Goodreads Librarians Group discussion

Sorry, tried to search and you can imagine how easy it was to search for something relating to the word "the." : \

Looked in the manual, looked in the "titles, redux" topic that I check often (which I wish was added into the manual, so much helpful info there) and I didn't see any mention of something I've come across. It seems that some series that start with "The" have had "The" omitted from their series title. Is this something we've ever done?

I was looking at Colleen Gleason's series page and noticed that most of the ones that have "The" as the first word have had it omitted on here. (I fixed Gardella, but wanted to make sure before I touched the rest and to point out that it's like that.)

If "The" is part of the series title, on the cover and on the author's website, it should be included in the series name as well, right?

I would say sometimes yes, but occasionally no...!

Basically, you have to take it on a case-by-case basis as a flat rule can't quite take in nuances.

Explaining my answer with examples:

1. Yes if it is used as a definite article such as "The Hollows", because The Hollows is the actual proper name of the area written about, not Hollows

2. No where it's basically saying The ... Series. So The Psycop Series would be incorrect to me because it's saying the series ABOUT Psycop not The Psycop.

My current rule of thumb is if the Series name works with the "series" word moved,
e.g.
The Hollows series
= The Series about The Hollows,
The Psycop series
=/= The Series about The Psycop but
= the series about Psycop (no the).

With regard to "The Gardella Vampire Chronicles":
Chronicles is usually an intentional addition to a Series Title, as opposed to a description of it's nature. Thus to decide whether it is appropriate, I would ask myself if the following both 'work'
I am reading The Gardella Vampire Chronicles
I am reading the Chronicles of the Gardella Vampire.

Looking the other way around:

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. series, would retain the THE because it is the series about The Man from U.N.C.L.E., not just Man from U.N.C.L.E. - the title NEEDS the The to make sense.

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant = The Thomas Covenant Chronicles

Hope I haven't just completely confused everything!

That clears it up for me. So how you talk about it dictates how The is applicable.

I'm reading the Psycop series.
vs.
I'm reading the The Hollows series. (you wouldn't really say 'the' twice, but that's something like a verbal/mental flag going off in the head - if you want to say 'the' twice it should stay in the title)