NationStates Jolt Archive

Least Favourites
Moby Dick
Tristram Shandy
2001 series

Bad(good) books
doom, knee deep in the dead
doom, hell on earth
doom, inferno
doom, endgame (lolz)

Bad(good) books
doom, knee deep in the dead
doom, hell on earth
doom, inferno
doom, endgame (lolz)

LOL, I agree. Doom never had a plot anyway - and they made books about it? what the hell? But they were strangely entertaining...I only read the first two though.

*cranks on Get Stoned(Hinder)*

Least favourite book I've read 05/06: How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must) - by Ann Coulter. My mind couldn't scream "bitch" loud enough. I stopped when I got to "slutty-girl stereotype America" ...
"Want to make liberals angry? Defend the United States."

Fuckin' hell, brings new meaning to the word Insufferable. I can happily say I've burned my copy, as it doesn't belong on my bookcase, nor do I want my kid's or even gkid's reading such tripe.

doom, books 3 and 4 synopsis of the plots

in the third book they find out that the demons are genetically engineered by a race called the "freds," who being alarmed that the human race have progressed so quickly in a techonological sense, are compelled to exterminate them with these creatures who will induce fear, thereby weakening the resistance. But flynn, arlene, adam and some other dude encounter another race (cant remember the name) who are at war with the "freds" over a philosophical disagreement. The freds are hyper deconstructionists while they are ontological dualists or something to that effect.

In the fourth book, they are catapulted 400 years into the future when upon invading a fred cruiser one of the freds puts the ship into light speed mode. They visit the fred homeworld which has been decimated by a new race called the "newbies" (rotflmao) who evolve even faster than humans. The newbies on earth have evolved to a cellular level and exist within human hosts, humans being the most compatible species for them. They put arlene and flynn into a videogame version of their adventure on mars. Then flynn corrupts the program with imps holding hands and cacodemons being nice to people, peacefully floating around. (im not making this up, this is the actual plot).

doom, books 3 and 4 synopsis of the plots

in the third book they find out that the demons are genetically engineered by a race called the "freds," who being alarmed that the human race have progressed so quickly in a techonological sense, are compelled to exterminate them with these creatures who will induce fear, thereby weakening the resistance. But flynn, arlene, adam and some other dude encounter another race (cant remember the name) who are at war with the "freds" over a philosophical disagreement. The freds are hyper deconstructionists while they are ontological dualists or something to that effect.

In the fourth book, they are catapulted 400 years into the future when upon invading a fred cruiser one of the freds puts the ship into light speed mode. They visit the fred homeworld which has been decimated by a new race called the "newbies" (rotflmao) who evolve even faster than humans. The newbies on earth have evolved to a cellular level and exist within human hosts, humans being the most compatible species for them. They put arlene and flynn into a videogame version of their adventure on mars. Then flynn corrupts the program with imps holding hands and cacodemons being nice to people, peacefully floating around. (im not making this up, this is the actual plot).

LMAO! I have to read those :D

Bad/Good: I, Fiddlebottoms, have a confession to make:
I read Forgotten Realms novels. Terrible, yes, but it gets worse. I . . . I prefer the ones about Drow (Drizzt, War of the Spider Queen series).
I know, rationally, that these things are horrible, and that they aren't good for me. But, they're like crack, I pick them up, and an hour later I'm still reading, in a serousness befitting someone studying the Koran or other religious text, about how Gatrizxititopolis of the Silvery Magic Doom Castle of Clouds cleaves things in twain with his Sword of Irrational Exuberence.
And, of course, there is also a sorcerer and a thief of some kind with him, and one of them is carrying a Dark Secret.

Just Bad:120 Days of Sodom - Too bogged down in the details to be hawt/sadistic, too sadistic/sex-based to be anything else
Mein Kempf - Whingey historical revisionism that makes no sense and generally goes on forever
3001 Space Odyssey - Fuck you AC Clark, fuck you and your writing shitty Utopian sequels and then piggy backing them on to a successful franchise. If I wanted some hippy twat to tell me how primitive I was and how great the future will be when we give up on drugs, meat, violence, conflict, money, war, religion, and everything else that keeps life interesting, then I would watch an episode of Star Trek. At least they offer me skin tight rubber and explosions.

And now I'm going to use my skills of Interweb posting to add a new category:
Surprisingly Non-Suck:Justine- another piece by deSade in a similarly sadistic bent to Sodom, but I sort of like it. It is also available for free over the 'net, so +100 points in its favour

Personally, both Marx and Hitler were sufficiently bad to be risable. However, in relation to novels, try any Jane "Emotionally anal, boring and apathetic" Austen if one intends to be excruciatingly bored and frustrated.

Can't tell really because I (quite often) just leave the book if it's bad.

*cranks on Get Stoned(Hinder)*

Least favourite book I've read 05/06: How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must) - by Ann Coulter. My mind couldn't scream "bitch" loud enough. I stopped when I got to "slutty-girl stereotype America" ...


