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Worst Books You've Ever Read

sleepless101 13 years, 11 months ago at May 27 3:38 -
I saw this author's name on another thread and it sparked some hostility in me, and so I thought I'd start a thread for those of us who didn't heed other's warning's and read the horrible things anyway.

I'm going to have to say Wizard's First Rule, by Terry Goodkind. It was made even worse by the fact that I really enjoyed the TV series, and actually could get into the plot and story line of the book. I would have been utterly hooked if it had not been butchered by an author who I'm pretty sure couldn't write his own sandwich order. By the end of the book I was actually angry at how badly he butchered his own story line!

Just my opinion...don't kill me with hostile replies! But I would like to know any more out there that I shouldn't even bother to pick up!
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Nonfictionguy 13 years, 10 months ago at May 29 12:20 -
A lot of people slate "Jeffrey Archer" novels, so when I was on Holiday in a villa with time to kill and a good supply of books, I decided to see if they were really as bad as everyone says. Sadly they are! Cannot remember which one I read but I double checked and 'The Eleventh Comandment - Thou shalt not be caught' is as good an example as any.

"Its Jeffrey's writting style thats so hard to take" said Nonfictionguy. "Really?" said everyone. "Yes" said nonfictionguy guy as he wrote to Jeffry Archer's publisher for a job!
abigailpearl 13 years ago at Apr 4 7:20 -
Hahah! Oh man, I've read Wizard's First Rule, at the recommendation of a friend. I didn't think it was bad, but I didn't think it was good, either. Just a sort of blah book.
As for the worst book I've ever read, well, this doesn't go along with popular opinion, but I can't stand any of Michael Crichton's books. To me his writing style seems dry and pretentious, and his concepts ludicrous. I read Jurassic Park all the way through, and when my brother urged me to, I tried to read Sphere, but gave up after a couple chapters.
Fnord Prefect 13 years ago at Apr 7 15:28 -
Anything by Stephen R. Donaldson, who has a rape fetish, John Irving, who has an incest fetish, and Piers Anthony, who's just a really crappy writer.
Rylvan 12 years, 7 months ago at Sep 4 4:12 -
Maximum Ride, and Daniel X, both series by the great James Patterson. I just absolutely can not stand those abominations.
dbutler69 12 years ago at Apr 6 13:26 -
I think it may have been Lair of the White Worm by Bram Stoker. Not only badly written, but racist. I do like some of his other works, though.
Mr. Lays 11 years, 7 months ago at Sep 3 1:47 -
Icebound by Dean Knootz. Although he isn't a terrible writer, this one leaves something to be desired. Mr. Knootz is also known as the poor man's Stephen King.
markjazz 11 years, 7 months ago at Sep 4 11:22 -
These are the very few I've given a 1/5:

Hellhole by Brain Herbert
Temple by Matthew Reilly
Gideon's Sword by Preston/ Child (I normally love these guys but this novel was an insult to the fans!!!)
youngbloods 11 years, 3 months ago at Dec 22 14:59 -
Ulysses by James Joyce. I think it's a really overrated book.
Deleted user
Deleted 11 years, 3 months ago at Dec 23 16:32 -
You want to know why "Ulysses" is considered a masterpiece? Because it's one of the absolute most expressive, original, and creative works of prose ever set down. What of Joyce's mastery of prose, his fascinating characterization, his ability to push literary boundaries further than they ever were? As you give absolutely no reasons for whyeither book is bad, other than usual "it means nothing to me, so therefore it means nothing at all", I'm inclined to suggest you just straight up don't understand it. That's fine; it's one of the most opaque works of prose ever written, but please don't spout such garbage
Deleted user
Deleted 11 years, 3 months ago at Dec 23 16:34 -
But hey, what do I know, I spend months of my life reading 800 page books just so I could be considered an "intellectual person"

