Tales & Tomes

There are few things more thrilling than falling headfirst into a book series you didn’t know you needed. You meet the characters. You fall in love with the world. You emotionally attach yourself to fictional people (as one does). And then, surprise!, the author announces a prequel.

And listen, I get it. Truly. Prequels can be magical. They give us backstory, context, and emotional weight. They answer questions we didn’t even realize we were asking. Sometimes they deepen our love for the series in ways the original books couldn’t.

But… sometimes? I just want the story in chronological order.

Because here’s the problem no one warned me about: once a prequel enters the chat, I’m stuck. Do I reread the original series now that I know more? Do I start from the prequel again to experience everything “the right way”? Do I pretend I’m a new reader and commit to the emotional devastation all over again?

Suddenly, I’m trapped in a loop, rereading, re-falling in love, re-breaking my own heart. Yes, this is a personal problem. Yes, I am aware. LOL.

There’s something deeply satisfying about watching a story unfold the way it actually happened, moment by moment. Seeing relationships form naturally. Watching tensions build instead of being retroactively explained. Experiencing twists without already knowing how everything eventually shakes out.

Prequels often feel like revisiting a place you already love. This is comforting. Chronological storytelling feels like a journey you only get to take once. And maybe that’s why I lean toward it. There’s less temptation to rewind. Less emotional whiplash. Less “well, now I have to reread everything again.”

That said, I don’t think there’s a wrong answer here. Some stories need a prequel. Some benefit from mystery first and context later. And some readers love the excuse to stay in a world just a little longer.

Maybe it comes down to this: do you want to fall in love knowing where it ends? Or do you want to discover everything as it unfolds?

Either way, I’ll probably still reread the series. Just… eventually. 😉

What about you, do you prefer chronological order, or falling in love first and filling in the gaps later?