Book freaks discussion

Does anyone else have any authors they think they SHOULD like but have never actually made through any of there books? For me one of these authors is Ken Follett. His book seem right up my alley but I can never seem get through one of his books. What makes worse is that I just bought "Fall of Giants"!

I really thought I would like Christopher Buckley's books since I enjoyed the movie "Thank-you For Smoking". I tried to get into "Little Green Men", but thought the characters were too smug and arrogant, and I didn't care what happened to any of them. Then I tried the one about the female reporter who suggests baby boomers be incentives to kill themselves so as not to over-burden the country with taking care of them...Boomsday, I think it was called. Only got 2 chapters into that one before I was too bored to continue. I guess his sense of humor is just not aimed at me. I gave both books away.

I should like Peter Carey and Toni Morrison, but gave up after suffering through two books by each. Now I wonder why on earth I did that???

im not really sure...i should like shespeare but i do and i dont hmmmmm

Kristin Liabo wrote: "I should like Peter Carey and Toni Morrison, but gave up after suffering through two books by each. Now I wonder why on earth I did that???"

I feel like I should like Toni Morrison but her writing just judging from A Mercy is IMPOSSIBLE to read

James Patterson for me. I SHOULD like him. I've read quotes and exerpts from his Maximum Ride series and love the humour. I own the first in the series, yet every time I pick up the book to read it i never get past the first page.

Anotehr one would be Larissa Ione. She wrote the Demonica series and I own the first five in the series, but again every time I pick up number 1 I only make i through a couple pages before I put it back down. It's not that the writing is bad or I don;t like the storyline - because it's all great. So I SHOULD like her, right?

Oh another one is Julie Kagawa who wrote The Iron King. I love supernatural stories, and I love A Midsummer Nights Dream by Shakespeare. So it stands to reason that I should LOVE a book about the Fey with an awesome twist - it has Puck and a lot of other characters from A Midsummer Nights Dream. But I haven't been able to get into that one either...

☆♥Starzee♥☆ wrote: "James Patterson for me. I SHOULD like him. I've read quotes and exerpts from his Maximum Ride series and love the humour. I own the first in the series, yet every time I pick up the book to read..."

Hmmmm maybe you should try reading Poison by Chris Wooding it has the fairy twist that's really interesting.

I like fairies but I've never been able to get into Tithe by Holly Black it just never clicked

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll check it out, seems awesome

Gorfo wrote: "Kristin Liabo wrote: "I should like Peter Carey and Toni Morrison, but gave up after suffering through two books by each. Now I wonder why on earth I did that???"

I feel like I should like [author..."

Have any of you guys read The Bluest Eye by her? I got it for Christmas so I kind of have to read it. It's gotten pretty good reviews though.

Funnily enough, I got Song of Solomon for Christmas a few years back and decided to give it a go even though I never enjoyed Beloved. So I persevered and ... no, simply not for me. I didn't enjoy either of those books.

I don't understand it though, she so should be my kind of author.

For me, it tends to be more classic authors like Jane Austen. I don't remember why I don't like her. I used too. I am pretty sure I aired that dirty laundry somewhere but I do recall really NOT liking her.

At all.

Like, lord please.. don't make this required reading for me. Ever. Thank goodness I finished all my english courses. Though, I read plenty of not so great things there... The Tortilla Curtain

I am not sure, I think for me it requires finding a book that works for my tastes. I was never crazy about Margaret Attwood and I always thought that I should be in to her - she is Canadian.. But it took until now for me to find a book that I was willing to read.

I have not tried Ken Follett yet, but I am told I should find him interesting, I think the large size of his novels are a little unnerving.

I will say that for a girl who likes PN, PNR, Occult and Horror I LOATHE! Anne Rice but find her sister Alice Borchardt to have written some incredible novels.

For me I feel like I should like Jane Austen. I love the plot line of all her novels but every time I pick up one of them I can never really get into them!

James Patterson, considering that I enjoy similar authors work, it's surprising to me, I'm not sure just what it is that annoys me about his writing, but I just haven't been able to force myself through more than a couple. Also Clive Cussler, I liked a couple of the Dirk Pitt novels, and I generally like a good adventure story, but they just seemed to become more absurd as time went on. And I just loathe his Oregon Files series, they're just appallingly bad.

I hate to admit but...

J.K. Rowling. I like the Harry Potter movies and read the first three books and I love authors like Rick Riordan who have similar ideas, but I just don't like her writing style and I found her books boring. Maybe I'll try reading Harry Potter again later once I have a shorter to-read list.

