This time around I picked a rather interesting theme for my monthly list as I decided to discuss series that involve a library. More specifically it has to be an unusual library of some sort and not just a regular library. It has to be a library that you cannot just walk into though I will admit some of the libraries contained in these works are ones that I would rather enjoy visiting. My current list has three series that I thought suitable though I am also pretty sure there are numerous options still out there.
My first series is probably my favorite so far of the three I plan to discuss. It is the Hell’s Library series by A. J. Hackwith and the reason I like this particular series is that it takes place primarily in a wing of the library known as the unwritten wing. This wing contains all of the works that were started but never finished, for whatever reason. Can you imagine working in a library that contains all of the infinite works that are unfinished and unpublished? Though the library is set in hell that feels more like my idea of heaven to tell the truth. Another reason I like this series is that it also explores the concept of what is a story and what is a character and numerous other related philosophical topics about literature. Things that I rather like thinking about and discussing myself actually. The books are actually pretty well written as well and are rather entertaining to read with just the right amount of tension and humor and seriousness to create a rather enthralling read overall. Honestly, it was a joy to read them and I plan to go back to them in the future.
The second series is more of a young adult series and is probably the one series where I would not actually like the library in question. The Great Library is by Rachel Caine and takes place in a world where the Library of Alexandria was never destroyed and instead somehow ended up essentially ruling the world. At the same time, as the saying goes “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely” which is a great description of this particular library. By the time frame of the series the library is very corrupt and has developed a tendency to censor and control what kinds of information and technology the public has access to. Hence the reason I don’t actually like this library as that concept has always bugged me. The series itself actually focuses on members of the library working on fighting back against that corruption in an attempt to make the library and thus the world a better place. This means the series also deals with the effects and consequences of banning books and thus banning ideas and information. Yet another philosophical bent to a series about libraries. There is a reason I like libraries.
The final series is one that I am still in the process of reading. I am referring to the Invisible Library series by Genevieve Cogman which also contains a rather unusual library more reminiscent of Hell’s Library than the Great Library. In this case the library is an interdimensional library that collects rare and unique manuscripts from all of the different dimensions. This means the librarians are essentially functionally immortal dimension hoppers which sounds like so much fun to me. While I am not entirely sure about some of the philosophical themes present in the entire series I do know that it at least touches on the idea of a specific work of literature potentially being so important that its destruction can ruin an entire dimension. I think almost everyone can imagine certain rather iconic works of literature that it would be rather disastrous if we lost them. That sounds rather bad to me so I am curious to see how this series will play out. The story is just as engaging and well written as the other two series, at least so far anyway, and it does deserve to be on this list even if I haven’t actually finished the series just yet. I know I only have three series on this list but I am also aware there are probably others as well that would have been a good fit so feel free to share your ideas for works that would also have fit my criteria. Who knows as you may just recommend a series I am still unfamiliar with.