Big Named Authors That Disappointed You?

dgiharris said:

The only book that i've ever throw was The Lake House by James Patterson.

His ending of that book has got to be the absolute worst ending for a book in the history of books.

*spoiler alert*

Imagine writing a book and then at the last 7 pages of the book right as the story is climaxing (rather weakly I might add) you introduce a new antagonist with super powers that was the one 'all along' who was responsible for everything and then this antanonist dies at the end (in a hookey Scooby Doo sorta way) and the story is resolved.

The ending came so far out of left field it would not have surprised me to learn that the publisher 'accidentally' printed the end of another book.

God, it was sooooo awful that I screamed "You've got to be shitting me" and threw the book.

Mel...

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someone at the James Patterson writing table must have rushed on those pages so they could punch the time-clock on time. Do yourself a favour...don't buy Patterson books. Demand better. Boycott his their ass(es).

dgiharris said:

James Patterson is the best writing mentor in the world.

My girlfriend got me this book as a present as she knew I liked to write.

That book inspired me to write...

Because if they will publish that train wreck of a novel, then there is hope for us all.

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Well . . . no. That book got published only, as in the sole unique reason, because they could put the name JAMES PATTERSON in huge spangly embossed metallic letters across the top portion of the front cover, and be assured that enough people would buy it off the racks at airports and supermarkets to make it worthwhile.

Which says a lot about the publishing industry, and James Patterson as well.

caw

blacbird said:

Which says a lot about the publishing industry, and James Patterson

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and people.

Rowan said:

Laurell K. Hamilton (Anita Blake vampire hunter series started off so well and then it went South around Narcissus in Chains)...

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Gosh this was so mine as well. Those books started out amazing and with such a great character, and I look at what she's done to them now...well, honestly I think she needs to KILL EVERYONE. That's about the only way she could redeem the series at this point. Well, maybe turning Anita back into a normal human being could work as well. Anyway, definitely was disappointed.

I'm not sure if this counts as big name or not, but I had gotten a few glowing recommendations for Tanya Huff and decided to try out Blood Price. I was just very...underwhelmed. I thought the main characters were silly, I didn't really care at all, and the story itself just didn't have much oomph. Actually come to think of it, I don't think I ever got around to reading the last six pages. And that's pretty sad for me.

Stephen King is hit or miss for me, but I respect his writing and most anything I dislike is a stylistic issue not a talent or quality issue.

At the risk of getting smacked...Neil Gaiman. I loved American Gods. Good Omens is one of the funniest things ever. I was told the Graveyard Book was one of the best books out there, and while it was charming and cute, it just wasn't my cup of tea, I suppose. I think that's just disappointment because it was so hyped, however. All I heard from anyone was how great it was, and when you have such high expectations for something, it's easy to fall flat.

Dean Koontz is my favorite writer and I actually dislike about half of what he writes. He has two pretty distinct style stories. One style I love, the other I can live without, but that's more like the King thing, just a matter of personal preference.

Delhomeboy said:

Oh...dear..god...

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Strangely, that's exactly what I thought when I read For Whom the Bell Tolls.

Good lord - Dean Koontz. A friend suggested him and I tried to read the one about the intelligent, genetically altered dog. But he lost me when the female MC went on a mental multi-page tangent about her mother and baking a cake, not 30 seconds after being creeped out by the soon-to-be stalker in her living room.

GRRM - Song of Fire and Ice - OMG! The story started off fine when dealing with the Starks in their keep. Then the first book shattered into a dozen separate threads following different characters and I nearly threw it across the room because I couldn't stand 95% of the characters in the first place.

Robert Jordan's WOT - 99.9% of the female characters just annoyed me because they came across as selfish, overbearing tyrants. Correction: selfish, overbearing chauvanistic tyrants. It's like he never meet a real woman but used bad stereotypes. I felt sorry for the male characters when every they had to deal with the women. Every time Nivarian appeared on the page, the thought of "Your village called, their idiot is missing" would pop into my head and I knew she'd never get it.

Also, I'm not sure if this counts, but I really enjoyed the dune prequels the first time I read the. But the second time through? Not so much.

I kinda got tired of the chick that writes the Kay Scarpetta books. The characters became completely unsympathetic and the last time I read about Lucy or whatever her name was, I was SO hoping she'd get killed. If they'd stick with Kay and leave the brat and others out of it, I'd enjoy it more.

Stephen King doesn't scare me anymore and I find that sad.

Dean Koontz has never been scary so I quit with him a long time ago.

It's getting harder and harder for me to find books I enjoy.

dgiharris said:

Well, there are other, lessor know train wrecks out there.

Everytime I read one, I get a sense of hope

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Everytime I read one, I get more deeply depressed. If these things can find publication, and nothing I write can, what does that say about what I write?

caw

I'm with blacbird.

