Anti-suggestion thread: Books

[santaandy]

Ok, so it seems to me there's a lot of suggestion threads, with books being the one I most recently saw. So let's try the opposite, an anti-suggestion thread. What books would you recommend *not* reading, and why? I think it would be interesting to see what people didn't like, and why. Reading someone's explanation does have redeeming value, because the things others disliked about a work might be the very thing you are looking for.

Oh, and let's avoid discussing Twilight altogether, this community's feelings are already largely known (in addition to having multiple threads there already).

And let's avoid religion/other controversial non-fictional topics. Just keep the anti-suggestions to fictional entertainment please.

To start off with, I would have to say Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. They're terribly overwordy (Kojima-ly overwordy), and they seem far too generic within. They take forever to get through just the smallest plot points, and there isn't anything unique, or interesting/different enough to keep me interested. Generic novels are fine for the occasional amusing diversion, but the volume of text on this one makes me feel like it would be time wasted. I simply couldn't engage with or care about this story or it's characters at all.

 

[Specter_]

MacBeth. It's overrated bullshit, horrible to read and lacks zombies.

 

[Washboard]

Ok, so it seems to me there's a lot of suggestion threads, with books being the one I most recently saw. So let's try the opposite, an anti-suggestion thread. What books would you recommend *not* reading, and why? I think it would be interesting to see what people didn't like, and why. Reading someone's explanation does have redeeming value, because the things others disliked about a work might be the very thing you are looking for.

Oh, and let's avoid discussing Twilight altogether, this community's feelings are already largely known (in addition to having multiple threads there already).

To start off with, I would have to say Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. They're terribly overwordy (Kojima-ly overwordy), and they seem far too generic within. They take forever to get through just the smallest plot points, and there isn't anything unique, or interesting/different enough to keep me interested. Generic novels are fine for the occasional amusing diversion, but the volume of text on this one makes me feel like it would be time wasted. I simply couldn't engage with or care about this story or it's characters at all.

So...your asking for suggestions of what not to read?

its still a suggesion thread matey but 10/10 for trying

Btw, never read The sword of shannaraa (or however you spell it)

 

[Mullahgrrl]

What is twillight?

Is it any good?

 

[BaronAsh]

What is twillight?

Is it any good?

To enlighten the unenlightened: Only if your a fourteen year old girl.

Most books by Steven King are overrated.

 

[GothmogII]

To start off with, I would have to say Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. They're terribly overwordy (Kojima-ly overwordy), and they seem far too generic within. They take forever to get through just the smallest plot points, and there isn't anything unique, or interesting/different enough to keep me interested. Generic novels are fine for the occasional amusing diversion, but the volume of text on this one makes me feel like it would be time wasted. I simply couldn't engage with or care about this story or it's characters at all.

Ahm afraid I'm going to have to disagree with the right honorable Mister santaandy on that point. While he's correct that the series as a whole is overwrought, and frankly overlong, with far too much attention paid to trivial details, he is somewhat erroneous in his statement that there is nothing unique about them, this is simply not the case. There is a lot to disagree with, but at the same time, the way the world Mr.Jordan has presented is engaging in it's scope and execution, everything from the way his magic system is laid out, to the intricacies of it's politics and interest in warfare.

On the whole, there maybe some causation to not recommend the latter novels in the series, this is not to say that one shouldn't at least give the first few a try.



Moving onward: Preacher by Garth Ennis & Steve Dillon

I've seen this series been recommended a number of times and generally held up as MOST AWESOME THING?, however, after reading through the first two books, and flicking through the next few, it soon became apparent that the series devolves into little more than an ugly violent swearfest, and, normally, this isn't something I've got a problem with, I do like me some grim n' grit...when there's a decent story to back it up, which in this case appears at least to me to be lacking. So, wouldn't recommend it

 

[TwistedEllipses]

Any book that has the author's name in bigger lettering than the book title. Yes I am asking you to ignore the popular saying about covers. Avoid any books by Dan Brown or any autobiography from footballer or other celebrity who has no writing abilities on their own.

Oh and if you're going to read Lord of the rings, skip the bits with Tom Bombadil...

 

[gmer412]

I can't believe no one has said Harry Potter yet. Also, I sort of like the Pendragon series. It's pretty average, but not bad, IMHO.

 

[GothmogII]

Any book that has the author's name in bigger lettering than the book title. Yes I am asking you to ignore the popular saying about covers. Avoid any books by Dan Brown or any autobiography from footballer or other celebrity who has no writing abilities on their own.

Oh and if you're going to read Lord of the rings, skip the bits with Tom Bombadil...

Aww...I liked Tom Bombadil! He was like the Yoda of Lord of the Rings...kind of...sorta...

 

[the protaginist]

Any book that has the author's name in bigger lettering than the book title. Yes I am asking you to ignore the popular saying about covers. Avoid any books by Dan Brown or any autobiography from footballer or other celebrity who has no writing abilities on their own.

Oh and if you're going to read Lord of the rings, skip the bits with Tom Bombadil...