Fuckin' hell, brings new meaning to the word Insufferable. I can happily say I've burned my copy, as it doesn't belong on my bookcase, nor do I want my kid's or even gkid's reading such tripe.
You mean it actually burned? You would think something that full of hate and evil wouldn't even smolder.

You mean it actually burned? You would think something that full of hate and evil wouldn't even smolder.

;) Oh no, my outdoor pit loved it, burned a weird black smoke though..

TBH If I ever meet the bitch in person, I'd taking my foot to her face.

'Les Liber'. Rotovia's unfinished book he shamelessly promoting...

Least Favourites
Moby Dick


Goddamn that book was boring. It seemed like 2/3 of the book was an extremely boring whaling encyclopedia that had little or nothing to do with the plot. I really dont know why that book is called a classic.

The "Outlander" series by Diana Gabaldon. A contemptible mix of glacial speed "adventure", dick-shrivelling "romance", and the most hateful characters you could ever meet whose hobbies don't include kicking puppies, shooting kittens, and pushing old ladies down open stairwells. It speaks volumes to how bored I am that I keep going back and reading the next volume, despite the fact I totally loathe the series. I guess they're catchy..... like syphilis. For my reviews, see here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A52RGI3SFMLHG/ref=cm_cr_auth/002-5049996-1656041?%5Fencoding=UTF8

'Les Liber'. Rotovia's unfinished book he shamelessly promoting...
How is announcing that it is among you "Least favourite books" going to work for promotion?
My book sucks, so pity me by buying it!

Oo! That reminds me!

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K Rowling.

Holy hell, I've read fanfiction better then that book. 3/4's was memories / introducing horrid creepy(slughorn, anyone?) chars. and the last 1/4 was everything going to hell - which actually contained the only scene in the book I like; Fenrir ripping into Bill. However, she then punctuated it by pairing him with ginny, then doing another little romance thing about leaving that re-enforced my opinion that Rowling cut his balls off when he wasn't paying attention. For fucks sake I'm close to burning this one as well.

I actually read "Hannibal". It was just a horrible experience.

Thomas Harris is even worse to actually read than Stephen King.

Goddamn that book was boring. It seemed like 2/3 of the book was an extremely boring whaling encyclopedia that had little or nothing to do with the plot. I really dont know why that book is called a classic.
I've never read Moby Dick, but can it be as bad as David Copperfield?

I actually read "Hannibal". It was just a horrible experience.

Thomas Harris is even worse to actually read than Stephen King.
I read Red dragon a looooooong time ago but I remember that it was decent. Haven't read Hannibal though.

Is it Clive Cussler who writes those crap books? Or Custler? Hm.
About Dirk Pitt, the amazing american hero, aged 50 but looks 30 years younger, rediculously good looking, gets girls aged 26ish, escaped island on Bath tub with a rotar fixed to the back. Classic.

I read Red dragon a looooooong time ago but I remember that it was decent. Haven't read Hannibal though.

Elements of the 'story' of Hannibal are okay, if that's your kind of thing... but the whole thing is just horribly written... Harris doesn't seem to be able to stay tense-consistent (and, apparently, his proof-readers care little enough for his work to actually bother reading it), and his style is disjointed and clumsy... much like (most of the work of) Stephen King.

Elements of the 'story' of Hannibal are okay, if that's your kind of thing... but the whole thing is just horribly written... Harris doesn't seem to be able to stay tense-consistent (and, apparently, his proof-readers care little enough for his work to actually bother reading it), and his style is disjointed and clumsy... much like (most of the work of) Stephen King.
That might be true. I was able to read King back then too. Those were the days ;)

That might be true. I was able to read King back then too. Those were the days ;)

The weird thing about King.... the actual writing of "The Stand", is arguably the best style and technique of his career. His story-lines have been erratic, in terms of 'value', but his style has followed something of a downhill trajectory.

I can't help but feel it's something to do with quality dictated by appeal of the lowest common denominator.

How is announcing that it is among you "Least favourite books" going to work for promotion?
My book sucks, so pity me by buying it!
I think you answered your own question...

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. I was forced to read it by my english teacher, another english teacher actually told us she felt sorry for us (because we had to read that book)

I've never read Moby Dick, but can it be as bad as David Copperfield?

Dont know, I've never read David Copperfield, whats it like?

I think you answered your own question...
So you're seeking pity? That seems like a rather foolish maneouvre.

if you want the truly awful, and i mean awful, try reading evelina:mp5:

The weird thing about King.... the actual writing of "The Stand", is arguably the best style and technique of his career. His story-lines have been erratic, in terms of 'value', but his style has followed something of a downhill trajectory.

I can't help but feel it's something to do with quality dictated by appeal of the lowest common denominator.
Heh, I just checked when The Stand was written from Finnish wiki. It says that the combination of modern technology (?) and supernatural in "Carrie" was rather original even if it wasn't the first one. Carrie was the first and last experimental novel by King and after that he has just made several copies of the same conventions.