Zoombie said:

Did he shout, "And I would have gotten away with it..." too?

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If it wasn't for those meddling kids....

jodiodi said:

I kinda got tired of the chick that writes the Kay Scarpetta books. The characters became completely unsympathetic and the last time I read about Lucy or whatever her name was, I was SO hoping she'd get killed. If they'd stick with Kay and leave the brat and others out of it, I'd enjoy it more.

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I was with her until "Blow Fly", then I realized after 100 pages that everyone was an ass and I didn't care of the World of Scarpetta suffered a terrifying nuclear incident that incinerated everyone.

I didn't finish the book and have never read another.

scarletpeaches said:

The ones who disappoint me usually do so because they get lazy. Novels get shorter, research clearly not done, plot holes you can drive a bus through, all the rules we're told not to break not only broken but shattered...

The name becomes so big their head swells too which you'd think would mean they could fit more mad editing skillz in, but no...too many authors seem to 'churn 'em out' with no thought for quality.

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Here-here!
*lifts pint, nods, swills*

Sherrilyn Kenyon. Laugh-out-loud, page turner, read 'til the sun comes up.
Now?
I barely make it through chapter one; won't invest in her crap-work anymore. All the above mentioned seems to be what happened to this author. Name became too big, no longer hungry, too many projects on her plate that focus became moot.

Christine Feehan. Info dump. Editor put it perfectly: 'that's what happens when you have 400 pages to fill and 2 pages of plot'.
If I read one.more.TIME about how her vampires can't see in color, need their one true mate to carry on--never mind the bastards have already been alive for millennia--blah, blah, blah. And then said mantra repeats about every 12 pages..carries on for about 8 pages...it's enough ta' make a person wanna grab a vampire by the canines and yank 'em out with pliers...there, ye' bastard, now ye' can gum a neck ta' death! And as for you *clubs dumb bitch in heat* it's not a muffin mower, IT'S A DICK, PENIS OR COCK....quit having sex as if Mary Poppins is your instructor!

*looks around...*

Uh hem...

*refills pint*

We now return you to your authors who no longer give a damn about quality; better known as: I can't believe people pay me for this shit!

Oh, and Cussler, for a change of pace...couldn't make it through his Medussa...gah...waaaay more info than I needed. Just write/create a story. If I wanted to be a rocket scientist, I'd have slept with one!

...you had me at 'dead baby chicks'...

kaitie said:

At the risk of getting smacked...Neil Gaiman.

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Well, I won't smack you. Maybe AFP will, but not my problem.

I sort of agree. Sort of because I haven't given up on him, but I can't find the love in recent stuff that I had for the best Sandman stories and his best short stories. Dream of a Thousand Cats? Love it. Study in Emerald? Love it. American Gods? OK. Graveyard book? Nice, fun, OK.

When can we leave OK and get back to 'WHOA this is cool?'

blacbird said:

Everytime I read one, I get more deeply depressed. If these things can find publication, and nothing I write can, what does that say about what I write?

caw

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It says that you are not famous, and don't suck. Don't take it personally.

Fail better, or something.

'noble accent and lucid inescapable rhythm'

I just bought a new Gena Showalter book (one of the Lords of the Underworld series--a new one I haven't read yet. I've read 3 of them so far.) The Darkest Whisper.

And I bought Audrey's Door by Sarah Langan. To my knowledge I've never read her work.

I also bought a magazine: Best of Taste of Home Holiday Recipes. And I'm still reading The Duchess and The Zombie Survival Guide.

dgiharris said:

G*d damn it Blacbird. YOu are just intent on pissing in my Kool-aid.

WHere I see hope. You see despair. Where I see a rainbow, you see rain. Where I see an omelete, you see dead baby chicks.

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Well, the dead baby chicks are real good sauteed with a little garlic and olive oil and a smidge of tabasco sauce.

caw

dirtsider said:

GRRM - Song of Fire and Ice - OMG! The story started off fine when dealing with the Starks in their keep. Then the first book shattered into a dozen separate threads following different characters and I nearly threw it across the room because I couldn't stand 95% of the characters in the first place.

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I thought I was the only one who hated it! Shame cos I love some of his earlier stuff.

Joe Abercrombie - recced to me as 'fantastic'. I liked the characterisation. But...sigh...the plot left me cold, as did the complete lack of any kind of resolution at the end of book one, making it feel like a very long prologue. I mean hotdamn, the whole of book one is 'party of characters get together' with added political intrigue *pukes*?

Priene said:

Strangely, that's exactly what I thought when I read For Whom the Bell Tolls.

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Some one wants me to have an aneurysm.

*Hugs For Whom the Bell Tolls to chest.

"It's okay, precious, evil person knows not of what they speak."

Delhomeboy said:

Some one wants me to have an aneurysm.

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I was disappointed Robert Jordan didn't have one. By page ten.