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The worst books you've ever read (pg. 11)
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| pkcRAISTLIN |
I simply don’t rate your opinion of prose. Sue me.
I’ve read enough to agree with system-j’s comment that descriptions of hardware as described = B grade fiction (and that idiots that read such don’t know any better). |
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| Joss Weatherby |
| quote: | Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN
I simply don’t rate your opinion of prose. Sue me.
I’ve read enough to agree with system-j’s comment that descriptions of hardware as described = B grade fiction (and that idiots that read such don’t know any better). |
But you do agree with SYSTEM-J that its not bad if they at least describe the make of the weapon, at least when its integral to the situation... :conf: |
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| pkcRAISTLIN |
| In vary rare circumstances, sure. Clancy always seemed to do ok without using retarded sentences tho. |
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| Spam |
| quote: | | Originally posted by SYSTEM-J I read the first one and it was utter ing dog. It has a plot with no tension that generates artificially tension entirely by changing scene the moment any character is about to voice their plans or intentions. Erikson seems to think he's building towards some sort of intricate conclusion only to drop a massive deus ex machina in right at the climax, and he's generally one of those insufferably smug "revisionist" fantasy authors who thinks writing hard boiled dialogue makes his work less clichéd and indigestible than any other overcooked fantasy nonsense. The book has a ing dramatis personae, for Christ's sake. |
Now that I think back, I remember I DID have a hard time getting into the first book... I think it's grown on me more as I've read the next two in the series, which has added some context to all the going on in book 1.
It's definitely cliche fantasy, but it's well-written, and it's hard for me to stop reading once I start. I like it much better than the pre-teen rape and modernized dialogue of Game of Thrones. If that's offensive, then sue me :p |
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| pkcRAISTLIN |
| I would’ve liked to see raistlin utter the occasional “ you!” |
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| Marcus Summers |
I was going to flip my if my favourite authors were mentioned in this thread.
I agree with Lira, 1984 is an overrated piece of . |
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| Meat187 |
| quote: | Originally posted by SYSTEM-J
1. Maybe you should actually bother to read it, so you'd actually have the first ing clue whether the professor is being "puristic" or whether he's actually making well-reasoned points.
2. "Puristic" isn't a word, dummy.
3. I wasn't being literal, dummy. I'm paraphrasing a classic piece of Internet stupidity, that populist entertainment should be immune from criticism of obvious flaws.
4. I think it's very much up for debate whether it's relevant. I think you're begging the question. I think I've provided a very thoughtful and strong reason as to why it's bad writing, and I think you've provided no response to any of my points whatsoever, merely a blanket dismissal of them as "pointless".
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1. :stongue: Now your trolling really starts to make me laugh. It has already been pointed out that the argument I called puristic has not even been made by him, so telling me to read his stuff first before making a point against the very thing he did NOT say is either very stupid or you deliberately being a huge dick.
2. Really? http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/puristic
3. Ah, so as I suspected you brought something up that has nothing to do with anything, since nobody in this thread said that. Same with the jealousy argument, as well. :stongue:
4. I didn't argue the conclusion because I agree that his writing is weak at times. I argued the method, which I consider a rather unconvincing way of proving bad writing style.
Now go on picking at that if you wish. I have no interest in these ramblings anymore, as I consider it irrelevant and based on a wrong understanding of how literature works. |
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| EddieZilker |
| quote: | Originally posted by SYSTEM-J
Specifying a gun model (and manufacturer, and weapon type) is relevant to bad writing even when it only happens a few times in the novel. This is because there are only a few action scenes in the novel, and if you them up you're ing up one of the main things that makes your thriller thrilling. More than that, as I've mentioned, the gun-model stupidity is symptomatic of a much larger flaw in Brown's writing: he repeatedly includes details that have no relevance to what's being narrated. I've already posted multiple links pointing out multiple instances of him doing it, none of which you've bothered to read. |
I once read a simply awful book (I forget the name) about modern tank warfare in Europe. The author and/or editor had the 'presence' of mind to put a glossary in the back of the book with a definition that included the phrase, "...that makes a sound like a chainsaw when it's fired." So, in one action sequence which seemed to be setting up tension, a civilian airport was under attack by the Russians and civilians, not aware of the scope of their calamity, would hear intermittent bursts from a 20mm Gatling cannon, described only as "what sounded like a chainsaw" in the book. |
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| SYSTEM-J |
| quote: | Originally posted by Meat187
3. Ah, so as I suspected you brought something up that has nothing to do with anything, since nobody in this thread said that. Same with the jealousy argument, as well. :stongue: |
So what are you actually arguing when you say that something's irrelevant because "99.775% of people don't notice or care"? I take that as "the book entertains a lot of people, therefore it doesn't matter if it's flawed". It's either that or an appeal to popularity.
| quote: | 4. I didn't argue the conclusion because I agree that his writing is weak at times. I argued the method, which I consider a rather unconvincing way of proving bad writing style.
Now go on picking at that if you wish. I have no interest in these ramblings anymore, as I consider it irrelevant and based on a wrong understanding of how literature works. |
So do you actually think the book is well written, or have you subtly backtracked away from the assertion that started the entire discussion? |
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| Domesticated |
| Ah, I forgot about JMG Le Clezio's Fever, a pile which won a Nobel prize. It's some short stories about people afflicted by various temporary conditions (i.e. a high fever) and how it makes them act. Despite the complete lack of plot, the writing itself was excellent, but really just an inferior knock-off of Patrick Süskind's. |
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| aNYthing |
| quote: | Originally posted by Moongoose
Weak plot, bad, inconsistent writing, one dimensional characters, enough depravity to make De Sade squirm and so much glorified violence that would make even the worst psychopath say "That is ed up".
Woudnt recommend it to anyone. |
done in one... |
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| Lira |
| quote: | Originally posted by Marcus Summers
I agree with Lira, 1984 is an overrated piece of . |
Hah! Where's your God now, Malek? |
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