Seventh Pup Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 I recently started reading Boris Akunin's work. He's written a few series of mysteries, the superior Fandorin Mystery's, and the still exceptionally enjoyable Sister Pelagia series. He's a Russian author and I feel his work has been translated well. He's mysteries are fun, and while you might spot the bad guy early it doesn't take away from the enjoyment of watching his sleuths figuire it out. In the Fandorin Mystery's the first book The Winter Queen is a wonderful book. It's like a chocolate soufflé, while it's puffy and the ingredients are simple; it's surprisingly rich and smooth and before you know it you're done. Because he's translated, the American Publisher's put the next book in series as Murder on the Leviathan. Another good book, that had me for reason's unknown announcing to my boyfriend that "Murder most foul has been committed." at random intervals (that is not a quote but it's the atmosphere of the book, and it's done very well). Now we come to the bad book. The second book in the series is The Turkish Gambit, however the American Publishers made it the third, because apparently events in the fourth book are linked with it directly. It was a bad book. In fact it was painful, made all the worse because I was expecting it to be good, or at least okay. It was like he had read every bad spoiled princess Mary Sue in fiction and combined them to make the main character. More over it seems obvious that this character at some later point will be the love interest of the Fandorin. Akunin can do good female characters, and as I've read a few of his Sister Pelagia books I know he can do good female leads. But the character in this book is freaken annoying, if I had not enjoyed so much of his other work I would have abandoned it long before the end. Seriously you have no idea why anyone would want to be around this humorless spoiled woman yet every man she passes on the street wants to win her heart. It was so bad I feel fearful to pick up anything else written by him for fear of putting my eyes and mind through that again.What are experiences with bad books by good authors? How forgiving are you? I just feel so disappointed in him, I know he could have done better, he had it all, the skill, the story, how did it all go so wrong? :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stego Posted July 29, 2010 Share Posted July 29, 2010 -Everything after 1975 by Robert A Heinlein.-The Baroque Trilogy by Neal Stephenson-The Steel Remains by Richard Morgan-Rose Madder by Stephen King-Night of The Vampyres by George R.R. Martin (short story -- so awful. :P )-A Crown of Swords thru Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan-Ilium and Olympos by Dan Simmons-Everything since the Fool Trilogy by Robin Hobb-Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman-Dracula Unbound by Brian Aldiss-Last of The Amazons by Steven Pressfield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
palin99999 Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 -The Steel Remains by Richard Morgan-Anansi Boys by Neil GaimanAgreed.Also:Burn by Sean DoolittleCrooked Little Vein by Warren EllisBust by Ken Bruen and Jason Starr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stego Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Crooked Little Vein by Warren EllisI loved that book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werthead Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Interesting Times, Carpe Jugulum, The Last Continent, Thief of Time and The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett.Imperial Earth and 3001: The Final Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke (although The Hammer of God and The Ghost from the Grand Banks aren't that great either, but readable).Neuropath by R. Scott Bakker.Misspent Youth by Peter F. Hamilton (although, if you can get through the dodgy porn bits, there are some prescient ideas in there).The Born Queen by Greg Keyes.-A Crown of Swords thru Winter's Heart by Robert JordanAh, a closet Crossroads of Twilight fanboy, eh? Was it the scene where Mat spanks an Aes Sedai that did it for you? ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stego Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Ah, a closet Crossroads of Twilight fanboy, eh? Got it wrong due to a quick glance. I really, really enjoyed Knife of Dreams, but not Crossroads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stego Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Neuropath by R. Scott Bakker.Good one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoë Sumra Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Interesting Times, Carpe Jugulum, The Last Continent, Thief of Time and The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett.I liked all of those a lot, except for Last Continent... I'd say Hogfather and Soul Music instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galactus Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Interesting Times, Carpe Jugulum, The Last Continent, Thief of Time and The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett.Really?These, but no Unseen Academicals? (Pratchett's worst book to date, IMNSHO) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcelo Rebelo Firqoralas Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Really?These, but no Unseen Academicals? (Pratchett's worst book to date, IMNSHO)Carpe Jugulum and The Fifth Elephant were awful. Preachy, unimaginative crap. I didn't read anything by Pratchett for almost a decade after those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxom 1974 Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 As mentioned in the Pern thread, I was somewhat let down by everything from McCaffrey post All the Weyrs of Pern...and that she allowed her son to play in the garden too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galactus Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Carpe Jugulum and The Fifth Elephant were awful. Preachy, unimaginative crap. I didn't read anything by Pratchett for almost a decade after those.The Fifth Elephant is boring, and very much by-the-numbers, but there's not much to HATE about it.Carpe Jugulum had some fun stuff with the vampires. (I actually rather like it, but then again, I like taking the piss out of vampires) Unseen Academicals, Interesting Times, The Last Continent, Equal Rites... Those are the bad Pratchett books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stego Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 As mentioned in the Pern thread, I was somewhat let down by everything from McCaffrey post All the Weyrs of Pern...and that she allowed her son to play in the garden too...She just... got really old, man. I can't get mad at her for that. She put out a lot of solid books. Same with Heinlein. They just lose it at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alguien Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Everyone's Pratchett tastes are usually different. I liked Carpe Jugulum and Thief of Time very much, but didn't enjoy Interesting Times or The Last Continent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artas Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 These, but no Unseen Academicals? (Pratchett's worst book to date, IMNSHO) What's wrong with Unseen Academicals? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxom 1974 Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 She just... got really old, man. I can't get mad at her for that. She put out a lot of solid books. Same with Heinlein. They just lose it at some point.I know. I think Todd taking over is the greater sin...was there really a need to squeeze more blood out of that stone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stego Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 I know. I think Todd taking over is the greater sin...was there really a need to squeeze more blood out of that stone?I have to blame him. She's just... really old now. Who knows if she would have agreed when she was all there.I got to talk to her in 2006, and she was ninety-something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galactus Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 What's wrong with Unseen Academicals?Hideously full of middle-class preachiness (even worse than any other book) with nothing really new or interesting added to the universe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxom 1974 Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 I have to blame him. She's just... really old now. Who knows if she would have agreed when she was all there.I got to talk to her in 2006, and she was ninety-something.I have to think it's obvious that I'm very jealous there. I never got an opportunity to go see her ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrownedCrow Posted July 30, 2010 Share Posted July 30, 2010 Neuropath by R. Scott BakkerWhy would anyone who enjoyed Bakker's other works not like Neuropath? If anything, it's probably better. Certainly the characterization is a vast improvement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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