Larry. Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Any chance of a Robin Hobb being added to the 'bad' category? I never could get into her work. *shrug* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werthead Posted June 7, 2006 Author Share Posted June 7, 2006 A brief divergence on the subject of L. Ron Hubbard: I can safely say that after reading Mission: Earth, all f***king ten volumes and 1.3 million words of it I felt physically sick and unclean. I felt that Lucifer had defecated on my soul. This was a series so filled with misogny, homophobia and general spite that I pondered the extinction of the human race may not be too high a price to pay for it having produced a work like this. Battlefield Earth wasn't quite as revolting, but as ineptly written (I still have fond memories of the bit where a nuclear weapon explodes and somehow doesn't vapourise the second nuclear bomb that's sitting next to it which goes off a few seconds later and fails to vapourise the third bomb sitting next to that, ad nauseum). Mission Earth's soul redeeming features were one half-good joke (you aren't allowed to come into Marseilles Harbour unless you are smuggling drugs into the country) and the fact that the story was related from the villain's POV, which is kind of rare as an idea. Horrific, horrific execution though. I still remember with horror the chapters where the main character raped a lesbian and in doing so 'converted' her and made her sexually obssessed with him. This went far beyond anything Goodkind's ever put to paper. I'm not a great Hobb fan but she can write decent openings. She is most definitely not worse than Goodkind by a long shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xray the Enforcer Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 I'm pressed to think of someone really bad. I know I've read really bad books, but I cannot recall any titles or authors. Oh yeah: The Historian. Really Bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seventh Pup Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Werthead, though I had never planned on reading any of Hubbard's work, you have just insured I will actively remind myself not to. Any chance of a Robin Hobb being added to the 'bad' category? I never could get into her work. *shrug* I also didn't enjoy Hobb. Though I did finish the series. Still I think she was much better then Goodkind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhelanArcetus Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 See, my favorite thing about Goodkind is mocking him. He's definitely not a good writer in my book, but I was able to finish every one of his books I tried. I can't say that about everyone I've tried reading. But he's just so much fun to mock! I don't hate him, though I do not like his attitude in the least. But I enjoy the mocking. Much as I enjoy reading forum drama threads that don't involve anybody I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry. Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 I just said that as a shot in the dark for a guess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seventh Pup Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 I just said that as a shot in the dark for a guess Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werthead Posted June 7, 2006 Author Share Posted June 7, 2006 Be wise to the ways of the Dylanfanatic, for he is subtle and quick to befuddle. It should also be pointed out that Hubbard, ludicrously, was nominated for the 1987 Hugo Award for the second Mission Earth book. Tons of Church of Scientology members signed up with the convention and were able to stack the votes enough to get the book nominated. Luckily, sanity prevailed and the award was won by a vastly superior novel (Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card). This led to an event where the critic David Langford (himself holder of more Hugo Awards than any living person and, if he wins for Best Fanzine again this year, will hold more Hugo Awards than anyone else ever), a reasonably mild-mannered person, got into a 'discussion' with a representative of the CoS that apparently involved alcohol and consequences that both parties agreed never to discuss again. This is one of the few alcohol-fuelled 'incidents' at a Worldcon not to involve Harlan Ellison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebenstone Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 So are we thinking Goody and Ann Coulter are going to co-author a novel that is not a fantasy that makes us less intelligent than before we read it???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonehelm Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 So are we thinking Goody and Ann Coulter are going to co-author a novel that is not a fantasy that makes us less intelligent than before we read it???? Yeah, it will be the Bible of The Good Church of Coulter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Michael Swanwick wrote Iron Dragon's Daughter. Bad writing! Bad Story! Horrible Characters and character development! Nothing made sense (in a bad way)! Just stupid situations! Illogical relationships! ....I bet stop there because I could go on for awhile, but I am at work and already spendt too much time neglecting my job today. I seem to remember the actual prose being quite good in that book. It also had some interesting and innovative ideas and a few excellent individual scenes. However, I really did not like the plot at all (or most of the characters), but I'm willing to put that down as more of a personal preference thing rather than Swanwick being a bad author. I doubt I'll read more of his books, though. -John Ringo I'm in a similar situation with both Ringo and Goodkind, I've only read some sample chapters by them both. Goodkind's chapters were pretty poor but the Ringo was so laughable I'm surprised it ever got published. Ringo also wins the title for the SF book I've heard about that I've the least interest in reading - from what I understand the basic plot was that Earth is invaded by nasty aliens, modern armies are apparently too weak to fight them off, so apparently the only solution is to use new rejuvenation technology on veterans of the Waffen SS, because apparently they're the only soldiers good enough to save Earth. :sick: :| :mad: . I am frankly speechless about how anything with that plot summary got published. