StephenKingman Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Yes, i found it a real struggle to finish Hearts in Atlantis, and i was thinking about the end less than a quarter of the way into the book which is never a good thing. In my opinion, since his accident in 1999, the pace of his books since has been noticeably slower. Sometimes in a bad way, as in the laborious From a Buick 8, and other times its not so bad, as in Cell or Duma Key-these books are slow but there is lots of character development so its not that noticeable. Then of course Under The Dome proved that King has still got it, despite the weak ending. Hes a real mixed bag of tricks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicholbb Posted April 9, 2010 Share Posted April 9, 2010 Don't know if this counts but I liked the Old Testament but found the new one a bit too preachy. (going to Hell aren't I ...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julia Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 My example is Hermann Hesse. Well, it's an author you have to read going to school in Germany. The first one I had to read was Siddhartha and I really loved this book! So I thought I try some other books. But I soon gave up, I found them really boring. 2 years later I had to read another book from him in school, Steppenwolf. And Steppenwolf is a book I really hate. Most of my class mates found it interesting, they loved it, it was the first book read in school they really liked. But I find it really terrible. It is strange, there is this idiot taking drugs, thinking nonsense and wanting to commit suicide. So, I really love Siddharta, wonderful book, I can read it again and again. But I surely won't touch the Steppenwolf again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 I've only read The Glass Bead Game by Hesse. I quite enjoyed it but it wasn't the easiest of reads. I have Steppenwolf on my TBR pile; hopefully I'll have a different opinion of it than you did! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julia Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 Good luck! Most people like it. So maybe you can enjoy it, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaliepud Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Sebastian Faulkes is a classic love it/hate it for me. Absolutely love Birdsong and Human Traces and have read more than once. Charlotte Gray I have tried a few times but give up every time as it is sooo dull, also couldn't get Engleby but gave up quicker! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjzazzy Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Bryce Courtenay I started with April Fools Day, which was pretty bad, but The Power of One came highly recomended, and has since become one of my fave books. Then I tried Whitehorn which is essentially the former, but with a different character name. I have never read 2 books more similar by the same author! Now I'm affriad to read anymore Bryce Courtenay, even the sequel to Power of One, if they all stick to this formula. Should have stopped at One I guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 George Orwell for me - adored Down and Out in Paris and London, but absolutely detested 1984. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tai_Mai_Shu Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 I would say yes. The authors I like tend to have really great work in the beginning then they tend to slide downhill after that for whatever reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian Posted March 11, 2011 Share Posted March 11, 2011 Dean Koontz does this to me. I absolutely love some of his stuff, find others boring (which is strange as, these days, he tends to re-write the same story over & over, with differently named charactors) Stephen King has gone off the boil for me. Yes, Under the dome was a return a form (weak ending excepted), but it's a old story! He first had the idea around the same time as The Stand. I also think sometimes you get to a point with a writer where the scales fall from your eyes, and what you previously thought off as good, now looks like rubbish. Tom Clancy did this for me, about halfway through The Bear & the Dragon. I've never read anything else by him since Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I'm seriously considering giving away my copy of Little Friend by Donna Tartt Life's way too short to read it, especially knowing it's not going to be any good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I'm seriously considering giving away my copy of Little Friend by Donna Tartt Life's way too short to read it, especially knowing it's not going to be any good. I was given The Secret History and The Little Friend by a friend who even said at the time that the latter wasn't as good. I've since read so many poor reviews that I gave away my copy a while ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjzazzy Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I suppose Gone with The Wind and the sequel Scarlett, don't really count because the were written by different authors....? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtz Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 I really loved The Shining, but I thought Colorado Kid was worst thing ever written in english language. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easy Reader Posted April 6, 2011 Share Posted April 6, 2011 (edited) Philippa Gregory I loved most of the Tudor books, A Respectable Trade, Wise Woman and The Little House but disliked (Hate is too strong in this case) The Queens Fool and I had trouble getting stuck into Wideacre and The White Queen. Currently reading the Red Queen which I was enjoying but now seem to be stuck half way. I am taking it as a sign that she is a good writer for her style to vary so much its just a shame that I don't enjoy them all as much as I do my favourites. Edited April 6, 2011 by Easy Reader Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 I'm seriously considering giving away my copy of Little Friend by Donna Tartt Life's way too short to read it, especially knowing it's not going to be any good. I was given The Secret History and The Little Friend by a friend who even said at the time that the latter wasn't as good. I've since read so many poor reviews that I gave away my copy a while ago. I've read the same but whilst I was reading 'The Secret History' .. I told a friend how much I was enjoying it and she e.mailed me the following .... I have also read 'The Secret History' and really liked it - I liked her second book better (I think it's called The Little Friend). They are not at all similar, I think she wrote the second one ten years later. I trust her opinion and so .. despite the multitude of terrible reviews .. it's kept it's place on my bookshelf and I will dive into it eventually. I loved Liz Jensen's 'Ark Baby' but hated 'The Rapture' with a vengeance ... it topped my hated reads list last year easily. It hasn't stopped me buying more of her books though, I'm hoping they will be more like the former than the latter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 I trust her opinion and so .. despite the multitude of terrible reviews .. it's kept it's place on my bookshelf and I will dive into it eventually. I applaud your courage, open-mindedness and resilience, it's a mighty fat book as you know! I'm very much looking forward to hearing how you weather it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 I applaud your courage, open-mindedness and resilience, it's a mighty fat book as you know! I'm very much looking forward to hearing how you weather it It stands a pretty poor chance tbh Frankie .. you know what it's like .. all books have to fight for their chance to be next on the list and this one has been skulking around looking fat, daunting and unappealing for a while now. It's not gone to the charity shop though .. and sooner or later I'll run out of choices. I feel a bit sorry for it though because, despite what my friend said, I already think it's going to be a disappointment. It's got 'abandoned book' written all over it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 But you know, the more you think ill of it, the better the actual reading is, compared to your expectations. So lower them, hate the book and pour coffee on it. You'll love it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTR Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 For me it's the prolific horror writers that are terrible for this. Specifically Stephen King, James Herbert and Dean Koontz. Yes exactly this, its is bizarre how some are fantastic and then some are just so flat. Stephen King is the one I hear most though, a lot of people love his older books but not so keen on his newer offerings yet I must admit I do like most of his stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted April 16, 2011 Share Posted April 16, 2011 I've read the same but whilst I was reading 'The Secret History' .. I told a friend how much I was enjoying it and she e.mailed me the following .... I have also read 'The Secret History' and really liked it - I liked her second book better (I think it's called The Little Friend). They are not at all similar, I think she wrote the second one ten years later. I trust her opinion and so .. despite the multitude of terrible reviews .. it's kept it's place on my bookshelf and I will dive into it eventually. I loved Liz Jensen's 'Ark Baby' but hated 'The Rapture' with a vengeance ... it topped my hated reads list last year easily. It hasn't stopped me buying more of her books though, I'm hoping they will be more like the former than the latter. I really enjoyed The Little Friend as well Poppy & can't really understand why people dislike it so much, I thought Harriet was a fantastic character & there are some fantastic scenes in the book so I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it when you eventually get round to reading it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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