You read a book and it stinks. What do you do? - Page 4

dmikov · 07-10-2007, 11:26 AM

I usually read the book unitill I absolutely cannot anymore or forget to open it up again after I closed it for a couple hours.
There is no planned quitting on the book.
Funny that Goodkind was mentioned here, I read first book and liked the scope of it. Tolerated 2nd and stopped in disgust on the 3rd (10th page) aka cannot anymore - never to touch him again ever.
As far as bad english go, weber and ringo are prime examples. I do give them benefit of doubt, since vorkosigan saga started out quite bad as well. Now Bujold is a pleasure to read just for her prose.

nekokami · 07-10-2007, 03:45 PM

I think that more readily describes what I do, as well. I just don't get around to finishing books that aren't enjoyable to read. I often have more than one in progress at a time, and some I just never get back to.

wayspooled · 08-08-2007, 10:46 PM

Neither of the choices heh...

I think I remember throwing away a book once.

But I have hundred I didn't choose to read very far.

LaughingVulcan · 08-09-2007, 09:00 PM

My favorite coffee cup has the logo on it, "So many books... So little time."

I'm also in the, "life's too short to read bad books," camp, but only because there are so many good ones out there. The trick is in finding the difference.

BenG · 08-09-2007, 09:52 PM

Nancy Pearl, the librarian who wrote Book Lust says if the book doesn't have your interest after 50 pages, you should toss it.
And if you're over 50 years old, subtract your age from 100 and only read that many pages before you give up.

JSWolf · 08-09-2007, 10:13 PM

I tried reading the lasted offcering from J.R.R. Tolkien thanks to Christopher Tolkien's publishing of his father's notes. It's just dry and boring as all can be. I didn't even get past chapter 1 as I skimmed it and it's more like a reference book then a novel. Glad I got it from the library. I do not understand how it could have been a best seller it's that bad.

jasonkchapman · 08-10-2007, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I tried reading the lasted offcering from J.R.R. Tolkien thanks to Christopher Tolkien's publishing of his father's notes. It's just dry and boring as all can be. I didn't even get past chapter 1 as I skimmed it and it's more like a reference book then a novel. Glad I got it from the library. I do not understand how it could have been a best seller it's that bad.

If you're talking about The Children of Hurin, you have to get to about chapter three before the story really starts moving, but overall it's a lot more like Silmarillion than LotR. It's worth reading, if you feel like giving it another shot some time.

jasonkchapman · 08-10-2007, 07:10 AM

I'm in the "gong it and move on" category. I'll cut some extra slack to an author with a proven (to me) track record, but not a lot. Even my favorite authors have put out the occasional clunker.

HarryT · 08-10-2007, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmikov

As far as bad english go, weber and ringo are prime examples. I do give them benefit of doubt, since vorkosigan saga started out quite bad as well. Now Bujold is a pleasure to read just for her prose.

Weber writes bad English, but I can overlook it because he's an excellent storyteller. For me, the story is the most important element of a book - if it "hooks" me, I can overlook "literary failings".

wyldkit · 08-10-2007, 10:23 AM

After a lifetime of finishing almost every book I started, I've only recently been able to put down books if I'm not enjoying them or at least getting something out of them. But I continue to feel terribly guilty every time I do, and I suspect that I will at least attempt to finish every one of them eventually.

jasonkchapman · 08-10-2007, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wyldkit

After a lifetime of finishing almost every book I started, I've only recently been able to put down books if I'm not enjoying them or at least getting something out of them. But I continue to feel terribly guilty every time I do, and I suspect that I will at least attempt to finish every one of them eventually.

Why? Once upon a time, I suppose, publishers were in it for the love of the books. They published works that they wholeheartedly believed deserved to be published. You can still find that in the small press world. If that's the case, sure, it might be worth looking for what the publisher saw in it.

Most of them, now, make their decisions based on what will sell. It doesn't have to be good, it just needs a good hook, or a good media tie-in. "Hey, we'll publish this book because the author's a recovering alcoholic who was abused by a wandering gorilla tribe! Who cares if it's any good? We'll get lots of publicity! They won't know it stinks until after we get their money."

If it's bad, I skip it. If it's really bad, the author goes on my "avoid like the plague" list. There are just too many books out there that do deserve to be read.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 08-10-2007, 11:56 AM

I only recently found myself in this situation, with one of the free Dr. Who e-books recently linked to on this site. Of the four I downloaded, one of them bored me to tears!

I felt very satisfied finding the book in my file manager, and hitting the delete button. Gone, neat and clean. Next?

HarryT · 08-10-2007, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

I only recently found myself in this situation, with one of the free Dr. Who e-books recently linked to on this site. Of the four I downloaded, one of them bored me to tears!