PS the statement "intellectual person" is redundant
rad 11 years, 3 months ago at Dec 25 0:52 -
^ Cock on his high horse
Mr. Saturn 10 years, 10 months ago at Jun 17 23:49 -
The Da Vinci Code
Anonymous 10 years, 10 months ago at Jun 23 19:25 -
I'd probably have to say Catcher in the Rye, just because he was SO annoying! Every chapter, "I think I'll give Old Jane a buzz.... nah, nevermind, I don't feel like it."! It was enough to drive me bonkers.
On top of that, there was no plot whatsoever, literally, gets kicked out of school, spends weekend in New York, doesn't do jack rabbit; I don't know how I got through that book...
i can see why people say that book drives people over the edge, honestly, Holden is definitely not in his right mind and he's SO FLIPPING ANNOYING, he doesn't go through any character changes, nothing.
It is one of the most pointless, horribly written books I've ever had to read. If you have to read it, I am so sorry and I will pray for your soul, that it may find peace in Bad Book Hell.
No offense to anyone who actually liked the book though! I just totally hated it...
mika_ 10 years, 9 months ago at Jul 14 20:52 -
The Book of Lies by Aleister Crowley

Anthem by Ayn Rand
Deleted user
Deleted 10 years, 8 months ago at Aug 1 3:50 -
Some books are very bad, say it is not very good.
www.raybansonnenbrille.org
www.bottestimberlandfrance.com
Deleted user
Deleted 10 years, 8 months ago at Aug 22 9:45 -
I once read Schooled by Gordon Korman. It was hard to get through, quite frankly. That might be it.
Deleted user
Deleted 10 years, 3 months ago at Dec 27 16:28 -
xxixii 10 years, 1 month ago at Feb 23 10:03 -
I second Ayn Rand...yes I understand the ideas she was advocating BUT I thought she was a terrible writer and gave up on several of her books...possibly language has moved on since she wrote

I will be flamed heavily for this and I know its just personal taste - The Lord Of The Rings...I tried reading this several times but just could not get into it... the style of writing, the prospect of investing god knows how much time to actually read the thing, and the subject matter f--king Hobbits!, sword and sorcery and fantasy - I appreciate Tolkien spent time constructing a fantasy world and minute details of that world...but does detail equal quality? I view literature as "skeletal" and writers often make the mistake of describing TOO much - give me the bones of the story and I will imagine the rest - part of the problem is that nowadays people expect to buy HUGE books (600 pages plus) because they consider it good value...so the author has to fill that somehow...so out comes filler and fluff and details
Deleted user
Deleted 10 years, 1 month ago at Feb 24 2:01 -
Ayn Rand was a fucking psychopath. Yes she was a terrible writer. She wrote a fiction book and then hoards of idiots worshiped her and her insane crazy ideas of making the world more sociopath friendly and worshiping corporations. I don't think they pay attention enough to the things she said and her ideas, cause she was as selfish as they come and her ideas were to worship the rich and fuck the poor. Worse is the fact that she knew her ideas were morally but did she care? Fuck no. That's why she glorified the idea of throwing morality and principles out the door to be selfish and only care about yourself. That's the main reason why rich right wingers adore her, and why the petty bourgeoisie (Liberteriantards) want to be like them.

John Galt was based on serial killer William Edward Hickman. Most Liberteriantards don't do a lot of research when they bow down and worship her, much similar to how they treat Ron Paul like a super hero even though he has had a colorful history with Confederacy politics and attracting white nationalists, much alone the fact that his ideas of deregulating the markets and worshiping the free market god are in-fucking-sane when it comes to how the real world works. Now they are sucking up to Tea Bagger moron Rand Paul who consistently makes an idiot of himself in the media constantly.


Here's a good article on Ayn Rand and some of the bat shit crazy politicians like Paul Ryan that worship her.

exiledonline.com/paul-ryans-guru-ayn-rand-worshipped-a-serial-killer-who-kidnapped-and-dismembered-little-girls/
xxixii 10 years, 1 month ago at Feb 24 10:42 -
I just cannot take Rand seriously...she was such a poor writer (for the record I thought 1984 was poorly written too but at least readable) How on earth did she get so elevated? Perhaps there is some mileage in the theory/idea she was one of the Rothschilds whores
silent killer 10 years, 1 month ago at Mar 10 1:55 -
Worst thing I ever read. Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter by Larell K Hamilton. tvtropes told me how bad that series was. It did not prepare me for how bad. I got past the first volume. It was a little bland, but nothing I would discard. It just continued getting worse. I think I made it to the third book before I got sick of it and just stopped.
Deleted user
Deleted 9 years, 9 months ago at Jul 1 21:53 -
The Giver by Lois Lowry; an absolute whirlwind of shit and convolution; the characters are nothing, the plot is nothing, and the themes are even less