Peytavi wrote: "Gorfo wrote: "Kristin Liabo wrote: "I should like Peter Carey and Toni Morrison, but gave up after suffering through two books by each. Now I wonder why on earth I did that???"

I feel like I shoul..."

I have to read the Bluest Eye in school this year so I'll tell you how that goes!

Jewelz wrote: "I hate to admit but...

J.K. Rowling. I like the Harry Potter movies and read the first three books and I love authors like Rick Riordan who have similar ideas, bu..."

AHHHHHHHH my heart has been split in two :'( Give it another go please!

Gorfo wrote: "Jewelz wrote: "I hate to admit but...

J.K. Rowling. I like the Harry Potter movies and read the first three books and I love authors like Rick Riordan who have simi..."

You'd be pleased to know that I am trying it again. I just finished Goblet of Fire.

Jewelz wrote: "Gorfo wrote: "Jewelz wrote: "I hate to admit but...

J.K. Rowling. I like the Harry Potter movies and read the first three books and I love authors like Rick Riordan..."

Yes! Victory! Did you like it?! For a long time the Goblet of Fire was my favorite!

It was OK. 4 down, 3 more to go...

Jewelz wrote: "It was OK. 4 down, 3 more to go..."

If all else fails the 7th will get you. It gets everyone

Hmmm... J.K. Rowling was one of the first authors I read. I can't comprhend someone not liking her work LOL, mind you, I suppose if I were to read the series over again I might have a different opinion.

An author I should like but just don't is Maggie Stiefvater. I mean, I'm a sucker for werewolf stories!! But it was actually quite painful to get through Shiver and I've been avoiding Linger like the plague!

Also, another one I should like but can't seem to get into their work is Rachel Caine. I can never get past the first page of her Morganville Vampire series.

☆♥Starzee♥☆ wrote: "Hmmm... J.K. Rowling was one of the first authors I read. I can't comprhend someone not liking her work LOL, mind you, I suppose if I were to read the series over again I might have a different op..."

Same here! I though Shiver was ok but Linger was bordering on painful...so I've completely given up on ever reading the third book

The top most in the list for me would be J.R.R. Tolkien. I love fantasy. I keep hearing about how awesome The Lord of the Rings by him is, but I can never get past the first 100 pgs of the first book. I tried reading it twice, gave up both times.
Another would be Ironside. I bought it like, a year ago and I never did read more than the first 20 pages. I LOVE anything to do with fairies. I have no idea why I'm so reluctant.

When I read Vanity Fair, I thought I'd really like William Makepiece Thackery's extensive works. But outside of Vanity Fair, I've never been able to read the rest of his novels. I bought the complete set, and ended up giving it away.

I think the author that I cannot get into is Sue Grafton. I try so hard because I love murder/mystery but it never catches my attention long enough. Someone told me I just haven't chosen the right one, so I may try again later. I am a huge James Patterson fan and they are just two different styles of writing for me.

I have always loathed Steinbeck. You would think given my Southern heritage I wouldn't but there it is.

Rebecca wrote: "I have always loathed Steinbeck. You would think given my Southern heritage I wouldn't but there it is."

I'm the farthest thing from Southern there is and I love him! It's kinda funny!

Gabriel Marquez is a great writer that I don't enjoy. Mostly it's the syntax. The plots and themes are good, but the way he structures his sentences lets my attention wander to the point I put down the book.

Karl wrote: "Gabriel Marquez is a great writer that I don't enjoy. Mostly it's the syntax. The plots and themes are good, but the way he structures his sentences lets my attention wander to the point I put do..."

Do you read his works in Spanish or in English?

Gorfo wrote: "Karl wrote: "Gabriel Marquez is a great writer that I don't enjoy. Mostly it's the syntax. The plots and themes are good, but the way he structures his sentences lets my attention wander to the p..."

English

Karl wrote: "Gorfo wrote: "Karl wrote: "Gabriel Marquez is a great writer that I don't enjoy. Mostly it's the syntax. The plots and themes are good, but the way he structures his sentences lets my attention w..."

Maybe the style was lost in translation then...I think I'm reading something by him in a spanish class later this year! I'll tell you if language makes a difference :)

I hate to admit but Martha Grimes. A chore to get through some of her books at times. Also, the author who wrote Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. God, when does that book pick up?

Gorfo wrote: "☆♥Starzee♥☆ wrote: "James Patterson for me. I SHOULD like him. I've read quotes and exerpts from his Maximum Ride series and love the humour. I own the first in the series, yet every time I pick..."

Tithe is a weird book I think that she is a really good writer but I didn't like this book I liked Valiant a lot better so I would try that because even though its the second they have nothing to do with one another except I think like one character and he isn't important at all

I have to say that I should like Neil Gaiman, but I don't. I just find it difficult to stay with him.

