What book(s) did you finish even though you didn't like it?

Ea · 02-28-2009, 09:00 AM

Reading this thread, I was reminded of a book I read all the way through, even though I quickly knew I hated it. I finished beacuse I had to know if it could get worse progressively. It could. It was "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown.

Elsi · 02-28-2009, 09:30 AM

For me it was Lord Foul's Bane by Steven R Donaldson. I hated the main character and got really annoyed by his whinging throughout the book. But, I kept thinking, "Surely it will get better. Too many people said this was a good book." But it didn't get better and when I read the last page, I felt like my time had been stolen from me.

lilac_jive · 02-28-2009, 10:25 AM

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. I forced myself to finish it and it didn't get better in the end for me.

Traffic Goddess · 02-28-2009, 01:29 PM

I can't do it. If a book is that bad, it's a waste of my time. I'd rather just put it away and start on something better.
I have read some books that were great....until you get to a crappy ending. That is the worst! It's almost like the author was running up against a deadline and decided to wrap everything up in any way possible.

Ea · 02-28-2009, 02:13 PM

Usually; i do that, too, but in this case I wanted to finish the book just to see if kept being like it was. Actually, a crappy ending is amuch greater let down. I just read a book where ending was huge cop-out and I'd just before reading it 'prayed' that it wouldn't be what it was.

MickeyC · 02-28-2009, 02:46 PM

For me that would be 'The Dreaming Void'. The author managed to jam a 600 page novel into 900 pages.

Greg Anos · 02-28-2009, 03:11 PM

When Late The Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm. I couldn't put the book down because of the quality of writing, and I kept slamming it against the wall because the story was so repugnant to me.

ShortNCuddlyAm · 02-28-2009, 06:54 PM

Three spring to mind:

Da Vinci Code
TimeTraders
Lord of the Rings

Fledchen · 02-28-2009, 07:47 PM

Down all the Days by Christy Brown
No plot, just an adolescent boy having wet dreams/hallucinations and obsessing over breasts.

thibaulthalpern · 02-28-2009, 08:23 PM

An interesting question. I have to think: honestly how many people here actually do like reading the "classics" or rather more accurately the copyright free texts? It seems to me that the primary reason people talk about digital readers and "classics" is because those are free books. If there were not free, probably more than 50% of digital reader users would not bother with them.

As a scholar in the social sciences myself, I admit to not being attracted to the so-called classics literature and much prefer to read contemporary texts.

JSWolf · 02-28-2009, 08:31 PM

The Silmarillian by J.R.R. Tolkien released after his death by his son. It was really heavy and dull. I plodded through it only because my Mom bought it for me. I tried his latest posthumous book released by his son (borrowed from the library) and gave up pretty quick.

ShortNCuddlyAm · 02-28-2009, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thibaulthalpern

An interesting question. I have to think: honestly how many people here actually do like reading the "classics" or rather more accurately the copyright free texts? It seems to me that the primary reason people talk about digital readers and "classics" is because those are free books. If there were not free, probably more than 50% of digital reader users would not bother with them.

As a scholar in the social sciences myself, I admit to not being attracted to the so-called classics literature and much prefer to read contemporary texts (say from the 20th and 21st century).

I really don't care when a book was written, so long as I find it interesting, enjoyable or otherwise worthwhile to read. So yes, as well as modern authors such as Neal Stephenson and Thomas Pynchon I also like Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. I liked them before they were available for free on the web, too...

lilac_jive · 02-28-2009, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The Silmarillian by J.R.R. Tolkien released after his death by his son. It was really heavy and dull. I plodded through it only because my Mom bought it for me. I tried his latest posthumous book released by his son (borrowed from the library) and gave up pretty quick.

It certainly was a tough read, but with some good gems in it. I had an easier time after I got a Tolkien dictionary.

Ervserver · 02-28-2009, 08:42 PM

MY Life by Bill Clinton

RickyMaveety · 02-28-2009, 09:31 PM

Dahlgren. Even though I HATED IT.