I felt very satisfied finding the book in my file manager, and hitting the delete button. Gone, neat and clean. Next?

Most of the Dr. Who books are pretty terrible. "Fan fiction" in the worst sense of the word.

yvanleterrible · 08-10-2007, 01:12 PM

Actor movement, decor and explosions are more essential to television than story. Although for Dr. Who I would have thought a story to be more important.
Take for instance the series 'Red Dwarf', which is hilarious, that would make for terrible reading. It's been completely built on character differences and 'réparties'. Not all fiction is intelligent and some only at some times.

HarryT · 08-10-2007, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

Take for instance the series 'Red Dwarf', which is hilarious, that would make for terrible reading. It's been completely built on character differences and 'réparties'. Not all fiction is intelligent and some only at some times.

Actually the "Red Dwarf" books are wonderful. Extremely funny.

View Poll Results: What do you do with a book that stinks?
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I still read it.	25	25.00%
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07-10-2007, 11:26 AM	#46
dmikov Addict Posts: 257 Karma: 960 Join Date: Dec 2006 Device: REB1200; REB2150; Sony 500/350; EZReader; IREX DR800SG; Nook/Color	I usually read the book unitill I absolutely cannot anymore or forget to open it up again after I closed it for a couple hours. There is no planned quitting on the book. Funny that Goodkind was mentioned here, I read first book and liked the scope of it. Tolerated 2nd and stopped in disgust on the 3rd (10th page) aka cannot anymore - never to touch him again ever. As far as bad english go, weber and ringo are prime examples. I do give them benefit of doubt, since vorkosigan saga started out quite bad as well. Now Bujold is a pleasure to read just for her prose.

07-10-2007, 03:45 PM	#47
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	I think that more readily describes what I do, as well. I just don't get around to finishing books that aren't enjoyable to read. I often have more than one in progress at a time, and some I just never get back to.

08-08-2007, 10:46 PM	#48
wayspooled Crab In The Dark Posts: 486 Karma: 2328180 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Device: Tablet PC until a 10" comes out that I like	Neither of the choices heh... I think I remember throwing away a book once. But I have hundred I didn't choose to read very far.

08-09-2007, 09:00 PM	#49
LaughingVulcan Technophile Posts: 206 Karma: 617 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Land of Lincoln Device: Kobo Sage. Ex Sony (PRS-500, -600, -650 and Nook)	My favorite coffee cup has the logo on it, "So many books... So little time." I'm also in the, "life's too short to read bad books," camp, but only because there are so many good ones out there. The trick is in finding the difference.

08-09-2007, 09:52 PM	#50
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,730 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	Nancy Pearl, the librarian who wrote Book Lust says if the book doesn't have your interest after 50 pages, you should toss it. And if you're over 50 years old, subtract your age from 100 and only read that many pages before you give up.

08-09-2007, 10:13 PM	#51
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 74,705 Karma: 130140792 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I tried reading the lasted offcering from J.R.R. Tolkien thanks to Christopher Tolkien's publishing of his father's notes. It's just dry and boring as all can be. I didn't even get past chapter 1 as I skimmed it and it's more like a reference book then a novel. Glad I got it from the library. I do not understand how it could have been a best seller it's that bad.

08-10-2007, 07:10 AM	#53
jasonkchapman Guru Posts: 767 Karma: 2347 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: NYC Device: Sony Reader, nook, Droid, nookColor, nookTablet	I'm in the "gong it and move on" category. I'll cut some extra slack to an author with a proven (to me) track record, but not a lot. Even my favorite authors have put out the occasional clunker.

08-10-2007, 10:23 AM	#55
wyldkit Connoisseur Posts: 62 Karma: 2162 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Chicago, IL Device: Sony PRS-500 (until I have enough Sony Rewards points for the PRS-300)	After a lifetime of finishing almost every book I started, I've only recently been able to put down books if I'm not enjoying them or at least getting something out of them. But I continue to feel terribly guilty every time I do, and I suspect that I will at least attempt to finish every one of them eventually.

08-10-2007, 11:56 AM	#57
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	I only recently found myself in this situation, with one of the free Dr. Who e-books recently linked to on this site. Of the four I downloaded, one of them bored me to tears! I felt very satisfied finding the book in my file manager, and hitting the delete button. Gone, neat and clean. Next?

08-10-2007, 01:12 PM	#59
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	Actor movement, decor and explosions are more essential to television than story. Although for Dr. Who I would have thought a story to be more important. Take for instance the series 'Red Dwarf', which is hilarious, that would make for terrible reading. It's been completely built on character differences and 'réparties'. Not all fiction is intelligent and some only at some times.

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