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Which Fantasy Author Did You Find Most Disappointing?
Beth wrote: "...and I liked him the same way I like the droids from Star Wars...as a novelty"
Novelty? Novelty?
Ma'am.
Thems fightin words.
Novelty? Novelty?
Ma'am.
Thems fightin words.
Beth wrote: "Another one is Philip Pullman ::ducking from missiles being readied for throwing:: -- I read The Golden Compass, along with my son, who was reading it for Battle of the Books. We didn't discuss it until we both finished, within a couple of days of one another...we both HATED it. ... I just found them flat, and all the characters unlikeable..."I agree with you. Aside from all the controversy, and regardless of what does or does not happen in the later books (I did, unfortunately, read all three) - I just found them poorly written with meandering plot lines and thinly drawn, unengaging characters.
Aww, that's not very encouraging... I have them in my TBR. :(
Well, tons of people love them, Kit, so it's always possible you'll enjoy them.
I loved them if it makes you feel better. :)
Ala wrote: "Beth wrote: "...and I liked him the same way I like the droids from Star Wars...as a novelty"Novelty? Novelty?
Ma'am.
Thems fightin words."
lol..."Novelty" as in "not a human being," so that you'd not expecting to actually "engage" with them on a human level. You don't expect the same reactions, emotions, etc. You're delighted when you see some similarities to humans, but you're not expecting them.
I'm not a *huge* Star Wars fan...not because they're not good, but because I was forced to go to the movies with my younger brother. Not the fault of the movies...lol. This was a comparison of the droids to an armored bear, only...which is kind of a funny sentence, in itself.
Tracey wrote: "Colleen ~blackrose~ wrote: "I just found them poorly written with meandering plot lines and thinly drawn, unengaging characters..."*whispers* Agreed. *flees*"
Colleen...Tracey...is there room in a broom closet for all of us? Kit...no one agrees on everything...there's a reason I was afraid to say it...the books get rave reviews. Just not from me. :)
☠The Dread Pirate Grant☠ wrote: "Here ya go, Kithttp://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/5..."
Wow. Lol, thanks for the link, very... enlightening :)
I think I'm still going to read them, after all, I spent good money on 'em. Probably not anytime real soon though.
Beth wrote: "Colleen...Tracey...is there room in a broom closet for all of us? Kit...no one agrees on everything...there's a reason I was afraid to say it...the books get rave reviews. Just not from me. :) "It would have to be a big closet! *meep*
I'm used to being the outlier on books that everyone raves about. With a few exceptions, it seems to be my general lot in life. Heh.
Scott wrote: "Beth wrote: "And that was before I knew of the hubbub about the children killing God at the end"*sigh* That's not what happens."
Don't ya love it with the rumors? That was all the talk...usually, the rumors are enough to make me read them to see how much truth is in it...but, yeah, nah. I just didn't care enough. I just wanted to make the point that it wasn't the "hubbub" that influenced me. :)
I just was never interested enough to see the movies or read the books. It just looked very very meh.
Beth wrote: "Don't ya love it with the rumors? That was all the talk...usually, the rumors are enough to make me read them to see how much truth is in it...but, yeah, nah. I just didn't care enough. I just wanted to make the point that it wasn't the "hubbub" that influenced me. :)"Good to know. Tastes are different. It's the misrepresentation that bothers me.
I watched the movie, and I thought it was pretty good, I liked the idea of an animal companion. That's actually what made me go out and buy the books. I didn't really notice any religious anything about it, I just took it as a made up story in a made up world.
i'll just jump in here and say that i loved the His Dark Materials trilogy, from beginning to end. one of my favorite trilogies of all time. i really enjoyed the unsentimental portraits of the two kids. although i loved the challenging aspects of the trilogy, i also loved the strongly spiritual nature of the books - elements that are usually played down or ignored by critics of the series. His Dark Materials is NOT about killing God, it is about learning to be at peace with ourselves, our world, the universe.the movie version of The Golden Compass was okay. i was very frustrated by the happy, hopeful ending that leaves out a stark truth that is learned about the protagonist's father's nature. but now that i know that there will be no more films in the series, i guess i'm not too unhappy with that positive ending.
@Beth - well, alright. I reckon that's a good nuff explanation.
Ala wrote: "@Beth - well, alright. I reckon that's a good nuff explanation."*whew* Thought I was going to have to go into Fantasy Anonymous Relocation program.
BTW Beth, I love your cat! I had a tortie before my current guy.