02-28-2009, 09:00 AM	#1
Ea Wizard Posts: 3,490 Karma: 5239563 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3\|iPad air\|iPhone 4S	What book(s) did you finish even though you didn't like it? Reading this thread, I was reminded of a book I read all the way through, even though I quickly knew I hated it. I finished beacuse I had to know if it could get worse progressively. It could. It was "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown.

02-28-2009, 09:30 AM	#2
Elsi Wizard Posts: 2,366 Karma: 12000 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas, USA Device: Kindle; Sony PRS 505; Blackberry 8700C	For me it was *Lord Foul's Bane* by Steven R Donaldson. I hated the main character and got really annoyed by his whinging throughout the book. But, I kept thinking, "Surely it will get better. Too many people said this was a good book." But it didn't get better and when I read the last page, I felt like my time had been stolen from me. Last edited by Elsi; 02-28-2009 at 08:19 PM.

02-28-2009, 08:23 PM	#10
thibaulthalpern Evangelist Posts: 478 Karma: 451808 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: California, USA Device: my two eyes, KLiiK, Sony PRS-700	An interesting question. I have to think: honestly how many people here actually do like reading the "classics" or rather more accurately the copyright free texts? It seems to me that the primary reason people talk about digital readers and "classics" is because those are free books. If there were not free, probably more than 50% of digital reader users would not bother with them. As a scholar in the social sciences myself, I admit to not being attracted to the so-called classics literature and much prefer to read contemporary texts. Last edited by thibaulthalpern; 02-28-2009 at 11:54 PM.

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02-28-2009, 10:25 AM	#3
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. I forced myself to finish it and it didn't get better in the end for me.

02-28-2009, 01:29 PM	#4
Traffic Goddess Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 190 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Pennsylvania Device: sony prs-700	I can't do it. If a book is that bad, it's a waste of my time. I'd rather just put it away and start on something better. I have read some books that were great....until you get to a crappy ending. That is the worst! It's almost like the author was running up against a deadline and decided to wrap everything up in any way possible.

02-28-2009, 02:13 PM	#5
Ea Wizard Posts: 3,490 Karma: 5239563 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3\|iPad air\|iPhone 4S	Usually; i do that, too, but in this case I wanted to finish the book just to see if kept being like it was. Actually, a crappy ending is amuch greater let down. I just read a book where ending was huge cop-out and I'd just before reading it 'prayed' that it wouldn't be what it was.

02-28-2009, 02:46 PM	#6
MickeyC Grand Sorcerer Posts: 16,732 Karma: 12185114 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Florida Device: iPhone 6 plus, Sony T1, iPad 3	For me that would be 'The Dreaming Void'. The author managed to jam a 600 page novel into 900 pages.

02-28-2009, 03:11 PM	#7
Greg Anos Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,247 Karma: 35000000 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Pocketbook	When Late The Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm. I couldn't put the book down because of the quality of writing, and I kept slamming it against the wall because the story was so repugnant to me.

02-28-2009, 06:54 PM	#8
ShortNCuddlyAm WWHALD Posts: 7,879 Karma: 337114 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mitcham, Surrey, UK Device: iPad. Selling my silver 505 here	Three spring to mind: Da Vinci Code TimeTraders Lord of the Rings

02-28-2009, 07:47 PM	#9
Fledchen Guru Posts: 663 Karma: 84658 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Minnesota, USA Device: PB360+, Sony950, VR Stream, iPod Touch, iPad	Down all the Days by Christy Brown No plot, just an adolescent boy having wet dreams/hallucinations and obsessing over breasts.

02-28-2009, 08:31 PM	#11
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,835 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	The Silmarillian by J.R.R. Tolkien released after his death by his son. It was really heavy and dull. I plodded through it only because my Mom bought it for me. I tried his latest posthumous book released by his son (borrowed from the library) and gave up pretty quick.

02-28-2009, 08:42 PM	#14
Ervserver Wizard Posts: 2,624 Karma: 1008294 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Iowa, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch	MY Life by Bill Clinton

02-28-2009, 09:31 PM	#15
RickyMaveety Holy S**T!!! Posts: 5,213 Karma: 108401 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: San Diego, California!! Device: Kindle and iPad	Dahlgren. Even though I HATED IT.

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