Fan of a writer you've become disenchanted with? If so, how come?

[Eric]

As a consistent follower of characters or writers, do you have a writer you once followed, but grew disenchanted with? If so, how come?

For me it has been Lee Child and his Jack Reacher novels. Of course, the start of it became with the signing of Tom Cruise to portray Jack Reacher. For those that have read these novels, I don't think a re-hash of this are necessary. But what did not help was to learn that Lee Child sort of played a role in this and didn't even offer up much resistance and then, in later interviews, more or less expressed the attitude toward his loyal readers to get over it.

Yes, I know the author is the creator of such things, but the expressed comments of Child toward his reading fans left me dismayed to the point of not buying another of his books.

Any others?

Maybe the next question will be what author did you not initially care too much for, but then grew to really enjoy....

[Sandy]

Hi Eric. I've got a couple I stopped reading for the same reason: Janet Evanovitch & John Sandford.
Both have long running series that are hugely popular but as the books piled up I felt like I was reading the same story over & over, just with different names given to casual characters.
Also, in the case of Evanovitch, the lack of any character development over the course of something like 20+ books, gradually drove me nuts.
I have to confess I also let go of Reacher a couple of books ago. Others like Barry Eisler seemed to know when to pull the plug. I'm a big fan of his Rain series & the last book was one of the best so he went out on a high.
But I staunchly defend the authors as they are just doing what has made them successful & is responsible for their rabid fan bases. Why would they tweak it?
And my reading tastes have changed so I'll end with that old saw....it's not you, it's me.

[Maggie]

The Ladies Detective Agency books by Alexander McCall Smith. I started off really liking them - but then they all seemed to blur into one! Same with the Scotland Street series too! All too nice and cosy - and I'm not a 'cosy crime' fan at all!

[MaryJo]

Anne Perry's Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series. There have simply been too many and perhaps Miss Perry has run out of ideas - although the last book in her series about the Monks was enjoyable.
I suspect Miss Perry's age may have something to do with it?
The last one was so predictable as far as subplots among the familiar characters it got boring - and a little ridiculous.

[L.A.]

Sandy wrote: "Hi Eric. I've got a couple I stopped reading for the same reason: Janet Evanovitch & John Sandford.
Both have long running series that are hugely popular but as the books piled up I felt like I was..." I can't agree with you about John Sandford I'm afraid. I've read all of his and find the differences between the stories quite amazing given how many he has written. The Virgil Flowers books went fluffy and a bit down hill but I thought the latest was right back up there!.

[L.A.]

Eric wrote: "As a consistent follower of characters or writers, do you have a writer you once followed, but grew disenchanted with? If so, how come?

For me it has been Lee Child and his Jack Reacher novels. Of..." I thought the selection of Tom Cruise was plain wrong too, but given Tome Cruise's purchase of the rights I guess he can do what he wants. Apart from Cruise's stature I thought the portrayal of Reacher and the story was pretty good.

Peter Robinson's DI Banks character on TV on the other hand as well as the TV series storylines are truly terrible. Anyone seeing them on TV should not be put off reading the books as they are so different and so much better!

From a comment in the book after the TV show first aired I do not think Robinson had much, if any, control over the TV series.

[Jim]

Mickey Spillane is one I became disenchanted with. His short stories & early Mike Hammer books were good, but he tried for too much emotion in his later books. Tiger Mann was just awful & I didn't care much for those that Max Allan Collins finished, either. I really like Collins' Quarry character, too.

I often get tired of series when the same character does the same thing over & over again. I read a couple of the Longmire books by Craig Johnson & got tired of them. It helps when the character can go to different places.

It's worse when the author starts out on the bleeding edge of hyperbole & then continually jumps the shark trying for excitement. Vince Flynn did that pretty quickly with his Mitch Rapp series.

I actually liked Tom Cruise's version of Jack Reacher better than the books. I only managed to get through half of the second when the holes in the books just irritated me too much - mostly the guns, especially the shotguns. Yuck! At least Cruise played the story as just a mindless action flick. I certainly don't blame Child for selling out, either. He hit the writer's jackpot.

[L.A.]

I agree completely about the Mitch Rapp series. Started off really well I thought.

[Betty]

I have 4 that I no longer read.
Joanne Fluke to many recipes and her love triangle
Denise Swanson too predictable
Catherine Cromwell too violent

[Kathy]

I'm done with the "Stephanie Plum" series by Janet Evanovich. The books just aren't original any more. I'm currently reading The Scam by Evanovich and Goldberg, and I'm getting disenchanted with this one, too. Too many similarities to the relationship between Stephanie and Ranger. The other writer that I've given up on is Patricia Cornwell. I couldn't even finish Depraved Heart. I read the first third, then read the last chapter and realized that the characters are worn out.

[Betty]

I agree with Stephaine Plums books. I am still to remember the other author's name.

[Gary]

Karin Fossum . I gave up on series due to persistence use of young/innocent victims and lack of character development of detectives.

[Jim]

Laurell K. Hamilton is another I gave up on. What she did to her wonderful heroine Anita Blake should be against the law. None of the books after about #10 are worth reading. The Merry Gentry series could have been great. Never was.