I think I've told this story before. I'd never read Laural K. Hamilton but seen her books. The synopsis looked interesting. It was back when I was getting a lot of audio books for my sick wife and I sometimes listened to them also...in my truck at work and sometimes on a work sight.This book was on cassette and I had it in my company vehicle, luckily alone. I got the first "graphic scene"...okay, fast forward through that before getting to the job sight. Then another came up...fast forward through that, don't want to shock a customer...wait a second, another one...and another and...okay, I get the picture.
I'm sure she has a big following. :) I haven't tried another of her books since, I'm afraid I might get corrupted or something... LOL
I've been told she started out writing actual UF but found the soft core porn paid better, I don't know. Still, I'm not one of her readers. :)
Scott wrote: "BTW Beth, I love your cat! I had a tortie before my current guy."The torti was one of my long-term fosters...she's now in a permanent home...my fb profile pic has one very similar to the one in your pic. I need to update. :)
Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "I think I've told this story before. I'd never read Laural K. Hamilton but seen her books. The synopsis looked interesting. It was back when I was getting a lot of audio books for my sick wife and ..."My understanding (and it may be flawed) is that she's moved beyond soft-core...she includes "every which way but loose" porn and beastiality...um, ew.
Her books got me into urban fantasy and helped bring me back to fantasy, Mike. So, I admit that's why I am disappointed that the Anita Blake books have turned into a sexfest. Not my cup of tea!
Tracey wrote: "LOL - Similar, but totally different - I was listening to The Hobbit in the car, and since it was warm and my air doesn't work the windows were down. And I was stopped at a light when the actors p..."rotfl...I'm not sure which story is funnier!
Beth wrote: "My understanding (and it may be flawed) is that she's moved beyond soft-core...she includes "every which way but loose" porn and beastiality...um, ew. "Ummmm. *gag*
Seriously? Why not just cut the bull and go write erotica then?? Stop confusing people. That's why UF is all starting to look the same. Thank goodness for Patricia Briggs.
Beth wrote: "The torti was one of my long-term fosters...she's now in a permanent home...my fb profile pic has one very similar ..."Glad she found a home!
Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "Welcome, Beth. I don't buy LKH anymore. I have books 7-9 in the Anita Blake series, and I'm hanging my hat up after that."I think I've said this somewhere before, but I couldn't even get through the first Anita Blake. It just seemed silly to me. Just my opinion, though! :)
Jason wrote: "Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "Welcome, Beth. I don't buy LKH anymore. I have books 7-9 in the Anita Blake series, and I'm hanging my hat up after that."I think I've said this somewhe..."
I have six or seven of her books, all I have read is the first book in graphic novel, and found it all sexed out, not for me.
I read the first Anita Blake years ago and the first in the Amber series but didn't feel like picking up the next for either of those series. (ducking) But I did keep reading the Sookie Stackhouse series and gave up after #7. I liked the mix of mystery and urban fantasy but got really tired of how every male within breathing distance of Sookie fell for her. This is one of those rare times where I actually prefer the tv version of the books. But even in that, I'm getting tired of Sookie and Bill.
Terry Brooks. I read a few of his books but really got tired of them very quickly.
Chelsea wrote: "When I first started going on this site, I saw how many people loved The Curse of the Mistwraith and the rest of this series and thought "Well, gee, I think I'll read that!" I recei..."
I'm sorry you feel that way. A lot of people disagree with you. Perhaps you should've read some samples on her website before asking for someone to give it to you?
www.paravia.com
Couldn't agree with you more Elizabeth...though I'm still partial to the Word & the Void series
I liked those to, but always felt that they could have been better, you know? They just felt a little, unfinished or something??? Oh well.
Stephen King for me, I was very dissapointed by how he ended The Dark Tower series. Not t hat he was wrong or it was bad, it just let me down.
Most disappointing? Hmm...I'd have to say Card's Alvin Maker series.
The first 3 books are very strong. Very close to on par with the original 4 Ender books, which I regard quite highly.
But after that, it's just a slow slide into boredom.
(I won't even go into my disappointment with some of Card's public statements about non-writing issues. That's a kettle of fish I'm not going near.)
Definitely Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop It seemed like the kind of book I would love but I was so disappointed! Anne Bishop even dedicates the book to Charles De Lint who is one of my favourite authors, but I could not make it past the first few chapters!
Richard Morgan is my disappointment. While I loved his science fiction works, his jump to fantasy with The Steel Remains seemed more focused on shocking the reader with really graphic gay sex as opposed to telling an engaging story. I enjoyed the book while I was reading it, but when I got to the end I had to wonder... what was the point of it all?
Jalilah wrote: "Definitely Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop It seemed like the kind of book I would love but I was so disappointed! Anne Bishop even dedicates the book to Charles De Lint who is one of ..."
