Quote:
Originally Posted by fruiter
Well - I think that there is no perfect book, so a popular book might very well have consistent flaws that are really noticeable. I've read incredibly long series that didn't make a lot of sense - but I continued reading them because I was really enthralled by one feature of theirs.
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But you're OK with that? Because when I get pulled in by a book that's a page-turner but nonsensical/shallow/dishonest/devoid of characterization/otherwise a turd, I'm not happy at the end. I feel used. I feel as if I was promised something I didn't get. So I have learned to avoid poorly-written books via classical conditioning: I don't want the pain.
One of my biggest lessons was The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever. I think I was well into the third book and upteenth mutant-monster battle when I said, wait a minute, this is shit. I felt tricked and foolish because I'd wasted hours of my life on this series. Not a good feeling.
By the way, I think that when you're talking about good vs bad writing you're not just talking about things like grammar and style. I recently started a book (Broken for You by Stephanie Kallos) that was quite skillfully written, but dishonest, forced, full or revolting sentimentality. I ended up abandoning it. I call that bad writing. But she did do nice sentences and metaphors and all that kind of stuff.