Srsly, if you're going to have a large ensemble cast...it kinda helps if you delve into their stories and what drives them instead of everything from one person's POV. As much as I teeter on disliking Lost, it's got a massive main cast and manages to give them some air time (y'know, when it's not about Jack or Kate for five whole minutes), Heroes is doing a fantastic job with multiple protagonists. And then there's the Pratchett novels which don't always focus around the same. people. in. every. book. People go off and have adventures on their own, and come back either better or worse.

So in the hands of another writer, all this potential could be used to the max and we'd have ourselves a series that honestly could go on for some 20 books without boring/frustrating/terrorising the readers to death. IMHO, LKH shoulda ended AB:VH at 12, simply because it's asking wayyy too much of her readership to stick with it for another 10 books.