[The Tyrant Lizard]

They say you can't judge a book by it's cover - I take that to mean to front cover - but what about the back. Do you think the synopsis really tells the story of the book?

In SE's case I would say no. There's far to much going on in his stories to express them in such a small place. I think we'd buy them even if their wasn't a write up on the back page. The thing that made me buy my first copy of GotM was the character list at the front, not the write up at the back.

But some synopsis really do make you want to read the book. my all time favourite is David Gemmel's Legend. I defy anyone to read that and then not want to read the whole story.

[paladin]

the synopsis(and cover artwork) made me want to read the wanderers tale.

[Skywalker]

The synopsis for R Scott Bakker's next is pretty compelling.

But then I've read so many books where the synopsis is the best thing about them. Same as movies where the trailers outdo the full length flick.

These days I wait for online prologues or board/ blog buzz before I pick up new books.

[Varunwe]

Same here. Just because the synopsis sounds interesting, doesn't mean the book is.

[QuickTidal]

The only thing I ever say about synopses...is that if it is a series they usually give away stuff if you pick up later books before reading earlier ones.....I say usually, cause the WOT ones don't do that....which I kind of like.

[Tremolo]

I find that often the synopsises of recent are either very generic (group of heroes join and fight the growing darkness) or trying too hard to be mysterious (no one really knows what is going on but something is wrong and this book might explain it or not). But most times a combo of a nice cover and a sizzling innovative plot outlined in the synopsis is what makes me buy a book.

[mxlm]

I hate synopses. I hate movie trailers. I do my best to avoid both.

Why? Because they're spoilerific, that's why. I saw Children of Men having heard nothing about it other than 'dystopian', and it was great. I saw the trailer afterwards, and realized that some of the most powerful scenes in the film would have been significantly less powerful had I seen the trailer first--because when I saw the movie, I had no idea they were coming.

So fuck synopses. Right in the ear. If there's good buzz/reviews/word of mouth, I'll give the book a shot. If there isn't, I won't. What I will never do is look at the gorram synopsis on the back.

[Banana]

yeah I agree, especially about movie trailers. I hate how they pretty much sum up the entire movie in previews nowadays. A synopsis is different, I've read some pretty good ones that gave nothing more away than a little foreshadowing but then again i've seen some where they sum up over half the book. So they're 50/50 for me

[Kage-za]

This thread made me want to go watch movie trailers. Not fantasy (really), but the synopsis on the back cover of Haruki Murakami's Wild Sheep Chase made me have to read it, and then I discovered one of my favorite authors.

[polishgenius]

I tend to read them, and if they're interesting, go and find out what the hype for the book is. As has been mentioned, a good blurb is much easier to write than a good book. There's been a couple of times when I've bought books on the strength of blurb/cover/quote combinations with no previous knowledge, and I'm not doing it again, though I'll borrow books out of the library on the strength of such. Though, it has to be said, there's also been times when I did buy a book on impulse and liked it immensely.
And I don't read sequel blurbs unless I've read the first book. Or I have no intention of reading/catching up on the series but want to see roughly where it's going (see: Eddings, Goodkind, latest Star Wars EU books, things like that).

On WoT which QuickTidal mentioned: I've not read the books, couldn't get into them, but the blurbs are brilliant.


One thing that annoys me is sometimes you get them which spoil the first third of the book for you. Publishers seem to think that if it happens before halfway, it's not a twist. I can't remember which book it was now, but I remember reading something which was basically a plot sumarry of the first 150 pages or so.

[stone monkey]

A synopsis is never going to make me read a book or author that I definitely don't want to read for other reasons (like, for instance the last Harry Potter - JK Rowling ain't wasting any more of my life than she already has!) And one certainly won't change my mind about a book or author I feel I absolutely have to read (the forthcoming Greg Egan, for example; which I'll definitely be reading and, I suspect, enjoying even if it turns out to be largely concerned with paint drying)

Where synopses make a difference is if you're out to try something new. At that point a well written blurb or one that makes it clear the book contains novel (excuse the pun) ideas is going to sway the new reader.

[Elan Morin Tedronai]

Synopses can make me decide to buy a completely unknown book, if it's good. But usually when going to the bookstore I already know which books I want, and more importantly, which ones I don't want

It has happened in the past though, that I bought a book purely on the synopsis. Very rare though.

[temp]

I like to read the quotes from other notable authors or newpapers just inside the jacket. "A tour de force!", "One thumb up!", etc.

[Elan Morin Tedronai]

Never one that says "this is utter crap'... even when it, in fact, is utter crap

[polishgenius]

stone monkey;223859 said:

And one certainly won't change my mind about a book or author I feel I absolutely have to read (the forthcoming Greg Egan, for example; which I'll definitely be reading and, I suspect, enjoying even if it turns out to be largely concerned with paint drying)

Thankfully for him, because that there is a perfect example of a terrible synopsis. Although I'll now keep an eye out (and look at past works of his if I happen to come across them) purely because of you raving.

[Mentalist]

hmmm... I read the synopsis in store, jot down the author, come home, find out stuff about he book, and if I still seem inteested, I go back and buy it..
One recent acquisition that I made based largely on the synopsi in the back was Cris Wooding's "Braided Path" trilogy that I loved, but could find virtually nothing on online.....