Too Much of a Good Thing?

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​What's the ideal length of a fantasy series? Some readers prefer trilogies and others want to read a series with ten to fifteen books. It seems to me, depending on the frequency of new releases, long series can be too much of a good thing. Many readers refuse to begin a series until the last book is published, and who can blame them? A one-year wait that turns into five is frustrating enough, but some series have been abandoned, leaving the story unresolved.

​The ideal solution seems to be shorter, interrelated series, providing readers with multiple entry points. The plot for my Gem Powers Series lends itself to this structure. The first three books take place in the gnome world and follow the adventures of human characters before and after they liberate gnomes from an oppressive ruler.

The story is told from their viewpoints until we reach the end of book three. Then, we switch to a gnome viewpoint character, Tyla. Since the second series will open with Tyla, this makes a nice transition. Tyla and other gnomes will narrate the Gem Lore Series, rather than humans, which should appeal to readers who enjoy non-human main characters.
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​While there will be references to what has come before, readers whose entry point is the spinoff series won't feel lost. Once absorbed in the plot, I imagine many will want to read the first series to get the entire backstory. Reading in this order should be a different but equally enjoyable experience. 
 
Runes and Relics, Book 3 in the Gem Powers Series, is coming this fall. Read the first two books now, or binge-read all three in October!

Readers, share your thoughts. What do you consider the ideal number of books in a series? Do you buy books as they're released, or do you typically wait and binge-read a finished series?