Fantasy authors you (and I) should NEVER read

Dr. Drib · 10-29-2009, 08:37 AM

ACK!

So much by Lin Carter STINKS, and you will too if you read his entire oeuvre.

He was a Great Editor, but my God a lot of this man's writing really, really stinks.

What say you, oh Erstwhile Reader?

Don

BenG · 10-29-2009, 10:15 AM

Terry Brooks.
Sword of Shannara was so clumsily written it was tough the read. I haven't read anything by him in the last few decades so he may have improved. Commodified Fantasy.

The Brothers Hildebrandt.
I tried to read Urshurak but was unable to finish. They should have stuck to illustration.

Mercedes Lackey.
I've only read one book by her, Magic's Pawn. (I think that's the name.) To quote Dorothy Parker, "This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force."

Slite · 10-29-2009, 10:17 AM

Robert Jordan

Wheel of Time is a huge waste of time as far as I am concerned. It just drags on, and on, and on, and on, and... well, you get the picture.

I think it's one of the most overrated fantasy series of all time.

BenG · 10-29-2009, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slite

Robert Jordan

Wheel of Time is a huge waste of time as far as I am concerned. It just drags on, and on, and on, and on, and... well, you get the picture.

I think it's one of the most overrated fantasy series of all time.

He needed a good editor who wasn't afraid of the scalpel. (In other words, someone besides his wife.)

bbusybookworm · 10-29-2009, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenG

He needed a good editor who wasn't afraid of the scalpel. (In other words, someone besides his wife.)

I think part of the problem (Which is unfortunately very Common) was that success of the Series itself led to him adding in more and more, without anyone really wanting to tell him enough is enough.

As long as people Like us kept on buying, there was no real incentive to shorten up and finish.

I've read the series from Book one to ten at least half a dozen tmes, and you can really see how he seemed to have lost focus on the ending sometime around book 4 or 5. I actually stopped reading around Book ten, deciding to only go back when the last book in the series comes out.

Solicitous · 11-01-2009, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbusybookworm

I think part of the problem (Which is unfortunately very Common) was that success of the Series itself led to him adding in more and more, without anyone really wanting to tell him enough is enough.

As long as people Like us kept on buying, there was no real incentive to shorten up and finish.

I've read the series from Book one to ten at least half a dozen tmes, and you can really see how he seemed to have lost focus on the ending sometime around book 4 or 5. I actually stopped reading around Book ten, deciding to only go back when the last book in the series comes out.

I've read the first 6, and I will read the rest but right now I need a bit of a break from the story. Book 4 has been the best so far IMHO. What drives me up the wall is the detail and pages he will spend describing a character who plays a minor role in the story, and which none of that description has anything to do with the story at hand. There is that, and during the first 4 books every single room that had a lit fire let out light but no heat - all I wanted was to read about a warm fire for once!!

I will finish it, I already have book 7,8 and 10.

AdamGott · 11-03-2009, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbusybookworm

I think part of the problem (Which is unfortunately very Common) was that success of the Series itself led to him adding in more and more, without anyone really wanting to tell him enough is enough.

As long as people Like us kept on buying, there was no real incentive to shorten up and finish.

I've read the series from Book one to ten at least half a dozen tmes, and you can really see how he seemed to have lost focus on the ending sometime around book 4 or 5. I actually stopped reading around Book ten, deciding to only go back when the last book in the series comes out.

I guess people like us didn't all keep buying though! I quit after the third or fourth book because they were just too long. I loved the story but there was just way too much 'fluff' in there...

hokie · 11-15-2009, 08:35 AM

.....

Dr. Drib · 10-29-2009, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slite

Robert Jordan

Wheel of Time is a huge waste of time as far as I am concerned. It just drags on, and on, and on, and on, and... well, you get the picture.

I think it's one of the most overrated fantasy series of all time.

Yeah, I'll have to agree with you on this.

I was playing with words 6 months ago, making up titles for books and films, which shook up a certain segment of the "Brainiac Mentality." I called it the "Wheelbarrow of Time," about trundling manure back and forth.

Don

Krystian Galaj · 10-29-2009, 11:44 AM

For me, it lost focus on book 3, I managed to finish it but won't start on 4th volume.

Latinandgreek · 10-29-2009, 11:44 AM

What do you guys think of Terry Goodkind? I really enjoyed the first season of "Legend of the Seeker" which is somewhat loosely based on the "Sword of Truth" series, so I began reading them this summer. I am currently on book 8 (of 11). I enjoyed the first few books - nothing fantastic, but fun to read. They get worse as they go on. I kept reading them because I am curious to see how the series will end. Don't get me wrong, the books aren't terrible... you'll get these interesting bits mixed up with boring, repetitive, preachy bits, and I'm not crazy about some of the newer characters introduced, while some favourites seem to have disappeared from the story. All in all, I feel that Goodkind is yet another writer who could use a good editor.

Slite · 10-29-2009, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Latinandgreek

What do you guys think of Terry Goodkind? I really enjoyed the first season of "Legend of the Seeker" which is somewhat loosely based on the "Sword of Truth" series, so I began reading them this summer. I am currently on book 8 (of 11). I enjoyed the first few books - nothing fantastic, but fun to read. They get worse as they go on. I kept reading them because I am curious to see how the series will end. Don't get me wrong, the books aren't terrible... you'll get these interesting bits mixed up with boring, repetitive, preachy bits, and I'm not crazy about some of the newer characters introduced, while some favourites seem to have disappeared from the story. All in all, I feel that Goodkind is yet another writer who could use a good editor.

