Put it down, or muddle through?

[Green]

Soz if this has been done before...

This is kind of inspired by Brys, who often advises people to skip some of the later WoT books, much to my internal screams at the possibility But that's not meant to cause an argument, or offence... we'll have to agree to disagree (or just avoid each other)

So - if a book or series is a bit dull, or it's not living up to your expectations, do you battle on and hope it gets better, or do you dump it quicker than a three-eyed woman with athlete's foot?

Personally, I used to keep going out of a fear that I'll miss something really exciting later on, but these days I'm too lazy to keep going I still have to watch films all the way through, though... the thought of leaving the cinema half way through a film is anathema to me.

I read a while back that Iain Banks used to feel compelled to finish books that he starts, but these days can just relax and let them go. Unlike myself, this doesn't stem from laziness, but an ever-growing list of Stuff To Read

 

[jackokent]

Muddle through, whatever the cost. I wish I didn't have to.

Can walk out of films however and also threatres.

 

[nixie]

Rarely can I leave a book unfinished, even worse I find it difficult not to finish a series unless it's really dire.The only series I've ever started that I can honestly say I won't complete is Goodkind's SOT.

Films I can switch off.

 

[Green]

I started Eddings' Dreamers/Elder Gods series... the first book seemed a little poor, but I'd heard that it was supposed to get meatier. About 5 pages into The Treasured One, I came to the conclusion that either it must be written for children or it was just really poor, so stopped reading.

Having 2 out of 3 of a series on my shelf kind of hurts... but I just can't be bothered to read the damn thing

 

[nixie]

I started Eddings' Dreamers/Elder Gods series... the first book seemed a little poor, but I'd heard that it was supposed to get meatier. About 5 pages into The Treasured One, I came to the conclusion that either it must be written for children or it was just really poor, so stopped reading.

Having 2 out of 3 of a series on my shelf kind of hurts... but I just can't be bothered to read the damn thing

I'm torturing myself with The Dreamer series...complete tripe but I've started so I'll finish

 

[dwndrgn]

It depends on why I'm reading it. If, for some strange reason, I have an obligation to read it (as part of a book club, or because a friend asked me to), then I finish it. Otherwise, there are way too many good books out there to waste my time with garbage. If I don't like the first part, why would I like the end? Movies are the same way, take 'em or leave 'em.

 

[Allanon]

always carry on.

 

[Lissa]

I can't stand a dull book. I will put it down and never pick it up again. Movies I have no problem walking out on and I usually demand my money back.

 

[GOLLUM]

I usually know within the first 50 pages or so of Book 1 of a series if it's any good or not but these days I tend to only go for reads I know are quality like the Fantasy Masteworkl series or recommendations here from people whom I know have similar tastes to myself.

Life's too short to waste on rubbish....

 

[Green]

Movies I have no problem walking out on and I usually demand my money back.

That's something that, personally, I'd never do... partially cos I'm a prude, admittedly

But seriously - on what basis do you demand your money back? I mean, the cinema makes no promises on the quality of the film when you buy your ticket, so why should they give you your money back?

Just wondering how that conversation plays itself out...

To delve into this tangent a little further (extra skewedly?), does a film company offer user guarantees (in the modern sense) when it releases its latest abominations, or is that something that the consumer attaches all by his/herself? If you can't ask the cinema for your money back, can you ask for it from 20th Century Fox?

 

[Green]

I usually know within the first 50 pages or so of Book 1 of a series if it's any good or not but these days I tend to only go for reads I know are quality like the Fantasy Masteworkl series or recommendations here from people whom I know have similar tastes to myself.

Life's too short to waste on rubbish....

I agree that you often know very soon whether you're reading tripe or not... but I think it depends on how large the book is before I decide where I call the line on whether or not to carry on.

If it was a 1000-page doo-dah, then I'd give it a couple of hundred pages to grab my attention, I think. If it was shorter, I'd give it less (I think that A Shadow on the Glass, the Ian Irvine crap-athon, got about 180 pages of my time devoted to it. It's also the book that made me take up writing in my spare time, out of the sheer "if he can do it, so can I" mentality ).

