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What book do you hate but everybody else loves?

tommydarascal

tommydarascal

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The title of this forum speaks for itself. Is there a certain book out there that everybody is crazy about, but you just hate?

An example might be the Da Vinci Code. Loads of people love it, but I think it's a bit too formulae and it lacks flabbergastingly in decription.

What do you think? Any other books?

tommydarascal
 
Anything by Anne Rice. As much as I like reading about vampires and other weird things, stabbing myself with a pencil would be less painful than trudging through one of her novels.

I do not read Dan Brown books due to the hype over them and my own disinterest in the subject matter so I can not say anything about them. Most likely I won't ever read them.
 
David Eddings :). Many fantasy-genre buffs think he's too formulaic, but I just love his books!! I always recommend them to people just starting out in fantasy. I also really enjoy Raymond E. Feist and Terry Goodkind, despite similar reservations among fantasy purists.
 
Well, if I hate something, I rarely get past the front page. There is one I finished ...The Time Traveler's Wife ... Ugh! Nothing more than a bloody romance.
I thought it was dreadful. The people who recommended it went down in my estimation.

The DaVinci Code is slagged off by a great many, but they've read it.:rolleyes: I haven't, and won't.
 
jaybe said:
The DaVinci Code is slagged off by a great many, but they've read it.:rolleyes: I haven't, and won't.
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Fair enough. But if I see you bashing it, I'll be coming down on you like a rock!! :p
 
Oops! I read the thread title wrong, I thought it was "what book do you love but everyone else hates"!! So, my post above is completely off base.

I just couldn't get into the English Patient at all. It really did nothing for me, and I *really* tried! I haven't seen the movie because I do so want to try and get through the book first. I pushed myself through Lord of the Rings so that I could see the movies, but in the end I really didn't like it very much.
 
Blindness by Jose Saramago. I wouldn't go quite so far to say that I hated it, but I was extremely disappointed with it. Another victim of over-hype *grumble*
 
MonkeyCatcher said:
Blindness by Jose Saramago. I wouldn't go quite so far to say that I hated it, but I was extremely disappointed with it. Another victim of over-hype *grumble*
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I didn't hate this but I was certainly underwhelmed. Like you said the hype could have been responsible. In direct response to the thread I guess I'd have to say most of pop-culture. I loathe the popular music today. Television is dreadful. I would comment on the pop-culture books but I don't really read them.
 
Raymond E Feist. I know a lot of people like him, but somehow he rubs me the wrong way. :(

I also don't like Sidney Sheldon. Except maybe his Windmills of the Gods.

ds
 
I sooooooooo have to disagree with you on that hyperstorm. Then again, that's why it's called "books you hate that everybody else loves.";) For me, I'd have to Saul Bellow's Ravelstein. Incomprehensible refuse disguised as a book. I see a thousand copies of it at used bookstores all the time and for a good reason, no one wants to read it!. It's crapola!.:cool:
 
I'll second that, SFG, I just don't enjoy Bellow at. I'll also say Lord of the Rings, as well as Waiting for Godot. I'm a little bit fond of the latter, but its seriously overrated.
 
Pride and Prejudice.

It's such a boring and insulting novel. I detest it. Everybody else in my 12th grade English class seemed to love it (those that read it). Every girl was just in love with Mr.Darcy. *bleghhhh*
 
CattiGuen said:
Pride and Prejudice.

It's such a boring and insulting novel. I detest it. Everybody else in my 12th grade English class seemed to love it (those that read it). Every girl was just in love with Mr.Darcy. *bleghhhh*
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Shh! Don't tell my 12 year old son. We found Pride and Prejudice in the library sale cart the other day, and now he's reading it of his own free will because he likes the movie! Do you think this mom was going to tell him he wasn't old enought to "get" it yet???
 
Forgive me DS if i donot remember the story properly as i had read it 6-7 years ago.

I remember certain characters Howard Roark, Gail Wynand, Peter & the Girl whom he marries[ but she loves Howard]

I read all of it & still couldn't fathom the story what was Howard's objective in acting the way which he did, i mean he seems to be a masochist person in the sense he actually plans as to how he can harm himself more & more

In an essay written by a famous thriller writer i had read That the story should have a beginning, a middle & an end with characters motivations being explained to the reader as to why & how they are & what do they want!!!

Whereas over here i couldn't make head or tail of what was happening & what did AR actually meant to convey???

I dont consider myself an intellectual literary critic but i do want to read good books which entertain & educate me but i guess i never could understand miss AR & her twisted characters :D
 
I read all of it & still couldn't fathom the story what was Howard's objective in acting the way which he did, i mean he seems to be a masochist person in the sense he actually plans as to how he can harm himself more & more
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Rand's characters are a hen-pecked lot in the sense that the unproductive and most maddening members of society, are the ones who try and bestow guilt upon those who actually possess initiative. When Roarke is at the family get together and the war-activist brother(who is unemployed) asks for money, the rest of the family criticize Howard for being "selfish" and "inconsiderate." Upon reading that part of the book, your blood just boils at the thought of people who expect something for nothing, and that is the feeling-righteous anger, that Rand so very capably capitalizes on.

While her characters are the ones who are the mavericks of society in terms of creating business, they have to constantly put up with the insults and lectures on "doing for society" when in fact, those who are lecturing, are the least productive....at least according to her works. So I'd say that Howard isn't a masochist, just a man in a society that favors mediocrity over excellence, one that puts prime value on some unrealistic philosophy while her egoist-capitalism builds skyscrapers and forges new rails. In her mind, the industrialist, entrepeneur, and the wealthy, are the victims of an economically parasitic society that rewards solemn talk about the poor, rather than the bold and daring of those who live their life by doing.


I dont consider myself an intellectual literary critic but i do want to read good books which entertain & educate me but i guess i never could understand miss AR & her twisted characters :D
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To each their own. :)
 
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