Unreadable Books

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Unreadable Books

Postby Penitent » Mon Mar 12, 2007 10:11 am

The Britons put together a list of the books they find hardest to finish. Interesting list. Actually one of the favorite authors of this forum has made the list. Find out who…

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070312/od ... 0312122729
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Postby Ada » Mon Mar 12, 2007 6:07 pm

The ones who said they didn't finish the Harry Potter one were probably among the ones who read the "popular" books just to "keep up with the Joneses". I read for pleasure & leisure - these people read so they have something to talk about. Yes, Yes, I know, I'm part of a "Discussion Forum" - but I had already read all of WS's novels prior to joining this Forum - in fact years before this Forum even existed! Also, I am a WS fan. The Harry Potter readers are Rowling/Potter fans. Those who didn't finish it were not fans & obviously didn't care what happened to poor old (I should say 'young') Harry.
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Postby Penitent » Mon Mar 12, 2007 7:50 pm

Those who didn't finish it were not fans & obviously didn't care what happened to poor old (I should say 'young') Harry


Not necessarily. Even fans can get tired if they think a series is not delivering or it’s getting too long. It happens all the time. I’m not a fantasy reader, but for example there are a lot of fans of the popular “Wheel of Time” series by Robert Jordan, that after ten books, the last five not going anywhere have decided not to buy them or read them anymore. I'm a die-hard WS fan too, and at times I felt to throw "Warlock" out the window. Sometimes a fan is the hardest critic…
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Unreadable Books

Postby Ada » Wed Mar 14, 2007 9:49 am

Yes, the fans usually are the harshest critics - this Forum is a fine example. When WS had a slight change of direction with River God he lost/disappointed some fans and yet picked up some new ones. The successful authors & their publishers all know that every book is not going to be a No. 1 - the law of averages says there has to be one or two stinkers. I love the fact WS obviously doesn't care & knows you can't please everyone so he doesn't even try. However, I also hope he will be able to recognise when it's time to retire from novel writing.

The J.K. Rowling Harry Potter series has an unheard of following & I still believe that the "true" fans will finish every book she writes in the series - particularly now we know there is only one more.

Robert Jordon is unknown to me but it sounds like he didn't know how to stop or didn't believe in "quit while you're ahead". I think the old 'greed' factor comes in with a lot of these situations. You see it more often in TV series - some of them go just that bit too long and you can end up almost hating it.

So, I agree, fans can and do become disallusioned but I do not believe Rowling's real fans will give up on her - even if she kills Harry off. (Some may never read the books again but they will have read all of them.)

Re being a "true fan" you wanted to throw Warlock out the window but you didn't did you - you finished it.
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Postby Penitent » Wed Mar 14, 2007 11:57 am

I did not throw Warlock out of the window. But I did not finish it either. One of the things I loved about “River God” was the tale in first person. Taita was a perfectly crafted character and it was very engrossing to see the story thru his eyes and hear his thoughts.
“Warlock” looses that, which I was fine with, but when all the mambo-jambo mystical crap started I just laid the book down.

It is a pity because I usually get very excited when a new WS release is announced, but if “The Quest” is more of the same I’m going to be really disappointed.
Don’t get me wrong I will end up purchasing “The Quest” and probably give another go to “Warlock” before I read “The Quest”, but it will not be anytime soon…
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Unreadable Books

Postby Ada » Thu Mar 15, 2007 9:48 am

From what you've just said, I predict you're not going to like The Quest. I'm wondering if WS is writing more for his female fans than the male ones now.

If one becomes a famous author and learns more women read your novels than men, does it influence your future stories/style of writing?

Has the fact more women than men read WS books been discussed anywere on this Forum?

I've just about finished reading When The Lion Feeds for the umpteenth time and it really is "one for the boys". It's about brothers, mateship, hunting, mining, punch ups, et. etc., with the occasional mention of love & relationships. (Actually, that could cover quite a few of WS's novels.) If I had known that before hand I may never have picked it up. (I hate senseless killing of animals and think boxing should be banned.) And yet, I love WS novels. Mind you, I've quite an eclectic taste in novels with romance being very low on the list.