I think that is quite common when it comes to series that span over to many volumes without beeing loosely connected stories about the same characters. As in Orson Scott Cards Ender series etc etc, where each book can be read by itself really, while they still follow a somewhat connected plotline.

When you get mastodoonworks that are suposed to be a continuing storyline I think it in the end gets to the point where the author as you said "looses focus" and just keeps going. As if the story takes on a life on it's own and refuses to just die in peace.

BenG · 10-29-2009, 12:00 PM

I read about a quarter of the first book and gave up.
Richard's brothers' speech near the beginning invoking memories of his murdered father to manipulate the crowd ruined the book for me after I realized that the speech would best be read by Jim Carrey in "Ace Ventura" mode.

Slite · 10-29-2009, 12:06 PM

Those were absolutley hilarious... Oh, and you owe me a new screen+keyboard BenG. My old ones got ruined by spraying coffe all over them.

"Characters Show Up" indeed

Sparrow · 10-29-2009, 12:19 PM

Mervyn Peake and John Cowper Powys.

Horrible.

10-29-2009, 08:37 AM	#1
Dr. Drib Wizard Posts: 4,561 Karma: 23322 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: San Borja (Lima), Peru Device: Sony PRS-505; Kindle2; Jetbook; REB 1100; Toshiba Netbook 205-311W	Fantasy authors you (and I) should NEVER read ACK! So much by Lin Carter STINKS, and you will too if you read his entire oeuvre. He was a Great Editor, but my God a lot of this man's writing really, really stinks. What say you, oh Erstwhile Reader? Don __________________ FROM - "ROMANCE: THE GRIT AND THE GRISTLE" I loved her, this darling crapulous woman with a petite wart under her left eyelid that seemed to wink at me with a knowing passion, as if saying “Hubba-Hubba, Baby!" yet remaining absolutely immobile the whole time. Last edited by Dr. Drib; 10-29-2009 at 08:55 AM.

10-29-2009, 10:15 AM	#2
BenG Trouble Is My Business Posts: 711 Karma: 5435 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Kentuckiana Device: Amazon Kindle DX	Terry Brooks. Sword of Shannara was so clumsily written it was tough the read. I haven't read anything by him in the last few decades so he may have improved. Commodified Fantasy. The Brothers Hildebrandt. I tried to read Urshurak but was unable to finish. They should have stuck to illustration. Mercedes Lackey. I've only read one book by her, Magic's Pawn. (I think that's the name.) To quote Dorothy Parker, "This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force." __________________ Ben Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn

10-29-2009, 10:17 AM	#3
Slite Icanhasdonuts? Posts: 2,326 Karma: 13509 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Device: BeBook x 2 (Hanlin V3 rebrand), Samsung Omnia	Robert Jordan Wheel of Time is a huge waste of time as far as I am concerned. It just drags on, and on, and on, and on, and... well, you get the picture. I think it's one of the most overrated fantasy series of all time. __________________ Jesus saves, Allah forgives, Cthulhu thinks you'd make a nice sandwich. Minister of The Large Dogs Of Infinite Peace And Absurdity.

11-15-2009, 08:35 AM	#8
hokie Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2007 Device: Sony eReader (PRS-500)	..... Last edited by hokie; 11-15-2009 at 08:37 AM. Reason: wrong thread

10-29-2009, 12:00 PM	#13
BenG Trouble Is My Business Posts: 711 Karma: 5435 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Kentuckiana Device: Amazon Kindle DX	I read about a quarter of the first book and gave up. Richard's brothers' speech near the beginning invoking memories of his murdered father to manipulate the crowd ruined the book for me after I realized that the speech would best be read by Jim Carrey in "Ace Ventura" mode. __________________ Ben Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn Last edited by BenG; 10-29-2009 at 12:51 PM.

10-29-2009, 11:44 AM	#10
Krystian Galaj Evangelist Posts: 412 Karma: 1759 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Warsaw, Poland Device: Bookeen Cybook	For me, it lost focus on book 3, I managed to finish it but won't start on 4th volume.

10-29-2009, 11:44 AM	#11
Latinandgreek Connoisseur Posts: 64 Karma: 60 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Croatia Device: Sony Prs-505	What do you guys think of Terry Goodkind? I really enjoyed the first season of "Legend of the Seeker" which is somewhat loosely based on the "Sword of Truth" series, so I began reading them this summer. I am currently on book 8 (of 11). I enjoyed the first few books - nothing fantastic, but fun to read. They get worse as they go on. I kept reading them because I am curious to see how the series will end. Don't get me wrong, the books aren't terrible... you'll get these interesting bits mixed up with boring, repetitive, preachy bits, and I'm not crazy about some of the newer characters introduced, while some favourites seem to have disappeared from the story. All in all, I feel that Goodkind is yet another writer who could use a good editor.

10-29-2009, 12:06 PM	#14
Slite Icanhasdonuts? Posts: 2,326 Karma: 13509 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Device: BeBook x 2 (Hanlin V3 rebrand), Samsung Omnia	Those were absolutley hilarious... Oh, and you owe me a new screen+keyboard BenG. My old ones got ruined by spraying coffe all over them. "Characters Show Up" indeed __________________ Jesus saves, Allah forgives, Cthulhu thinks you'd make a nice sandwich. Minister of The Large Dogs Of Infinite Peace And Absurdity.

10-29-2009, 12:19 PM	#15
Sparrow no, I won't apologise Posts: 2,858 Karma: 29697 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3	Mervyn Peake and John Cowper Powys. Horrible. __________________ "Men...no more dreamt of a seat in the House in order to benefit humanity than a child dreams of a birthday cake that others may eat it." Sir Lewis Namier

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