Books Loved by Critics Hated By You

[Heather Myst]

Baylor,

I agree with you about Malazan. They were not for me but I do know people who love the series.

 

[biodroid]

I read the first 2 Malazan books, but I could not relate to any character, and all the strange names of characters and then they get changed along the way, no thanks.

 

[The Bravest Newbie]

In high school I had to read a book called Like Water for Chocolate. Some things just never should have existed.

 

[BAYLOR]

Up the Down Staircase . I read it cover to cover and found it quite boring.

 

[BAYLOR]

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley I had seen this book iin the story for year read the raves from critics and one day I decide to give it a read . I didn't very get far. I absolutely hated it.

 

[AndrewT]

The Hunger Games was widely touted for a few years recently but I was very unimpressed with the plot. Having a death contest between randomly chosen children where 18-year-olds could be pitted against those only 12 as a national sport did not seem believable. I wouldn't say I hated the book outright; just thought it was a little corny.

 

[Droflet]

I'll have to add Neuromancer and Catcher in the Rye. The first was hard sf which I don't care for. The second, I read twice and will never understand why this dull, confusing book is consider to be brilliant. Personally, I think it's the greatest literary fraud in the history of writing. Rant ends.

 

[Vince W]

I'll have to add Neuromancer and Catcher in the Rye. The first was hard sf which I don't care for. The second, I read twice and will never understand why this dull, confusing book is consider to be brilliant. Personally, I think it's the greatest literary fraud in the history of writing. Rant ends.

I've never thought of Neuromancer as hard sf.

I agree completely about Catcher in the Rye. I detested that book from start to end.

 

[BAYLOR]

I've never thought of Neuromancer as hard sf.

I agree completely about Catcher in the Rye. I detested that book from start to end.

I despise Salinger and his book .

 

[Montero]

The Hunger Games was widely touted for a few years recently but I was very unimpressed with the plot. Having a death contest between randomly chosen children where 18-year-olds could be pitted against those only 12 as a national sport did not seem believable. I wouldn't say I hated the book outright; just thought it was a little corny.

I think the point of that was terror - the Hunger Games were there as a tool for suppression, with a carrot that if you win you will have a far more comfortable life. So pitting 18 yo against 12 yo was an extra element of terror - though it was interesting to see how a 12 yo could win.

 

[nixie]

Black Leopard Red wolf, I really wanted to like this but it wasn't for me.

 

[Don]

The Hunger Games trilogy can be classified as Young Adult (YA) material. With such material, it's only too easy for me to overlook outright corny story telling, provided the overall theme appeals to me.

A YA story, which vindicates my politics, is a guilty pleasure full of confirmation bias. The story tells me what I want to hear.

Regardless, when looked at objectively, most (all?) YA tends towards cringeworthy corniness.

 

[Rodders]

I wonder how many SF readers are drawn into SF with dystopian novels like The Hunger Games, Divergence and Twilight.

Corny or not, anything that gets you reading can only be a good thing.

 

[BAYLOR]

Ready Player One: INFODUMP tiny bit of story INFODUMP.

The movie good.

 

[Ethics_gradient]

Malazan. Reads like a teenager’s first draft. Seeing the same phrases and adjectives over and over again was excruciating.

 

[ChrisL]

I just could not get into Ancillary Justice.

 

[BAYLOR]

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway I don't see why this one is healed in such high regard.

 

[psikeyhackr]

Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy

I picked this up in a bookstore in the early 80s or maybe late 70s. Alzheimer's you know. My spidey sense for SF told me it wasn't my style. As time went on I heard it mentioned more and more and would pick it up to check out the psychic vibes and it always radiated negative waves.

I finally decided to get it anyway in the early naughts and forced my way through. It occasionally provoked a weak chuckle but mostly not fun or interesting.

Now I can wonder why I am so strange compared to HHGttG fans. Are they more or less bizarre than Star Wars fans? LOL

 

[Vladd67]

Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy

I picked this up in a bookstore in the early 80s or maybe late 70s. Alzheimer's you know. My spidey sense for SF told me it wasn't my style. As time went on I heard it mentioned more and more and would pick it up to check out the psychic vibes and it always radiated negative waves.

I finally decided to get it anyway in the early naughts and forced my way through. It occasionally provoked a weak chuckle but mostly not fun or interesting.

Now I can wonder why I am so strange compared to HHGttG fans. Are they more or less bizarre than Star Wars fans? LOL

Perhaps you should try listening to the original radio series?
I found with the books that as the 'trilogy' got bigger and bigger the writing felt forced as though Adams was just going through the motions to fulfill a publisher's contract.

 

[paranoid marvin]

Perhaps you should try listening to the original radio series?
I found with the books that as the 'trilogy' got bigger and bigger the writing felt forced as though Adams was just going through the motions to fulfill a publisher's contract.

The BBC tv series was very good too (although the movie less) so. But as with any kind of humour, it will either enhance the story or get in the way.