In a trilogy… I always find the second book to be really good (with one exception currently). So if I had to pick my favourite out of the three for action/content/etc it would often be the second book. The final book would be good too - usually - there are a few that suck.
But after reading all 3 I say things like “oh, but you need to read book one for the background and the second book is better, in fact the second book is the best one, but you will need to read the last one for the overarching stories ending.”
my examples -
Graceling Trilogy - Gracling was avg, Fire was excellent. Bitterblue would only make sense with the other two.
His Dark Materials - The northern lights (boring), the subtle knife (loved it), the amber spyglass - a good ending.
Both Gracing series and His Dark Materials are good reads!
the allegient thing - first - ok, second - great - third, omg what was that shit.
hunger games - similiar to above, first ok second ok third - good until the ending.
omg and I am heading down a dark path.
my exception to this revelation currently - is the two towers by tolkien. I skimmed chapters, and Return of the King was def the best in that trilogy. Fellowship was long, and lots of walking. While the two towers had lots of interesting storylines aka ents, it was just too much time spent in helms deep and i hated those chapters. Return of the king was my fav, always will be.
sorry random thought and rant. i’m going to stop now.