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Mrs. MacGyver · 21-08-2006, 21:57

Anything by connolly the crime writer, what a lot of rubbish...avoid!!!

aoifeme · 29-08-2006, 17:17

its been said already but the da vinci code

quazzy · 30-08-2006, 08:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs. MacGyver

Anything by connolly the crime writer, what a lot of rubbish...avoid!!!

Is that John ( the Irish guy ) or Michael ( The American ) ?

'Cause I really like John's novels.

Anyhoo back on topic.

One of the worst book I have read was Spycatcher by Peter Wright.

ugh

Merrick · 31-08-2006, 20:13

Amongst Women by John McGahern.
I had to study it for school. It led to some of the worst English classes I have ever experienced.

Faerie · 31-08-2006, 22:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earthhorse

Dracula - influential and incredibly boring.

Terry Pratchett - unfunny and can't write to save his life.

Charles Dickens - bloated prose and heavy handed social commentary! Fun!

Lord of the Rings - the template for fantasy literature and a seminal book but it's lack of proper characterisation coupled with the infinite detail makes for a slow and uninspiring read.

Tom Clancy - just write essays about the CIA so we can cut out the crap.

Ok I have to disagree with everything on your list! (Except Tom Clancy - I haven't read any of his books.)

Dracula is one of my favourite books, I love Terry Pratchett and Charles Dickens and Lord of The Rings is amazing!

Anyway my list:

Anything by Anita Shreve
I normally love historical books but I hated Kingdom of Shadows by Barbara Erskine
The Country Girls by Edna O Brien
Already been mentioned, but the Rule of Four is really boring
Anything by Maeve Binchy
Actually most 'chick lit'

***r3nu4l*** · 31-08-2006, 22:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs. MacGyver

Anything by connolly the crime writer, what a lot of rubbish...avoid!!!

Yeah, which one?

John Connolly or Michael Connelly?

I like them both but John Connolly's stuff is better!

Avoid Isle of Dogs by Patricia Cornwell even if you really love her other stuff!

Definitely avoid Labyrinth, rave reviews for a really poor book!

The Long Fellow · 05-09-2006, 12:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earthhorse

Mentioning the likes of Brown on these threads is an insult to the reader's intelligence. I think it would be better if people focused on literature that's been popular for sometime rather than faddy stuff which is easy to avoid.

It's an insult to what readers intelligence???
What would you say of the quite literally thousands of people if not more who would never have picked up a book to read out of their own free willuntil the Da Vinci code and who are now trying to read maybe a book a month and trying to rediscover a joy from reading they didn't think they had? You think it's a bad thing? can a book not just exist for people to read, enjoy and forget about? does it have to have underlayers of meaning and innuendo?

this is not just directed at you, or anyone here, but i can't understand the backlash by people who would regularly read to the Da Vinci code. Especially by the very people (usually in the media) who moan and give out that people aren't interested in reading and when a book comes along that has everybody reading it it's not good enough either. am i missing something??

Earthhorse · 05-09-2006, 13:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Long Fellow

It's an insult to what readers intelligence???

To the reader of this Literature forum, specifically the reader of a thread entitled "Books to avoid like a bookworm on a diet".

I absolutely agree with what you say about Brown. I can't understand why well read people seem to be personally insulted by his book and its success. Indeed, the reason I posted what I did about Brown was to prevent this turning in to ten pages of "The Da Vinci Code - crap" type replies. Bashing Brown is something of an international pastime on the net, and probably in certain quarters of the press, so anyone who has the skill to navigate here and read this thread will have been warned by the time they arrive. That, and only that, is the reason it's insulting to their intelligence.

I specifically posted the authors I did because they come highly recommended and when I read them I found them wanting. I think that warning might be useful to a reader, new or old. We could let this become another Dan Brown bashing thread but I think that would be quite redundant, don't you?

The Long Fellow · 05-09-2006, 15:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earthhorse

To the reader of this Literature forum, specifically the reader of a thread entitled "Books to avoid like a bookworm on a diet".

I absolutely agree with what you say about Brown. I can't understand why well read people seem to be personally insulted by his book and its success. Indeed, the reason I posted what I did about Brown was to prevent this turning in to ten pages of "The Da Vinci Code - crap" type replies. Bashing Brown is something of an international pastime on the net, and probably in certain quarters of the press, so anyone who has the skill to navigate here and read this thread will have been warned by the time they arrive. That, and only that, is the reason it's insulting to their intelligence.

I specifically posted the authors I did because they come highly recommended and when I read them I found them wanting. I think that warning might be useful to a reader, new or old. We could let this become another Dan Brown bashing thread but I think that would be quite redundant, don't you?

well in fairness i cant dissagree with anything you've said there, but i just didn't get the same impression from the first post to be honest, maybe perception was the key? i mean it's hard to have a discussion anywhere in the world about reading without the name coming up. whether thats a bad thing or not, i wouldnt be prepared to decide.

Earthhorse · 05-09-2006, 16:24

Perhaps my initial post was a little curt as you're not the first person to get the wrong impression from it. Don't worry though, if ever there was a thread where it's popular to disagree with me, this is it!

Attractive Nun · 08-09-2006, 13:55

The Trial by Franz Kafka. Oh God that was uninteresting, never have I read such a slow-moving and bland novel. Oh God. His short stories are good though.

And, not that anyone would, or that it counts as 'literature', but 'Israel & Palestine' by Bernard Wasserstein is absolutely the worst book I've ever read. I have no idea why I finished it, and I can still recall the feeling of sheer relief as I finished the last words and threw it across the room. Dire.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is a pretty poor book as well, despite many swooning reviews, although my central complaint would be that it's overrated, rather than terrible, which is hardly the book's fault.