I haven't read any King's novels for years and I can't even remember which ones were alright and which were just horrible. I remember the movies much better. Most of the movies suck too.

So you're seeking pity? That seems like a rather foolish maneouvre.
So's digging too deeply into my logic...

Heh, I just checked when The Stand was written from Finnish wiki. It says that the combination of modern technology (?) and supernatural in "Carrie" was rather original even if it wasn't the first one. Carrie was the first and last experimental novel by King and after that he has just made several copies of the same conventions.

I haven't read any King's novels for years and I can't even remember which ones were alright and which were just horrible. I remember the movies much better. Most of the movies suck too.

Agreed on all points, I think. :)

Heh, I just checked when The Stand was written from Finnish wiki. It says that the combination of modern technology (?) and supernatural in "Carrie" was rather original even if it wasn't the first one. Carrie was the first and last experimental novel by King and after that he has just made several copies of the same conventions.

I haven't read any King's novels for years and I can't even remember which ones were alright and which were just horrible. I remember the movies much better. Most of the movies suck too.

dark tower is quite experimental in that it mixes the western with science fiction and fantasy as well as being a meta narrative.

So's digging too deeply into my logic...
You have logic? I thought this was the beach and all this shifty, inconsistent stuff was sand.
Goddammit, no wonder I haven't found any hidden gems buried here.

You have logic? I thought this was the beach and all this shifty, inconsistent stuff was sand.
Goddammit, no wonder I haven't found any hidden gems buried here.
Life is like an analogy. It seems like a good idea to have one. But, the more you think about it, the less sense is makes.;)

Life is like an analogy. It seems like a good idea to have one. But, the more you think about it, the less sense is makes.;)
That is very wise, and so I must only assume that the man who first said it is very wise as well.
*nods sagely*

_The Jungle_ by Upton Sinclair.

That is very wise, and so I must only assume that the man who first said it is very wise as well.
*nods sagely*
*kicks in nuts*

YOU ASSUME NOTHING!

*kicks in nuts*

YOU ASSUME NOTHING!
*shrieks in horror as his bowl of mixed nuts is shattered*
You monster! I was up all night removing the Brazil nuts from that bowl, and you just kicked it and ruined everything!
*desperately grabs for his nuts, crying inconsolably*

A horrible book? How about The Great Gatsby? The only person in the book that didn't derserve to die was Nick, but maybe he should have for letting those rich preppy bastard types get away with living.

Good books,
-Dune
-The Stand, the style was glorious and the story original
-The Dark Tower, anything in the series I think, maybe I just like wierd stories
-Clockwork Orange
-Jennifer Government (to be polite, this IS the auther's site)

Bad Books,
-Grapes of wrath (one more reason to hate high school english)
-How to Talk to a Liberal, that woman is as helpful to the coservative image as Bill O'Rielly and that crazy preacher Robertson whoever
-A Raisen in the Sun
-Just about anything Harry Potter (the first two were okay..)

Guilty Pleasures,
-S.D. Perry's Resident Evil adaptations, far better than the movies
-The first two Harry Potter books..
-Evangelion, really anyone's manga collection is a guilty pleasure
-I won't make a joke about porn, oh wait sorry

*shrieks in horror as his bowl of mixed nuts is shattered*
You monster! I was up all night removing the Brazil nuts from that bowl, and you just kicked it and ruined everything!
*desperately grabs for his nuts, crying inconsolably*
*laughs manically*
I want some nuts...
*runs screaming... into tree*

The Face in the Frost

The Face in the Frost is a fantasy classic, defying categorization with its richly imaginative story of two separate kingdoms of wizards, stymied by a power that is beyond their control. A tall, skinny misfit of a wizard named Prospero lives in the Southern Kingdom a patchwork of feuding duchies and small manors, all loosely loyal to one figurehead king. Both he and an improbable adventurer named Roger Bacon look in mirrors to see different times and places, which greatly affects their personalities and mannerisms and leads them into a myriad of situations that are sometimes frightening and often hilarious. Hailed by critics as an extraordinary work, combining the thrills of a horror novel with the inventiveness of fantasy, The Face in the Frost is the debut novel that launched John Bellairs' reputation as one of the most individual voices in young adult fiction

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/b00005ld5o/ref=dp_proddesc_1/104-5819830-7827108?%5Fencoding=UTF8&n=283155&v=glance



Edit: actually, it's a great story (guilty pleasure).

On a serious note 'To Kill a Mockingbird' sucks. Let's not be afraid to admit it. A book based around the miscarriage of justice against a black man, barely touches on his life.

Iris by William Burton. It had a couple of interesting ideas in it, but the rest was terrible.

Shiva Descending - I seriously can't figure out what went wrong with this, but it's just bad through and through, even though Gregory Benford coauthored it...

Shilo was no good either. It was so interminably boring I couldn't even get through the first quarter.

Also, many fiction books written by depressed or insane people that are currently regarded as 'classics' are terrible in everything but technical prowess - as if that by itself somehow makes a good book.