Books you'll never read.

What are some books that you have decided to never touch? I don't mean one you've read and hated, but one you might've tossed out in disgust after reading a couple of chapters, or read a review, or know basically the plotline, but have decided to hate?

Mine would've been Lolita, had I not been persuaded into reading it and been forced to declare it a literary masterpiece. I'm sadly out of it now. Maybe Lord of the Flies?

On a happier note, I have just been awarded Partner status on LC!!! Probably not such a big deal to the mega-posters, but I still want to celebrate. Yay for me!! .... now ... a martini ... whoops ....

Congrats on the partner

Well, a book I decided to hate... That would probably be... Um... Oooh, I know: War and Peace. I read the first three pages, then I got confused with all the names and abbreviations of names ("the duchess", when previously fifteen duchesses had been mentioned), and stopped read it.

Way to go Partner!

The way Laura feels about War and Peace is how I feel about Ivanhoe. I was supposed to read that in my freshman year. I couldn't get beyond the first five pages of cloying descriptive narrative. Needless to say I did not get a good grade on that. I was later told by a friend that the story actually was good, but I didn't have the heart to go back to it.

I just know I'm going to get shot or hung for this one, but...The Lord of the Rings. I know, Tolkein is supposed to be some sort of fantasy genre god or something, but to me he's nothing more than a guy who ruined a great story by being such a freakin' windbag. I've watched the movies and loved them. I thought the story was fantastic, but his writing is garbage.

Now I would also have to include The Shannarra Series by who ever the heck it was that wrote it. I read half of The Sword of Shannarra before finally giving up.

You could probably just dump most of the entire fantasy genre on my list.

Everyone is already aware of my hatred of Little Women. SNORE-FEST!

You know, Lord of the Flies actually isn't that bad. You should check it out.

Anyway, I won't be reading The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown anytime soon. I haven't even cracked it open, but from what I've read in reviews and in Y!A, it is apparently boring and too descriptive. Not my type of book.

Harry Potter. Now this, I'll definitely get shot or hanged for. Actually, any fantasy books at all. I'm pretty damn sure Tolkien will bored me to tears.

Queen Rhodantia wrote:

I just know I'm going to get shot or hung for this one, but...The Lord of the Rings. I know, Tolkein is supposed to be some sort of fantasy genre god or something, but to me he's nothing more than a guy who ruined a great story by being such a freakin' windbag. I've watched the movies and loved them. I thought the story was fantastic, but his writing is garbage.

Ouch.
Oh well, I actually enjoyed his writing. I was (and still am, to a lesser extent) a borderline obsessive fan. I probably would have shot and hung you a couple of years ago . But now I'll just say that as long as the critics like his novels, I won't feel the need to defend him here.
I read the first Harry Potter book, and something didn't click. I wasn't all that impressed. Perhaps it's just too overrated, but all in all, I'm not too eager to read the rest in the series.
I read the first half of Little Women, and there isn't much in there I enjoyed.

Oooh, I have another one: Douglas Adams, "The Hitchhiker's Guide...". My brother gave it to me while we were in Crete, and I really tried to get into it, but after about a hundred pages, I gave up and reread "Fahrenheit 451" instead.

Besides: Mariah, I'm with you on Tolkien. I watched the movies to be able to participate in the discussions everywhere, and that was about it.

Paul, I agree about Ivanhoe. It is on my reading list, but I cannot seem to get past the first four sentences.

Hmmm, maybe I will try LOTF.

I read Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth book 1, and completely lost interest. A lot of parts are really unnecessarily sick, just to keep it 'adult level', I think, since the language is relatively simple. Also, it's just a long hard slog.

I will also probably never read the Host, not only because a friend said it's so boring it's like having root canal without anesthetic, it also features (according to a Twilight fan, yes a fan) women getting beaten and then forgiving their boyfriends/abusers repeatedly.

People who don't like Ivanhoe: I feel your pain. The description in them has got to be at least 5 pages for each new scene and character. Not great. Sir Walter Scott is better at poetry.

Jewels wrote:

Hmmm, maybe I will try LOTF.

I read Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth book 1, and completely lost interest. A lot of parts are really unnecessarily sick, just to keep it 'adult level', I think, since the language is relatively simple. Also, it's just a long hard slog.

I can't believe you didn't like it! I'm in shock. I don't think I've ever come across anyone before that has read any of The Sword of Truth series and not liked it.

I am actually confused by your reasons. First, I'm not sure what you mean by "unnecessarily sick just to keep it adult level."

As for the simple language, that is part of the reason I love the series so much. Not every book must have ornate, over the top, university level language. I think part of the reason I enjoyed them so much was because I never once had to reach for my dictionary to understand what was being conveyed.

