I'm still interested to know what you don't like and why.
Now there's a question! And not one I can answer in a few sentences, but I'll give it a go.
I read many different genres, depending on my mood. In thrillers, mysteries and whodunnits, plot is king. I can deal with slightly weak characters, because if the plot isn't up to snuff, if I can guess the end more than a few pages before the protagonist, it doesn't matter how well drawn the characters, the book has failed.
With sci fi and horror, plot and characters are equal.
But with fantasy, my ultimate escape, character is above all. I can put up with a weak plot if I have to, but the charcters HAVE to engage me, be well drawn and realistic, be above all
interesting, larger than life and twice as ugly, or I won't get far. It is how the
character sees the world that draws me into it. Two dimensional Druss doesn't do it for me, but Conan leaps off the page like he's about to rip my throat out - and because of that I'm hopelessly drawn into his world and can pretty much ignore any failings.
Also there are a matter or two of personal preference - for instance I'm not one for intricate political machinations ( if I want that I can read the paper!), and I do like a fair bit of action rather than prolonged introspection.
For example, I love GRR Martin, he's done some of my fave short stories, but though A Game of Thrones is without doubt a very good book, with well drawn characters, all that politcal manouvering didn't really do it for me. The constant swapping of viewpoint in each chapter I found jarring too - just as I was getting a handle on the charcater, getting engaged, we swap to someone else. And of course, it's the character I want to get into. I kept wanting to skip to the next Tyrion chapter...So it is a very good book, very well written, but due to my personal taste, not in my top 5.
The books I've been reading - well having a look on my shelf, in the last year I've bought 15 books by authors I've not read before, published in the last seven years. I'm not going to name names because this is purely my subjective opinion.
3 are good books, no doubt about it, but not fantastic. I'll keep them, and probably read them again. The charcters were well drawn, but not exhilerating. Plot was good, well written with a nice style, but didn't set my world on fire. say 8/10. May buy these authors again, to see if I just chanced on a less good work of theirs.
4 are pretty good, but slightly weak / bland characterisation, the people didn't really engage me, reasonable plot. I didn't have to struggle to the end, but the bath water didn't get cold. 6-7/10
2 are also pretty good, but very very slow. Nicely written but little or no action until the last third of the book, by which point I was almost past caring. Last third of the books were excellent though so 6-7/10
3 are less good, but still readable ( even if only to ask myself 'why didn't this work?' so I can avoid it myself) People either under characterised, far too bland, or they don't develop at all. Coupled with weak / predictable plots. 4/10
2 also less good, but more due to lack of writing style( or at least one I liked) coupled with weak characterisation through underwriting, though the plot was strong. 4/10
1 - soooo bad I wouldn't even think of giving it to a charity shop. It's going in the bin. I didn't get past the first 100 pages. While the male protagonist was reasonable, two female charcters ( one a POV character) were so badly done it was embarrassing. Clunky descriptions that were either overblown or almost non exisitant. Weak cliched plot. Switching internal monologues/ POV between characters without any indication, or even much of a reason, making the whole thing confusing. Last straw was when one character has their lifelong dream completely shattered and says something like 'Oh well never mind' and there is no other reaction, physical or emotional
Basically I was willing the main character to die. A minus score out of ten.
phew, my brain hurts now.
