I did something I hate doing. I put a book down and I don’t plan on picking it up again. Ever. Wait, it gets worse. What could possibly make it worse, you ask? It’s a Star Wars book. I know! Star Wars: Millennium Falcon to be more precise. It just wasn’t good! I got about halfway through and I hate to say it, but I just wasn’t enjoying it. The thing about me, is that I like things big. Say what? I like reading stories that are epic in scope. And when I read Star Wars books I want good versus evil, galaxy-ending stakes, that span over a series of books, with cliffhangers and battles galore!
What is Star Wars: Millennium Falcon about then? It’s a standalone adventure where Han and Leia investigate the history of the Millennium Falcon, which it turns out is a key to finding a hidden treasure. Really? Is that really the case? And they never found the clues that have been hidden on the Falcon until now? Lame. And the story is just filling in a lot of backstory about who piloted the Falcon before Han. But who wants to know all that? It takes away from the mystique of Han and his ship. According to this book, he’d only owned it for five years before meeting Luke and Obi-Wan. Who wants to know that?
So I made the tough decision to put it down. I told myself I was just going to read something else for the time being, and then go back to it, but I know that’ll never happen. Now I’m reading Hero, which was a pretty big deal about a year ago and everyone was talking about it, but as usual I’m late to the party. But I read the other day that Showtime is turning it into a series, so that’s pretty cool. The book is about a gay high school student who discovers he’s a superhero. I’m just two chapters in, but I love it already. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with a gay protagonist before (unless you count David Sedaris, but that’s non-fiction). I didn’t realize what a difference it would make, but it’s really quite refreshing. I may never go back to breeder books ever again! Kidding.
So what was the last book you stopped reading halfway through because it was so awful?
Tam: you won’t regret it!
Ryan R: I am reading the Codex Alera books right now and I am loving them. I liked Christopher Rice, but his stuff is a little too angst-y for me.
Enrico: I’ll think about it if I can’t get to the book store soon after I finish the three books currently in my queue (I live 90 miles from the closest book store so I usually stock up during a big shopping trip) and break a leg tomorrow!
BTW is anyone else as excited as I am about the last book of the Wheel of Time series coming out?
M. Nicodemus: I know my Dad will be excited. I haven’t had a chance to read the series yet though. It’s such a shame about Robert Jordan’s passing. I wonder how much he had finished before he passed away?
Craig: he only finished a few chapters, but he dictated and wrote copious notes about what was supposed to happen so someone else could finish it. If you want more info check Brandon Sanderson’s website (www.brandonsanderson.com) as he is the one writing the book (I also recommend his other works)
Nicodemus, I wouldn’t call it excited, but I so want that Wheel of Time series to be over. All of the dozens of plot-lines resolved (Hahaha), happy end and they lived happily ever after and break a wind. I started to read the series around the time # 6 came out and think the last couple of books are painful. Whenever a new one comes out I have to reread the previous 2 just to get back into it.
Rhoddy, yeah, I couldn’t get into the yiddish policeman’s union, too and stopped halfway through. I didn’t care about any of the characters or the mystery, so why bother? His fantasy baseball novel Summerland was also a head-scratcher that I never finished.
For those of you whom enjoyed Robert Jordan’s books this blog entry by Brandon Sanderson about his passing was quite touching:
http://www.brandonsanderson.com/blog/550/EUOLogy-Goodbye-Mr.-Jordan
Claudia, I read The Children’s Hospital last year and really liked it most of the time (except for the flashbacky and angely things, which I mostly skipped) but MAN it got depressing at the end. I don’t think you missed much by skipping it — it’s just too much when you spend 500 pages building up characters and then 100 pages killing them off.
I made it through two pages of Wicked and was bored. Not one of my better attempts.
Heather, haven’t read Wicked yet, but maybe 2 pages is not enough? I remember that it took me 1 week to get through the first chapter of HP & the sorcerers stone and then 1 day for the rest of the book. All others I finished in less than 24 hours.
