You read a book and it stinks. What do you do?

[Andanzas]

I basically agree with Roy White. If I think the writing is bad, I stop inmediately. If the book is slow or the plot uninteresting but I like the writing, I usually am more patient.

[mogui]

Originally Posted by rlauzon

Life is too short to spend reading bad books.

Originally Posted by Bumper Sticker

Life's too short to dance with ugly guys

Eh -- actually it was a bumper sticker
I think Kim Stanley Robinson is a wonderful writer. The first couple of books were great. But the third one I tried, about climbing a long tedious mountain on Mars -- I just couldn't push that rock up that mountain. Sorry Kim!

Some writers will produce solid winners for me and others offer clunkers. I tend to read one author until I exhaust his work, then move on to another author. When I find one I like I am greatly pleased.

[RWood]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I think the worst book I ever plodded through was The Silmarillian by J.R.R. Tolkien pubish by his son after he died. It was so dull and long. I read it because of who the author was.

Another book I hated was Battlefield Earth by L. Ron Hubbard. But by the time I got to hate it, I was too far in to stop.

Generally, I do try to finish a book once I start it. Not always do I manage.

The Silmarillian is easily one of the five worst books that I have read all the way through. (Not counting the required reading in college.) I read it because of who wrote it and have never touched another Tolkien book since.

As for Hubbard, I hurled the book with great vigor for life is too short to drink bad wine or read books such as that. Therefore, I admit my mistake and move on; glad that I gave myself more time for better books.

[nekokami]

I usually read a bit of a book before I buy it, especially if it's by an author I haven't heard of before. Once I have started a book, I usually finish it. Exceptions include the third Dune book and (I think) the second Thomas Covenant book, and I haven't had anything to do with either author since. (I liked Dune itself, though.)

I enjoyed The Silmarillion, but I don't regard it as a finished piece of fiction. It's an author's working notes. I like reading stuff like that. I liked the appendices at the end of The Lord of the Rings, too. I don't sit down and read that sort of writing all the way through, though. I tend to read it in bits and pieces, between other things. I haven't compulsively read all of Tolkein's working notes (e.g. some of the later Unfinished Tales, etc), at least not yet.

[astra]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

I'm so picky about the books I buy

Ditto.

Some 7 years ago I happen to be a bit less careful and ordered 6 paperback books by S. Donaldson The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (1st and 2nd trilogies of the series)....poor me I managed to read only 100 pages of the first book, could not stand the whining protagonist. So, I ditched the books, although I paid lots of money for them. I lived in Israel then and was ordering books from Amazon.com.
Another big frustration was The Redemption of Althalus by Eddings&Co. but I was preparing for some tests and didn't want to read something good , so I read the book ...and it went to oxfam second hand book shop on the next day I finished it.

There are only 2 books I literaly forced myself to read in the past 6 years, albeit I didn't like them. They were gifts from my older brother and I thought I must read them because they must be good if he has chosen the books for me. The books are The Wind-up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami and The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. I am not going to repeat the same mistake again though, twice is more than enough

[cherdman]

Originally Posted by astra_lestat

Ditto.

Some 7 years ago I happen to be a bit less careful and ordered 6 paperback books by S. Donaldson The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (1st and 2nd trilogies of the series)....poor me I managed to read only 100 pages of the first book, could not stand the whining protagonist. So, I ditched the books...

This is one series that I actually dropped dead in its tracks. I simply couldn't stand the protagonist.

One book that I SHOULD have dropped was Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind. I vow to NEVER read a SINGLE word of Mr. Goodkind's ever again. Utter garbage...but I finished it anyways lol.

[JSWolf]

I loved Stephen R. Donaldon's Thomas Covenant books. I really devoured them. I also enjoy Terry Goodkind's books as well.

To each his own. But the problem with large fansay books like these is that if you only stop at 100 pages, you miss a lot. Some have a large setup before it gets into the action. So give them another go and see how you really like it once you get into the action past the beginning setup.

[UncleDuke]

although said about ideas, dorothy parker said, "... those are ideas that should not be tossed aside lightly. they should be thrown with great vigor." the same for bad books.

[cherdman]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I loved Stephen R. Donaldon's Thomas Covenant books. I really devoured them. I also enjoy Terry Goodkind's books as well.

