asp.net mvc - Linq to SQL over zealous serialization -

im developing api using .net mvc , returning results in json format. @ first seemed work ok results returned database ienumerable converted jsonresult type returned.

this serializes hierrachy me , child objects loaded automaticaly based on relationships in designer , become part of json hierrachy.

ienumerable<book> books= _contentrepository.getbooks();  return json(new {                    success = true,                    data = new {                                  books = books                               }                 }, jsonrequestbehavior.allowget); 

this power problem whole load of child objects loaded dont need. example, i've got book entity has related books , these related books have related books, tree gets deep quickly.

rick strahl talks towards end of article: http://www.west-wind.com/weblog/posts/147218.aspx

i still want keep hierrachy, json hierrachical. e.g. book.author, book.publisher[0].name want control on loaded in query.

am looking @ removing links between entities in designer , specifying joins in query or queries , possibly manually making resulting hierrachy?

i use view model: class tailored meet requirements of view (or in case json structure). have controller action map between model fetched database , view model. have full control.

ienumerable<book> books = _contentrepository.getbooks(); ienumerable<bookviewmodel> bookviewmodels = mapper.map<ienumerable<book>, ienumerable<bookviewmodel>>(books); return json(     new { success = true, data = bookviewmodels },      jsonrequestbehavior.allowget );