.


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## punisher73

For me, Robert B. Parker started a few thread ideas in the Spenser series that were not able to be fully explored before he died.  Its just the way it is, and while fun to speculate no reason to lose sleep over it.


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## PhotonGuy

Tez3 said:


> What is unfair is blaming an author, they spend time and considerable effort writing and for you to blame them for _your_ dissatisfaction is incredibly unfair.


Did you read my whole post? Back in post #44 I said, "It was my friend who said the author was unfair not me." Another words, it was my friend back in elementary school who said that the author, Elwyn, was unfair, it was not me who said Elwyn was unfair.

You are slicing apart my posts and changing the meaning of what Im saying.


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## Steve

PhotonGuy said:


> Another words...


Grammar referee here.  I think you mean, "In other words...."  Carry on.


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## PhotonGuy

Steve said:


> Grammar referee here.  I think you mean, "In other words...."  Carry on.


Well since its too late to edit my earlier post there's nothing I can do about it now.


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## Steve

PhotonGuy said:


> Well since its too late to edit my earlier post there's nothing I can do about it now.


Not a problem at all.


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## Tez3

PhotonGuy said:


> Did you read my whole post? Back in post #44 I said, "It was my friend who said the author was unfair not me." Another words, it was my friend back in elementary school who said that the author, Elwyn, was unfair, it was not me who said Elwyn was unfair.
> 
> You are slicing apart my posts and changing the meaning of what Im saying.



My dear, I did read it, and you are confused. I know your friend said that. I am not changing the meaning, if there is one, of your posts at all, you are just feeling aggrieved because others don't feel the same way about the subject as you do and you want them to so that you can feel justified in posting.


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## PhotonGuy

Tez3 said:


> My dear, I did read it, and you are confused. I know your friend said that. I am not changing the meaning, if there is one, of your posts at all, you are just feeling aggrieved because others don't feel the same way about the subject as you do and you want them to so that you can feel justified in posting.


I don't feel aggrieved, where did you get that idea?


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## Tez3

PhotonGuy said:


> I don't feel aggrieved, where did you get that idea?



The idea is there because you can't seem to get over this. You have been posting on this thread since you started it in 2017! Surely it's time to let it go.


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## PhotonGuy

Tez3 said:


> The idea is there because you can't seem to get over this. You have been posting on this thread since you started it in 2017!


So what.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf

PhotonGuy said:


> So what.


So why?


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## Tez3

PhotonGuy said:


> So what.




Ah teddy bear being thrown out of pram?


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