I'm still just flabberghasted that you didn't enjoy it. I think of The Sword of Truth series as being one of the few good things in the fantasy genre. I loved Goodkind's style and the fact that he never had to stop the story to explain anything in his world or the use of magic. I find that many, if not most, fantasy authors I've ever read are very guilty of this.

I'm not going to hunt you down or anything, no worries. I'm just stunned. I'm still very confused about the unnecessarily sick part....

Oh well...I guess not everyone can like the same thing.

Just another thought....

I think Goodkind kept his language simple on purpose. The entire series is 11 full length novels long, can you imagine if he chose a more complicated, complex writing style? OUCHIES!!!

The Book Thief. I bought it and still miss those six euro. I read a couple of chapters and then gave it away to a random classmate I only knew the name of. One of the damn worse books I've ever seen.

Lolita. Pardon my lack of interest when it comes to paedophiles... Like having one as a PE teacher for seven years isn't enough.

Anything to do with Star Trek. Sorry, I'm a Star Wars fan .

And 'course, That Word, by Smeyer. No chance I'm touching it... I wouldn't swat a mosquito with it without apologising to the damn little bloodsucker.

Oh, congrats on the Partner... Martini on you!

Queen Rhodantia wrote:

I can't believe you didn't like it! I'm in shock. I don't think I've ever come across anyone before that has read any of The Sword of Truth series and not liked it.

Don't worry. I felt the same way when you mentioned your hate for Lord of the Rings.

Nolofinwe wrote:

Queen Rhodantia wrote:

I can't believe you didn't like it! I'm in shock. I don't think I've ever come across anyone before that has read any of The Sword of Truth series and not liked it.

Don't worry. I felt the same way when you mentioned your hate for Lord of the Rings.

Too funny!

Queen Rhodantia wrote:

I can't believe you didn't like it! I'm in shock. I don't think I've ever come across anyone before that has read any of The Sword of Truth series and not liked it.

I guess I can see what you mean by the 'simple language thing'. It's not that I demand ornate narration, but some things to me just seemed to need more deep coverage than what he gave it. The unnecessarily sick? Okay, I take that back. It just seemed that he was trying too hard to make it adult fiction, when, if you took off some more graphic details, it could be for 11 or 12+ ages.
Maybe we can agree to disagree, that sounds good. And I don't hate it or dislike it strongly, I just decided it wasn't worth my time.
Yeah, so that's why. I was shocked with what you said about LOTR, too, so I guess we all have different tastes. I LOVE Gemma Doyle, though.

lintu wrote:

The Book Thief. I bought it and still miss those six euro. I read a couple of chapters and then gave it away to a random classmate I only knew the name of. One of the damn worse books I've ever seen.

Lolita. Pardon my lack of interest when it comes to paedophiles... Like having one as a PE teacher for seven years isn't enough.

Anything to do with Star Trek. Sorry, I'm a Star Wars fan .

And 'course, That Word, by Smeyer. No chance I'm touching it... I wouldn't swat a mosquito with it without apologising to the damn little bloodsucker.

Oh, congrats on the Partner... Martini on you!

I'm a little astonished that you said that, because The Book Thief is one of my favorite books. The plot is so cool and original, and the way Zusak crafted the language is spectacular. What I loved about it was the Death narration and the whole Hitler Youth, direct-contact-with-Nazis thing.

But I suppose some parts weren't exactly lucid and I did have to reread it to get the whole sense. Ah well, to each her own.

And yes, I agree with those of you who said Lolita, because it's just...creepy! I've actually heard from some reviews on Amazon or Y!A (I forget) that it isn't pornographic or exceeding mature as it sounds like. Maybe I'll try it when I get to college. But still, I'm a 14-year old girl, not my idea of a good read

P.S. Congrats on the Partner, Jewels!

xenophi1ia wrote:

I'm a little astonished that you said that, because The Book Thief is one of my favorite books. The plot is so cool and original, and the way Zusak crafted the language is spectacular. What I loved about it was the Death narration and the whole Hitler Youth, direct-contact-with-Nazis thing.

But I suppose some parts weren't exactly lucid and I did have to reread it to get the whole sense. Ah well, to each her own.

And yes, I agree with those of you who said Lolita, because it's just...creepy! I've actually heard from some reviews on Amazon or Y!A (I forget) that it isn't pornographic or exceeding mature as it sounds like. Maybe I'll try it when I get to college. But still, I'm a 14-year old girl, not my idea of a good read

P.S. Congrats on the Partner, Jewels!

I loved The Book Thief as well. However, I have to mention that Lolita is one of my favorite books. The plot is creepy, yes, but it's supposed to be that way. I think the decision to have such a controversial narrator (and actually make him pitiable!) as well as the brilliant prose make Lolita a great classic. Although I do suppose it's natural not to want to read about a pedophile.

