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BookGround >> Can't finish and why?
| 12/18/11 7:17 AM | |
Dbulletproof
121 
Edited: 12/18/11 9:38 AM Member Since: 5/3/09 Posts: 95 |
Just ditched a book: Babel-17 by Samuel Delaney. This is only the second time I've done this, the other time was with Pygmy by Chuck Palahniuk. Babel-17 pissed me off, I tried to stick with it, but there seemed to be lots of pointless asides and irrelevant characters. Also, the main character was a woman, which I found unusual, I couldn't relate to her. I found myself constantly questioning her decisions and actions, which just pissed me off no end. I had no choice but to ditch the book, I just couldn't bring myself to continue. As for Pygmy, horrible book. It's written in a pidgin English style. I thought I'd get used to it similar to A Clockwork Orange, but it was just horrendous, like running a marathon with a pebble in your shoe. Now I've read some shit, and some hardcore shit, however it takes something special for me to ditch a book halfway through. So my question is this: How often do you ditch books halfway? Which books and why? Oh and FRAT. |
| 12/18/11 8:25 PM | |
|
Willybone
60
Edited: 12/20/11 1:17 PM Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 44457 |
The last one I can remember intentionally putting down was a Tom Clancy book. I found the lead character, the plot, and the interpersonal interactions to be so unrealistic to anyone but a 13yr old boy that it was actually insulting. I didn't just put it down; I put it down and vowed I'd never waste my time with one of his books again. And I actually like escapist espionage/war fiction. |
| 12/23/11 6:51 PM | |
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Jarvis73
47
Member Since: 9/14/10 Posts: 1248 |
haunted by Chuck Palahniuk, hated it. from the first page |
| 12/24/11 12:23 PM | |
|
Dbulletproof
121
Member Since: 5/3/09 Posts: 97 |
I agree with Palahniuk, I liked Survivor and Choke, hated his other stuff. Though I've never read Fight Club. I get the feeling he's a bit of a one trick pony. |
| 12/27/11 5:32 PM | |
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panic686
18
Member Since: 3/18/02 Posts: 16584 |
Choke by Chuck. I was interested in the story but hated his writing style |
| 1/1/12 9:06 AM | |
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kikenyoy
5
Member Since: 2/11/05 Posts: 1413 |
From a Buick 8 by Stephen King. I was a big fan of his books when I was younger and I had read all of them up to that point. I read about 200 pages of it and realized that I just didn't care how it ended. |
| 1/3/12 6:26 AM | |
|
Dbulletproof
121
Member Since: 5/3/09 Posts: 100 |
Yeah, I went off King years ago. The last thing I read by him was Cell about 4/5 years ago. Nothing since then, though I still love The Shining to this day. |
| 2/6/12 12:58 PM | |
|
Mako_
8
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 2840 |
I'll get flamed probably for this, but the first one I did this with was The Rum Diaries. I'm still half way through it and nothing has happened, just can't seem to pick it up again. I've finished 3 other books in the meantime. |
| 2/7/12 3:14 AM | |
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kikenyoy
5
Member Since: 2/11/05 Posts: 1427 |
I forgot about this thread then saw it in my subscription list and thought it was about Jon Fitch! :) |
| 8/14/12 7:14 PM | |
|
MrMead
70
Member Since: 8/7/07 Posts: 2818 |
For me it was Trainspotting. The slang writing was just too much for me to read without having to read each page like 3 times. |
| 8/16/12 12:23 PM | |
brannnon
Member Since: 6/29/12 Posts: 55 |
Haunted was a difficult read. Fight club is worth it in tandem with the movie. |
| 8/27/12 11:45 AM | |
|
RedFox3
10
Member Since: 8/2/12 Posts: 5 |
The last one I ditched was Three by Ted Dekker, I found all of the characters to be stupid, their personal conflicts were only conflicts because of said stupidity and I just couldn't stay with it. |
| 9/4/12 2:19 AM | |
|
Dbulletproof
121
Member Since: 5/3/09 Posts: 135 |
Add Armor by John Steakley to that list. It started well, but the sudden change... ruined it. |
| 9/11/12 5:55 AM | |
|
HULC
35
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 4244 |
Guns, germs and steel for me. I'd been reading rave reviews about it for years and got around to trying it. It was horrible. I couldn't go more than a couple of sentences without laughing out loud or shaking my head at some of the rubbish in it. |
| 9/14/12 12:48 AM | |
|
Dbulletproof
121
Member Since: 5/3/09 Posts: 141 |
HULC - Guns, germs and steel for me. I'd been reading rave reviews about it for years and got around to trying it. It was horrible. I couldn't go more than a couple of sentences without laughing out loud or shaking my head at some of the rubbish in it. Holy shit... I almost bought that one! |
| 9/27/12 1:44 AM | |
|
HULC
35
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 4295 |
^ Well as an example of his reasoning, he says it's obvious People from Papua New Guinea have higher IQs than westerners because they are more likely to die by violence. If that sort of "logic" isn't very compelling to you, i'd suggest avoiding it. |
| 9/27/12 9:28 AM | |
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Dbulletproof
121
Member Since: 5/3/09 Posts: 154 |
Oh shit... now I have to read it. |
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