What kills a book for you? - Page 12

anamardoll · 07-06-2011, 02:16 PM

Husband mentioned one last night for his steampunk novels: excessive jargon that the author forces you to learn as part of the world-building.

Done well, it's a delight; done poorly, it feels like you have to memorize an unnecessary word list just to read the book.

anamardoll · 07-06-2011, 02:18 PM

Also, new pet peeve for me based on a story I read today: not understanding when/where people wear expensive clothing.

To elaborate, the male author decided to "characterize" a female character by giving her Prada shoes and a $1,600 dress... that she had decided to wear on an outing that was basically slumming downtown at a really REALLY dirty art gallery. No. Just...no.

kennyc · 07-06-2011, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anamardoll

Also, new pet peeve for me based on a story I read today: not understanding when/where people wear expensive clothing.

To elaborate, the male author decided to "characterize" a female character by giving her Prada shoes and a $1,600 dress... that she had decided to wear on an outing that was basically slumming downtown at a really REALLY dirty art gallery. No. Just...no.

But it's for the Art!

anamardoll · 07-06-2011, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

But it's for the Art!

Haha, well in THIS case, it seemed to be for cheap characterization, i.e.: Rich Woman = Shallow, Stupid, Snarky. But for the love of god, you don't wear Prada shoes down to what you KNOW IN ADVANCE is going to be a crappy, dirty, yucky, slit-your-throat-for-your-Rolex part of town. Not unless you're so rich that you're wiping with $100 bills... and she wasn't.

kennyc · 07-06-2011, 02:53 PM

I know, just joking.

anamardoll · 07-06-2011, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

I know, just joking.

My sarcasm'o'meter is so poorly calibrated.

kennyc · 07-06-2011, 03:12 PM

I didn't smiley it, so....my fault if any.

emoorman · 07-07-2011, 02:21 PM

If it has a good story that moves right along, I can put up with a lot of grammar and format errors. If a book is slow moving, I just can't get into it.

AlbertaCowboy · 07-08-2011, 02:28 PM

I can't stand when a novel is written in the present tense.

Uncle Ned · 07-08-2011, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anamardoll

Parenthetical statements by the narrator. Just read Percy Jackson last night and while I liked it a lot, he had a tendency to do this:

I don't know why, but parentheses HURL me out of the experience and remind me that I'm reading a book. I hate them. Hate, hate, hate. And it wasn't even necessary here -- he could have just said, "Chiron had said that..." and not done the parentheses at all. How odd I am.

I was an undergrad back when Martin Amis was still writing interesting books. In his early stuff, every second sentence had a parenthetical aside, or so it seemed to me. In my more boring classes I would try to emulate Amis's voice in my essays to liven them up and would try to throw in a dozen parentheses or so. Now that I work for the gov't and get to write a lot of wonderful bureaucratize, I still try to make it interesting to me by tossing in whatever I'm currently reading. I'm working my through Lee Child right now; I'm not sure how Reacher is going to make his way into my next briefing note.

What do I hate in a book?

Lawyer-detective types who seem to never have money issues, are always readily available take on a new adventure, fly planes, sleep with a new woman every night, and get the stuffing beaten out of them but wake up early and pain-free the next day.

Mrgauth · 07-09-2011, 04:01 PM

When authors go into lengthy descriptions or character side stories that do not progress the story. Hate filler. Just tell the story! Also, can't stand bad prose. Hard to describe but you know it when you see it.

Ransom · 07-09-2011, 06:42 PM

Any mention of homosexuality gives me the creeps, and I generally will stop reading when I come upon it. That's just the truth of the matter.

Any book with lengthy and unnecessary descriptions will drive me away.

Descriptions of a sex act will drive me away. (Good writers infer sex--bad ones describe it).

Using brand names really sets me off. Just tell me the guy bought a hamburger. Don't tell me it was a Burger King Whopper!

As some famous cop must have once said, "Just the facts ma'am." Keep the other junk to yourself.

benham · 07-09-2011, 10:04 PM

Ah, Sgt Joe Friday on Dragnet. Also, crimes against children or where the perp is a pedophile.

orlok · 07-10-2011, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ransom

Any mention of homosexuality gives me the creeps, and I generally will stop reading when I come upon it. That's just the truth of the matter.

Oh dear...

TenaciousBadger · 07-10-2011, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orlok

Oh dear...

It takes all kinds, orlok. It takes all kinds.

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07-06-2011, 02:16 PM	#166
anamardoll Chasing Butterflies Posts: 3,132 Karma: 5074169 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: American Southwest Device: Uses batteries.	Husband mentioned one last night for his steampunk novels: excessive jargon that the author forces you to learn as part of the world-building. Done well, it's a delight; done poorly, it feels like you have to memorize an unnecessary word list just to read the book.

07-06-2011, 02:18 PM	#167
anamardoll Chasing Butterflies Posts: 3,132 Karma: 5074169 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: American Southwest Device: Uses batteries.	Also, new pet peeve for me based on a story I read today: not understanding when/where people wear expensive clothing. To elaborate, the male author decided to "characterize" a female character by giving her Prada shoes and a $1,600 dress... that she had decided to wear on an outing that was basically slumming downtown at a really REALLY dirty art gallery. No. Just...no.

07-06-2011, 02:53 PM	#170
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,904 Karma: 119230421 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	I know, just joking.

07-06-2011, 03:12 PM	#172
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,904 Karma: 119230421 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	I didn't smiley it, so....my fault if any.

07-07-2011, 02:21 PM	#173
emoorman Obsessive Reader Posts: 74 Karma: 515292 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Shalimar, FL (in the panhandle) Device: Kindle PW, Nokia 1520	If it has a good story that moves right along, I can put up with a lot of grammar and format errors. If a book is slow moving, I just can't get into it.

07-08-2011, 02:28 PM	#174
AlbertaCowboy Guru Posts: 819 Karma: 171672846 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Alberta, Canada Device: PRS-350, PRS-650, iPhone 6, NVIDIA Shield K1	I can't stand when a novel is written in the present tense.

07-09-2011, 04:01 PM	#176
Mrgauth Addict Posts: 206 Karma: 310 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Tulsa OK Device: K3	When authors go into lengthy descriptions or character side stories that do not progress the story. Hate filler. Just tell the story! Also, can't stand bad prose. Hard to describe but you know it when you see it.

07-09-2011, 06:42 PM	#177
Ransom Banned Posts: 242 Karma: 51054 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Belleville, IL Device: Kindle-3	Any mention of homosexuality gives me the creeps, and I generally will stop reading when I come upon it. That's just the truth of the matter. Any book with lengthy and unnecessary descriptions will drive me away. Descriptions of a sex act will drive me away. (Good writers infer sex--bad ones describe it). Using brand names really sets me off. Just tell me the guy bought a hamburger. Don't tell me it was a Burger King Whopper! As some famous cop must have once said, "Just the facts ma'am." Keep the other junk to yourself.

07-09-2011, 10:04 PM	#178
benham Guru Posts: 882 Karma: 5565888 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Townsend, WI Device: Palm TX, PRS-505 (BLUE)	Ah, Sgt Joe Friday on Dragnet. Also, crimes against children or where the perp is a pedophile.

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