Overrated Books

[biodroid]

The Name of the Wind I found to be very overrated, Patrick Rothfuss loves showing off in his writing with a bland Harry Potter rip-off style plot. I got to about page 300 and could not care because Kvothe was just so awesome at everything, he probably would have invented the word "awesome' if he could. Wait there is time. And since PR seems to be more interested in D&D than writing the last book why would I care to read the first 2?

 

[AE35Unit]

Dune. Didn't know whether I was reading fantasy or SF.
Lord of the Rings. Could have been a lot shorter.
Emphyrio by Jack Vance. Same reason as Dune but at least I finished it.

 

[Toby Frost]

I think a lot of books are overrated, not because they're bad, but because they're touted as almost flawless. I'd say this about The Lies of Locke Lamora, A Game of Thrones and the First Law trilogy. All very good books, but none of them is the pure genius that they're sometimes claimed to be. It seems to come with the territory: there was a point where almost every other big fantasy novel had "The new Tolkien" written on the back.

Otherwise, the one that really springs to mind is Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein. This is not because of the politics, but because the promise of the story - an exciting war novel set in space - is never fulfilled. Instead, we get 200 pages of a man listening to some weakly-argued stuff in boot camp. It's extremely dull.

I've read The Haunting of Hill House twice now - often seen as the ultimate ghost story - and it seems a very damp squib to me. But so many people think it's brilliant that I always feel that I must be missing something.

 

[JJewel]

Dune. Didn't know whether I was reading fantasy or SF.
Lord of the Rings. Could have been a lot shorter.
Emphyrio by Jack Vance. Same reason as Dune but at least I finished it.

Hey someone that mirrors (to a degree) my sentiment on LotR`s, I no longer feel alone in the world!!

 

[nixie]

I think a lot of books are overrated, not because they're bad, but because they're touted as almost flawless. I'd say this about The Lies of Locke Lamora, A Game of Thrones and the First Law trilogy. All very good books, but none of them is the pure genius that they're sometimes claimed to be. It seems to come with the territory: there was a point where almost every other big fantasy novel had "The new Tolkien" written on the back.

Otherwise, the one that really springs to mind is Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein. This is not because of the politics, but because the promise of the story - an exciting war novel set in space - is never fulfilled. Instead, we get 200 pages of a man listening to some weakly-argued stuff in boot camp. It's extremely dull.

I've read The Haunting of Hill House twice now - often seen as the ultimate ghost story - and it seems a very damp squib to me. But so many people think it's brilliant that I always feel that I must be missing something.

This, sums it up. I don't think there is such a thing as a perfect book, they all have flaws.

 

[Matteo]

I'm surprised I'm the first to defend LOTR, but here goes...

I honestly don't think Tolkien is overly descriptive of "things" - try Proust or Hugo for that. Where he does go into detail (description) is of people (or more precisely who they are) and events. Matteo III, Lord of Chrons is not simply Matteo III, Lord of Chrons but instead the grandson of Matteo I, Lord of Chrons who fought in the war against the dark lord, side by side with the Elf Lord to defeat...etc, etc. And he then describes the war and how its connected to present events. It's this detail that gives the book its depth and richness.

That said, the first time I read the book (10, 11 years old?) I gave up half way through The Two Towers...

And if I'm being brutally honest, it does slow down the action, but for me that's not a criticism.

 

[JJewel]

You may well be certifiably mad and I disagree with your view but I accept that you are allowed one so well done

You gave up on it and yet you disagree with me, that confuses?

 

[BAYLOR]

I think a lot of books are overrated, not because they're bad, but because they're touted as almost flawless. I'd say this about The Lies of Locke Lamora, A Game of Thrones and the First Law trilogy. All very good books, but none of them is the pure genius that they're sometimes claimed to be. It seems to come with the territory: there was a point where almost every other big fantasy novel had "The new Tolkien" written on the back.

Otherwise, the one that really springs to mind is Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein. This is not because of the politics, but because the promise of the story - an exciting war novel set in space - is never fulfilled. Instead, we get 200 pages of a man listening to some weakly-argued stuff in boot camp. It's extremely dull.

