Top Five Worst Books
Oct. 1st, 2010 10:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
eastofthemoonFrom my top five question meme ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
dqbunny asked me what were my top five worst books I have ever read. So here they are:
5. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer- I bet a lot of you are surprise to not see this at the number one spot. Yes, it's cheesy and the sparkle vampires make me twitch, but honestly it is not the worse book I have ever read. Even though I lost count on how many times Bella described Edward as "gorgeous" and "god like" I can at least laugh at it and mock it. It can entertain me on some level, the others on this list, not so much.
4.Eragon by Christopher Paolini I will not deny that when I first read this book I thought it was good. HOWEVER, I was 17 and I have read so many better books since then. Plus, everyone has a movie or a book they thought was good when they were younger only to realize when they're older that it's not as good as they remember it.
This plot is basically Star Wars with dragons. I'm not kidding, boy is forced to run from home, gets a mentor, mentor gets killed, and boy has to use to use the "force" to win the battle at the climax. The story has been written before and looking back, Eragon is not very original. There are so many fantasy novels that are more original than this. I think the only reason this book got as much attention as it did is because the boy's parents were actually in the publishing business (so he had some help in that department). Also, the arrogance of the writer doesn't help much.
He once said in an interview how J.K. Rowling was finally becoming a good writer. Keep in mind this kid had only 1-2 books published and Rowling had published her fourth or fifth book at this point. Yeah kid, the lady who has millions of books sold and movie deals was just BECOMING a good writer. @_@
3. Quadehar The Sorcerer (Book of Stars, Part 1) by Erik L'homme- The concept of this book was not terrible. To quote amazon.com Robin, a boy who lives on the Lost Isle, a fantastical realm between the Real World and the Uncertain World where evil resides. One night, Robin's potential for magic is revealed in the presence of Quadehar the Sorcerer. Robin becomes the sorcerer's apprentice and studies the magical secrets of the craft. His talents are put to the test when he and his friends must cross into the Uncertain World to save a classmate who's been kidnapped by monsters.
So, reasonable plot right? But it was just not written well. It's hard to explain unless you actually read it. There were scenes and moments that just felt clunky to me and there was also a real cheesy "power of friendship" moment in the beginning that made me roll my eyes. I know plenty of fanfic writers that can write better than this. It saddens me because it could have been a better book with the plot, but the writing ruined it. Younger kids probably would enjoy it, but I would rather read Harry Potter than this again.
2. Lord of the Flies- William Golding- I know this book is considered a classic and maybe I don't like this book because I was forced to read this book in high school by my very cranky English teacher who I now call "The Golem." However, I hate this book. This books feels like it was just suppose to be one big symbol of good vs evil and there are other books that show this but are more fun to read. Also, I feel the kids were unrealistic. You're all alone on a deserted island and you're not scared? I would imagine more kids would be crying and be terrified or worrying about getting back home. I will NEVER read this book again. @_@
1. Gypsy Gold by Valerie Worth - I read this book when I was working at the library. This was the most BORING BOOK I HAVE EVER READ. Not surprising this book is out of print, but here's a brief summary by a review I found online
Miranda's father, after trying in vain to teach her his trade as an apothecary, resolves to marry his daughter off to a wealthy older man who makes Miranda's skin crawl. She runs off to join the itinerant Gypsies who have recently come to her town, in the hope that she will learn to "tell fortunes" and have adventures. Not surprisingly, they don't want her, concerned that she will bring them trouble.
Miranda finds a way (else this would be a short story at best), and discovers the facts about the much-maligned group she has romanticized. She also learns that she has a psychic gift. Since it's a young adult novel, she also falls in love.
This book was written with nice details and descriptions but despite the plot summary here, nothing happens! You just read the girl going from place to place and talking with the gypsies. You think something dramatic would happens like a fire or a kidnapping or something in which Miranda has to save the day.
Nope, the most dramatic thing is Miranda getting a vision that her parents are ill and she has to go back home. That's it! I never wanted to be done with a book faster. Twilight was more fun to read than this. I get this was probably suppose to be a teenage self discovery story, but I've read those before and I know they can be done better than this. Ella Enchanted was a self discovery and it was way more interesting than this. MOST BORING BOOK EVER!
dqbunny asked me what were my top five worst books I have ever read. So here they are:5. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer- I bet a lot of you are surprise to not see this at the number one spot. Yes, it's cheesy and the sparkle vampires make me twitch, but honestly it is not the worse book I have ever read. Even though I lost count on how many times Bella described Edward as "gorgeous" and "god like" I can at least laugh at it and mock it. It can entertain me on some level, the others on this list, not so much.
4.Eragon by Christopher Paolini I will not deny that when I first read this book I thought it was good. HOWEVER, I was 17 and I have read so many better books since then. Plus, everyone has a movie or a book they thought was good when they were younger only to realize when they're older that it's not as good as they remember it.
