What Fantasy Books Haven't you Finished?

[Jian]

Well, I recently said something like I can easily drop a book if I don't care for the beginning. But I also know a lot who've stuck it out (even if the book, for them, is terrible), and then there are those that have just ONE book they just couldn't finish. The book doesn't necessarily have to be bad - there are plenty of reasons why you couldn't have finished it. You could have lost the copy, and your budget is too tight right now. Etc.

Let me list mine.

Perdido Street Station by China Mieville. Started it. Loved the writing, but it was too... much? I'm not one for those ultra-slow builds, and I really did have to reach for a dictionary often. I thought the concept was awesome, but in the end, I couldn't make it past page 100, I think.

Sharps by K.J. Parker. I actually liked the beginning of this book. The concept was pretty cool, and I liked the characters. But, once they reached the fencing tournament, things got a little confusing. Probably because this isn't necessarily the first book set in the world. It isn't a bad book, but I just got too confused near the middle.

A Shadow In Summer. I picked this book because of the cover. It reminded me of the Night Angel Trilogy, and I loved that. I have to say, the beginning didn't sit well with me. I like Japanese-esque worlds (fan of mangas), but it just didn't click. Stopped it at page.. Hundred and fifty. May try it again someday when I've got the time.

(Basically, all of Pornokitsch's favorite books - I couldn't finish them.  )

Ender's Game. Didn't click with me. Writing wasn't awful, but I just couldn't seem to muster the strength to read it.

Neverwhere. I actually lost my copy. It was good, but I'm too cheap to get a new one.

American Gods. This tale's more complicated. For me, American Gods is one of those books where... you have to be in the right mood. And since I've gotten it, I haven't been in the correct mood for it. I got to the first hundred pages, but haven't felt like continuing it. Not bad by any means, but I just don't feel like it, at the moment.

The Novice by Trudi Canavan. This is actually an interesting story. I think I was 9 (so this was five years ago) and my sister dared me to read Magician's Guild. So, I read it. SHOWED HER UP. I was... okay with it. I didn't care much for reading in general, so it probably wasn't all that bad. I just didn't like the idea of reading. Read the Novice, and I got stuck on the chapters of this one character... Who was basically just going to a different country for a huge library. Yeah, so I dropped that. May give it another try in the future.

Uh... I can't think of any more, though I'm sure there are loads more. For now, those are the books I couldn't finish. How about you people?

[shep5377]

Shadow and betrayal by Daniel Abraham. There was nothing particular wrong with the writing, I was just bored. The story didn't grab me, the drama eluded me and magic system was a bit too..... I'm not sure. Irrelevant? Not quite the right word but I don't know how else to describe it. I got 200 pages in, so I gave it a fair shout.

[C.Hill]

Flood by Stephen Baxter. Cover caught my eye. Concept was great; atmosphere more so. But the writing was way too simple. Too many 'said.' And stuff like that.

[Stars Cascade]

The Silmarillion. - just could not get through it. It read like a long list version of a family tree where everyone has variations of the exact same name. I found it so dull I just had to put it down and walk away.

that's pretty much the only book I've put down and have no intentions of picking up again at any point soon. I will try again, but not for some years yet I think.

[Arcane359]

Kushiel's Dart, or really, the Kushiel's Legacy series as a whole.  I was told about it on another list and once I started reading it, I found that I did like it, but somewhere along the way I just got bored and stopped reading the first book about half way through. 

Curiously, one of my most favorite series to read has been The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (/Brandon Sanderson).  I first ran into it when my mother had given me a gift certificate to a local book store for either my birthday or Christmas, I misremember which one.  I had my gift certificate and was looking for a series to read when I came across the first 5 books of that series (although at the time I thought those 5 books were the entirety of the series).  I snapped them up and eagerly took them home.  I couldn't make it past the Prologue of The Eye of the World.  It was just too boring for me and I didn't give a crap about these characters, so I put it down and shoved the entire series into a box.  About six months later, or so, I was working with a fellow who kept talking about this series of books he was reading.  The more he told me about it, the more it seemed like a perfect series for me.  He kept mentioning someone called 'The Dragon" and I kept thinking that this sounded familiar to me.  Lo and behold, I dug that series out of my box of stored books and found that it was the same series he praised.  I forced myself through the Prologue and, once I finally got into the actual story, found that I enjoyed it so much that I went through all five books very quickly.  I've been hooked on it ever since.

[AnneLyle]

Soulless by Gail Carriger, of which I managed maybe two chapters. The arch tone just grated on me, and it was so unremittingly girly - like Northanger Abbey on a sugar rush! I know plenty of people love those books, but they're not for me. I much prefer Mary Robinette Kowal's take on Austenesque fantasy.

(And yeah, I loved the books being repeatedly listed as DNF above - e.g. Sharps and A Shadow in Summer. Each to his or her own...)