Hmmm. I had heard good things about that book, and was actually considering it as a gift for my daughter (who is 22 but enjoys reading YA. What did you find disappointing?
Michael wrote: "Jalilah wrote: "Definitely Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop It seemed like the kind of book I would love but I was so disappointed! Anne Bishop even dedicates the book to Charles De Lin..."
The Dark Jewels series is very popular and a lot of people love it, but for me it was too dark. I don’t mind dark if there is light to balance it out. I also have a hard time getting into books where in the first few chapters I have to learn all about a new universe. I prefer the type of fantasy fiction that takes place in our world and the fantasy is hidden, and the magical world slowly unfolds
Ah good to know - thanks for taking the time - your tastes are very similar to my own.
One author I found disappointing was Zelany in the first book of Amber. About half way through the reader is lost when the main character has his memory restored and the reader is left out in the cold. Very disappointing.Another it Robert Jordan in the Wheel of Time. I don't see why he kept widening and expanding the plot to include events that we quite uninteresting, like the capture of Perrin's wife. He would have done better to have kept the story focused on Rand.
Can't agree on the Amber books, some of my all time favorites. Shows how tastes differ.
I agree with you, Mike. I like all of the Zelazny I have read, and I thought the Amber books were excellent.
Rich wrote: "One author I found disappointing was Zelany in the first book of Amber. About half way through the reader is lost"I know it's a unique thing for characters to travel through different worlds and all but the endless descriptions of yellow skies and pink clouds then *gasp* funny looking trees just seemed like useless filler. And I wouldnt have minded if it was a couple paragraphs here and there but the 6-7 page acid trips which littered the entire series was just too much. I am hardly ever critical of books but for something as highly rated as this to be so repellant was really a new experience for me. I was actually reading this aloud with my fiance and after the first two books, I began just to skip over the extra words and read the substance of the novel. My fiance had no idea what I was doing because the extra junk had no bearing on the actual story. And it allowed me to finish the thing much faster so that I could get on to more enjoyable reading. After that, we read The Lions of al-Rassan which was a much needed relief.
Cool, you don't like it...others do. Life.
Anything by Guy Gavriel Kay, including The Lions of al-Rassan, is excellent. But if you miss out on Zelazny, you miss out on a lot of good fiction. I also like Lord of Light by him.
I used to like the Amber series a great deal, but they didn't hold up quite as well on re-read recently. I still love his short stories and novellas, and remember loving some of his other works like Damnation Alley. Now that I look at a bibliography, I realize there's a lot I haven't read. More for the TBR list!
My boyfriend raved about reading the Amber series when he was a kid (really, it was one of the very few things he read ever), so I bought him the omnibus a few years ago for Christmas. He hasn't touched it since of course. (It is a daunting size though...)I tried reading it not long after I got it for him, and wasn't really drawn in. I keep intending to start again, but the other Zelazny books I've read since then have less than impressed me, and now I'm not sure if I want to try again.
I don't think Zelazny is for me. His writing style doesn't do it for me - I don't like to feel like I need to guess at the gaps. I just want to read the story, not investigate it.
Marcus wrote: "Rich wrote: "One author I found disappointing was Zelany in the first book of Amber. About half way through the reader is lost"I know it's a unique thing for characters to travel through different worlds and all but the endless descriptions of yellow skies and pink clouds then *gasp* funny looking trees just seemed like useless filler. And I wouldnt have minded if it was a couple paragraphs here and there but the 6-7 page acid trips which littered the entire series was just too much. I am hardly ever critical of books but for something as highly rated as this to be so repellant was really a new experience for me."
Thanks for this... I'll definitely be passing on this then. I really dislike that kind of stuff. =\
I like the general idea and world of Amber a lot, but I think the stories do drag. (I read the Omnibus so I read the first arc straight through, and then needed to take a break before starting Merlin's arc.)But, I mean, I really like the ideas behind the stories - the worlds and dimensions, the Courts or Order and Chaos and the paradoxical ways in which they work and, of course, the Trumps.
And I liked Corwin and some of the other characters, too.
But there does seem to be what I could only call filler - in the middle books, especially.
But I did, eventually, read the whole series and while I'd say I enjoyed them well enough I wouldn't, personally, rave about them and would probably only recommend them to certain people.
And then I didn't really like 'Lord of Light' and I thought 'Night in Lonesome October' was cool, but not great.
I think, for me, Zelazny is one of those authors that has really awesome ideas, but I'm not always a fan of the execution.
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*sigh* That's not what happens.