I agree with Bernd there Heather. 2 pages? The beginning is a bit slower, setting things up but I found it worth it. I find even with some series the first book spends a lot of time setting things up and is not always the best, then it just flies after that. There’s a sequel to Wicked, Son of a Witch its called. I looked at it the other day but didn’t buy it yet. I might see if I can get it from the library.
I love the middle and end of Wicked. The beginning was good too (once Elphaba is born), but the college years were a little boring to me.
Huh, in playing around on amazon I just noticed there is a book 3 in the Wicked series called A Lion Among Men about the cowardly lion. Interesting. On my wish list I guess. Not that anyone buys me anything from there. LOL
Stephen King can crank it out that is for sure but I do like Clive Barker better than him….
Yay – Book discussion. They sent me home from work because I have no voice. Now I can put my jammies back on and comment.
Tam (maybe your ponytail’s too tight) and M. Nicodemus: I’m joining the “Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” non-fan club. “Once upon a time and a very good time it was there was a moocow coming down along the road and this moocow that was coming down along the road met a nicens little boy named baby tuckoo ‘. I mean, c’mon. Ugh. If it hadn’t been required reading I would have chucked it.
Dave S. and Polt: Loved the Stand. Couldn’t get into Lisey’s Story. Read Duma Key recently. It was okay. To me, it seems like a lot of King’s books fall apart at the end. I read On Writing by King and he isn’t much for outlines and plotting.
Nickers: Have you read any of the other Maguire books (Mirror, Mirror, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister)? After Wicked, he’s sitting pretty. There are a lot of fairy tales out there for the retelling.
Last books I put down were Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisenberg (she wrote the Devil Wears Prada) and One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell (Sex and the City). I wanted a good bubble bath chick lit book, but neither held my interest.
Michelle: Yay you are home, boo you are even sicker. Ummm, no ponytail for me, that would require hair much longer than mine. I would like to read some of the other Maguire books just to see a different twist on the fairy tales. Put that on my list of things to read someday. Sigh. The list is too damned long.
Seems to me the only way Portrait of an Artist gets any book sales is by being required reading for highschool/university. Otherwise it would be out of print.
Jomosexual: Thank you! I thought I was one of the only people in the world who hated Catcher In The Rye. My lord I *hated* that book. Call the girl, get a job and quit whining Holden. The Stranger is such a better example of that genre.
I highly recommend Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane. Excellent book.
john: it’s going to be a movie – so I don’t have to read it?
Tam: Oh – sometimes my ponytail gives me a headache. Maybe you’re not getting enough chocolate. Can’t you get these books at your library? Our library is awesome. They have lots of copies of the new hardcovers or you can put them on hold. I heart my library.
My dad sent me Bulgakov’s Master and Margarita. I felt obligated to read it (but probably wouldn’t have finished it otherwise)
John: I’m glad you can relate. It’s supposedly one of those “Golden standards” books that, if you haven’t read it, you’re literary white trash. So I was a little apprehensive about admitting my burning hatred for it….
but now that we are a “we”……..There’s a special place in hell for that book and for any teacher willing to force it on a class of unsuspecting students.
As for Wicked. I loved that book. There were a couple others by Gregory Maguire that I read. “Son of a Witch” was ok, but kind of hard to follow. I really liked his take on Cinderella in “Confessions of an ugly stepsister” Good books. YAY.
On a semi-unrelated note. Does anyone remember the “Book It” program from elementary school where you could earn free pizza from pizza hut by reading books. Yeah. I think it’s why I was such a fat kid…..and come to think of it, I didn’t lose all the weight until I stopped reading for a while. hm.
Michelle: I do love my library. I haven’t been regularly for awhile but I have to get back in the groove. I will have to go on-line although I think I owe them some money. Ahem. Or maybe a book or two. Ack!
