Fantasy Aficionados discussion

It's difficult enough trying to decide on a favorite author but I've found that's it's almost equally difficult to decide which author would be your least favorite. In fact, I think "least favorite" is a bit of a silly turn of phrase so instead, which author did you find the most disappointing? Did they let you down in a particular novel, kill off a beloved character, snub you when you tried to shake their hand or were their books simply a let down? If you take the time to consider, I bet you find it's a tougher question than you might think.

As for me, I found Anne Bishop's works unbearable in practically every way imaginable. A few years back, I forced my way through not one or two but all of her then current novels in a disturbed quest to read all available fantasy and simply found her work atrocious. I also become quite disenchanted with Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series. His writing became far too politically charged and he fell away from his original characters/storylines and went off on random tangents, ruining what was once a promising series.

On a more personal note, *spoiler alert* I can remember being 11 or 12 and reading Dragons of Winter Knight and being absolutely Crushed when Sturm died. I threw down my book and railed at the heavens and cursed Weis & Hickman for not loving Sturm like I did. *grins* Ah, youth. I was disappointed and hurting but oh so thoroughly hooked.

Terry Goodkind I felt was a disappointment, too. The first two or three were okay, but the rest just dragged. I stopped reading it somewhere around book 5 or 6.

Hi Grant, I read some of the Dragon Lance books, my son got into them back when. I remember how upset he was at Strum's death to. I'd set up a D&D game for him and his friends (as a matter of fact we've just started another and their all in their 30s now). He was just beginning to understand the concept of a Paladin.

Jason, big time. I liked Wizards First Rule, but boy did that series go down hill.

I shall refrain from naming anyone. I suppose reading my reviews will give some away, but as far as naming someone as "most disappointing", well, mom said "if you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all".... Woe, I just realized how far I swerved from that in some of my reviews... Sorry mom.

Well see, Mike, now I'm gonna have to start working my way through your reviews ;)

It's one of those things. I try to be nice but I'm afraid I fail...at least now and again. :) LOL

You're only human, Mike. Sometimes, being mean just can't be helped.

I am not widely read in epic fantasy just yet. I could say as far as urban fantasy, that I am most disappointed in Laurell K. Hamilton. I dislike how she started out with a very good, action-oriented noir urban fantasy series and turned it into a sexual free-for-all. I felt very cheated by that. She was my first UF author, and I just about adored Anita Blake. I am glad I got the heads up on how the series was changing. She was auto-buy for me, and I had already purchased Cerulean Sins. The series became sex-focused with Narcissus in Chains, so I got rid of those two, and I will eventually read Burnt Offerings through Obsidian Butterfly (must read because I love Edward and he has a huge role in that one). I just haven't felt the urge because I feel so betrayed. Honestly, I realize she has the prerogative to write her books any way she wants, but I don't think she considered how this might affect her loyal fans who don't care for that kind of storyline. So, that's my long, convoluted answer, Grant. :)

Lady Danielle, you took the words right out of my mouth. It should have been such a cool series!!!

Laurel, glad it's not just me!

I could name you a handful of avid fantasy fans here in Winnipeg who agree with you. Biggest disappointment ever!

Do you think LKH is aware of how many fans she has miffed?

It's possible someone told her, when she wasn't too busy rolling in the sex book money...

I think that's a huge motivation, and some fans will continue to buy it, even though they aren't happy. I heard that she started down that road after she got divorced and got with her new husband. I personally think that's putting way too much of your life in your craft!

I personally love a good smutty book from time to time, but to see such a cool fantasy concept spiral into 300 pages of fang-orgy... It's a bit disappointing. Kuddos to a happy new marriage, I just wish between the sex scenes she could re-discover the heart of Anita Blake.

I just don't think it's right to switch gears mid-series like she did. I know her Merry Gentry series was always very sexual, and it's on me if I read it and I don't like the sex, and not her. You know what I mean?

