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I cannot believe ANYONE would DARE put J.K Rowling and Harry Potter on this list. Prisoner of Azkaban, and on foreward from there the books would give 3/4 of adult fantasy a run for it's bloody money.
Harry Potter (collectively as a series) remains to this day my SECOND favourite fantasy series of all time. Erikson being # 1. Harry potter is INVENTIVE fantasy at it's top form. She invented a dazzling world that enthralls me even now at the age of 29.
However, I find people who naysay the series have either NOT read it at all, or they have read Philosophers Stone & or Chamber of Secrets and gave up.....which is like watching half of Fight Club.....you have to KEEP READING!
Anyway, I love Harry Potter and I will ignore that some of you put it on this list.
Worst Fantasy book you read..
#41
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Posted 28 January 2006 - 11:39 PM
"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
#42
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Posted 28 January 2006 - 11:49 PM
No-God said:
I've never read Eye of Argon, but I've tried to read Harry Potter.
Maybe not the worst fantasy series/novel, but it's up there. Maybe just because it's too watered down and kids oriented - neither positive attributes I give to fantasy.
On Fire's Wings by Christie Golden was atrocious, too.
Maybe not the worst fantasy series/novel, but it's up there. Maybe just because it's too watered down and kids oriented - neither positive attributes I give to fantasy.
On Fire's Wings by Christie Golden was atrocious, too.
Um...watered down?
Read just Philosophers Stone them I presume? Dude, Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet Of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, and Half-Blood Prince get so dark that it isn't even funny. But then, what do millions and millions of readers around the world who line up at midnight the night before the new books are released know? Or how about the millions who keep making every consecutive movie gross more and more money.....and what was the last series that made 5...count em 5 (cause Order of the Phoenix began shooting this morning in fact) big grossing, and yet successful movies?
Now here, I am gonna say this once "The Narrative get's older as Harry gets older". You could always just try to keep reading.....
...like I am doing with the Warrior-Prophet which isn't holding my attention as much as the first Bakker book, and it is a little too smutty really.......but I know that it has good stuff there I am gonna get to.
....sorry, someone hit my Harry Potter defensive button. LOL
"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
#43
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Posted 29 January 2006 - 12:00 AM
QuickTidal said:
Um...watered down?
Read just Philosophers Stone them I presume? Dude, Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet Of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, and Half-Blood Prince get so dark that it isn't even funny. But then, what do millions and millions of readers around the world who line up at midnight the night before the new books are released know? Or how about the millions who keep making every consecutive movie gross more and more money.....and what was the last series that made 5...count em 5 (cause Order of the Phoenix began shooting this morning in fact) big grossing, and yet successful movies?
Now here, I am gonna say this once "The Narrative get's older as Harry gets older". You could always just try to keep reading.....
...like I am doing with the Warrior-Prophet which isn't holding my attention as much as the first Bakker book, and it is a little too smutty really.......but I know that it has good stuff there I am gonna get to.
....sorry, someone hit my Harry Potter defensive button. LOL
Read just Philosophers Stone them I presume? Dude, Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet Of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, and Half-Blood Prince get so dark that it isn't even funny. But then, what do millions and millions of readers around the world who line up at midnight the night before the new books are released know? Or how about the millions who keep making every consecutive movie gross more and more money.....and what was the last series that made 5...count em 5 (cause Order of the Phoenix began shooting this morning in fact) big grossing, and yet successful movies?
Now here, I am gonna say this once "The Narrative get's older as Harry gets older". You could always just try to keep reading.....
...like I am doing with the Warrior-Prophet which isn't holding my attention as much as the first Bakker book, and it is a little too smutty really.......but I know that it has good stuff there I am gonna get to.
....sorry, someone hit my Harry Potter defensive button. LOL
Well, I only read the first Harry Potter book. I didn't like it, so there would be no reason for me to drone into the next several books. The narrative might get older as Harry does, but thats really irrelevant. I wouldn't like the books that are written childishly (book 1), so there's no reason to plow through just to get to the books that are written more 'adult'. It's fine that you like it, but it doesn't seem worth my time.
That said, as far as the 'statistics' you presented.... well, millions and millions of people purchase Britney Spears albums, too. When I look at something to read (or listen to, or play, or use), I don't care how many other people do it, because the preferences of other people do not coincide with mine.
