Reading order

[Zidonaro]

I've decided to read Bionicle Books. I'm going to import them because they're not available on my country.

 

Do you guys suggest that I read by the release order (Mata Nui -> Metru Nui -> beyond) or chronological order (Metru Nui -> Mata Nui -> beyond) ? I really prefer the Mata Nui saga, so I'm considering reading the Metru Nui saga first.

 

Also, is Hapka's writing really that bad ? Also from someone who never read any books, what can I expect ?

 

Thanks !

[The 1st Shadow]

I would advise reading them in publication order. Greg wrote everything from Chronicles #4 and onward, and his writing is significantly superior. Hapka wrote the books with a lot of simplicity, and some of the scenes in the books are considered non-canon (Toa using teamwork to defeat their shadow doubles vs absorbing the shadows into themselves, for example). You can tell that the first three books were written with a much younger audience in mind, keeping everything simple and mostly within the individual story of each book. Greg's work is what helped tie all subsequent stories together and make sense over the course of multiple books.

 

Well, you could read the Adventures series (Metru Nui arc) first, since it happened first, but then you'd also have to read Legends #4, since it goes beyond the history of the Toa Metru. I'd say stick with publication order, just to keep it simple.

Edited October 28, 2014 by ~The 1st Shadow~

[northmarch]

I would suggest reading in release order. The opening and closing chapters of each of the Adventures (Metru Nui) books is set on Mata Nui after MoL.

Hapaka wasn't a particularly bad writer, it's just that her work was highly inconsistent with the pre and co-existing cannon media. She was hired by scholastic and was not part of the story team. The only things she seams to have consulted while writing these books were the comics and whatever brief sinopsis she was given for each story year.

[fishers64]

It doesn't really matter - I've done it both ways.

 

If you want the story to get better as it goes along, stick to publication order. If you are struggling with motivating yourself to get through it, the Metru books are higher quality and you'll want to read them all (hopefully!) after reading those.

[Nidhiki of the Shadows]

Reading Metru Nui first actually won't be that fulfilling. It's like watching Star Wars 1-3 before 4-6. That's just not how it was meant to be. If you read Adventures first, much of the revelations will lose their effect, because there was no prior knowledge about it that you experience in Chronicles.

 

Other than that, Adventures isn't told solely through flashbacks. The beginning and end of each novel takes place on Mata Nui right after the events of Mask of Light. Sometimes this leads to some interesting dialogue between the Turaga and Toa Nuva. Regardless, it stops it from feeling too much like a 100% direct prequel storyline.

 

I'd read it in publication order for sure.

 

-NotS

Edited October 28, 2014 by Nidhiki of the Shadows

[The True Zedd of BZPower]

I would just start with Chronicles 4, and beyond that stick with the comics/MNOG for the Mata Nui arc. The Hapka books aren't worth getting unless you absolutely have to read the mediocre Shadow Toa fight.

[Toa Smoke Monster]

I agree with everyone else and say that you should read them in publication order. The story would make a lot more sense that way than starting on the Adventures books.  

[Hasreadit]

I'd read them in publication order because that way the reveals from Metru Nui will be as exciting. Hapka is an ok author but Greg was on the story team so his ideas are more canon

[Zidonaro]

Thanks for the information everyone !

[Adventurer]

Release order, it's how it was intended. Reading in chronological order would spoilt some of the twists and turns I imagine for a first read through. As for the books, none of them are too bad, just nice and simple, they should be enjoyable if you enjoy the Bionicle world.

[J46 Nui]

No, Hapka's writing is not that bad. And niether is Greg's. I would say chronological order, mainly because Adventures was my favorite of the book series, but all of the books have a framing device where they would flash back to "present day" Mata Nui where the Toa and Matoran react to the tales. In the end, I would say release order. There are only five Mata Nui books (including the Mask of Light novelization), so it won't take you long to get through those.