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Crafting a single novel is a monumental task, but completing an entire book series is an even greater challenge. This is why some of the most brilliant authors have left their literary masterpieces unfinished. Whether due to waning interest, untimely deaths, or ongoing work on the next volume (they assure us), these series remain incomplete.
1. A Song of Ice and Fire
George R.R. Martin has not released a new book in his A Song of Ice and Fire series since A Dance with Dragons in 2011. Fans eagerly await The Winds of Winter, though its release date remains uncertain. The success of the Game of Thrones TV series has kept Martin occupied, and he admitted to IndieWire in 2014 that distractions, not writer’s block, are the main hurdle. "The various projects I’ve taken on have made it harder to focus," he explained. Even after The Winds of Winter, the series will require one more book, A Dream of Spring, to reach its conclusion.
2. The Parable Series
Octavia Butler's Parable series stands apart from her other science fiction books, offering a stark and realistic vision of the future. The Parable of the Sower and The Parable of Talents are set in a crumbling America during the 2020s and 2030s, decades ahead of their
3. The Dune Chronicles
Frank Herbert's sixth installment in the Dune Chronicles concludes with a dramatic cliffhanger. He had outlined a sequel to Chapterhouse: Dune, but his passing in 1987 left the series incomplete. While his son Brian Herbert and author Kevin J. Anderson collaborated on multiple Dune prequels, the original vision for the series remains unresolved.
4. The Millennium Series
Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy saw all three novels released after his death. Larsson had envisioned 10 books for the series and completed The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest before his untimely heart attack in 2004. While these books were published, his passing halted further contributions from the original author. In the 2010s, David Lagercrantz penned three additional Millennium novels. Rumors suggest Larsson left behind an unfinished manuscript for a fourth book, though it has never seen the light of day.
5. The Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Series
Sue Grafton's Alphabet series was designed with a definitive conclusion in mind. Each mystery novel, starring detective Kinsey Millhone, was titled sequentially by letter, beginning with A is for Alibi in 1982. Grafton dedicated 35 years to the series before her death in 2017. Her final published work, Y is for Yesterday, released that same year, left the series one book short of completion. The planned finale, Z is for Zero, was never written. Her family has stated they will not continue the series, with her husband Steve Humphrey remarking, "The alphabet will forever end at 25 letters."
6. The Exiles Trilogy
Fans of Melanie Rawn's Exiles series have waited over two decades for the trilogy's conclusion. After The Ruins of Ambrai (1994) and Mageborn Traitor (1997), Rawn intended to finish the story with The Captal's Tower. However, personal struggles, including depression, have delayed her return to the series. Despite this, Rawn has continued writing other works and has reassured fans that she hasn't abandoned the Exiles universe.
7. Dirk Gently
Douglas Adams, renowned for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, launched the Dirk Gently series in 1987 with Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency and The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul. These novels feature the eccentric, time-traveling detective the series is named after. Adams began a third installment, The Salmon Of Doubt, but later decided it didn't fit the Dirk Gently narrative and repurposed the concepts for the Hitchhiker's universe. Tragically, he passed away in 2001 before completing the book. The unfinished chapters, along with other writings, were published posthumously under the same title.