I bet millions of people hated the movie Alexander, and yet it was one of my favorite movies. Millions of people loved the Philosopher's Stone, and yet I hated that movie/book. See my point? I don't care what millions of people like - it holds absolutely no bearings on myself.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying Harry Potter is the worst fantasy ever written. It's simply one of the worst I've read. Plus, I had to sit on a chair from 12:30 - 9:00 one night at work to be security, protecting the Half-Blood Prince...*shudder*
#44 Guest_Iskaral Pust_*
Posted 29 January 2006 - 12:20 AM
Hmm...let's see.
Just about everything Eddings wrote thats not associated with the world of the Belgariad is utter crap.
Terry Brooks' Shannara books are also pretty crappy.
Just about everything Eddings wrote thats not associated with the world of the Belgariad is utter crap.
Terry Brooks' Shannara books are also pretty crappy.
#45
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Posted 29 January 2006 - 01:07 AM
Worst fantasy? hmm I wish the Anita Blake novels fit that category...I accidentally read one as bathroom literature once...unimpressed to say the least.
uhmm that series that Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman did after Dragonlance was fairly horrid.
OH! Janny Wuurts' series about wars of light and shadow, It just keeps going on and on and on and on about how very very very very tragic it all is and unfair etc etc etc etc...I just want to tell the main characters to Man Up, Stuff a Rag in it and quit Bleeding all over the place...Although i do admire the author's use of character and viewpoint.
uhmm that series that Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman did after Dragonlance was fairly horrid.
OH! Janny Wuurts' series about wars of light and shadow, It just keeps going on and on and on and on about how very very very very tragic it all is and unfair etc etc etc etc...I just want to tell the main characters to Man Up, Stuff a Rag in it and quit Bleeding all over the place...Although i do admire the author's use of character and viewpoint.
#46
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Posted 29 January 2006 - 06:39 AM
No-God said:
Well, I only read the first Harry Potter book. I didn't like it, so there would be no reason for me to drone into the next several books. The narrative might get older as Harry does, but thats really irrelevant. I wouldn't like the books that are written childishly (book 1), so there's no reason to plow through just to get to the books that are written more 'adult'. It's fine that you like it, but it doesn't seem worth my time.
That said, as far as the 'statistics' you presented.... well, millions and millions of people purchase Britney Spears albums, too. When I look at something to read (or listen to, or play, or use), I don't care how many other people do it, because the preferences of other people do not coincide with mine.
I bet millions of people hated the movie Alexander, and yet it was one of my favorite movies. Millions of people loved the Philosopher's Stone, and yet I hated that movie/book. See my point? I don't care what millions of people like - it holds absolutely no bearings on myself.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying Harry Potter is the worst fantasy ever written. It's simply one of the worst I've read. Plus, I had to sit on a chair from 12:30 - 9:00 one night at work to be security, protecting the Half-Blood Prince...*shudder*
That said, as far as the 'statistics' you presented.... well, millions and millions of people purchase Britney Spears albums, too. When I look at something to read (or listen to, or play, or use), I don't care how many other people do it, because the preferences of other people do not coincide with mine.
I bet millions of people hated the movie Alexander, and yet it was one of my favorite movies. Millions of people loved the Philosopher's Stone, and yet I hated that movie/book. See my point? I don't care what millions of people like - it holds absolutely no bearings on myself.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying Harry Potter is the worst fantasy ever written. It's simply one of the worst I've read. Plus, I had to sit on a chair from 12:30 - 9:00 one night at work to be security, protecting the Half-Blood Prince...*shudder*
Yeah, Philosophers Stone is the first, and definitely most childish....but then you've gone and proved my point man...people who say that it's bad have only read the 1st or second book and gave up....so meh whatever, your loss bro.
Um, and you can't compare Britney Spears to HP...the difference in the numbers is staggeringly different brother.
Now, I understand what your point was, but MY POINT if you'd read it was not that you should like it BECAUSE millions do.......(go back up and have another look)...but rather that you are in the definite minority of those who dislike it simply because 3/4 of the world reads them and loves them....you see THAT was my point.
