Although I hesitate to say "overrated," 2011 releases that aren't year's-best quality to me

[Sci-2]

I couldn't get through ADWD or WMF - skipped around in both.

Rothfuss is a great writer of engaging prose and his characters can be sorta interesting...but the sex in this book was downright silly. Part of me can't wait for the conclusion just to see him take on a fresh story, perhaps in the same world but with Kvothe on the sidelines.

ADWD just seemed to meander. Reek seemed a bit over the top though I liked his chapters.

Night Circus was a bit overrated but I think is largely worthy of its hype in that it refreshed fantasy in a strangely classic way I haven't see since Gaiman.

[Spring Bass]

Joe Abercrombie, The Heroes (it was a dull and tedious read replete of the same old tired clichés that I've seen executed better by other authors; happened to be my least favorite work by him)

It had its moments, but it was really a "Black Company"-esque novel. If you don't really care for that type of fiction or writing style (and I don't, whether it's Cook himself, Abercrombie, or Erikson in MBOTF), then it won't really grip your attention.

Daniel Abraham, The Dragon's Path (a bit light for a new series opener, although there is hope for the sequels to be stronger, as in his previous series)

I liked this book, but that was mainly because I thought Geder was interesting. Talk about pushing a fat, insecure boy given power too far . . .

The setting was okay, and I liked some of the economic focus. Usually I don't really care for settings inspired by Renaissance Italy.

Patrick Rothfuss, The Wise Man's Fear (I've had the book for nine months now and still can't muster the enthusiasm to read it, so it certainly won't appear on the list)

I can think of a few highlights, but overall I don't blame you for your decision. Rothfuss wrote another ending that dragged onward, and large parts of the book are irritating and slow.

George R.R. Martin, A Dance With Dragons (parts of it were wonderful, but much of it was dull)

Most of it improves a lot on re-read.

I haven't reread it either. I don't really want to.

The Cersei sections? I vaguely remember you saying that they almost made you ill.

[Alexia]

AFFC changd a lot on re-read for me, and a lot people have said the same for ADWD. I also find that it's not very firmly fixed in my head at the moment, ADWD I mean. Maybe because i've spent so much time analyzing stuff as it stands as of the end of FFC, theres still something 'unreal' about the ADWD developments.

I fundamentally liked AFFC the first time I read it though, even though I missed Tyrion and I didn't think it was as strong as the first three. I'm not so fond of ADWD, though I know mileage varies...

The Cersei sections? I vaguely remember you saying that they almost made you ill.

Those, Tyrion, Reek.... thanks but no thanks.

I am going to reread the Dany chapters now for the Dany reread thread in General, but I'll pass on the rest for the moment.

[Happy Ent]

We had a spectacular 5th volume of Bakker’s Aspect Emperor cycle. I’ve re-read that quite a few times during this year already, and continue to find it very satisfying.

[jdiddyesquire]

Jdiddy,

LW doesn't pretend to be anything but Space opera. That said it does space opera very, very well. I'm really looking forward to Caliban's War.

Good Space Opera is a very great many things. Several of which LW does, IMO, rather underwhelmingly.

This. What LW does well is the noir, detective elements, and the horror elements. The space opera parts weren't all that engaging and the science part was even less. Like I said, really enjoyed it. And look forward to the next installment. Anywhere near the best SF this year? No. No way.

[Sci-2]

We had a spectacular 5th volume of Bakker’s Aspect Emperor cycle. I’ve re-read that quite a few times during this year already, and continue to find it very satisfying.

In a weird way I think it was the best in some parts and weakest in others. The prose continues to reach new heights stylistically. Not to get too spoilerish, but the parts about rationalizing addiction were masterful. As you've said before HE, Bakker has a gift for getting us inside of people that are do not allow us heroic mental narrative. This is why he's one of the up-and-comers to watch.

At the same time, I felt the New Empire stuff was pushing toward railroading, where characters seem to make out-of-character decisions that advance the plot. I am also never sure about the military maneuvers in the series, I can't tell if it is just my ignorance but sometimes it feels really simplistic in a way I never got from Deadhouse Gates.

[Happy Ent]

It has greatness, awe, sense of wonder, alienation, and some frickin’ cool stuff. Exactly what I’m looking for in the genre.

It has depth, conflict, heartbreak, interesting character studies. What I’m looking for in all literature.

It has a message. Sometimes I hate that in literature (for aesthetic reasons), sometimes not. Here, I think it fits the narrative.

It’s not very funny. Not heartwarming. Not inspiring. And very few descriptions of food.

[Arthmail]

We had a spectacular 5th volume of Bakker’s Aspect Emperor cycle. I’ve re-read that quite a few times during this year already, and continue to find it very satisfying.

No, it was a downgrade from TJE. An endless diatribe of "messages" casually painted over with pessimism and the continous degradation of his characters. He does not build heroic characters, you are correct. Nor does he build characters as people that you would actually like. Great characters, yes. Great people, no.

[Renasko]

Best one I've read this year (of those mentioned) was Bakker's new novel. It was a little difficult to get through, but the man has some serious weight in terms of ideas, world-building, plot, etc.

Rothfuss's new book was pretty much a pointless expansion. I fear for the length of his following books*. These exercises in sex adventures are really grating on my nerves. I don't mind their being a little love-making in my books, but it shouldn't prove to be part of why we have another damn volume. What else was the book about, anyway? His ability to lead an army of men despite remaining quite the adolescent? *yawn* There's not a realistic or genuine moment to be found.

Martin's book, despite the long wait, was a flat-out disappointment. A real page turner, but once you finish, it does leave you with an anti-climatic feel. Unfortunately, this was a given before it was even released. I am optimistic about the future of the series, though. Reckon Martin can start producing them a little faster now that he's got this one done with and the TV series is thriving.

