Worst Book Ever

[Gaius Octavius]

The whole part at the end with the song that went "Under the spreading chestnut tree, I sold you and you sold me..." was one of the most depressing and terrifying things that I have ever read.

It was far more depressing than anything in the Thomas Covenant books. With the Chronicles you at least had some hope despite the futility and utter despair felt by the characters. With 1984, there was no hope whatsoever. It's so bad that basically what I got out of it was that a world like that in 1984 is so undesirable that it is much more preferable for humanity to destroy itself than to have to live in such a hellish world order.

[Avatar]

I don't disagree, but that's what made it so powerful to me. It was a horror story. And real life doesn't always have a happy ending. Sometimes (often) the bad guys win.

--A

[Horrim Carabal]

I don't disagree, but that's what made it so powerful to me. It was a horror story. And real life doesn't always have a happy ending. Sometimes (often) the bad guys win.

--A

Yup. Besides, I hear life is quite good in Eurasia. I mean Eastasia.

[Avatar]

Is that the one we've always been at peace with?

--A

[Horrim Carabal]

Is that the one we've always been at peace with?

--A

Yup!

[SleeplessOne]

ewwww Animal Farm .. just disturbing

.. as per your signature quote Skyweir; according to Red Dwarf's Holly - who did in fact read every book ever written - the worst book ever written was 'Football, It's A Funny Old Game', by Kevin Keegan ...

[Avatar]

--A

[Horrim Carabal]

Similar to 1984, has anyone seen Terry Gilliam's movie "Brazil"? Another real downer.

At least he also made "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen", watch that if you want to be cheered up. Robin Williams, Uma Thurman, and Eric Idle, all in one film!

[Skyweir]

ewwww Animal Farm .. just disturbing

.. as per your signature quote Skyweir; according to Red Dwarf's Holly - who did in fact read every book ever written - the worst book ever written was 'Football, It's A Funny Old Game', by Kevin Keegan ...

Right you are Sleepless and I read that in Hollys voice LOL as in the original Holly not the upgrade

[Vraith]

Similar to 1984, has anyone seen Terry Gilliam's movie "Brazil"? Another real downer.

At least he also made "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen", watch that if you want to be cheered up. Robin Williams, Uma Thurman, and Eric Idle, all in one film!

I loved both those flicks.
Brazil had some hysterical shit in it...
And Munchy had some serious down in the hole ingredients...

Y'know what's a really terrible work, and by an author I generally like?????.....
Soul Catcher, by Frank Herbert. Fucking awful.
[[the LEAST-bad thing about it is the cliche Romeo and Juliet ending blob/theme that "this tragic ending will inspire good/change/spiritual growth!". A useful sort of pudding...but you need something, some ingredient to firm up/spice up the sentimental gooeyness. At least Herbert's wasn't the bad-romance desert dish]]

[Avatar]

Been a long time since I read that, (probably in my teens) but don't remember hating it.

--A

[Horrim Carabal]

Good author - horrible book (series in this case)?

Tad Williams --> Shadowmarch

Utterly awful, and he's usually very good (esp Otherland series & Memory, Sorrow, & Thorn series).

[Damelon]

Any updates here? For me, it is still Atlas Shrugged. .

[Fist and Faith]

I absolutely love Atlas Shrugged. The romantic aspects are idiotic and insane, so I ignore them. (Fountainhead is even worse.)

[Vraith]

Good author - horrible book (series in this case)?

Tad Williams --> Shadowmarch

Utterly awful, and he's usually very good (esp Otherland series & Memory, Sorrow, & Thorn series).

Really? Too bad. Only read the Otherland books, I think...not BRILLIANT, but enjoyable---with a few surprisingly effective/affecting emotional scenes/writing.

I absolutely love Atlas Shrugged. Laughing The romantic aspects are idiotic and insane, so I ignore them. (Fountainhead is even worse.)

The list of things I've read more than twice is extremely short. Both of those are on it. I'm not sure why. Just my thing, I guess...like there's this shitty bar in my tiny hometown that I go to every time I visit my parents---even though when I go there something bad always happens, and nothing good ever does.

I recently read [voluntarily], then saw the movie [involuntarily] of "Ready Player One." The book was total crap...the movie was whatever comes out of crap when it takes a crap.

[lucimay]

yeah I don't now, after reading several pages of this thread, remember who said it but any books I started reading that I didn't like I quickly put them down and forgot them.
on occasion i'll read a book all the way through and then be disappointed at the ending but that's pretty rare for me.

i do have to say that Stephen King has written a few clunkers, Cujo comes immediately to mind! LOL!!! i've still read them because i love King for the most part. let's see...Cujo, Cell, Under the Dome, Dreamcatcher and The Tommyknockers (those last 2 had some great parts in them but overall were two of his crappier efforts, imo.)


i will say that i've tried reading Gaiman's American Gods *numerous* times because i have so many friends plus my brother who all ADORE Gaiman and most particularly American Gods, but i just can't hardly get past the first couple of chapters. i don't know what it is with that book but i just cannot get into it. i've watched the first season of the tv show and liked it ok (mostly because well...ian mcshane! lol) but i really just can't read it.

[Vraith]

i will say that i've tried reading Gaiman's American Gods *numerous* times because i have so many friends plus my brother who all ADORE Gaiman and most particularly American Gods, but i just can't hardly get past the first couple of chapters. i don't know what it is with that book but i just cannot get into it. i've watched the first season of the tv show and liked it ok (mostly because well...ian mcshane! lol) but i really just can't read it.

Now we're close friends, Lu. [[hope you don't mind...I try to keep names as short as possible...]] Because I generally like Gaiman, but American Gods? No. Just plain no.

[Fist and Faith]

American Gods did nothing for me. But at least I don't feel that I wasted my time reading it. Can't say the same for Neverwhere. His Sandman comics are incredible, but his novels don't seem to be my bag.

[Avatar]

Neverwhere is my favourite of his books. I like American Gods mostly, but I always feel that it ends just as it starts to actually get interesting. I hoped the series would be able to build on that, but I just couldn't get into it.

Cujo, Cell, Under the Dome, Dreamcatcher and The Tommyknockers...

I liked Cell, and Cujo wasn't bad. But Tommyknockers was his worst book ever. (Also, he apparently can't remember writing it because he was that high at the time. )

--A

[lucimay]

Now we're close friends, Lu. [[hope you don't mind...I try to keep names as short as possible...]] Because I generally like Gaiman, but American Gods? No. Just plain no.

yes Lu is fine. I go by many names and not all of them are "nice"! lol! i answer to them all! (Irv, Madmaadalyn or Maady for short, Mirrth, Dusk, Cyndi, Cyn, and I even have one friend who calls me LuLu! lol)

Neverwhere is my favourite of his books. I like American Gods mostly, but I always feel that it ends just as it starts to actually get interesting. I hoped the series would be able to build on that, but I just couldn't get into it.


But Tommyknockers was his worst book ever. (Also, he apparently can't remember writing it because he was that high at the time. )

--A

HAH! neverwhere was the first Gaiman I tried. I might've gotten through one chapter.
and i think king was drinking heavily and doing a lot of the cocain when he wrote Tommyknockers...bit more than just "high"! lol the reason i really didn't like it was because it was so intimately gross regarding the main character...ugh...no woman on earth wants to read that crap. seriously.


and yeah Fist, i'm with you, his novels just aren't my bag either. heh.