I will probably never read Adam Bede by George Eliot, because I don't like reading in accent for an entire book.
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (or any of her other books, most likely) are books I won't read. Or any more books by Meg Cabot or Sarah Dessen. I'll probably never finish the Midnighters series by Scott Weserfeld, either, and I think I'm done with Artemis Fowl too.

You can add Anne Rice to my list. I've tried to read a couple of her books, but I'm just not into vampire literature. Maybe one day I will give Dracula a try, but I highly doubt it. Also on my list is Stephen King. I'm just not a fan. I've tried to read a few of his books but didn't like his style. His screen plays on the other hand are brilliant.

Honestly, I don't see myself reading Sarah Dessen, Meg Cabot or Jodie Picoult, with the exception of My Sisters Keeper. I would actually like to give that one a try, I've been searching for a book that makes me toss it across the room.

Jane wrote:

xenophi1ia wrote:

I'm a little astonished that you said that, because The Book Thief is one of my favorite books. The plot is so cool and original, and the way Zusak crafted the language is spectacular. What I loved about it was the Death narration and the whole Hitler Youth, direct-contact-with-Nazis thing.

But I suppose some parts weren't exactly lucid and I did have to reread it to get the whole sense. Ah well, to each her own.

And yes, I agree with those of you who said Lolita, because it's just...creepy! I've actually heard from some reviews on Amazon or Y!A (I forget) that it isn't pornographic or exceeding mature as it sounds like. Maybe I'll try it when I get to college. But still, I'm a 14-year old girl, not my idea of a good read

P.S. Congrats on the Partner, Jewels!

I loved The Book Thief as well. However, I have to mention that Lolita is one of my favorite books. The plot is creepy, yes, but it's supposed to be that way. I think the decision to have such a controversial narrator (and actually make him pitiable!) as well as the brilliant prose make Lolita a great classic. Although I do suppose it's natural not to want to read about a pedophile.

Yeah, I'll probably have to give it a try. Somehow, the more controversial a book is, the more I want to read it. We did a unit last year in English about censorship and banned books. It actually made me want to read those books more

Also, I'm probably never going to read The Clique, Gossip Girl, The Mediator, etc. You know, chic-lit series. Even though that's pretty much all I used to read in 6th grade, I don't think I'd want to venture into that area again.

Queen Rhodantia wrote:

You can add Anne Rice to my list. I've tried to read a couple of her books, but I'm just not into vampire literature. Maybe one day I will give Dracula a try, but I highly doubt it. Also on my list is Stephen King. I'm just not a fan. I've tried to read a few of his books but didn't like his style. His screen plays on the other hand are brilliant.

Honestly, I don't see myself reading Sarah Dessen, Meg Cabot or Jodie Picoult, with the exception of My Sisters Keeper. I would actually like to give that one a try, I've been searching for a book that makes me toss it across the room.

I tried Dracula. And Frankenstein. Turns out I am NOT into gothic literature at all.

I haven't read Frankenstein yet, but I did read Dracula many years ago. I remember it being a bit long but not that bad.

I tried to read Dracula in Spring. The mood just wasn't right. I think I'll wait till October.
I read a kiddie version of Frankenstein in third grade, so I know what happens, basically. It'll be interesting to see what I think of the real version with the real writing now that I'm old enough for it.

Dracula was okay, but I much preferred Frankenstein. There seemed to actually be a point and a message in Frankenstein, while Dracula was just a spooky story to me.

I will never read Gossip Girl, The Clique Series, that series of books written in text, Meg Cabot books, Sarah Dessen books, Brisingr, An Inconvenient Truth, anything written by a modern celebrity, or The Vampire Diaries.

Oh yeah, definitely add the Eragon series to that list. thbbbpt!

On the other hand, I LOVE Lolita. That guy is total creep out to justify his perversion to the world. He tells slanted truth and outright lies. Be careful, xeno, be very careful. The first time I was completely taken in.

PS: Thanks for the congrats!

lintu wrote:

Lolita. Pardon my lack of interest when it comes to paedophiles... Like having one as a PE teacher for seven years isn't enough.

Anything to do with Star Trek. Sorry, I'm a Star Wars fan .

Oh, congrats on the Partner... Martini on you!

Thanks! I'm getting high on martinis, if that's possible. You have competition, Nicholle!

Sorry about that, lintu. I did have a pedophile as a music teacher for first grade. (He ended up marrying my favorite 1st grade teacher ... wrong on so many levels)

Aw, I love Star Trek. Don't really care much for Star Wars, though. What do you find interesting about it?