A novel that's published in multiple parts. Popularized in the 19th century, when many writers (including Charles Dickens and Arthur Conan Doyle) would publish their novels first as monthly or weekly installments in magazines, alongside short stories and novellas. Venues included both dedicated "digest" magazines like Strand or Astounding Science Fiction, and more general magazines like Life or Esquire (and sometimes... Playboy.) From the 1930's (or earlier) until quite recently many Science Fiction stories first appeared as serials, being republished as Novels later. As time has passed, most readers now get their fix directly from separately printed books. Quite a bit of the more popular Fan Fiction is published in a serial format. Compare Patchwork Story, where originally individual works are combined into one coherent narrative.
The Web Serial Novel can be considered the format's online Spiritual Successor.
Examples of Serial Novels include:
- Animorphs: The Andalite Chronicles was originally published as three separate parts, and Megamorphs #1 was published as two. Both were later re-released as single volumes.
- Isaac Asimov:
- The Foundation Trilogy: Each book in the Trilogy is comprised of several stories that began as short fiction in Astounding Science Fiction.
- "The Mule": Despite being Novella length instead of Novel, when "The Mule" was first published in Astounding Science Fiction, it showed up in two parts; the November 1945 and December 1945 issues.
- "Search by the Foundation": Despite being Novella length instead of Novel, when "...And Now You Don't" was first published in Astounding Science Fiction, it showed up in three parts; the November 1949, December 1949, and January 1950 issues.
- "Hostess": This Novelette was published in four parts when it was translated into the Italian magazine Urania.
- The Foundation Trilogy: Each book in the Trilogy is comprised of several stories that began as short fiction in Astounding Science Fiction.
- Bridget Jones began as a newspaper column in The Independent.
- Arthur J Burks's Earth, the Marauder was published in three parts, starting with the July 1930 issue of Analog.
- Hal Clement's Needle was serialized in a Pulp Magazine.
- Bruce Coville's The Monsters of Morley Manor: During books seven through eleven of Bruce Coville's Book of..., each book began with a portion of this story. The five portions - "Little Monsters", "Through The Starry Door", "A Trip To The Land of the Dead", "When Evil Wakes and The Coldest Touch" - were revised and published as this book.
- Ray Cummings:
- Brigands Of The Moon was published in four parts, starting with the March 1930 issue of Analog.
- Jetta Of The Lowlands was published in three parts, starting with the September 1930 issue of Analog.
- Charles Willard Diffin:
- Blue Magic was published by Analog in four parts, starting with the November 1935 issue.
- The Pirate Planet was published in four parts, starting with the November 1930 issue of Analog.
- L. Sprague de Camp's The Stolen Dormouse was published in two parts, starting with the April 1941 issue of Analog.
- The Doll: Originally ran as a newspaper serial in 1887-1889.
- Alexandre Dumas: Several novels were originally published as serials, including The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers, and 20 Years After.
- Charles L Harness's Flight Into Yesterday was serialized in a Pulp Magazine.
- Robert A. Heinlein:
- Beyond This Horizon was published (as by Anson MacDonald) in two issues, starting from April 1942 of Analog.
- If This Goes On— ... was published in two parts, starting with the February 1940 issue of Analog.
- Methuselah's Children was published in three parts, starting with the July 1941 issue of Analog.
- Sixth Column was published in three parts, starting with the January 1941 issue of Analog.
- L. Ron Hubbard
- Hubbard (as Frederick Engelhardt) wrote General Swamp, C.I.C., which was published in two parts, starting with the August 1939 issue.
- Final Blackout was published in three parts, starting with the April 1940 issue of Analog.
- Raymond F Jones' This Island Earth was serialized in Thrilling Wonder Stories in three parts between June 1949 and February 1950.
- Stephen King published his novel The Green Mile in six installments.
- Cyril M. Kornbluth and Frederik Pohl's The Space Merchants was serialized in a Pulp Magazine under the name Gravy Planet.
- Murray Leinster's Murder Madness was published in four parts, starting with the May 1930 issue of Analog.
- FVW Mason's Phalanxes Of Atlans was published in two parts, starting with the February 1931 issue of Analog.
- Les Misérables, which is why it is such an infamous Doorstopper.
- Musashi: Published over four years, and it shows in its episodic nature.
- Michael McDowell's Blackwater saga was originally published in six parts.
- Vladimir Nabokov's Pnin: Published in installments in The New Yorker while he was looking for a publisher for the controversial Lolita.
- Victor Rousseau's The Beetle Horde was published in two parts, starting with the January 1930 issue of Analog.
- E. E. "Doc" Smith's
- Galactic Patrol was published by Analog in six parts, starting with the October 1937 issue.
- Gray Lensman was published by Analog in four parts, starting with the October 1939 issue.
- A.E. van Vogt's Slan was published in four parts, starting with the September 1940 issue of Analog.
- Manly Wade Wellman's The Dark Destroyers (1959) was originally published in the December 1938 and January 1939 issues of Astounding Stories, under the name Nuisance Value.
- Jack Williamson's Seetee Shock was serialized in a Pulp Magazine.
- Tales of the City was originally a serial in the San Francisco Chronicle.
