Abandoned series...

[fajrdrako]

From February 14, 2008: Have you ever fallen out of love with a favorite author? Was the last book you read by the author so bad, you broke up with them and haven’t read their work since? Could they ever lure you back?

Easy answer: I sometimes stop reading series that I initially liked. But not often. Usually I find an author good - or I don't.

Most authors, once I like them, I like them. They may have particular books I don't like so much - I didn't like Dombey and Son as much as I liked A Tale of Two Cities, for example - but I loved Dickens, and I thought his best book was his last one. Or second last, depending how you count - I'm thinking of Our Mutual Friend.

I didn't like the last few books by Georgette Heyer or Dorothy Dunnett as much as their earlier works.

All in all, I'm a fairly loyal reader. There are some series where I've fallen behind on my reading because I read one or more books in the series that weren't very good - Terry Pratchett is an example here - but always intend to go back or continue, and currently have Making Money out of the library.

I went off Lindsey Davis on reading Last Act in Palmyra, though The Silver Pigs is one of my favourite books. No problem: I read Saturnalia, liked it, and may go back to read the intervening books.

I liked Marion Zimmer Bradley when she was writing about Darkover, but her historical fantasies bored me dreadfully and I don't think I'd ever go back to reading her works - but it's a moot point, since she is dead.

C.J. Cherryh might be a case in point. I read maybe half a dozen of her books, enjoyed them, and then ground to a screeching halt with The Pride of Chanur - odd, because that's a popular one, but I found it close to unreadable. Have never gone back, despite good intentions of trying another of her series.

I like Lois McMaster Bujold's fantasy novels much less than her Vorkosigan books, but I'm still reading her. Quite happily.

I was just telling maaseru about Amanda Quick at lunchtime. The first book of hers that I read - I think it was Scandal - I loved. But after reading a few others, the similarities between them began to pall: too much formula. The moral of the story? Read them one novel at a time, once a year or less, and I'm okay. (But it's really more like once every five years....)

And Jilly Cooper? Same deal.

Comments

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Have you ever fallen out of love with a favorite author? Was the last book you read by the author so bad, you broke up with them and haven’t read their work since? Could they ever lure you back?

Yes, yes, no. I tend to go wobbly on many series about book #6, with a few notable exceptions such as Terry Pratchett and John Bellairs, who can/could do no wrong. As a reviewer, I'm naturally looking for books that don't make me want to spork my eyes out, and so tend to fixate on series books in which I have enjoyed early entries.

However, in several cases, the books have outright derailed later in the series, and I end up writing "how have they screwed this up? Let me count the ways" reviews.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Who is John Bellairs? Someone I should be reading?

I'm naturally looking for books that don't make me want to spork my eyes out

Well, yes, always a good plan. I used to do reviews for the local newspaper, but I stopped for that very reason - there was too much bad stuff to read.

Derailment is always a problem. Though I still like George R.R. Martin, I thought A Feast for Crows was something of a derailment in A Song of Ice and Fire. Who do you think has derailed?

[neadods.livejournal.com]

He did YA novels, starting with The House With a Clock in Its Walls. Some of them got wobbly towards the end, and I didn't like all his series, but I did so love the first books.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

The House With a Clock in Its Walls

Okay, I ordered it from the library. We'll see what I think!

I love getting new book recommendations.

[teenygozer.livejournal.com]

Several years ago, I read one of Ray Bradbury's later novels that he had written after he had turned into an elderly poot, and it was so awful, it read like a parody of his earlier, much better, works. And now I cannot read his earlier, much better, works.

It did not help that I'd seen good ol' Ray on Politically Incorrect, vociferously defending an elderly congressman buddy of his who had been censured for putting his hands all over several of the young, female pages, specifically in the ass region. It had been videotaped in the congressional elevators, so the congressman couldn't even lie that he hadn't done it. Ray seemed to think that palming a girl's butt was a compliment to her as you were praising her on her looks. I WAS PUT OFF BY THIS LINE OF REASONING, I'm just sayin'.

Pride of Chanur is one of my favorite filk songs (I think Leslie Fish wrote it.) I tried to read the novel because I liked the song. I didn't like it either.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I read one of Ray Bradbury's later novels that he had written after he had turned into an elderly poot, and it was so awful, it read like a parody of his earlier, much better, works

Ooh. I hate it when that happens.

I WAS PUT OFF BY THIS LINE OF REASONING, I'm just sayin'

Well, of course!

Pride of Chanur is one of my favorite filk songs (I think Leslie Fish wrote it.)

I don't know it, though I generally like Leslie Fish songs. Must try to find it.

I tried to read the novel because I liked the song. I didn't like it either.

I'm happy not to be the only one who reacted to it that way!

Ask, & ye shall receive [filk]

[filkferengi]

I've uploaded the album, from the short cassette: Leslie Fish--Leslie Fish Live!
http://download.yousendit.com/86E8D2473F06106D

There's sf, fantasy, space, teaching songs, feminism, anarchy--fun for everyone!

note: F. A. P. stands for "Feline American Princess"

Re: Ask, & ye shall receive [filk]

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

oOh - thank you! You purveyor of Good Things!

Re: Ask, & ye shall receive [filk]

[filkferengi]

You're very welcome. Here's the track list.

Leslie Fish ... Live!