How can you not love the jolly old spirit of the forest?

my hate goes out to Ted Dekker's Book, Saint. here's my version of a plot summary.

"the main character is an american assassin who lives in poland named carl strople who is a great sniper,who goes to new york city to assassinate the president cuz carl's being payed by assim feroz becuase the U.S.A. is opposing the plan to disarm isreal.but then,right before he takes the shot,the target changes to assim feroz.he shoots assim,but the bullet misses all vital organs and assim is hospitalized.but then Carl goes to colorado becuase he needs to discover the power of god and find out his name is actually johnny drake.but then a rival assassin named englishman captures johnny/carl's girlfriend whose name is kelly and goes to assassinate the president becuase the target changed again,but then johnny flies by helicopter to texas and confronts englishman after he kills 300 snipers,40 tanks,and 2 APCs.
BUT THEN...englishman tells johnny that he is a demon(he's a demon by the way)sent by a man named marseveeus black to tell johnny that he's ...the messiah or something? johnny doesn't believe him becuase he's blind now cuz god made him blind.then they have a big climatic showdown."

I must speak out against anyone buying anything by this man.

 

[Labyrinth]

Never read Darran Shan. Ever. No matter what else you have to drag yourself through for the sake of entertainment.

It's shallow, the characters are base and irritating, the plot twist is beyond obvious and it's piss-poor in most concepts. Oh, and it handles 'pires only slightly better than Twilight. The prose itself is just not worth the effort of turning pages.

 

[mangus]

Any book that has the author's name in bigger lettering than the book title.

I totally do that! if they want me to notice the author and not the book, I get a bit suspicious.

my hate goes out to Ted Dekker's Book, Saint. here's my version of a plot summary.

"the main character is an american assassin who lives in poland named carl strople who is a great sniper,who goes to new york city to assassinate the president cuz carl's being payed by assim feroz becuase the U.S.A. is opposing the plan to disarm isreal.but then,right before he takes the shot,the target changes to assim feroz.he shoots assim,but the bullet misses all vital organs and assim is hospitalized.but then Carl goes to colorado becuase he needs to discover the power of god and find out his name is actually johnny drake.but then a rival assassin named englishman captures johnny/carl's girlfriend whose name is kelly and goes to assassinate the president becuase the target changed again,but then johnny flies by helicopter to texas and confronts englishman after he kills 300 snipers,40 tanks,and 2 APCs.
BUT THEN...englishman tells johnny that he is a demon(he's a demon by the way)sent by a man named marseveeus black to tell johnny that he's ...the messiah or something? johnny doesn't believe him becuase he's blind now cuz god made him blind.then they have a big climatic showdown."

I must speak out against anyone buying anything by this man.

I am now actively frightened of this book.

 

[MsDevin92]

Never go near Eragon. I suffered a migraine from all the sheer TEXT when the main character was meditating in the forest. And, going back for a second time, there seem to be an awful lot of cliches...

 

[randommaster]

Instruction Manuals by various

There's no discernable plot and very little character development. The padding by including the same text you just read, but in another langauge, is just padding to meet page requirements. I think they just do that to sneak extra pages by the editors.

The worst one was probably about this guy called TI-83. It spent so much time talking about all the things he could do that the book ended before the actual story could begin.

That was a waste of an afternoon.

 

[Mezzlegasm]

Any book that has the author's name in bigger lettering than the book title.

I totally do that! if they want me to notice the author and not the book, I get a bit suspicious.

That is a lie. Next by Michael Chrichton is a great book, and the author's name is in larger font than the title.

 

[santaandy]

many words

This is what I was talking about, someone explaining their opinion might actually be what interests someone. This isn't just a list about what books to avoid, but also a discussion on why people don't like those books.

Thanks, GothmogII for getting into the spirit of the thread!

 

[PumpItUp]

Instruction Manuals by various

There's no discernable plot and very little character development. The padding by including the same text you just read, but in another langauge, is just padding to meet page requirements. I think they just do that to sneak extra pages by the editors.

The worst one was probably about this guy called TI-83. It spent so much time talking about all the things he could do that the book ended before the actual story could begin.

That was a waste of an afternoon.

I salute you sir. This is as much that I'd read of Instruction Manuals by Various before I'd figure out what it's for then do something else.
Sarcasm, for the win.

Oh, and on topic, Ethan Frost by...someone, I hated the book enough that I don't remember the author.
The story was essentially grey. Grey setting, grey characters, grey story, grey everything. And the movie was even greyer. Now replace "grey" with "emotionless" and read this again.

 

[Reaperman Wompa]

Never read Darran Shan. Ever. No matter what else you have to drag yourself through for the sake of entertainment.

It's shallow, the characters are base and irritating, the plot twist is beyond obvious and it's piss-poor in most concepts. Oh, and it handles 'pires only slightly better than Twilight. The prose itself is just not worth the effort of turning pages.

I liked those...but in my defense I've never gotten into the vampire genre, and they were rather predictable...Umm on topic I'd say avoid Twilight, and umm...Harry potter? I'm sorry, I judge books based on my own personal scale and haven't actually read that many crap books. I'm just lucky.