I’ve never read Catcher in the Rye and likely never will. I don’t have much patience for angsty characters who whine too much. I will try and get the Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister if its better. The amazon reviews for Son of a Witch were so-so.
Joe: We didn’t even have pizza hut where I grew up (and they still don’t). But I was totally addicted to Scholastic book orders. Do you have those in the US?
Mmmm, Clive Barker. The man who gave us the sentence “Within moments, the miracle of sight was muck on her cheek.”
I love his short stories (esp the Books of Blood), but his novels are way up there on the set-down-able list for me. His way with language is amazing, but I can’t get into his characters or plotlines for the most part.
The last novel I stopped reading part-way through was the third book in Orson Scott Card’s Ender saga. I remember reading it and liking it when it came out, but I just couldn’t get myself to care this time… and I’m one to re-read books fairly regularly. (And Card is one of my favorite authors.)
Probably means it’s time to rejuvenate my psyche. Time to pull out the big guns, the Bill Henderson Elvis stuff.
“Ender’s Game” is my all time favorite book, but all the subsequent books were just kinda blah. Although I did enjoy “Ender’s Shadow” which told the story of “Ender’s Game” from the view point of a minor character.
-Catcher in the Rye was just OK to me.
-The Stranger was SOOO boring after the first part.
-I haven’t read any other Maguire. This was my first one and it was required for my Witch in Literature class. But I want to continue with the Oz books.
-I remember Book It!! and Scholastic Book Orders! I forgot about them until ya’ll just mentioned them though. Wow. So long ago…
Wow…I love Catcher in the Rye. I’ve read that book about 7-8 times. I’m still convinced that Holden is gay though….that might have something to do with it.
Has anyone else read any of the books by Helene Hannf? 84 Charing Cross Road, Apple of my Eye……She has a wonderful comic voice and reading her books just leave you feeling warm and fuzzy.
Fdot: NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
I tried to read a biography about Roy Cohn once. He was such a horrible person I had to get away from it. Now, he was gay, but deeply closeted, so I don’t know how this fits into your formula.
I hate getting into a comment thread at number seventy something. That is what happens when you wait until the afternoon.
It was Alan Hollinghurst’s ‘The Folding Star’. Having enjoyed ‘The Swimming Pool Library’ and really being absorbed by ‘The Line of Beauty’ (which won the Booker) I assumed I would enjoy this but I just couldn’t get into it. I had no real connection with the main character.
Hollinghurst is a heavyweight literary author in the UK (and he’s gay but doesn’t define himself as a gay author, which I agree with).
Michelle: I am reading Bulgakov’s Master and Margarita right now, well it is one of the books I am reading, I have about 5 going at once…
Hayden – let me know what you think. I hear it’s also going to be a movie (I usually have a few books going at the same time, too ; ).
Does anyone like the Douglas Preston/Lincoln Child books? Relic is good (the movie was crap) and so was The Ice Limit. I skip the Pendergast novels.
And Blasphemy was where I learned about superconducting supercollider particle accelerators. So when the Large hadron Collider was recently in the news I felt all smart and shit.
joemo: If it makes you feel any better, I’ve never read “To Kill A Mockingbird”, but I’m sure I’d hate it.
FDot: Oh see that’s just wrong! (j/k) that does make me feel a little better.
I think Craig should give us some kind of prize for staying on topic for nearly 80 posts. Well, mostly on topic with a few posts about illness thrown in for variety.
Tam: illness and unread books – I never read The Plague by Camus.
I also never made it past “Call me Ishmael.”
Michelle: true, but books and when you are ill reading in bed is great. I’ve never read the Plague, or To Kill a Mockingbird, or probably any of those “classics”. Guess I’m just not “sophisticated”. I have read the Illiad and the Odyssey though. Guess I like my classics a bit more from the classical era. A really funny Greek play is Lysistrata written by Aristophenes in 411 BC. Weirdness, I know.
Tam – Sophisticated, shmomisticated. I’m about to start reading “Here’s the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady and Finding My True Voice.”