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Wolf Maid Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Oh yeah: The Historian. Really Bad. Oh yes, makes me thankful I didn't buy it. It had parts that were historically inaccurate, and for a book marketed as horror, it turned out to be a long history lesson. Lauren Hamilton. Anita Blake is probably one of the most Mary Sue-ish character I've ever encountered. Sherilyn Kenyon, with her Dark Hunter series. Reading the summary itself turned me off. -Mercedes Lackey Read one of her books and was struck by the desire to scoop out my own eyeballs with teaspoons and use them in a game of marbles. Now that I recall it, it was crappier than Goodkind by some margin. Just how bad is she? I haven't read any of her books, except some peeks on one her latests (the one about the Phoenix and the Cinderella-themed story) David Eddings' books were the first fanatsy series I've ever read. I liked them, still do, though I still have the occasional urges to rip Polgara and Ce'Nedra's throat. Not planning to read other books, as people warned me if you've read the Belgariad and the Mallorean, you'lll find his other books have the same plots. J.K. Rowling. I'm sorry, HP fans. I've read every book in the HP (except the latest one, I couldn't bear to read it), they were very fun to read in some parts, but I do wish she's get an editor, and that she'd kill off her characters better. And yes, she is a 'ripper-offer'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLL17 Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Who's more preachy and sanctimonious: John Ringo or Terry Goodkind? Who has flatter characters: Terry Goodkind, John Ringo, or Jordan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerol Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I reluctantly have to come to the defense of Laurell K. Hamilton. I have complained about her HUGE Mary Sue tendency, her babbling about not only how cute and precious Anita Blake is and each and every item of clothing she puts on, but also her incessant babbling on how beautiful Jean Claude and Richard are, and what they and every other impossibly beautiful character is wearing on their rippling frames. BUT...she can string together a tale and keep the pages turning. Half the reason I read 7 books into that series before I had my fill was that the world she built was pretty damn convincing. Once you skip over the clothing and oh, the endless descriptions of their perfect hair, the action is pretty intense. And if that isn't a mouthful of back-handed compliments I don't know what is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diva Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I reluctantly have to come to the defense of Laurell K. Hamilton. I have complained about her HUGE Mary Sue tendency, her babbling about not only how cute and precious Anita Blake is and each and every item of clothing she puts on, but also her incessant babbling on how beautiful Jean Claude and Richard are, and what they and every other impossibly beautiful character is wearing on their rippling frames. BUT...she can string together a tale and keep the pages turning. Half the reason I read 7 books into that series before I had my fill was that the world she built was pretty damn convincing. Once you skip over the clothing and oh, the endless descriptions of their perfect hair, the action is pretty intense. And if that isn't a mouthful of back-handed compliments I don't know what is... I have only read one. Killing Dance or something like that. it was stale, like she was bored with her own characters. and boring. "I'm a vampire hunter. Here is my really hot vampire boyfriend. Here is my equally hot werewolf boyfriend. They don't like each other and fight over me a lot." I don't know if it was worse than goodkind though. at least it was short. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLL17 Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Well, it certainly sounds like Laurell Hamilton is vicariously living out some fun sex fantasies, if nothing else:). Which is funny, as all I know about her is that someone once told me she supposedly hates goths. I'm an anime geek. Pathetic, yes, but I've never been a fan of anime fan fiction or fan fiction in general (think up your own stuff). In fact, the only Fantasy I read is Martin, mainly because it reminds me of good historical fiction. However, Anita Blake sounds similar to what is called an "Avatar" or "Omnipotent Godboy" in that school. In this case "Omnipotent GodGirl". As for the one time I opened up Goodkind, its too painful...I made it a point to forget the name of the book, even! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerraPrime Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Okay, Mercedes Lackey. Her work is overly saccharine, and her writing is mediocre at best. After the first few series, her work also got very repetitive and stale. Her urban fantasies involving modern day elves are, for lack of a better term, horrid. All that said, I will admit that her Last Herald Mage trilogy and her Queen's Own trilogy aremy guilty pleasures. I'll always give her props for writing a popular series featuring a gay male character and his love life. Okay, so that main character was way too mopy and weak and emo, but hey, I really did welcome an open portrayal of one of my kind in high fantasy setting. Especially since they made Raistlin straight. He's NOT, damnit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diva Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 oh god - Storm Constantine! The Wraithru series was so awful I want to slash my wrists. My flatmate, who normally likes the same stuff as me, kept telling me how good and powerful it was. but it was boring and painful and so misogynistic I couldn't finish even the first book. Especially since they made Raistlin straight. He's NOT, damnit! really? I never got that vibe from him. I though it was pretty asexual really, rather than gay. and I have mentioned elsewhere Traci Harding. Which probably falls into the 'so bad it is almost good' category. I did recommend An Ancient Future to all my gaming group. Because I didn't want to be the only one who suffered from it. time travelling celtic druid ninjas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Mongoose Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I can't believe i'm seeing Hobb compared to Goodkind. :sick: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuba Steve Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 ...a magical sleeping spell, perhaps? Hmm, probably. After all, his books are chloroform in print. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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