Do you ever want to "just read a story?"

[Kevin]

But, what I do hate about Goodkind is that all his books are becoming the same now. Everything he does I feel is not to the best of his quality.

[Kevin]

I feel that Robin Hobb tried to be a little preachy in her Solider Son trilogy, especially the last two books.

[Traci]

Kevin wrote: "I feel that Robin Hobb tried to be a little preachy in her Solider Son trilogy, especially the last two books."

I agree about Hobb. I love her. But SS is preachy. Liveship preaches feminism, not necessarily a bad thing but I found it to be a little angry towards males. And Tawny Man turned into a family first thing worthy of Orson Scott Card.

I don't usually agree with the more "leftist" view, it's not how I was raised, although the extreme right can also get me angry. I bring this up only to say most artists seem to be more on the liberal side, so I do read and have liked books I disagree with. But I used to love the author Margaret Weiss, she cowrote my favorite Dragonlance books. Now she also writes PNR with her daughter. The first one was okay. The second one went into a tirade about Fox News. I don't watch it everyday, haven't in months actually, I don't like everyone on it but if I do watch cable news this is what I watch. I'm used to comments about the network, I have thick skin (and a thick mind) But Weiss' book went too far and the rude comments just kept coming. Basically she made me feel like she hated me, didn't want my kind reading her books, I mean she didn't mind calling me stupid, what else am I supposed to think. I had to stop reading and haven't bought her again. So I can understand how Christians hate Pullman and Gays hate Card. No one wants to read a book that doesn't welcome them.

[Marina]

Gays who hate Card are misinformed. I believe there's erroneous information on his views on Wiki that's causing it. Anyone who has read his Homecoming series would be impressed by his treatment of the gay character, no matter what their views. Someone like J.K. Rowling can talk all she wants about her support for gays and how Dumbledore was gay all along, but she didn't actually write a sympathetic gay character into her books the way Card did. Now she's a hero and Card's a bigot.

As to most artists being liberal, that's most definitely true, but not all of them create liberal leaning art. Joss Whedon is a liberal, feminist activist and an atheist, but Serenity ended up on NRO 100 best conservative movies at number 50. On the opposite extreme from writers who pound you on the head with their messages are artists who inadvertently create something that contradicts their ideology. THAT's always fun to see.

[Traci]

Masha wrote: "Gays who hate Card are misinformed. I believe there's erroneous information on his views on Wiki that's causing it. Anyone who has read his Homecoming series would be impressed by his treatment of ..."

I haven't read the Homecoming series. I think I have the first book somewhere. Usually messages go over my head. But I don't think anyone saw the Dumbledore thing coming. I didn't mean to imply every book by a left leaning writer I've read was pushing an agenda, most don't. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I like reading different view points than my own. Actually a lot of books I've read pushing ideas were books writen by right leaning authors. Margaret Weis just really bothered me. I just don't think a romance is the place for strong political views.

[whimsicalmeerkat]

Masha wrote: "To go a little off-topic, I'm tired of how most people (writers, readers and critics alike) confuse "dark and depressing" with "meaningful and deep." Why is that? I wonder if it's like with visual ..."

I agree that this is a common misconception.

[Sharon]

Denae wrote: "Masha wrote: "To go a little off-topic, I'm tired of how most people (writers, readers and critics alike) confuse "dark and depressing" with "meaningful and deep." Why is that? I wonder if it's lik..."

I don't have a clue either but 'dark and depressing' is another thing I don't find entertaining. And perhaps it is shallow but my reading is, at this point in my life, almost exclusively for entertainment.

[Traci]

I like dark and thoughtful but not dark and depressing. Recently read a horror book The Rising and it had no redeeming value. If it hadn't been so short I would've stopped. A very ugly book. But afterwards I read The Inheritance. My favorite story was sad but hopeful. I also don't mind darkness alone. Like the Abercrombie First Law books.
I have a hatred for "deep" and boring books. I agree with the comment made earlier, some books become classics because if a reader cannot understand it, it must be because the writing is so much above us. The Emperor's New Clothes, no one wants to be the one to admit they don't get it. IMO.

[Kevin]

Another book that is all about being peachy is The Book of Merlyn by T.H. White, but I guess that was the whole point of the book. I did not expect that when I bought the book.

[Sharon]

For me, one of the worst *offenders* if you will, is Orson Scott Card. I liked some of his books ... and love Ender's Game, which I read strictly as a story for entertainment. I was delighted when he came out with more in the series, but quickly lost interest when he started introducing all of the ... well ... BS ...

Okay, I quit ... when your point of view/ mindset interferes with the telling of the story, I'm done.

[Bill]

I can read most any novel just for escapism or enjoyment, I just turn my brain off and go with the flow, like with music. If that is not possible, the books is guilty of sentimentality and likely not worth reading. Granted there are some fictions that leave me with unexpected feelings. These are likely to be worth re-reading.

[The Pirate Ghost]

This is an interesting question. I think for me, it's always the story first (meaning the entertainment value). Preaching at me is a good way to get me to do the opposite of what you want. If you want me to change, or pay attention, show me through your characters. Some Authors with messages actually get my attention, some don't, some messages get me to put down the book and never pick it up again.

It's always got to be fun to read and hear. Allen Steele's Coyote series gets rife with "Messages" about religion and saving the planet, social-political issues, yet I enjoyed them. To me it was like reading Daniel Boone stories. I'm sophisticated enough to get the message (yes, I take the dishes out of the sink before I pee in it) but if you can't get my attention with story, you might as well sit down for an interview with 60 Minutes.

[Annette]

There are many occasions when I just want to read a book and I'm usually then guilty of reading an old favourite (maybe even a children's book!), a thriller or a romance - usually a lot less complicated to read!