"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
#47 Guest_Fool_*
Posted 29 January 2006 - 07:45 AM
I have read the first 4 books and while i wouldnt say that theyre among the worst fantasy books i ever read i do think there are better children's fantasy books out there (Pullman's His Dark Materials for instance), not to talk about adult books.
And so what if that puts me into a minority? If you gave the whole world SE to read im sure the minority of people would like it. We're in that minority, too.
So what?
And so what if that puts me into a minority? If you gave the whole world SE to read im sure the minority of people would like it. We're in that minority, too.
So what?
#48
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Posted 29 January 2006 - 10:11 AM
I wouldn't put Rowling amongst the worst fantasy authors, but she is quite near the bottom of fantasy authors I've read, simply because there's very little that I've read which is bad. But there are a few which are a lot worse - Jordan, Eddings and Clemens come to mind. I don't think it requires much of a suspension of disbelief to rate Mervyn Peake or Graham Joyce or Patricia McKillip higher than JK Rowling. And I hardly think that she's a dark author, as there are literally hundreds of fantasy novels I've read which are a lot darker, a lot harsher on their characters and generally more depressing in tone. Rowling is still consolatory fantasy.
"Harry potter is INVENTIVE fantasy"
What? Inventive compared to Eddings perhaps, but there's really not a lot of imagination here. The plots and characters are heavily cliched, and Hogwarts itself could be pretty much any boarding school. The only elements of imagination are superficial and not that interesting -things like Quidditch, but how can that compare to someone like Mieville's imagination?
"Harry potter is INVENTIVE fantasy"
What? Inventive compared to Eddings perhaps, but there's really not a lot of imagination here. The plots and characters are heavily cliched, and Hogwarts itself could be pretty much any boarding school. The only elements of imagination are superficial and not that interesting -things like Quidditch, but how can that compare to someone like Mieville's imagination?
#49
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Posted 29 January 2006 - 11:20 AM
Worst fantasy i have read...hmm, well 'quicksilver rising' by Stan nicholls was pretty bad, just badly written, and james barclay's noonshade was awful...i enjoyed dawntheif but noonshade really put me off him....
On Rowling. She is not BAD per se, its just when people rate her above other fantasy authors as the best fantasy they have ever read is where i get annoyed, and you have to agree that the quality of the books fell a bit after the fourth one...
On Rowling. She is not BAD per se, its just when people rate her above other fantasy authors as the best fantasy they have ever read is where i get annoyed, and you have to agree that the quality of the books fell a bit after the fourth one...
#50
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Posted 29 January 2006 - 12:31 PM
The logic that Rowling is good because lots of people have bought the books is flawed. By that argument Jackie Collins, and Dan Brown are better authors then Steven Erikson. Nope.
I've read the Harry Potter books up to Phoenix and will be picking up Half-Blood Prince in paperback. It's a good series and it does get darker as it goes along. The asylum scenes in Phoenix are actually pretty disturbing and the offhand major death at the end of the book is highly reminiscent of George RR Martin. However, Phoenix and Goblet were overlong and overwritten. I'm also not sure how the 'status quo' can continue (with followers of both Dumbledore and Vordemont attending the same school, for example) before it all blows up, but I'm guessing this happens in 6 or 7. I'd rate the Harry Potter series somewhere below (way below) Erikson, PF Hamilton, Reynolds, Brin, Martin, Jones, Vance, Kearney, Kay, Tolkien, and Williams in my estimation, but far above Iggulden, Eddings or Brooks, probably on the same level as Hobbs, Feist or Elliott (solid, entertaining read).
I do not rate Pullman that highly. He has some great ideas but the resolution in The Amber Spyglass was pretty pointless. I also find Pullman's preaching extremely tedious (and never trust a man who enjoys Terry Brooks novels but mildly criticises Tolkien). He screams blue murder about Lewis doing this but then does it himself, but because he's preaching atheism it's okay (although this is nonsensical because in his universe God and the angels and Heaven DO exist, albeit not in the forms we expect). Northern Lights was the best book in the series and it went downhill from there. Still not 'bad' though.