1. A'Ramboing
2. Fisher's Chant
3. Black Powder And Alcohol
4. Gremlins
5. Pride of Chanur
6. Carmen Miranda's Ghost Is Haunting Space Station Three
7. No High Ground / Lazarus and Dives
8. Susan B.
9. Nightmare Launch
10. Toast For Unknown Heroes / Step by Step
11. F. A. P. (Lyrics: Mercedes Lackey)

If you like those, I have more [she threatened ominously]. :)

Re: Ask, & ye shall receive [filk]

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Wonderful! Thanks for the list.

I have more [she threatened ominously]. :)

Hee. Are you trying to get me hooked on the hard stuff?

(I am such an easy sell - !)

Re: Ask, & ye shall receive [filk]

[filkferengi]

If it works, I'm perfectly willing to take credit for it. ;)

[elebridith]

I had that with the crime novel writers Elizabeth George (Lynley/Havers series) and Martha Grimes (Inspector Jury). The first ones were great, up to... I don't know, eight or nine books, and the I suddenly discovered that I got bored on page thirtysomething... I can't even exactly put a finger on it, they just felt like... forced? As if both had a one-book-a-year-contract and run out of ideas. But someone told me that the last George book is much better again, so I'm going to check my library. There's hope:-)
I'm usually also a loyal reader. With Anne Perry, it worked - the Inspector Pitt series had some downs, but not that bad, and she got very much better again.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's good when books get back on track. The last time I read one of Robert B. Parker's Sunny Randall novels, I didn't like it - but I just read the lastest, enjoyed it, and can't recall why I didn't like the previous one. So it goes!

[elebridith]

So it goes!

*lol* And *that* is a quote from "Slaughterhouse Five"... We read that in school and it's still a running gag!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

So it goes!

Yes - I've always liked that one.

[auriaephiala.livejournal.com]

I definitely saw that with crime writers Martha Grimes (boring, depressing, silly), and Nevada Barr (well-written but intensely depressing).

The fact that I didn't like Gemini as much as her other books did not turn me off Dorothy Dunnett. Besides, if she and Alistair had been allowed a few more years, I'm sure it would have been a better book.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Re Gemini: if she and Alistair had been allowed a few more years, I'm sure it would have been a better book.

I agree absolutely. And I admire the Nicholas series even if I didn't entirely enjoy it.

I didn't know Nevada Barr was depressing. I tried Martha Grimes, and it didn't take.

[kensieg.livejournal.com]

Catherine Asaro. I used to like her books. But then when I read her latest book I couldn't suspend my disbelief anymore. I got rid of most of them except 1 or 2.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Oh dear! I have one of her books on my bookshelf, but I haven't read it yet. I wonder what I'll think.

[kensieg.livejournal.com]

Most people adore her! Is it one of her SF books or one of her fantasy books?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

SF, I think.

[kensieg.livejournal.com]

definitely try her! she's a good writer.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes, I plan to.

[idiotgrrl.livejournal.com]

Laurell Hamilton! Who discovered sex and then what had been decent urban noir fantasy turned into more porn than plot, until the plot vanished into maybe three lines amidst all the sex scenes.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Certainly the one I tried to read (Mistral's Kiss) had no plot and the sex was so boring I only read half the book.

Really. And you know how I love reading stories about sex! But... this wasn't sex. This was tedium.

I haven't read her earlier good books. Or the comics. I've tempted by the comics; they look interesting.

[filkferengi]

Do read the comics. I picked up the first 6 issues in the hardback compilation, & it was excellent, keeping all the best lines from the book [back in the days when her books were short & had plots]. The catch is, it'll leave you hanging, as the comics of the book aren't complete yet.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the comments - I'm used to comics leaving me hanging, and I don't mind - I'll read them.

[trixtah.livejournal.com]

Word to the wordness re Bradley. I'm glad I'm not the only one.

Funnily enough, except the new series, I like all of Lois's fantasy just as much as I do Barrayar/Memory/ACC, and more than the other Vorkosigan books (although of course I love every one). I know I'm in the minority here. :-)

I swooned over McCaffrey when I was 13-16, which I think is the appropriate age for them.

And as for what you say about Jilly Cooper and Amanda Quick, I'm exactly the same with Jackie Collins. God help if I read them more than once every couple of years, but they're entertaining mindless mush at that kind of interval.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I like all of Lois's fantasy just as much as I do Barrayar/Memory/ACC, and more than the other Vorkosigan books

So far, none of the fantasies have done much for me. I had subjective personal problems with The Curse of Chalion, having to do with the time at which I read it. For that reason, I haven't read Paladin of Souls. I read and liked The Hallowed Hunt but not to the level I like any of the Vorkosigan novels, even the ones I don't like so much. The Spirit Ring bored me. I did love the romance in The Sharing Knife: Beguilement but wasn't taken with the world, particularly with the Malice, which I thought a sort of dull idea - another mindless, monstrous menace threatening the world. Not my favourite theme.

I swooned over McCaffrey when I was 13-16, which I think is the appropriate age for them.

I was eighteen when I read Dragonflight, and I loved it - but loved each book less as they came out, until I stopped reading. They became very dull, and she played up the aspects of Pern that I didn't like rather than the aspects I did. It all lost its bite - to much of it was teen angst.

God help if I read them more than once every couple of years, but they're entertaining mindless mush at that kind of interval.

There's a lot to be said for the occasional entertaining mush!