Tam, Michelle: I’m not terribly sophisicated either, and not into the classics.
Well, “FratSex: Erotic Stories From College Fraternities” was written in the 80′s, that makes is classic gay fiction, right?
HUGS…
Polt – the thought that something from the eighties is considered “classic” makes me feel oooold.
Michelle: Is that when Marcia confesses she slept with Peter? Was it Peter? The oldest boy.
Polt: Must say I missed that classic in my education. LOL Sounds more fun than To Kill a Mockingbird though.
Tam – Greg! How can you not know that Greg is the oldest?? I think they just made out. I’ll let you know after I read it.
Peter is the middle child: “Porkchops and applesauce.” You probably don’t know what that means *shakes head sadly*
I know the “porkchops and applesause!” Also, the change song that Peter sings!
*SIGH*…God I am SO old….
HUGS..
Michelle: gay fiction hasn’t been around that long, so 80′s could be considered classic, I suppose.
HUGS…
Polt: found a little clip on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJxT5WqFksQ
Michelle: Sorry, I was rushing to get out of the house and forgot Greg’s name. Please forgive me?
Polt: There is tons of m/m romance out there now. Of course like all romance its completely unrealistic with impossibly beautiful people falling in love at first sight with amazing sex (and LOTS of it), but its fun and pure escapism. Who wants to read about real life, that depressing.
Michelle: I obviously was not the Brady Bunch fan you were because I have no memory of pork chops and apple sauce. LOL
TwoPi & M. Nicodemus: I agree that the first set of sequels to Ender’s Game were quite disappointing coming off the greatness of the first book. However, the Bean spin-off and sequels were great. I see that Card has a new book out filling in Ender’s story between Ender’s Game and the sequels, but I am hesitant to read it.
Hero was $6 on bn.com, so I ordered it. I also took the opportunity to get some Christmas shopping done.
Tam: I believe most of my familiarity with that phrase comes from my dad repeating it.
Romanitas by Sophia McDougall. Utter bilge. The Roman Empire never fell AND you have psychic powers? GTFO. Oh, and the writing was pretty dreadful. I had to give up when I read a sentence without a verb. Oh GOD, it was dire. OH GOD, it’s making me cross. Stop typing, Sveny.
I read To Kill A Mockingbird a few years ago for the first time. It is a fantastic book and worth a read.
The Stones of Summer ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stones_of_Summer ) by Dow Mossman was the last book I abandoned. I don’t think I even made it half way through. A friend lent me the book, and I made a solid effort to try to read it. The author waxed poetic about minutia that just did not engage me. I found myself frustrated with almost all of the characters. Once it became a chore to read it, I decided to give up.
I am currently (and have been for some time now) reading Burr ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burr_(novel) ) by Gore Vidal. I really like his historical fiction novels. I really enjoyed his books Lincoln and Julian. I feel like I am getting a little bogged down with Burr. I think I am getting a little muddled with the different political factions involved. I probably should take the time to review some political history from that time so that I can follow the story more easily. I don’t think that I am likely to abandon this book. I want to read all of Vidal’s historical fiction novels.
“The Yiddish Policemen’s Union” and “tithe, a modern faerie tale”. Both were well reviewed… maybe I was just not in the right mood for those story-lines (I like big epic adventures as well). I got to about chapter 3 in both and had little interest in continuing. Reading a science book now, “Death from the skies,” but “Hero” sounds pretty interesting. I’ll need to pick it up.
You should read John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War, The Ghost Brigade and The Last Colony. Awesome epic military sci fi! do you even read the comments at the bottom? if you acknowledge this comment, publicly or privately, i will make a donation to your puntabulous fund.
Ray Ray: I cherish all of my comments equally, regardless whether they’re top, bottom, or versatile. No donation necessary!
I’ll have to look into all these books everyone is recommending!
I’m glad people are picking up Hero! Be sure to let me know what you think!