Literally Geeky discussion
What books have you given up on?
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The first (and as far as I recall the only) book I ever gave up on was The Information by Martin Amis - earlier in life I'd gone with his whole oeuvre, but buying The Information in a charity shop later in life, I realised that my tolerance for west London upper middle class whining had radically diminished...I also tried rereading Stephen R. Donaldson's Thomas Covenant books recently, but gave up during that long period after Covenant's got to The Land and he's basically alienating everyone and everything he can see - I can generate enough misanthropy myself without reading about someone else's... But given I'd read all the way through the first trilogy back when I was about 14 (my Dad was a big fan), I don't count that as giving up on a book. ;)
Most recently. . .
. I love Murakami, but this was long... drawn out. I've tried to restart it 2 times now, but it's over 46 hours of audiobook and I don't have enough committed solid hours of reading. More like microreading burst sessions that will never help me get through the density.
Despite the excellent premise, I had to lem (Sword & Laser term for not finishing a book) William Gibson's "The Difference Engine." And as you probably know, I never finished "John Dies at the End."
It was The Emerald Tablet. I met the author at a con. The story as he summarized it sounded interesting, and I like supporting independent artists, so I picked it up and got the free t-shirt.Unfortunately, I found out why he was self-published. There's a huge crowd of characters, one of the most baffling magical systems I've ever encountered, and not a single likable or relatable character in the bunch.
I was getting through it very slowly while my "too read" pile grew, so I finally just chucked it aside and moved on.
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Also, it took a good while to finish A. S Byatt's Possession, as in years. Years ! It's a good book, very fine, but I rather feel that it's a book that disdains to be read. It would rather quote flowery fake Victoria poetry at you, and titter genteelly behind its hand when you start banging your head against the wall. Not that it does titter, per say. It's too well polished a book for such vulgarity.
For all, that it really is a very, very fine book.
@Beth - I can imagine John Dies at the End being very easy to give up on if you weren't that into it. It's a very odd book.@Sarah - I'm a huge Murakami fan, but I haven't attempted 1Q84 yet. I've got the hardcover sitting in my book case... staring at me... judging me for being a terrible fan of its author, but MAN THAT THING IS HUGE.
I had to lem Cloud Atlas. I tried to stick it out, but I just couldn't do it.
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Something doesn't click with me, despite the great ideas and solid world-building. I much prefer Ursula K Le Guin.
Ez wrote: "When it comes to Robin Hobbs, I've never got on with her stuff. I've wanted to like it, I really have. I've tried book one of the Farseer Trilogy and struggled to finish it, and the one about the l..."Hmmm... well, I'll give up on The Dragon Keeper and give Assassin's Apprentice a go, since it's been sitting in my book case for years now. It's a shame, I usually like anything that involves dragons, but... blurgh.
It's actually a non-fiction one strangely enough, but I've just today decided from looking at my Goodreads list that I'll never manage to finish Supergods by Grant Morrison. Considering the more populist tone of the medium, he makes reading comics sound really wanky. I'm not necessarily looking for that kind of subtext when reading comics. I'd read a book instead if that were the case.
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Follow along if you fancy - @ASnazzyInACape.
Most recent addition to the Books I've Given Up On list is The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams. Fantasy author heresy, I know, but whilst it is undeniably well written, I couldn't shake the feeling that whilst we were lingering in the Hayholt, it might as well have been set in our world for all the world building that was going on. In contrast, the first chapter of A Wizard of Earthsea sets up its protagonist's origin story with enough economy and interest to keep me hooked, so sadly old Tad's magnum opus went back to the library...
Good thread!I've given up on 1984 at the point the protagonist was half-way happy. I knew it would end badly and just couldn't face it at the time.
Thomas Covenant: I read the first two trilogies/cycles, but gave up on the third cycle. But it's been a few years. Maybe worth a re-try?
But I loved Donaldson's Gap Cycle (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen...). I've always been more of an SF fan.
And I gave up on Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany. But I stumbled across a short description and I might have given up to early. *shrugs*
What I nearly gave up on was The Lord of the Rings. Could not really get behind the world, the characters or the story. The best bits were Tom Bombadil and the Ents.
I struggled through (it was a present after all), but ended up skimming vast passages of landscape and travel descriptions.
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Books mentioned in this topic
The Emerald Tablet (other topics)1Q84 (other topics)
I got halfway through Robin Hobb's The Dragon Keeper and had to put it down - it was so slooooooow. I've heard the series gets better though... has anyone read them? Is it worth trying again, or should I just read the Farseer Trilogy instead (which I've heard is much better)?