Yep! Couldn't agree more!

When it comes to the Anita Blake books, I have gotten tired of the long descriptions of what people are wearing, their long flowing hair, their "smoldering eyes and bulging biceps". First off the descriptions are like they are from a bad porno and who dresses that way anymore. The last one I read had the guy in short cutoff shorts. Take a look at True Blood's vamps, no shirts with ruffles or flowing hair. Where did Anita Blake's kickass attitude go?

I'm glad to see I'm not alone in my disappointment.

Yeah, Jean Claude does nothing for me. Short with all the fussy, ruffled, velvet clothes? He reminds me of Prince, who I don't find sexy at all.

I think I own one more Anita Blake book, Obsidian Butterfly and then a couple of the Meredith Gentry books and then I am done with LKH.

Yeah, I just have the three more. I may read some of her older fantasy. It's not a priority, though.

Eh. I never bothered to pick up Anita Blake for exactly the reason that you decided to put her down. Being your fairly typical fella, I could care less about smutty novellas. I am, however, a fan of Kim Harrison and from what I've picked up about Anita Blake I think she might be a good alternative for the Hamilton fans out there. Admittedly there's a minor amount of sex in Harrison's novels as well but it's usually only a couple of pages and not overly descriptive to the point of vulgarity. I think the stories are worth it :)

So Anne Bishop, Terry Goodkind, Laurel K Hamilton...who else?

"Most disappointing" to me means the author started out very high on my 'liked' list but then fell far and badly. In this regard I would have to start with:

Robert Jordan - I loved the first Wheel of Time book but then the series went down hill gradually with each book. I stopped after The Path of Daggers. I hear Brandon Sanderson has redeemed the series though. I might give it another try...

Orson Scott Card - I loved Ender's Game. Probably my favourite book of all time. And Ender's Shadow. But all his other books so far, like the Alvin Maker series, not so much. Also I think his personal/religious views are very narrow-minded. Can you love an author's work yet find his personal views disturbing?

I think it's possible to love an author's work without approving of their lifestyle. I'm a devout Christian but I read almost exclusively secular works when many of the authors live lifestyle's of which I don't approve. For example Chuck Palaniuk, the author of multiple books which I enjoyed greatly, is openly gay. It's not a lifestyle of which I approve, however Mr. Palaniuk doesn't require my approval, nor is it my place to judge him or anyone else. So, while I may not always approve of an author's personal views, I don't think that precludes me from enjoying their works. Now if an author forces their personal, religious or political views on the reader in their literature, e.g., Terry Goodkind in The Sword of Truth series, then I, as the reader, have the right to be annoyed as hell and dump their novel in the nearest trash receptacle :)

I agree that an author's personal beliefs shouldn't be shoved down a reader's throat, regardless of what they are. I don't care what the subject is, I dislike a preachy message in a book.

Agreed. I'm a very old fashioned American in that I believe that every person has a right to think, act and feel according to their personal viewpoints (within the law) without anyone else's personal, religious or political views forced on them. The world is a big wide place and it annoys me beyond belief that small minded people feel that only their viewpoints are valid and that the masses must conform.

A few years ago I had never read any Laurell K. Hamilton, I was still working long hours etc. at the time and ad just started listening to audio books (do you see where this is going?). At the time most books were on cassette. When I had a job that required little thought and was away from areas where others would be (as on a roof top) I sometimes took the player with me. I had read the synopsis of one of her books, I don't remember the title and it sounded interesting so i had it with me.

Suffice it to say...after fast forwarding through several hundred yards of tape it became clear that this was not a book I wanted any customer to show up and hear any part of.

For you who might know, it was about a fairy oil that, shall we say "excited" sexual interest in faeries but drove humans to uncontrollable lust.

It was my first and last experience with Ms. Hamilton. I've since read how the books started out one way and changed... Too bad.

By the way. I didn't try to finish said book, it went back to the library.