**tbh** · 08-09-2006, 16:14

For the love of God, don't go near this one: THE RAPTURE: In the Twinkling of an Eye Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins. I bought it on a whim in Atlanta airport and it stinks to high heaven.

I mean look at the blurb:

Time seems to slow as the clock ticks down. Pan-Con Airlines captain Rayford Steele prepares for a flight to London with beautiful flight attendant Hattie Durham. Because of his wife's newfound faith, Rayford looks forward to time, and the possibilities, with Hattie. Journalist Cameron "Buck" Williams is in Israel when the Russians attack, and he experiences for himself the miraculous deliverance of the Holy Land. Buck cannot deny Chicago bureau chief Lucinda Washington's insistence that the event was prophesied in Scripture, though he dares not consider the personal ramifications.Meanwhile, Nicolae Carpathia eliminates any obstacles in his path to power. As the newly appointed president of Romania, Nicolae is invited to speak before the U.N. Without warning, millions disappear and are welcomed into the unspeakable presence of God
http://www.armageddonbooks.com/behind.html

what was I thinking?!?

Geranium · 09-09-2006, 00:23

Terry PRATchet. And of course, Pride and Prejudice, just a bad chick flick style book with no actual happenings and a confusing style of writing. Unfortunately, someone once decided that it was a "classic" and poor scholars have been subjected to it ever since.

*Tar.Aldarion* · 09-09-2006, 02:22

Confusing style of writing...you sure ripped it apart!
Nobody disses teh legen of Terry... :/

galactus · 10-09-2006, 15:56

As a rule I am not in favour of burning books but I'd like to make an exception: Ulysses which for belongs on the bonfire next to The DaVinci Code.

Joyce - "It'll keep the professors busy for years". What a con man.

08-09-2006, 13:55	#41
Attractive Nun Registered User Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Dublin Posts: 1,200 Adverts \| Friends	The Trial by Franz Kafka. Oh God that was uninteresting, never have I read such a slow-moving and bland novel. Oh God. His short stories are good though. And, not that anyone would, or that it counts as 'literature', but 'Israel & Palestine' by Bernard Wasserstein is absolutely the worst book I've ever read. I have no idea why I finished it, and I can still recall the feeling of sheer relief as I finished the last words and threw it across the room. Dire. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is a pretty poor book as well, despite many swooning reviews, although my central complaint would be that it's overrated, rather than terrible, which is hardly the book's fault. Last edited by Attractive Nun; 08-09-2006 at 13:59.

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21-08-2006, 21:57	#31
Mrs. MacGyver Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: The Phoneix Foundation, Middle of Nowhere Posts: 1,281 Adverts \| Friends	Anything by connolly the crime writer, what a lot of rubbish...avoid!!!

29-08-2006, 17:17	#32
aoifeme Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Dublin Posts: 15 Adverts \| Friends	its been said already but the da vinci code

31-08-2006, 20:13	#34
Merrick Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Dublin Posts: 780 Adverts \| Friends	Amongst Women by John McGahern. I had to study it for school. It led to some of the worst English classes I have ever experienced.

05-09-2006, 16:24	#40
Earthhorse Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Zone doubt Posts: 16,597 Adverts \| Friends	Perhaps my initial post was a little curt as you're not the first person to get the wrong impression from it. Don't worry though, if ever there was a thread where it's popular to disagree with me, this is it!

08-09-2006, 16:14	#42
tbh Moderator Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: 10, Ireland Road, Ireland Posts: 13,263 Adverts \| Friends Mod: Long Term Illness, The Thunderdome	For the love of God, don't go near this one: THE RAPTURE: In the Twinkling of an Eye Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins. I bought it on a whim in Atlanta airport and it stinks to high heaven. I mean look at the blurb: Time seems to slow as the clock ticks down. Pan-Con Airlines captain Rayford Steele prepares for a flight to London with beautiful flight attendant Hattie Durham. Because of his wife's newfound faith, Rayford looks forward to time, and the possibilities, with Hattie. Journalist Cameron "Buck" Williams is in Israel when the Russians attack, and he experiences for himself the miraculous deliverance of the Holy Land. Buck cannot deny Chicago bureau chief Lucinda Washington's insistence that the event was prophesied in Scripture, though he dares not consider the personal ramifications.Meanwhile, Nicolae Carpathia eliminates any obstacles in his path to power. As the newly appointed president of Romania, Nicolae is invited to speak before the U.N. Without warning, millions disappear and are welcomed into the unspeakable presence of God http://www.armageddonbooks.com/behind.html what was I thinking?!?

09-09-2006, 00:23	#43
Geranium Closed Account Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 261 Adverts \| Friends	Terry PRATchet. And of course, Pride and Prejudice, just a bad chick flick style book with no actual happenings and a confusing style of writing. Unfortunately, someone once decided that it was a "classic" and poor scholars have been subjected to it ever since.

09-09-2006, 02:22	#44
Tar.Aldarion /flails limbs Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: home :) Posts: 49,466 Adverts \| Friends Mod: Knights of the Round Table, Sleeping & Dreaming, Spell Czechs, The Cuckoo's Nest, Vegan & Vegetarian	Confusing style of writing...you sure ripped it apart! Nobody disses teh legen of Terry... :/

10-09-2006, 15:56	#45
galactus Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Cork, boy! Posts: 972 Adverts \| Friends	As a rule I am not in favour of burning books but I'd like to make an exception: Ulysses which for belongs on the bonfire next to The DaVinci Code. Joyce - "It'll keep the professors busy for years". What a con man.