Whats the worst you've ever read? Scifi/Fanstasy

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

I can't remember the names of them there are so many. So, I thought I'd give you all a scare. I was just in a bookstore and saw book one of a new 4 book series - the climax to the Thomas Covenant story. That's right, 4 more books are coming. Now, I read the first three a long time ago and actually enjoyed them, so I'm not one to judge, but 4 more?

The third Dune book had to be the most hated of the books I've read. I really, really liked Dune. It got me back into reading, but God Emporor of Dune made me question my sanity for actually finishing it. I'm not sure who is worse, the author that writes a bad book, or the reader who keeps reading, holding out hope...

I think I gave up on WoT after book 3. Unfortunately, I had already bought used copies up to book 5. Never cracked them open, probably never will.

'God Emperor' was fourth, and should never have been written. I think the only thing that stopped Herbert from turning into a Robert Jordan-esque hack was his death.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

'God Emperor' was fourth, and should never have been written. I think the only thing that stopped Herbert from turning into a Robert Jordan-esque hack was his death.

Funny, I liked all the Dune books, and God Emperor was great. Of course, none of the sequels were as good as the original(though Messiah was close). And Herbert WOULD have stopped writing them after the epic unconclusion we got with Chapterhouse...no matter how much I don't like the Anderson/Brian Herbert prequels, I'm glad the last book is being written for at least some kind of resolution.

 

[Mad Hatter]

'God Emperor' was fourth, and should never have been written. I think the only thing that stopped Herbert from turning into a Robert Jordan-esque hack was his death.

And Herbert WOULD have stopped writing them after the epic unconclusion we got with Chapterhouse...no matter how much I don't like the Anderson/Brian Herbert prequels, I'm glad the last book is being written for at least some kind of resolution.

To the first statement, he would have stopped. And to the second statement, I am wary of the last book because it is said that Herbert lived by one of the tenets that he wrote that Muad'Dib taught, which was the attitude of the knife:

Arrakis teaches the attitude of the knife -- chopping off what's incomplete and saying: "Now, it's complete because it's ended here."
"Collected Sayings of Muad'Dib" by the Princess Irulan
Dune

I think Chapterhouse should be the last and no more, which is why I'll probably never read the prequels. Besides if you read some of the accounts of his personal life, it makes perfect sense.

I would like to add that I loved all those books. It's a great work of philosophy and intrigue. It's what high sci-fi should be like imho.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Arrakis teaches the attitude of the knife -- chopping off what's incomplete and saying: "Now, it's complete because it's ended here."
"Collected Sayings of Muad'Dib" by the Princess Irulan
Dune

A good point. I just want some kind of closure to the everything. At least cutting something with a knife gives you that, but there were notes FOR the unwritten last book so it didn't really just stop with Chapterhouse.

Maybe I'm just on a 'need answers' thing from reading the 2001 books...just finished 2061 and can't find 3001 anywhere...

 

[Mad Hatter]

At least cutting something with a knife gives you that, but there were notes FOR the unwritten last book so it didn't really just stop with Chapterhouse.

I would agree with that; however, better to live with what Frank gaves us then have it tainted by what his son and that other guy will write. At least that's what I believe. And even with the notes, Frank Herbert's death was for all intents and puproses the knife.

Although we'll see when it comes out. I might have the unquenchable urge to read and lay my mind to rest.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

I seem to recall an interview with him in the early 80s, post God Emperor, pre Heretics, in which he was asked if he saw himself continuing to write 'Dune' novels, and which he answered in the affirmative. I've not been able to find the interview on the 'net, so maybe I'm misremembering it, or its old enough or obscure that it will be hard to find.

In any event, the latter books, in my opinion, were insufferably boring. There were good ideas in there, but the pacing was so bad, the prose so dense, that reading them became a chore. I'll admit I found 'Dune' a hard read at first -- it took three starts before I got into it and finished, but it became one of my all time favorites. But everything I read of Herbert's (7 non-Dune books) was the same way - very dry, verbose, and glacially plotted. The first three Dune novels were good enough to overcome that; the rest I not think were.

 

[WayneLigon]

Were I a complete boor, I'd make some snide comment about how said novels are no longer being written.

There are still some, though I've usually seen the form used in short stories. The 'Griffin and Sabine' novels are collections of letters (in some cases, literally), postcards, etc.

 

[The_Universe]

I loathe everything I have ever read by Marion Zimmer Bradley, especially the Mists of Avalon. Her cavalier attitude toward incest (seeming to go so far as to insist that it's a perfectly worthwhile and noble practice) are horrific.

I just picked up Zelazney's big Amber book, and found some of the ideas interesting, but the vast majority of the book too dry for my tastes.

Tried to read Eddings once but couldn't finish the first book.

Tried to read SM Stirling's Island on a Sea of Time after really liking The Peshawar Lancers - couldn't make it past page 50.

 

[drnuncheon]

I don't know that The Incredible Journey counts as sci-fi/fantasy, but I guess if it's the worst you ever read, then it's the worst.

See? It's so bad at being sci-fi/fantasy that you didn't even know that it was!

 

[barsoomcore]

Were I a complete boor, I'd make some snide comment about how said novels are no longer being written.

It wouldn't be boorish, it would just be wrong.