My uncle once told me that he gives a book 30 pages to grab him. For some big works, this is little more than the introduction, and I just couldn't be that blase (insert accent)

 

[jackokent]

Your contract would be with the cinema so I guess you'd have to rely on "misrepresentation". And they would probably refer to advertisers licence or "puff" as the phrase goes, as a defence. I think it would be a rocky legal case but then, as Lissa has clearly found, lots of people would rather give money back as a gesture than have disatisfied customers hanging around in the lobby.

 

[Brys]

I hate to leave a book unfinished - but I have no problems leaving a series unfinished if it's clearly becoming awful. If there's a lot to suggest that there's significant improvement, I may carry on to the next book, but usually that's the last chance it gets. As with everyone else, I have a huge to read pile (and that's just of the books I own at the moment - so in other words, doesn't include any 2006 releases or any of the books that I want to read by authors I've discovered recently).

often advises people to skip some of the later WoT books

Only if you don't like the series much, but want to see the resolution. With book 10 of WoT, there's really no need to read it to know pretty much everything that happens in it. I'd never say the same for A Feast for Crows, for example, because despite the slow down of pace a lot still happens and is essential to understanding the series. In WoT, that isn't the case with some of the later books.

think that A Shadow on the Glass, the Ian Irvine crap-athon, got about 180 pages of my time devoted to it. It's also the book that made me take up writing in my spare time, out of the sheer "if he can do it, so can I" mentality ).

Did you wonder how Irvine managed to get it passed the editor? I've read loads of first drafts by amateur writers on forums like these which are immensely better written. I read the whole of Geomancer because there were a couple of interesting ideas - and also to see how fast I could read it (probably took me about 5 hours - a waste) - and to see if it improved. And yes, it did improve - but improved from such a low beginning that it wasn't even approaching mediocre by the end.

 

[Green]

I wasn't having a go (not a real one, anyway ) - but yes, your lack of WoT faith disturbs me

As for The Dirty Stain on the Glass, I still find it hard to pinpoint exactly what I hated about this book... the guy's grammar and basic style is okay (which is probably what gets it past his current editor... I can't think what got it past the first editor). I think it must be his lame attempts at creating interest in his characters and his, just (how do I put this?), generic fantasy ideas and plots, that turned me right off.

Plus, I have to admit (in Ian's favour), I had just finished reading the latest Malazan novel before I stumbled across The Unfortunate Accident on the Mirror.

 

[the_faery_queen]

dump it. life is too short to force yourself to read something that doesn't click.

 

[littlemissattitude]

If it is recreational reading, and I can't get into it within fifty pages, I put it down. I can't see any point in struggling through something I don't like when I'm supposed to be reading it for the enjoyment of it.

Now, I will go back and try a book again if I think it might be worth it, because sometimes the reason I can't get into a particular book is just that I'm not in the mood for it at that time. It took me three or four tries before I got through Dune. And I'm glad I read it. But I wouldn't do it again. I tried one time, and couldn't remember why I liked it when I finally did read it.

 

[steve12553]

It took me three or four tries before I got through Dune. And I'm glad I read it. But I wouldn't do it again. I tried one time, and couldn't remember why I liked it when I finally did read it.

As I was reading it I felt I learning the secrets of the universe. When I was done with the original trilogy, I realized I still worked in a steel mill and didn't know any more than I did before. But it was a great ride.

 

[elvet]

I read for entertainment. If a book doesn't catch my interest after a few chapters, I'll put it away for another day and start something else. I'm the same with movies and PC games, if it's not enjoyable, on to the next choice.

 

[Mark Robson]

I'm another who has to finish what he's started. I've recently finished (after several months of torment) Jordan's 'Crossroads of Twilight'. What was that all about anyway? I perceived little if any plot progression with the majority of the major characters.

Happily, however, whilst I feel compelled to complete a book I've started, I don't feel the same compulsion about series of books. I do believe Mr Jordan has reaped his last penny from my wallet.

 

[chrispenycate]

I've aboutseven or eight books on my shelves that I've read part way through, then set aside until I'm really desperate. The irony is, since I've no temptation to lend them out, but can't take them to the second hand shop, because they're not finished, they're amoung the books that stay with me longest.