07-19-2012, 03:53 AM | #106 |
Indie Advocate
Posts: 2,863
Karma: 18794463
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Device: Kindle
|
I'm surprised at some of the books mentioned, but it's also fun to see what really gets on people's nerves.
If I wanted to nominate a classic author who I thought really sucked I'd probably point to Thomas Hardy. My horrible experience partially reading Far from the Madding Crowd may not extend into his other works. However, please excuse me for not bothering to find out. Generally, I may somewhat over-exaggerate my reverence for classics. As I get older (some might say more decrepid), I'm starting to develop a warm feeling for them that may or may not mean that I need to consider a catheter in the near future. |
07-19-2012, 03:59 AM | #107 |
eBook Enthusiast
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
Dickens, like the other popular authors of his day, was writing popular entertainment for the middle classes. They were the "soap operas" of their time. Monthly or weekly magazine serialisation was the normal method for publishing novels at the time.
|
Advert | |
|
07-19-2012, 04:57 AM | #108 | |
Close to the Edit!
Posts: 9,797
Karma: 267994408
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis, Amazon Fire 8", Kindle 6"
|
Quote:
|
|
07-19-2012, 07:37 AM | #109 |
Addict
Posts: 372
Karma: 1925568
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: England, UK
Device: Sony PRS-T1 and Cool-ER
|
Have to agree with you on that one. I've really tried to get through some of them, but it's no good - I just don't get them. Years ago, I read what I still think is the best description of Hardy's novels: "They're all miserable, and then they die", and I'm afraid I concur fully with it!
|
07-19-2012, 07:49 AM | #110 | |
Wizard
Posts: 1,594
Karma: 21245891
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Canada
Device: Kobo Libra h20, Paperwhite 2017, Phone & Tablet w Moonreader
|
Quote:
|
|
Advert | |
|
07-19-2012, 07:52 AM | #111 | |
eBook Enthusiast
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
Quote:
|
|
07-20-2012, 06:56 AM | #112 |
Junior Member
Posts: 6
Karma: 5000
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Australia
Device: Kindle
|
The Bronze Horseman by Paulina Simons wins worst book award for me (although I haven't read all of Twilight or 50 Shades of Grey, which by all accounts could be worse).
TBH had such a RIDICULOUS premise that I just couldn't get past it. I didn't like any of the characters either. Alexander was a controlling dipshit. Tatiana just kept doing stupid things, and I got a bit bored with hearing how few potatoes they had left. Then the middle of the book was wall-to-wall cheesy and vanilla sex for like 200 pages. I finished it, but only as an exercise in how not to write. Oh, and of all the long depressing novels I had to read for my English Literature degree, I actually liked Hardy just for pushing the boundaries. :-) |
07-20-2012, 10:52 AM | #113 |
Defender of Consciousness
Posts: 69
Karma: 3323596
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Vancouver
Device: none
|
What if 'your' (as in anyone who writes, including me) was named as the worse book ever?
I would like to think that I would be big enough to love my book and not get angry. And remember bad is in the eye of the beholder, just as bueaty is - I love bad movies. I would hope I could take a little pride in that my book is 'special' to someone. Just some absurd thoughts on a rain summer morning, because I know my writing is the best (if the italics don't suggest sarcasim, this line should tell you I being sarcastic). Have fun, Jason |
07-20-2012, 11:12 AM | #114 | |
eBook Enthusiast
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
Quote:
|
|
07-20-2012, 06:58 PM | #115 |
Member
Posts: 19
Karma: 330010
Join Date: Jul 2012
Device: Kindle
|
Anything by Michael Connelly -- plodding, humorless stories populated by plodding, humorless characters described in plodding, humorless prose. (Alternative: James Ellroy's The Black Dahlia. Has all the interesting prose, humor, and kickass stories that Connelly lacks.)
|
07-20-2012, 07:02 PM | #116 | |
MR Drone
Posts: 1,613
Karma: 15612282
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: DRONEZONE
Device: PB360+, Huawei MP5, Libra H20
|
Quote:
I find Hardy's novels to be interesting but slow at times. However, I would recommend people read Hardy's Poetry. After all, He was a poet first and foremost...at least in my opinion... much prefer his poetry to his prose. |
|
07-20-2012, 07:14 PM | #117 | |
Fanatic
Posts: 519
Karma: 2693434
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Australia
Device: Cybook Gen 3, Pocketbook 902, Sony 650
|
Quote:
But life is far too short to bother wading through a second. |
|
07-21-2012, 12:03 AM | #118 | |
Wizard
Posts: 4,812
Karma: 26912940
Join Date: Apr 2010
Device: sony PRS-T1 and T3, Kobo Mini and Aura HD, Tablet
|
Quote:
Elllroy seems a bit more introspective and characters kind of self chatty but I only read one book. Will try another on your recomendation Helen |
|
07-23-2012, 10:23 PM | #119 |
Junior Member
Posts: 1
Karma: 10
Join Date: Jul 2012
Device: none
|
I joined this site actually just for this post! Does this mean I'm a negative person?
My first read of Don Winslow was "The Dawn Patrol". I loved that book. I read "Savages" after a couple of his others that I did not like as much, but I thought Savages was just atrocious...absolutely unreadable...by far the worst of the lot. The best part of a book for me is character development. This book had characters in which I had absolutely no interest. They all were almost completely unlikeable. And the dialogue was even worse. I guess I'd like the movie if every one of these useless character was blown away. I find it hysterical that this was made into a movie...my first thought was...what? that book?? The funnier thing is that people are calling it a masterpiece at this point and Winslow now wrote a prequel...talk about cashing in. Good Lord. |
07-24-2012, 04:39 AM | #120 | |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 7,452
Karma: 7185064
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Linköpng, Sweden
Device: Kindle Voyage, Nexus 5, Kindle PW
|
Quote:
|
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Worst Book(s) You Ever Read? | covingtoncat73 | Reading Recommendations | 95 | 05-11-2011 11:31 AM |
Worst Ever Ending to a Book | WillieMcIntyre | General Discussions | 60 | 04-01-2011 11:42 AM |
Worst (& Best) Book Translations | mjh215 | Lounge | 3 | 11-24-2008 02:58 PM |
Worst (& Best) book series finales | mjh215 | Lounge | 14 | 11-18-2008 08:53 AM |
What is the Worst Book you have had to Edit? | andyafro | Sony Reader | 2 | 12-01-2007 09:40 PM |