Erin wrote: "I have to say that I should like Neil Gaiman, but I don't. I just find it difficult to stay with him."

Oh yeah! He's really hard to get into! I read one book by him called Neverwhere and the plot just took so long to develop that it was only by the constant nagging of a friend that I kept reading!

Sarah wrote: "Gorfo wrote: "☆♥Starzee♥☆ wrote: "James Patterson for me. I SHOULD like him. I've read quotes and exerpts from his Maximum Ride series and love the humour. I own the first in the series, yet eve..."

I tried reading Tithe once and absolutely hated it! Maybe I will give that second book, Valiant a shot

Jane Austen, Jodi Picoult, Beverly Cleary

All of these have themes I enjoy, but I cannot read their work.

Stephen King, Jodi Picoult, J.K. Rowling, and Anne Rice to name a few. I always have good intentions but like a romance, it just just doesn't keep my ADD attention.

Gorfo wrote: "Kristin Liabo wrote: "I should like Peter Carey and Toni Morrison, but gave up after suffering through two books by each. Now I wonder why on earth I did that???"

I feel like I should like Toni Mo..."
Try "Home" - it is dead easy to read.

Mary wrote: "Stephen King, Jodi Picoult, J.K. Rowling, and Anne Rice to name a few. I always have good intentions but like a romance, it just just doesn't keep my ADD attention."

wow.. 4 of industries legends(in a sense).. :)

Kathryn wrote: "Jane Austen, Jodi Picoult, Beverly Cleary

All of these have themes I enjoy, but I cannot read their work."


right there with you! I really hated EVERY moment of Sense and Sensibility, pride & prejudice however was a lot more bearable, perhaps because I'd seen the film versions before so I knew that there WAS an end in sight, buried under all the etiquette and roundabout queries.

Andy wrote: "Gorfo wrote: "Kristin Liabo wrote: "I should like Peter Carey and Toni Morrison, but gave up after suffering through two books by each. Now I wonder why on earth I did that???"

I feel like I shoul..."

I don't know if this comment was directed to me but I retract any previous statements about Toni Morrison which I might have spewed after failing to read "A Mercy" after reading "Song of Solomon" Morrison's greatest masterpiece (in my opinion) and "The Bluest Eye" I am so blown away by the power of Morrison's talent!

I feel like I should like Cassandra Clare's books. I mean I like the plot line when I read it online. However, I just couldn't read the book. I have thought about retrying many times but then I think of how lame it was and just don't...

hohoho.. I never would have guessed that Cassandra Clare would turn up in this list :p+ hehe, well i guess there's first time for everything.. ;)

Soul wrote: "hohoho.. I never would have guessed that Cassandra Clare would turn up in this list :p+ hehe, well i guess there's first time for everything.. ;)"

XD Why do you say that? Do you enjoy her books? I know there are alot of people who do and I want to jump on the bandwagon and go "I am cool too! I like it!" , but I can't. Sad times. Heh

Ebony(poppyyukia) wrote: "Soul wrote: "hohoho.. I never would have guessed that Cassandra Clare would turn up in this list :p+ hehe, well i guess there's first time for everything.. ;)"

XD Why do you say that? Do you enjoy..."

I don't even know who Cassandra Clare is or what she wrote! If I were to try to read one and find out which side of the fence I lie on, what would be the best to start with?

My contribution to the debate would be Terry Pratchett. His books have a huge reputation and are supposed to be funny, but I found the one I tried to read absolutely dire. Another "pet hate" would be Trudi Canavan.

@Andy: It took me awhile to get into Terry Pratchett and I liked it after I just sat down and read it. I will have to admit that I had to read it twice to get the full effect.

With Cassandra Clare I would say to start out with City of Bone. She has another series and they say it is really good but it is a companion series so I would read the other one first. Cassandra's work started out as Harry Potter fanfiction and she just changed the name. At first, I really liked it and then I just was like...no. You should give it a try! A lot of people like them. I know the used book stores around here have them at cheap prices.

You see E'b n Andy, I've been known Cassandra's work for a while now.. never got the chance to indulge myself into her writing.. but from what I've read about her n her writing I kinda like her.. :)

can't help it.. i guess..

and as for Terry Pratchett, I have also heard he is like a legend with his "Disc world series".. may be one day i'll read his writing...

No wonder, Frank Zappa said: "So many books, so little time" :)

Gillian Flynn, definitely. She seems SO MUCH my author. But first of all, her works aren't translated yet to my language... which makes it a bit difficult for me to get hold of her works (I mean paper books, I'm not a huuuuge ebook fan).