To each his own. But the problem with large fansay books like these is that if you only stop at 100 pages, you miss a lot. Some have a large setup before it gets into the action. So give them another go and see how you really like it once you get into the action past the beginning setup.

In the case of Goodkind I hear that the series gets better after the first one (which I've read). I just couldn't get past how much he seemed to rip ideas from other authors. Maybe I'll try book 2 in the series.

In the case of the Thomas Covenant books I think I read 3/4 of the book and just could not finish. Try as I might I could not overcome my loathing for Thomas Covenant and the writing seemed really dry and stilted to me. MAYBE I'll give those another go at some point.

Now that I've ragged on two authors, I'll propose two that I find vastly superior. I really enjoy the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. The books deal with very mature themes so be warned if you're not old enough to view Rated R movies. If you like high fantasy with a plentiful helping of medieval-style atmosphere, then you'll love George R.R. Martin.

Another series is The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe. I just finished these (including the Urth of the New Sun, a fifth book in the series of sorts). The writing is masterful and the story haunting. Loved every page. Be warned that these books are also not for the faint of heart. If you hated your college English classes then you might want to stear clear!

[nekokami]

Originally Posted by cherdman

In the case of the Thomas Covenant books I think I read 3/4 of the book and just could not finish. Try as I might I could not overcome my loathing for Thomas Covenant and the writing seemed really dry and stilted to me. MAYBE I'll give those another go at some point.

Ditto here. I read the whole first book, started the second, and gave up. Hated the character, didn't like the writing, couldn't keep going. Friends have told me I might like the second trilogy more, but there are too many good books that I know I like for me to have made time to give these another go.

Then again, though I liked Brust's Jhereg and Yendi, I really didn't like Teckla when I first read it, nearly 20 years ago. Recently, on a recommendation that the rest of the series is better, I re-read the first three books, and found that I liked Teckla more than I expected to (though it's still probably my least favorite of the series). So maybe I ought to give Stephen Donaldson another try....

[yvanleterrible]

The only thing I decidedly put down was written by some French guy in the sixties. I don't want to remember his name. He was using sexist terms and was totally misogynistic, it wasn't just a character flaw like is often the case. I tore the book up. Just can't believe how stupid and blind some people are...

[Azayzel]

Haha! Good thread! I really try to give all books I've bought a go, even if they kinda stink I try to stick with it. I do like the analagy of life being too short to read bad books, but I'm such an optimist I usually hope the book will pick up and redeem itself. For a while there I was keeping a journal of all the books I read and rated them as well. That's kinda fallen by the wayside, but there were a few stinkers in there that I couldn't finish (tough, considering my OCD behavior).

It really sucks to have purchased a book and then find that it totally falls short of your expectations. I just had one I started to read a few weeks ago that I just couldn't finish, try as I might. Guess you're right, there are too many books out there to saddle your mind with something that doesn't suit you (would you wear a goofy shirt you ordered off the Interenet if it made you look like a loon?).

[orcinus]

I continue reading it, then try to share it with someone else, so we can discuss the horror of it

Kinda evil, come to think of it, but...

[astra]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I loved Stephen R. Donaldon's Thomas Covenant books. I really devoured them. I also enjoy Terry Goodkind's books as well.

To each his own. But the problem with large fansay books like these is that if you only stop at 100 pages, you miss a lot. Some have a large setup before it gets into the action. So give them another go and see how you really like it once you get into the action past the beginning setup.

That's my point. I usually force myself to give book a chance and read but I failed with Thomas Covenant books, saying that after I managed to finish Redemption of Althalus speaks volumes (I mean it is not for me, it might be good for others)

Terry Goodkind...I have not read him yet. I will try him sometime when he finishes his series, however....I frequent two big fantasy forums

ASOIAF
MalazanWorld

The amount of sh"£ poured on TG on these forums is unimaginable
He is considered the worst writer ever in fantasy. People who love all different types of fantasy and different writers (some might love Martin and hate Erikson and vice versa), all agree in a general concensus that TG is an utter rubbish and should even exist I don't know any fantasy writer who sparks so much hatred from fantasy lovers

[NatCh]

Amazing that he manages to sell so many books, with that being the case.