What’s the one thing missing from some of the greatest books?

Answer:  Epilogues.

The most important thing I need when I finish a book is to know what happened to the characters afterwards.  I do not understand why writers just end a story without telling you what happens next.  Why bother getting us all worked up about your moving plots and struggling characters if you’re just going to end it with the sharp axe of the last word? 

All I ask is a proper farewell, a chance to say goodbye and see what became of these people I’ve come to know. It’s not like I can ever go on Facebook and look at their status updates.  So whatever you do, you authors, don’t leave things up in the air so that readers can “speculate” about what happens next.  It is a cheap and annoying way to keep your book open for discussion.  Plus it’s just mean.