Erikson, I skipped. Had enough of him. Still catching up on Abraham. Sanderson is best writing WoT novels. Haven't the time or energy for Abercrombie. The rest haven't caught my attention, nor my imagination.

*Undoubtedly, there will be more. 'Doors of Stone' will not be where the jukebox finishes.

[Sci-2]

but it shouldn't prove to be part of why we have another damn volume. What else was the book about, anyway? His ability to lead an army of men despite remaining quite the adolescent? *yawn* There's not a realistic or genuine moment to be found.

Yeah, I found the amount of sex way over the top and largely pointless. I had no problems with his promiscuity, but rather his greatness as a lover might have been tempered with the reality of a child's over eagerness. There is also the time of frozen adolescence with Felurian (sp?) which should have had both negative and positive consequences beyond Kvothe becoming a sex god...

ETA: Though in all fairness I might have missed something in all the pages I skipped.

[Bastard of Godsgrace]

We had a spectacular 5th volume of Bakker’s Aspect Emperor cycle.

Yeah, I also think WLW was the best book of the year hands down. The next two are for me Among Others and ADWD. Below them there is a gap and after it the competition gets really tough.

For me the biggest disappointment of the year was probably Reamde. I still rather enoyed it, but it is easily the weakest major Stephenson novel, IMHO.

[Xanrn]

The Crippled God was just meh, series started off so well and then just face planted off a cliff.

I liked most of aDwD, except the dull Dany arc and the extremely boring Jon with the stupidest thing ever written in a Westeros story, even more than the guy using a Poleaxe from horseback in the 2nd Dunk story.

The only 2 things I didn't like about The Heroes, no Logan and not enough Dogman.

[Grack21]

No, it was a downgrade from TJE. An endless diatribe of "messages" casually painted over with pessimism and the continous degradation of his characters. He does not build heroic characters, you are correct. Nor does he build characters as people that you would actually like. Great characters, yes. Great people, no.

That doesn't necessarily make it a bad book though.

I've loved pretty much everything mentioned so far here I read(WLW, WMF, Heroes, Crippled God, ADWD).

I guess, how does one define overrated? Good books listed as great? Or books that just get a better score then they should? Cause all the praise and positive reviews The Unremembered gets is very.....unsettling to me. That book is such shit it should have a fucking hazard symbol....

Ahem! Excuse me got off topic. That's book makes me angry.

I need to get to LW soon. Now that finals are done I'm going to read SO HARD.

[Happy Ent]

the extremely boring Jon with the stupidest thing ever written in a Westeros story,

Do tell.

[Grack21]

Do tell.

Oh this is going to be good.

[Sci-2]

Cause all the praise and positive reviews The Unremembered gets is very.....unsettling to me. That book is such shit it should have a fucking hazard symbol....

I thought it was determined the book's positive reviews were largely fake? If anything it shows the place for critics, as I haven't seen a single positive review of the book on any blog or publication.

ETA:

I guess, how does one define overrated? Good books listed as great?

I think when a book has noticeable flaws that, to the person making the claim of "overrated", are being willfully ignored.

That sounds obnoxious, but I loved Night Circus and think Erin Morgenstern has the possibility of being a huge boon to fantasy...but the love story in that book was lacking and I can't see how anyone can say otherwise as dickish as that might sound.

[kcf]

Larry, try not to take this the wrong way ...

Why even make this post? You've long discussed that your preferrences lay in other directions than most of the people around here (though there are certainly a few who enjoy many of the same books). And you read many more books in a year than most of us can dream of. Why is any suprise that a best of list by you wouldn't feature many of the books that are rather highly regarded around here? Why is it even worth mentioning that you feel they are 'overrated'?

However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the discussion generated is actually rather decent.

[SkynJay]

I would agree with most the list as written(that I have read). However, I gotta join the list of Abercrombie fans who thought The Heroes was the strongest book yet. Abercrombie continues to break cliches and tropes without being pretentious about it(hello Grossman), and I loved what he did with the book.

[Larry.]

Larry, try not to take this the wrong way ...

Why even make this post? You've long discussed that your preferrences lay in other directions than most of the people around here (though there are certainly a few who enjoy many of the same books). And you read many more books in a year than most of us can dream of. Why is any suprise that a best of list by you wouldn't feature many of the books that are rather highly regarded around here? Why is it even worth mentioning that you feel they are 'overrated'?

However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the discussion generated is actually rather decent.

I made it as a combination of an apologia that would explain why certain books favored by several would not appear (I possess and/or have read those listed, not for those I haven't read/own) and as a conversation starter about the differences in taste. I think the level of discussion has been very high here and people have discussed the merits of books they did enjoy (out of the ones I didn't) in a wonderful fashion. It does give food for thought about how people choose what works they like best, no? :D

As for the Abercrombie, I just don't think his prose is that excellent and the poster who compared it (favorably) to Glen Cook may be onto something as to why it feels familiar to me and why I don't like that particular style of writing. It's not like I'm talking about lesbian rape in his books, mind you, although scenes like that could be coloring my impressions more than I realize consciously. But that topic might be better suited for another thread?

[Spring Bass]

I didn't necessarily intend the Black Company comparison to be favorable. I'm lukewarm at best towards Cook's series, finishing The Black Company more out of my completionism than out of any real fondness for the novel itself. I tried reading the follow-up novels, and could never get into them.

It's probably the same reason why I was mostly "meh" towards Heroes, and also towards most of the "northerner" POVs in the First Law Trilogy. They have a similar vibe, and some similar elements (such as the soldier nicknames that you also see in Malazan).