This plot is basically Star Wars with dragons. I'm not kidding, boy is forced to run from home, gets a mentor, mentor gets killed, and boy has to use to use the "force" to win the battle at the climax. The story has been written before and looking back, Eragon is not very original. There are so many fantasy novels that are more original than this. I think the only reason this book got as much attention as it did is because the boy's parents were actually in the publishing business (so he had some help in that department). Also, the arrogance of the writer doesn't help much.
He once said in an interview how J.K. Rowling was finally becoming a good writer. Keep in mind this kid had only 1-2 books published and Rowling had published her fourth or fifth book at this point. Yeah kid, the lady who has millions of books sold and movie deals was just BECOMING a good writer. @_@
3. Quadehar The Sorcerer (Book of Stars, Part 1) by Erik L'homme- The concept of this book was not terrible. To quote amazon.com Robin, a boy who lives on the Lost Isle, a fantastical realm between the Real World and the Uncertain World where evil resides. One night, Robin's potential for magic is revealed in the presence of Quadehar the Sorcerer. Robin becomes the sorcerer's apprentice and studies the magical secrets of the craft. His talents are put to the test when he and his friends must cross into the Uncertain World to save a classmate who's been kidnapped by monsters.
So, reasonable plot right? But it was just not written well. It's hard to explain unless you actually read it. There were scenes and moments that just felt clunky to me and there was also a real cheesy "power of friendship" moment in the beginning that made me roll my eyes. I know plenty of fanfic writers that can write better than this. It saddens me because it could have been a better book with the plot, but the writing ruined it. Younger kids probably would enjoy it, but I would rather read Harry Potter than this again.
2. Lord of the Flies- William Golding- I know this book is considered a classic and maybe I don't like this book because I was forced to read this book in high school by my very cranky English teacher who I now call "The Golem." However, I hate this book. This books feels like it was just suppose to be one big symbol of good vs evil and there are other books that show this but are more fun to read. Also, I feel the kids were unrealistic. You're all alone on a deserted island and you're not scared? I would imagine more kids would be crying and be terrified or worrying about getting back home. I will NEVER read this book again. @_@
1. Gypsy Gold by Valerie Worth - I read this book when I was working at the library. This was the most BORING BOOK I HAVE EVER READ. Not surprising this book is out of print, but here's a brief summary by a review I found online
Miranda's father, after trying in vain to teach her his trade as an apothecary, resolves to marry his daughter off to a wealthy older man who makes Miranda's skin crawl. She runs off to join the itinerant Gypsies who have recently come to her town, in the hope that she will learn to "tell fortunes" and have adventures. Not surprisingly, they don't want her, concerned that she will bring them trouble.
Miranda finds a way (else this would be a short story at best), and discovers the facts about the much-maligned group she has romanticized. She also learns that she has a psychic gift. Since it's a young adult novel, she also falls in love.
This book was written with nice details and descriptions but despite the plot summary here, nothing happens! You just read the girl going from place to place and talking with the gypsies. You think something dramatic would happens like a fire or a kidnapping or something in which Miranda has to save the day.
Nope, the most dramatic thing is Miranda getting a vision that her parents are ill and she has to go back home. That's it! I never wanted to be done with a book faster. Twilight was more fun to read than this. I get this was probably suppose to be a teenage self discovery story, but I've read those before and I know they can be done better than this. Ella Enchanted was a self discovery and it was way more interesting than this. MOST BORING BOOK EVER!
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no subject
Date: 2010-10-02 01:53 am (UTC)What a pompous ass.
I agree with you regarding "Lord of the Flies."
no subject
Date: 2010-10-02 02:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-02 02:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-02 02:03 am (UTC)Agreement on the eragon kid.
That Gypsy one sounds like a mary sue.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-02 02:13 am (UTC)*thinks* Yeah, the main character of the Gypsy one was a Mary-sue now that I think about it and not in the laughable "Bella" Mary-sue style. This was the the plan perfect one that made me lost interest in the character by chapter 3. @_@
no subject
Date: 2010-10-02 02:19 am (UTC)As to the rest...I haven't read them.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-02 01:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-02 04:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-02 04:40 am (UTC)That seems like a stupid reason to not read something, actually... but I've never been able to get past it.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-02 01:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-02 08:45 am (UTC)It felt so unrealistic, yet at the same time it raised the question: did the author think so little of my generation or kids of my age? Bleh...
no subject
Date: 2010-10-02 01:16 pm (UTC)You know what? The kids in the book just needed a few boy scouts and they would have been better off. XP
no subject
Date: 2010-10-02 04:27 pm (UTC)I'm going to look it up now to be sure, but I never had the impression the story was taking place in our current era. Certainly not targeting our generation.