I've read the Harry Potter books up to Phoenix and will be picking up Half-Blood Prince in paperback. It's a good series and it does get darker as it goes along. The asylum scenes in Phoenix are actually pretty disturbing and the offhand major death at the end of the book is highly reminiscent of George RR Martin. However, Phoenix and Goblet were overlong and overwritten. I'm also not sure how the 'status quo' can continue (with followers of both Dumbledore and Vordemont attending the same school, for example) before it all blows up, but I'm guessing this happens in 6 or 7. I'd rate the Harry Potter series somewhere below (way below) Erikson, PF Hamilton, Reynolds, Brin, Martin, Jones, Vance, Kearney, Kay, Tolkien, and Williams in my estimation, but far above Iggulden, Eddings or Brooks, probably on the same level as Hobbs, Feist or Elliott (solid, entertaining read).
I do not rate Pullman that highly. He has some great ideas but the resolution in The Amber Spyglass was pretty pointless. I also find Pullman's preaching extremely tedious (and never trust a man who enjoys Terry Brooks novels but mildly criticises Tolkien). He screams blue murder about Lewis doing this but then does it himself, but because he's preaching atheism it's okay (although this is nonsensical because in his universe God and the angels and Heaven DO exist, albeit not in the forms we expect). Northern Lights was the best book in the series and it went downhill from there. Still not 'bad' though.
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#51 Guest_Sonnyboy_*
Posted 29 January 2006 - 12:35 PM
Well, the thing about Harry Potter is that it's... oh my god... actually enjoyable to read.
And you know what? I loved the first two books. I wouldn't have gone on in the series if I hadn't. Part of the charm of that book is that it's able to portray the world through the young boy's eyes without condescending. Not the most adult? No, by no means. But, as I am an adult, I'm more interested in seeking reading material that is rewarding than stuff that uses blood and sex and death and calls it all "mature"...
Harry Potter is inventive. Not in the sense that every little thing has been plucked straight out of Rowlings' imagination. Most, if not all, of the magical creatures and such come from elsewhere. No, what Rowlings has done is created another world within our world by using elements from other fantasy in a way that makes it completely new.
Anyway, my theory is that people who don't like Harry Potter have sticks up their asses... lighten up!
And you know what? I loved the first two books. I wouldn't have gone on in the series if I hadn't. Part of the charm of that book is that it's able to portray the world through the young boy's eyes without condescending. Not the most adult? No, by no means. But, as I am an adult, I'm more interested in seeking reading material that is rewarding than stuff that uses blood and sex and death and calls it all "mature"...
Harry Potter is inventive. Not in the sense that every little thing has been plucked straight out of Rowlings' imagination. Most, if not all, of the magical creatures and such come from elsewhere. No, what Rowlings has done is created another world within our world by using elements from other fantasy in a way that makes it completely new.
Anyway, my theory is that people who don't like Harry Potter have sticks up their asses... lighten up!
#52 Guest_Jay Tomio_*
Posted 29 January 2006 - 03:32 PM
I want to add Curt Bejamin's Prince of Shadows to my previous list, I also have a rather strong dislike for Mercedes Lackey in general (although admittedly she has a couule of reasonalby not awful books). I really don't like George Macdonald too much either, to go a little old school, and I found Gordon R. Dickon's various books related to The Dragon and the George to be pretty awful as well.
I also have to admit that I simply can't continue with Wurtz. I read a few installments of her War of Light and Shadow, and Alliance of the Light rubbish, waiting for a point. I think she is a capable author but all I saw was rehashes and an absolute avoidance to bring the storyline to a point that didn't seem contrived by the the length she went to avoid a point. I rather liked Arithon, and thought the series had potential, bit I was convinced there were 100's of authors who could have written the same thing --and more interesting -- in half as many books.
I also have to admit that I simply can't continue with Wurtz. I read a few installments of her War of Light and Shadow, and Alliance of the Light rubbish, waiting for a point. I think she is a capable author but all I saw was rehashes and an absolute avoidance to bring the storyline to a point that didn't seem contrived by the the length she went to avoid a point. I rather liked Arithon, and thought the series had potential, bit I was convinced there were 100's of authors who could have written the same thing --and more interesting -- in half as many books.
#53
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Posted 29 January 2006 - 03:34 PM
Sonnyboy said:
Well, the thing about Harry Potter is that it's... oh my god... actually enjoyable to read.