I've read The Haunting of Hill House twice now - often seen as the ultimate ghost story - and it seems a very damp squib to me. But so many people think it's brilliant that I always feel that I must be missing something.

In the case of haunting of The Hill of Hill House. I found the book to be colossally underwhelming. It's not suspenseful , not very atmospheric, it isn't the least bit scary and I didn't care about any of the characters. This book is downright dull.

 

[MikeAnderson]

What books or series do you think are overrated?

The Wheel of Time has to be the most overrated series ever. I scream when people say its there favourite series, that said, I've only read the first book, but how can they be so blind.

The main character is a strong and tall farmer boy! Hey, never heard that before, and his nemesis is called the Dark One. The first book copies LotR completely,(I won't go into it) and the plotting and writing is horribly sloppy. It feels like he just hacked it out and its far too long. I've also read halfway into
book no 2 (out of pure curiosity) and it doesn't pick up.

if this man ever comes back, I'm buying him a cigar and a cake for this observation. Everybody I know that reads fantasy looks at me like I smoke crack for hating Jordan's stuff.

 

[AE35Unit]

Hey someone that mirrors (to a degree) my sentiment on LotR`s, I no longer feel alone in the world!!

Always wanted to read it and I'm glad I did but my god it was a slog! Hobbit is much better IMO. Yet to tackle the Silmarillion.

 

[Matteo]

You may well be certifiably mad and I disagree with your view but I accept that you are allowed one so well done

You gave up on it and yet you disagree with me, that confuses?

I was 10 - and probably looking for faster action.

A couple of years later I tried again and devoured it. And have re-read it many time since.

 

[Elckerlyc]

Dune. Didn't know whether I was reading fantasy or SF.
Lord of the Rings. Could have been a lot shorter.
Emphyrio by Jack Vance. Same reason as Dune but at least I finished it.

Dune is overrated because you couldn't discern whether it was SF or Fantasy???

 

[AE35Unit]

Dune is overrated because you couldn't discern whether it was SF or Fantasy???

Yes, I was into hard SF and everyone was touting this book as the best SF book since forever. And to me it was fantasy. And not very interesting. Hype.
I felt the same about Le Guin's Left hand of Darkness. Dull. It was a long time ago though

 

[JJewel]

Do you need a category to define a good book, cant it just be a good book?

Surely a category limits what you produce because you have already set expectation?

 

[AE35Unit]

Do you need a category to define a good book, cant it just be a good book?

Surely a category limits what you produce because you have already set expectation?

Well no, if you're in the mood for reading hard SF and you pick up a book that doesn't fit that category you're not likely to enjoy it as much. If you want coffee and someone brings you tea...

 

[nixie]

Do you need a category to define a good book, cant it just be a good book?

Surely a category limits what you produce because you have already set expectation?

Ha you've hit on one of my pet hates, why does everything have to be shoe horned into a category? We have more sub genres than needed. Feel sorry for authors.
So you written a book, your protagonist is young, they're in the military, the world outlook is bleak but they do have romance. Now is it YA, military, grimdark, romantic ? The list is endless.

I just know someone is going to come along and mention some other sub genre I've never heard of.

 

[The Big Peat]

Well no, if you're in the mood for reading hard SF and you pick up a book that doesn't fit that category you're not likely to enjoy it as much. If you want coffee and someone brings you tea...

But books don't fit into categories as neatly as tea and coffee. Trying to fit them in there only leads to disappointment.

 

[Elckerlyc]

Well no, if you're in the mood for reading hard SF and you pick up a book that doesn't fit that category you're not likely to enjoy it as much. If you want coffee and someone brings you tea...

Yeah... but does that mean that tea is overrated?

 

[AE35Unit]

Yeah... but does that mean that tea is overrated?

No but I still felt it was overrated. Having said that I would like to try reading it again. It was a few years ago and I've changed a lot. I'm now reading more horror than anything else. Havent been able to read any SF in ages

 

[Rodders]

I have to admit that i found Peter F. Hamilton’s Nights Dawn trilogy to be somewhat overrated. I enjoyed them, but I didn’t think they were as good as others thought they were. Too wordy with a disappointing resolution.

I have really enjoyed his other books, though.