[Jian]

Soulless by Gail Carriger, of which I managed maybe two chapters. The arch tone just grated on me, and it was so unremittingly girly - like Northanger Abbey on a sugar rush! I know plenty of people love those books, but they're not for me. I much prefer Mary Robinette Kowal's take on Austenesque fantasy.

(And yeah, I loved the books being repeatedly listed as DNF above - e.g. Sharps and A Shadow in Summer. Each to his or her own...)

Well. That's the interesting thing about being on this forum. Interacting with people whose taste differs greatly from your own. It's pretty fun, tbh. I'll also add Soulless to my list of books I couldn't finish.

I'm okay with girly. (So manly like that) But I just don't really care much for that time period. I've liked a few other books set in the same time period, but I'm still not a great fan of those types of settings.

[pornokitsch]

(Basically, all of Pornokitsch's favorite books - I couldn't finish them.  )

(cries)

[xiagan]

(Basically, all of Pornokitsch's favorite books - I couldn't finish them.  )

(cries)

Try to make him promise to try them again in five years.

I didn't finish the Silmarillion, that's it, I think. Last week Assassin's Apprentice would've made the list, but I finished it now after over a year.

[Scott Lynch]

The Republic of Thieves.


(I am so sorry. I simply couldn't resist. In the immortal words of my grandfather: "If you can't laugh at yourself, you're an asshole.")

Cheers,

SL

P.S. It ain't the finishing that's the issue, it's the editing and the miserable damned anxiety attacks.

P.P.S. I'm working on both as you read this.

P.P.P.S. None of this is the fault of my editors or publishers. They have been patient and steadfastly helpful during a long difficult period of my life.

P.P.P.P.S. That's a lot of Ps.

P.P.P.P.P.S. That's more P than I have used in any piece of writing since the barrel of horse urine in The Lies of Locke Lamora.

[xiagan]

The Republic of Thieves.


(I am so sorry. I simply couldn't resist. In the immortal words of my grandfather: "If you can't laugh at yourself, you're an asshole.")

Cheers,

SL

P.S. It ain't the finishing that's the issue, it's the editing and the miserable damned anxiety attacks.

P.P.S. I'm working on both as you read this.

P.P.P.S. None of this is the fault of my editors or publishers. They have been patient and steadfastly helpful during a long difficult period of my life.

P.P.P.P.S. That's a lot of Ps.

P.P.P.P.P.S. That's more P than I have used in any piece of writing since the barrel of horse urine in The Lies of Locke Lamora.

I love this.
If I could, I would frame it and put it on my wall. (Oh wait, I do have a printer...)

Welcome to the forums, Scott! If you need another place to distract you from your writing (in a positive way for a change), feel free to stay.

PS: One of our higher ranks in this forum is "Gentleman Bastard".

[shep5377]

The Republic of Thieves.


(I am so sorry. I simply couldn't resist. In the immortal words of my grandfather: "If you can't laugh at yourself, you're an asshole.")

Cheers,

SL

P.S. It ain't the finishing that's the issue, it's the editing and the miserable damned anxiety attacks.

P.P.S. I'm working on both as you read this.

P.P.P.S. None of this is the fault of my editors or publishers. They have been patient and steadfastly helpful during a long difficult period of my life.

P.P.P.P.S. That's a lot of Ps.

P.P.P.P.P.S. That's more P than I have used in any piece of writing since the barrel of horse urine in The Lies of Locke Lamora.

This is awesome + awesome.

Welcome Scott! And we will distract you as much as possible.

[Jian]

The Republic of Thieves.


(I am so sorry. I simply couldn't resist. In the immortal words of my grandfather: "If you can't laugh at yourself, you're an asshole.")

Cheers,

SL

P.S. It ain't the finishing that's the issue, it's the editing and the miserable damned anxiety attacks.

P.P.S. I'm working on both as you read this.

P.P.P.S. None of this is the fault of my editors or publishers. They have been patient and steadfastly helpful during a long difficult period of my life.

P.P.P.P.S. That's a lot of Ps.

P.P.P.P.P.S. That's more P than I have used in any piece of writing since the barrel of horse urine in The Lies of Locke Lamora.

Awesome. Another high-class author visits the site. 

I'll echo all the others and say, Welcome and we're great distractions.

I think I'll add Graceling to the lists of things I haven't finished. The beginning was okay, and my sister has been yelling into my ear to read it for ages.

[Phil Norris]

I for one would like to welcome our new Scott Lynch overlord.

[Francis Knight]

PS: One of our higher ranks in this forum is "Gentleman Bastard".
[/quote]

Indeed, though I prefer to think of myself as a gentlewoman bastard

So, another victim, er, I mean author to add to the mix. Overlord is getting a name for this place, or something.