And you know what? I loved the first two books. I wouldn't have gone on in the series if I hadn't. Part of the charm of that book is that it's able to portray the world through the young boy's eyes without condescending. Not the most adult? No, by no means. But, as I am an adult, I'm more interested in seeking reading material that is rewarding than stuff that uses blood and sex and death and calls it all "mature"...
Harry Potter is inventive. Not in the sense that every little thing has been plucked straight out of Rowlings' imagination. Most, if not all, of the magical creatures and such come from elsewhere. No, what Rowlings has done is created another world within our world by using elements from other fantasy in a way that makes it completely new.
Anyway, my theory is that people who don't like Harry Potter have sticks up their asses... lighten up!
And you know what? I loved the first two books. I wouldn't have gone on in the series if I hadn't. Part of the charm of that book is that it's able to portray the world through the young boy's eyes without condescending. Not the most adult? No, by no means. But, as I am an adult, I'm more interested in seeking reading material that is rewarding than stuff that uses blood and sex and death and calls it all "mature"...
Harry Potter is inventive. Not in the sense that every little thing has been plucked straight out of Rowlings' imagination. Most, if not all, of the magical creatures and such come from elsewhere. No, what Rowlings has done is created another world within our world by using elements from other fantasy in a way that makes it completely new.
Anyway, my theory is that people who don't like Harry Potter have sticks up their asses... lighten up!
I fully agree with all of what SonnyBoy here says! Especially the bit about being enjoyable, and the searching out of material that doesn't need to use extremes.
That being said I am STILL having alot of trouble with Bakkers Warrior-Prophet....it really does have alot of smut, and the train of the holy war just plods along, and Khellus is conniving, achamian is worried and conflicted, Esmi is both.....ah forget it....needless to say that it seems like the beginning of Warroir-Prophet is ....well kinda boring.
"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
#54
QuickTidal
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Posted 29 January 2006 - 03:59 PM
Okay...a: I made my comment about you being in the minority because...well frankly I feel sad for you. I think you're missing out.
b: Why is it that when an author can write good fantasy that doesn't contain half the blood and violence that more adult fantasy authors cling to, all you people come out of the woodwork to naysay and downtalk?
c: This is a fact too: J.K. Rowling (besides her skills as an author) has gotten an entire generation of children to love reading as much as they love tv....and that you must admit is an accomplishment. MY own neice did not want to read when she was younger, she claimed it was a boring activity. It wasn't until my sister sat down with her to read the first HP book that she became a big fan of reading....and now...like me....you don't find her without a book. For that ALONE, J.K. deserves your praise.
d: Dan Brown IS a good author. He's not a good author in the way we like Erikson, or Martin, or the like...but the bottomk line is he writes good and compelling thrillers you pick up at airports....and say what you will but it makes him a good author for THAT TYPE of material. Personally something like Angels & Demons was HELLA interesting to me. Now I can't stand Douglas Copelands books. I find that I dislike reading his contemporary disfunctional life-view books. That isn't to say he is a bad author, because he is lauded as one of Canada's BEST writers of contemporary fiction. I hate his books, him an margaret Atwood can go milk a cow for all I care....but then my gf, LOVES Douglas Copeland and tells me day in day out when she is reading one of his books that I am in the minority, and that I am missing out and she feels sad for me.....and I don't take offense by it, far from it. I like different things, but that's not going to stop her telling me cause perhaps one day I might read one of his books and actually like it....
e: Quidditch is &*$%ING awesome and you know it! I coudl name about 50 things in the Harry Potter world that are unique and inventive..and I am sure other HP fans could too.
f: I am not trying to force anyone to read, or force anyones opinion of course, but what I hope to accomplish here is to dispel the VERY narrow view that that this is bad fantasy. If you want REALLY dark...and bloody and gory...we've THOUSANDS of authors who give us that....and countless others who give you all the sex....and hundreds who give you that combined. The bottom line is that Rowling made a world that I love visiting....repeatedly actually as I have read the series 3 times now......and I have tried many other childrens authors books, Eragon, Inkheart, A Series of Unfortunate Events, His Dark Materials, ect. HP is better than all those. Phillip Pullmans His Dark Materials series was great....till the end, whic was not that great actually. Okay, ready for the blasphemy....I enjoy HP better than the Chronicles of Narnia.....sorry, Narnia is great, but C.S. Lewis was too much of a god freak for his stories not to be Christian fables re-wrapped.
