Things in books that annoy you

[Little.Egret]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Of Lord Peter Wimsey fame? I read a couple of them years back.



Downloaded. Thanks!



Secret police? I can't quite see a Barrayaran Imperial Auditor aka Emperor's Voice as being secret police. It's hard to be secretive when to quote from Diplomatic Immunity: "if an Emperor's Voice so ordered it, they'd shoot themselves." Now if we discussing his earlier career in Imperial Security, I could accept secret police.

Isn'f that like complaining that the Gestapo have a uniform?
But yes, ImpSec is now Miles' information utility.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by issybird

I care, because I think libraries spend too much of their resources on their romance customers while not servicing other customers nearly as well.

Very well said. I agree completely.

[JSWolf]

Have a look at this rubbish....

Surrender to the Cyborgs
Interstellar Brides, The Colony Book 1

It's listed under Fantasy, Fiction, Romance, & Science Fiction.

You can tell it's garbage by the cover. But when you go to look for fantasy, SF, or fiction, this may come up in the results.



I found this via Overdrive. This is the sort of garbage that library budgets may be going to buy instead of something that might be good.

[mbovenka]

Originally Posted by Catlady

This is where I rely heavily on covers. I'm okay with some romantic elements in a book, but if the cover shows heaving bosoms and rippling muscles, I'll pass.

I do that too

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Richwood

I did not know that there was such a category here. All I was trying to say was that I find books expressing belief in any, in my view, fantasy character to be annoying unless it is clearly presented as a fantasy book. Trying to present King Arthur as a historic character considering that the first stories of him were written hundreds of years after his supposed death is another example. Good as fantasy but ridiculous as history. The same for Atlantis IMO. ONE Greek writer mentioned Atlantis in a book on philosophy and hundreds have tried to convert it in to a real place. He also dated it so far back in the past that it was prior to writing per my understanding.

Somewhere in there, you lost me. If what you are reading is fiction, then they aren't presenting King Arthur or Atlantis or what have you as actual fact. If Dan Brown or one of his ilk wants to write a thriller where someone finds Excalibur, why should that annoy you?

If you are reading a 'non-fiction' book about King Arthur or you are watching Ancient Aliens going on about Atlantis, well, consider your sources.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You can tell it's garbage by the cover.

I don't know who coined the phrase "Never judge a book by its cover". I've always found it a really quick and convenient way to bypass a high percentage of what I consider to be not worth reading.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

I don't know who coined the phrase "Never judge a book by its cover". I've always found it a really quick and convenient way to bypass a high percentage of what I consider to be not worth reading.

I agree. I won't waste my time with a book with an awful cover. Also, most romance gets weeded out thanks to the cover.

[kyteflyer]

Naked breasts and chests leave me stone cold, especially when they are tagged as science fiction. Covers are important.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by kyteflyer

Naked breasts and chests leave me stone cold, especially when they are tagged as science fiction. Covers are important.

You can get naked chests such as Conan the Barbarian, but it is proper fantasy.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I agree. I won't waste my time with a book with an awful cover. Also, most romance gets weeded out thanks to the cover.

Look at this awful cover. Clearly this 'Stendhal' is never going anywhere.



Bad covers can happen to good books.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by jackie_w

I don't know who coined the phrase "Never judge a book by its cover". I've always found it a really quick and convenient way to bypass a high percentage of what I consider to be not worth reading.

I agree. Especially nowadays with so many self-pubbed books--a nonprofessional or poorly designed cover helps me weed them out. Plus a cover often helps identify the genre, when the title alone might not.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Look at this awful cover. Clearly this 'Stendhal' is never going anywhere.

<SNIP IMAGE>

Bad covers can happen to good books.

I think you win the internet today.

Is that supposed to be Julien Sorel in his skivvies?

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by issybird

I think you win the internet today.

Is that supposed to be Julien Sorel in his skivvies?

I have no idea what the thought process on that cover was. The American cover isn't much better. And the thing is, this is a major new English translation.



I'm just glad I'll be reading it on an e-reader where folks can't see the cover!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Bad covers can happen to good books.

True, but there are more than enough good books with good covers that I won't bother on a book with a bad cover unless someone gives it a good enough review/recommendation.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

True, but there are more than enough good books with good covers that I won't bother on a book with a bad cover unless someone gives it a good enough review/recommendation.

So maybe if I write a five star review for Surrender to the Cyborgs, you will add it to your reading list