Lol...oh that's rich. I can just see you on a roof top, glancing around furtively, blushing furiously. Lol

I was a commercial refrigeration tech. for 25 or so years and had that experience a few times. You had to be sure of what book you had and the language used.

I tried to read the first book of the Anita Blake series not once, but twice. I just couldn't get into it.

I'm thankful that I therefore never got to the overly sexual parts. I don't mind smut at all, but I would rather go to it than it invading what could be an entertaining story. Sex scenes in books always disappoint me if there's no reason for them to be there, if they add nothing to the plot.

If it's a part of the story and maybe a single "tasteful" example it won't cause me to turn away from a book (there are a few in the Dresden books. I skim them sometimes to get to the end without reading in detail).

The sex doesn't bother me so much. Some of the books, Anita Blake included, are horrifically violent. Those are the parts I skim.

I would say Raymond E Feist is my choice. He started off so well (and happened to be my first fantasy author) however recently his writing seems forced/lazy/un-inspired. There is none of the magic and wonder of Midkemia that there once was.
The characters are lacking and (again) uninspired who are readily killed or are too similar to previous characters (ie: Jimmy)

Laurel wrote: "Lady Danielle, you took the words right out of my mouth. It should have been such a cool series!!!"

Exactly and I'm still reading them because I A0 keep waiting for a change back and B)want to see how it all ends. U muss old Anita :(

Grant wrote: "Eh. I never bothered to pick up Anita Blake for exactly the reason that you decided to put her down. Being your fairly typical fella, I could care less about smutty novellas. I am, however, a fan o..."

Exactly what I did when I got tired of Anita's smut! I love Rachel Morgan! Of Course it helps I live in Ohio. It's such a fascinating concept to start from too.

Lol..agreed. It's kind of one of my secret shame books. I wouldn't exactly take a Kim Harrison novel to my boxing class or to the office lest I immediately have to put said boxing lessons to use ;) The books really are fun though. They're not on par with Dresden by any means but they do kind of remind me of them in a way

I would say:

Russell Kirkpatrick's Across the Face of the World from the Fire of Heaven Trilogy. My husband bought me all three as a gift. I read book one and was SO disappointed. It felt like the entire story was built around a map but not much of a plot. I usually like travel in a book, but this was too much. I tossed it on a shelf and never cracked the other two open.

The Chronicles of Thomas the Unbeliever: Lord Foul's Bane - I couldn't get over Thomas being a rapist or his crappy attitude so I only read book 1.

David Eddings is a favorite of mine but he seems to have gotten lazy. Polgara the Sorceress was pretty bad, but The Redemption of Althalus was worse. Being my favorite author, I gave him a pass with those two - then he wrote The Dreamers series. :-( I bought The Younger Gods & The Treasured One, but gave in and read the spoilers for books 3 & 4 (and I am thankful that I did). It only got worse, not better. I have a friend that swears that Eddings' books have gone downhill because Leigh is now co-writing.

Ah...while I haven't been willing to be honest enough t o name someone myself, let me second MrsJoseph's pick of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever. I Hated those books and like her never got past the rape. I haven't read a book by Stephen R. Donaldson since.

Lol..what's funny is so many of us share the same problems with the same authors. I too couldn't stomach Thomas Covenant nor did I care for The Dreamers series although I didn't mind The Redemption of Althalus. I doubt that having his wife co-write made since from what I understand, she's always been heavily involved in his writing process.

Brad wrote: ""Most disappointing" to me means the author started out very high on my 'liked' list but then fell far and badly. In this regard I would have to start with:

Robert Jordan - I loved t..."

Interesting point about Orson Scott Card; I discovered him in college and loved everything unreservedly for quite some time... but eventually the religious aspects of the Alvin Maker series turned me away. And honestly, I thought the third book of that series was AMAZING, in the way it introduced some very cutting edge scientific concepts in a historical setting... however, card did not maintain that aspect of the series.