Anyway, think what you will, but never, ever say that J.k. hasn't done well by the great masses....like I said above...a generation of young readers.
b: Why is it that when an author can write good fantasy that doesn't contain half the blood and violence that more adult fantasy authors cling to, all you people come out of the woodwork to naysay and downtalk?
c: This is a fact too: J.K. Rowling (besides her skills as an author) has gotten an entire generation of children to love reading as much as they love tv....and that you must admit is an accomplishment. MY own neice did not want to read when she was younger, she claimed it was a boring activity. It wasn't until my sister sat down with her to read the first HP book that she became a big fan of reading....and now...like me....you don't find her without a book. For that ALONE, J.K. deserves your praise.
d: Dan Brown IS a good author. He's not a good author in the way we like Erikson, or Martin, or the like...but the bottomk line is he writes good and compelling thrillers you pick up at airports....and say what you will but it makes him a good author for THAT TYPE of material. Personally something like Angels & Demons was HELLA interesting to me. Now I can't stand Douglas Copelands books. I find that I dislike reading his contemporary disfunctional life-view books. That isn't to say he is a bad author, because he is lauded as one of Canada's BEST writers of contemporary fiction. I hate his books, him an margaret Atwood can go milk a cow for all I care....but then my gf, LOVES Douglas Copeland and tells me day in day out when she is reading one of his books that I am in the minority, and that I am missing out and she feels sad for me.....and I don't take offense by it, far from it. I like different things, but that's not going to stop her telling me cause perhaps one day I might read one of his books and actually like it....
e: Quidditch is &*$%ING awesome and you know it! I coudl name about 50 things in the Harry Potter world that are unique and inventive..and I am sure other HP fans could too.
f: I am not trying to force anyone to read, or force anyones opinion of course, but what I hope to accomplish here is to dispel the VERY narrow view that that this is bad fantasy. If you want REALLY dark...and bloody and gory...we've THOUSANDS of authors who give us that....and countless others who give you all the sex....and hundreds who give you that combined. The bottom line is that Rowling made a world that I love visiting....repeatedly actually as I have read the series 3 times now......and I have tried many other childrens authors books, Eragon, Inkheart, A Series of Unfortunate Events, His Dark Materials, ect. HP is better than all those. Phillip Pullmans His Dark Materials series was great....till the end, whic was not that great actually. Okay, ready for the blasphemy....I enjoy HP better than the Chronicles of Narnia.....sorry, Narnia is great, but C.S. Lewis was too much of a god freak for his stories not to be Christian fables re-wrapped.
Anyway, think what you will, but never, ever say that J.k. hasn't done well by the great masses....like I said above...a generation of young readers.
"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
#55
Illuyankas
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Posted 29 January 2006 - 04:14 PM
QuickTidal said:
e: Quidditch is &*$%ING awesome and you know it! I coudl name about 50 things in the Harry Potter world that are unique and inventive..and I am sure other HP fans could too.
I'm sorry, but Quidditch is NOT awesome at all. It features about as much team play as golf. I mean, you have ONE GUY who wins the match for you - why bother having the other members at all? It's just an exercise in making Harry Potter look good, as the only member of his team who matters.
I agree with the part about getting young people to read - the series is the only thing my younger brother will read, which is a damned shame - but not all of the stuff in the books is fantastically fantastic. Especially not Quidditch.
Hello, soldiers, look at your mage, now back to me, now back at your mage, now back to me. Sadly, he isn’t me, but if he stopped being an unascended mortal and switched to Sole Spice, he could smell like he’s me. Look down, back up, where are you? You’re in a warren with the High Mage your cadre mage could smell like. What’s in your hand, back at me. I have it, it’s an acorn with two gates to that realm you love. Look again, the acorn is now otataral. Anything is possible when your mage smells like Sole Spice and not a Bole brother. I’m on a quorl.
