Do you read 100% of your book or do you skip chapters or pages?

[HLS]

Some authors overly "pad" the story and make it too wordy. Like Neil Stephenson for example. I loved Seveneves but there was a long long chapter that was all technical jargon and not essential to the story so I skipped over it. it was so tedious.

[icallaci]

Originally Posted by HLS

Some authors overly "pad" the story and make it too wordy. Like Neil Stephenson for example. I loved Seveneves but there was a long long chapter that was all technical jargon and not essential to the story so I skipped over it. it was so tedious.

Those are my favorite parts! I'm currently reading Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson, and his digressions about martial arts, the border disputes between India and China, the engineering of lowland dikes and levees, etc. are fascinating. If he left those parts out, I'd be googling them anyway. But he did the research for me, which I appreciate.

Anyway, back on topic, I only start skipping if I am about to DNF a book.

[rkomar]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If I find I'm losing focus, I may switch to a different books and then eventually switch back. That usually works. Even if the book doesn't continue to grab me, it would depend on how far along I am and/or how much I want to find out what happens

I'm in this camp, as well. Reading a book isn't just taking in information, it's a performance by the reader. Sometimes you're just not in the right frame of mine to put in a good performance, and it's not the fault of the author. There were many times when I came back to a book after things changed in my life and found that I was much more into the story the second time. So, I don't skip parts just to finish a book and leave it behind me.

I also don't skip parts because most authors/editors put a lot of work into the whole book, and I have to trust that there was some purpose for all that work. However, I really only read books that have been published in the traditional sense, and I have probably missed a lot of books where that trust is not warranted.

[ekbell]

I skim or skip visually oriented descriptions and most fight scenes simply because I am unable to visualize them (aphantasia). So I normally read just enough to figure out the purpose of the description (if possible) or the outcome of the fight and move on. Just because I am unable to properly appreciate all of the author's work doesn't mean that I shouldn't enjoy what I can.

With non-narrative books or anthologies I only read the bits I'm interested in.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by issybird

Mandatory if you want to avoid being spoiled.

I wish they’d put spoilery stuff in an Afterword, but at least I’ve been burned sufficiently that I know to leave it until I’m done.

That is worthy of the Reading Vent and Rant thread.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by John F

They are in the book, so they really are part of the book.

Often added by publishers. Technically part of the file or binding, but not at all part of the actual novel.

[booksq12]

I usually read the entire book, but there have been times when I've skipped ahead or skipped pages. I think it really depends on the book and how much I'm enjoying it. If I'm really into a book, I'll read every word. But if I'm struggling to get into it, I might start skipping ahead or reading less carefully. There have also been times when I've been skimming for a specific piece of information and ended up skipping whole chapters. So, I guess it just depends. Overall, though, I would say that I read most of what is in my books.

[DuskyRose]

It think it depends. I can enjoy a book, but somewhere in there the author can get too descriptive or wordy. So, I'll skip when it's repeat information.

For example, I've been reading CJ Cherryh's 'Foreigner' series. Up to book 20 now. Love the world building and the politics, infighing as well as the Scifi. Enjoy the Main Character.

But the MC tends to wallow in self doubt, second guessing himself, and drones mentally over stuff he already knows. (When it's shit or get off the pot, he's doing neither at times. Still just sitting there...)

And THEN, the second character will repeat all the information. It was a good thing his POV wasn't introduced until later in the series. Or I'd have gotten a bit frustrated.

For me, she needed a good editor to cut some of the duplication out.

I still got hooked, but skimming kept me with a story flow that worked. Mostly.

[Sydney's Mom]

I read the book and do not skip. But some books take a couple days (King's FairyTale) and some take weeks (Real Bad Things, Ford)

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by HLS

Some authors overly "pad" the story and make it too wordy. Like Neil Stephenson for example. I loved Seveneves but there was a long long chapter that was all technical jargon and not essential to the story so I skipped over it. it was so tedious.

How can you know if something is or isn't essential to the story until you've finished reading the story?

[kevin3289]

I read it all, though sometimes wishing I didn't.

[drofgnal]

I read it in its entirety or abandon and there have been only a few books I've abandoned.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Catlady

How can you know if something is or isn't essential to the story until you've finished reading the story?

Because sometimes the ending is telegraphed by about page 10 (maybe a slight exaggeration) and then you trudge through several plot twists and reversals you know are filler. I think Dean Koontz's Jane Hawk series was originally going to be three books (and it ended up being five). By the time I was done with that series I was done with Dean Koontz — but I managed to finish it, through a sheer act of stubborn will.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Because sometimes the ending is telegraphed by about page 10 (maybe a slight exaggeration) and then you trudge through several plot twists and reversals you know are filler. I think Dean Koontz's Jane Hawk series was originally going to be three books (and it ended up being five). By the time I was done with that series I was done with Dean Koontz — but I managed to finish it, through a sheer act of stubborn will.

Well, that's a reason to abandon a book, if one is the kind of person who abandons books, which I am not. Skipping makes even less sense to me than abandonment.

Plot twists and reversals are why I read most books.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by issybird

Mandatory if you want to avoid being spoiled.

I wish they’d put spoilery stuff in an Afterword, but at least I’ve been burned sufficiently that I know to leave it until I’m done.

Penguin is really good for adding spoilery stuff.