So, unlike you Penitent, I'm looking forward to reading The Quest and think it will be very interesting to see whether more women than men like it.
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Postby Penitent » Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:19 am

In my case, I did not like "Warlock" because it may be more female oriented I did not liked it because I found it dull and rushed, and we lose the intimacy with Taita when switched from the first person of "River God" to the third. If you have read "River God" it is imposible not to compare it with "WarlocK" and the later does not stand a chance. Taita was a great character in the first novel in "Warlock" he is bland and uninspired.
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Re: Unreadable Books

Postby Monsoon » Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:35 am

Ada wrote:From what you've just said, I predict you're not going to like The Quest. I'm wondering if WS is writing more for his female fans than the male ones now.

If one becomes a famous author and learns more women read your novels than men, does it influence your future stories/style of writing?

Has the fact more women than men read WS books been discussed anywere on this Forum?

I've just about finished reading When The Lion Feeds for the umpteenth time and it really is "one for the boys". It's about brothers, mateship, hunting, mining, punch ups, et. etc., with the occasional mention of love & relationships. (Actually, that could cover quite a few of WS's novels.) If I had known that before hand I may never have picked it up. (I hate senseless killing of animals and think boxing should be banned.) And yet, I love WS novels. Mind you, I've quite an eclectic taste in novels with romance being very low on the list.

So, unlike you Penitent, I'm looking forward to reading The Quest and think it will be very interesting to see whether more women than men like it.


Uh oh :roll:
I do hope this isn't the beginning of a senseless Men v Women debate because that would be ludicrous in respect of the fact that we are all WS fans here.
I don't know where they get these stats of their being more female readers from, in 20 years of reading and buying these books i have certainly never been asked and i imagine most on here haven't. I bet the truth of the matter is that it is probably a complete split or so very close that it hardly matters.
I totally disagree about Wilbur writing more for his female fans i don't think he is the kind of author who would alter his style just to suit one gender more than an other, and if he did so he would be putting the finger up to a huge percentage of his readers who are very much a part of where he is today.
As for the way this conversation has been going; well i'm male and hate the hunting of animals, and i know i am not alone on here on that score. Also you don't have to look very far on this forum to find guys who are talking a lot about romance.
As for Warlock having more of a feminist touch, well it's certainly something i didn't notice and rate it as one of my favourite WS novels.
While a tiger eyed its prey and an eagle raged in a thunderous sky a river of darkness fell upon a burning sun and the wolf cried tis a time to die, thus did the angels weep as power and triumph in those golden eyes did creep.


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Postby Penitent » Thu Mar 15, 2007 11:48 am

No debate! I explained very clear the reasons why I did not like and did not finish “Warlock” and it has nothing to do with what gender the books may be targeted. As a matter of fact, after reading about fifteen of his books I have never thought about it and WS doesn’t strike me as somebody that would try to write to appeal a particular gender.
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Unreadable Books

Postby Ada » Fri Mar 16, 2007 12:06 am

I have read River God & Warlock & agree RV is much better. The reason I thought women would be more interested in The Quest is because it is again about Taita & IMO his particular character was more popular with the female readers than the male. May be I'm wrong but we may never find out. Like Monsoon said, I don't know where they get their stats either & was quite surprised considering the type of books he writes.

As I said above, I was only "wondering", was posing the question & reiterating a statement made in one or more of the interviews posted in the Forum's Library - I didn't actually say WS writes for women readers. However I did say:
I love the fact WS obviously doesn't care & knows you can't please everyone so he doesn't even try.


(The Q in pink above should have read: Has the "statement/suggestion" more women than men read WS books been discussed anywhere on this Forum?)

The answer so far is no. Plus two men & one woman don't think WS has changed his style or is targeting women readers.
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