Book Snobbery

I worry sometimes that I am turning into a book snob. This year I finished a lot of books, but I have just as many that remain unfinished. I am having a hard time finding authors that can really keep my interest going through the book. I hit that 200 page mark and just give up. I have a policy that if an author can’t keep my interest throughout the book, I don’t bother finishing it. It’s his/her own fault if I can’t find something worth finishing. But does that make me a snob? Or is there just a lack of authors right now that are coming up with things that are truly unique. I need to branch out of my comfort zone of reading to find new authors because current ones just aren’t impressing me.

I got halfway through ‘Mockingjay’ and quit. Didn’t like where it was going. Was reading ‘City of Bones’ and got tired of waiting and waiting for it to kick into gear. I even found the opening scene in Pandemonium to be kind of boring. And as much I love Anne Rice, I got through about 100 pages of ‘Vampire Armand’ and gave up because it was just too damn detailed and not enough plot happening.

Is there something wrong with me? Am I becoming a lazy reader, or are there authors out there who just can’t keep a good plot going and continuously interesting? Then I thought, maybe this is why there are so many people purchasing eBooks. The stuff getting published isn’t really great material and people are desperate to find new authors…a thing that is possible through the purchase of cheap eBooks possibly? No idea… it’s just a theory.

The last author who left me completely into his stories to the very end was Clive Cussler (back during his Dirk Pitt story days). Adventure, history. sexy guys, the stories had it all. And I know Clive Cussler is a bit of a dick in real life, but we can learn to let that go if the guy can write a good story. I still can’t believe how he killed the ‘Sahara’ film and the ones that were meant to come after it. He just behaved SO wrong. I know there are differing opinions about the movie and his behavior, but I am on the side of the film makers on this one. Which probably also makes me weird since I am a writer myself. *shrugs* That could have been a brilliant movie trilogy.

I just find that so many authors are creating unsympathetic characters who I can’t care about or connect with. I only hope that I manage to do this in my stories and people don’t feel the same about my characters. I know it’s not always an easy thing to do, create a connection to the reader and the characters. But if I can’t get a good character, or a plot that moves along, I’m not gonna finish the story.

*MOCKINGJAY SPOILERS*

And Suzanne Collins, what the hell is up with that ending to Mockingjay? I mean really? Katniss votes yes to another Hunger Games involving Capital children? I don’t care what her motives or circumstances were. WHAT THE FUCK???? Not to mention you broke a cardinal rule of writing that I learned early on. Don’t kill of the character your lead herione has been trying to protect throughout the entire series since page one!! That would be like killing off Hermione or Ron in the Harry Potter series.

*head desk*