:-) The friend who recommended Thomas Covenant kept trying to make me believe that "it was all going to be ok in the end" but the thought of reading the rest of them was just distasteful.

The Redemption of Althalus...could be a lot better. While I can (and have) read it more than once, I always go "Look, there's Polgara/Poledra and that's Ce'Nedra!" I totally agree with you about Leigh, I'm sure she's always been involved.

Re: the Thomas Covenant series... I did get past the rape, and I did enjoy the further books (through the second trilogy - were there more?), but I completely respect the difficulty with that aspect of those books. Rape happens in the real world, and I'd have to say that Covenant DOES pay for his actions in Donaldson's fiction.

Everyone's taste is their own, so please don't be offended by how much I dislike these books...it's my opinion ans I realize others may not share it.

BUT, I pretty much hate these books. I felt trapped in them during the read.I went through this discussion on other sights and other threads. I found the entire attitude of the series, distasteful. It was very much "it's all about me, woe is me, etc." I got through the first trilogy because I was reading it with a group of people.

I found Covenant himself an entirely distasteful and despicable "hero". He refuse to believe and thus refused to "help" throughout the entire trilogy, right up till the end. The "I'm a leper pity me" story core got to be more than I could stand. "I don't dare believe in the Land lest I forget to do my leper inspection" was his excuse always. For "since the Land can't be real I'll just rape this girl" pretty much shows a character flaw I'd say. Rape does happen in the real world, so do a lot of other things, cannibalism, parental incest, torture...I don't chose to read novels about those either. I must say that I've discussed these books before and whenever they come up I'm always reminded just how much I dislike them.

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Lol...ahhhhh Mike. I love your disclaimer. We're so very different. On the Books other people love that you hate thread I basically called for all adults who enjoyed the Twilight books to die horrible, horrible deaths (totally teasing by the way). Here, you offer a well worded, mature and very polite apology for offering what I think is a fantastic summation of why the Covenant series is so vile. *grins* I could certainly use a bit of your diplomatic skills. I'm more of the say exactly what you're thinking with a big smile and hug it out if all goes to hell kinda guy :)

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "I found Covenant himself an entirely distasteful and despicable "hero". He refuse to believe and thus refused to "help" throughout the entire trilogy, right up till the end. The "I'm a leper pity me" story core got to be more than I could stand. "I don't dare believe in the Land lest I forget to do my leper inspection" was his excuse always. For "since the Land can't be real I'll just rape this girl" pretty much shows a character flaw I'd say. Rape does happen in the real world, so do a lot of other things, cannibalism, parental incest, torture...I don't chose to read novels about those either. I must say that I've discussed these books before and whenever they come up I'm always reminded just how much I dislike them.

Well said. I felt that the rape showed a major character flaw as well. It made it impossible to care about his leprosy - karma, maybe?

Well, I've found that if I don't watch myself....I can arouse a certain amount of negative emotion :).

I haven't read the Twilight books...I don't get along with cute, lonely...romantic vampire (or for that matter werewolves, zombies, ghouls etc.) sort of on principal. I'm a kind of "stake 'em and move on" type.

I haven't read Twilight, either. I noticed it's on a Best Book Ever list here, but they lost me at "twinkle."

lol...Well I've certainly made my position known. No point beating a dead horse :)

For a while the Twilight books showed up on every list here...best, worst, all time favorite, greatest book in all eternity, worst book of all eternity, books that changed my life... it showed up everywhere. I think of it as the literary equivalent of certain beverage wines. BIG for a while and then everybody moves on to next one... (LOL)

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "I'm a kind of "stake 'em and move on" type. ..."

Lol. Now that made me laugh. I haven't read Twilight either. When I saw the top 4 books on the Best Books Ever list I thought "you have got to be kidding me". :)

I take Grant's position on the Twilight series. lol I read the first one too as I had to know what all the fuss was about.