#56 Guest_Fool_*
Posted 29 January 2006 - 04:51 PM
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I made my comment about you being in the minority because...well frankly I feel sad for you. I think you're missing out.
You could feel sad for us if we never bothered to try. But we did. And we didnt like it (as much as you did anyway) and if we continued to read we'd probably continue to like it less than you did so we arent missing out on anything.
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say what you will but it makes him a good author for THAT TYPE of material
Sure, and Robert Jordan is a good author for the type of material that consists of entire books of filler. And Terry Goodkind is a good author for the type of material thats pro-capitalist propaganda in a fantasy setting. And David Eddings is a good author for telling the same derivative story over and over and...
... well, you see where this is going. But here comes the kicker, there's lots and lots of people who love all these authors and who love them for what they do. Just as there's lots of people who love dan brown for writing no-brainer, fluff thrillers and who love rowling for writing easily readable, very likable but shallow children's fantasy books.
But that doesnt make'em all good. And if there's someone who just so happens to hate easily readable, very likable but shallow children's fantasy books bloody well let them!
#57 Guest_Harold Bloom_*
Posted 29 January 2006 - 05:55 PM
My namesake questions the inventiveness of JK Rowling and says that she modeled the Harry Potter books after Tom Brown's School Days. He also says that her prose style is heavy on cliche.
However, fantasy is so filled with poorly written works (some of which I like), I'm not sure I could single out a Harry Potter book even if I bothered reading one. If the books are as shallow as the movies, it would be just another book in the mindless canon of writings that are almost completely incapable of causing a moment of reflection.
However, fantasy is so filled with poorly written works (some of which I like), I'm not sure I could single out a Harry Potter book even if I bothered reading one. If the books are as shallow as the movies, it would be just another book in the mindless canon of writings that are almost completely incapable of causing a moment of reflection.
#58 Guest_Sonnyboy_*
Posted 29 January 2006 - 05:57 PM
Actually, I agree about Quidditch. What exactly is the point of the rest of the team?
#59
Werthead
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Posted 29 January 2006 - 08:59 PM
First rule of book-bashing: read the book you're bashing. Certainly don't assume because you hate the film, you'll hate the book as well. Exhibit A: The Postman. The film is an overlong cornfest of extreme tedium. The book by David Brin is an enjoyable, interesting and thoughtful look at a post-apocalyptic scenario.
As much as I hate Terry Goodkind, I restrict my bashing of him to his moronic philosophising on-line and his first one-and-a-half books (the ones I actually read). I won't go around saying Chainfire is crap because I haven't read it. I can guess it's crap because I've been told many times that WFR is the best book in the series and it gets worse instalment by instalment, but actually ripping it apart would be rather dishonest.
And yeah, Lewis is tremendously overrated. The ending of the Last Battle shows a rather disturbing world-view. I didn't mind the Christian overtones in TLTW&TW, but it became wearying as the series went on.
I'm not a fan of Dan Brown but admit I have read far, far worse books than his. In the thriller genre, certainly Crichton is a far inferior author. I'm interested to see what Howard makes of the film version of DVC.
As much as I hate Terry Goodkind, I restrict my bashing of him to his moronic philosophising on-line and his first one-and-a-half books (the ones I actually read). I won't go around saying Chainfire is crap because I haven't read it. I can guess it's crap because I've been told many times that WFR is the best book in the series and it gets worse instalment by instalment, but actually ripping it apart would be rather dishonest.
And yeah, Lewis is tremendously overrated. The ending of the Last Battle shows a rather disturbing world-view. I didn't mind the Christian overtones in TLTW&TW, but it became wearying as the series went on.
I'm not a fan of Dan Brown but admit I have read far, far worse books than his. In the thriller genre, certainly Crichton is a far inferior author. I'm interested to see what Howard makes of the film version of DVC.
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#60 Guest_Harold Bloom_*
Posted 29 January 2006 - 09:32 PM
I read Robin Hobb and I hope that is the extent of my intellectual digression. Perhaps even that will be short-lived. I refuse the choice of either holding my tongue or reading vapid books that are symptomatic of an educational crisis. I will continue to make comments in any manner I choose and as long as I qualify my remarks with my own experience with the book be it reading it cover to cover or only looking at the blurb on the back, that shouldn't be a problem.
