Have you ever read a book everyone was raving about, only to be disappointed? What, and why?

Question

Have you ever read a book everyone was raving about, only to be disappointed? What, and why?

Answer 1

Eregorn, for several obvious and g*y reasons.

Ill go from biggest to littlest problems with it.

A) Because it read like it was written by a 13 year old

B) The story progressed entirely too fast and without much sense

C) Eregorn is entirely too trusting of strangers

D) Eregorn is g*y.

E) Eregorn never does anything for himself.

some examples of the second one is basically were hes like, heres how you use magic, and eregorn is like okay i can do it! woo hoooooooo lol

Answer 2

I usually don't follow the hype, I normally like to get into things myself and rarely even follow things recommended to me because people often presume I like a something when I don't.

The last thing I can remember being disappointed with reading was The God Delusion. I'm interested in atheist viewpoints and had heard good things about this but the book was just interminable. I was bored stiff by it and didn't even bother finishing it.

Years ago I was also made to believe the Douglas Coupland's Generation X was a superb book. I read it, and no, it wasn't. It was in fact an annoying load of c**p.  

Answer 3

The Secret. They said it was supposed to change your life but I ended up just being confused.

Answer 4

Definitely Twilight. My friends told me it was amazing and the best book ever. I thought it was poorly written and not enjoyable at all.

Answer 5

I have two:

His Dark Materials Philip Pulman

The Da Vinci Code Dan Brown

I could not get past the first chapter of the Pulman book and thought it was just so dull.

The DV Code was exciting, but poorly written. I'm not a literary expert but even I could read how badly constructed the sentences were.

Great question, by the way!

Answer 6

Yes, all of the Harry Potter books. :-)

Answer 7

Celestine Prophecy - what a load of c**p.

It was very poorly written and contrived to make a few platitudes out to be something important.

Answer 8

Eragon -  All my friends raved about it for weeks, when I finally did read it it took me almost 3 weeks (usually I finish a book that size in 2-3 days, 4 tops) and I absolutely despised the main character. He was a whiny little b*****d with low self esteem who needed to decide what and whom he wanted. I felt really cheated, I expected (in a world of dragons, magic, and swordplay) to get something that would really appeal to me, instead I got a coming of age story with irritating action sequences, an unrealistic plot (even for fantasy), and too much waiting around for something to happen. Needless to say, I didn't read the sequel.

Answer 9

The Rule of Four - complete and utter dross. So bad, really, really bad.

Bubbles - give P & P another go - I hated it at first and now I love it!

I can't get into Rebecca either. Too annoying with the whole unamed character thing!

Answer 10

"Beach Road" by James Patterson and Peter de Jonge

My boyfriend loved it; he thought it was the greatest book ever written, but I felt betrayed, only because of the end.  Although I have to say, I've never read anything like it.  Sorry I can't tell you why, don't want to ruin it for anyone else who might enjoy the surprise.  But if you do read it, by prepared: It's not your average mystery novel--very shocking end.  

Answer 11

Yeah, Twilight. Even when I got the first one at the store, the lady at the counter was like "OMG this is a really good book". I read it in less than a day and it turned out to be nothing but garbage filled with meaningless adjectives.

Answer 12

How to Kill a Mocking Bird. I know its suppose to be a really good book. But i just didnt like it. And mostly i like every book i pick up! Im a bookaholic!

Answer 13

To Kill A Mockingbird. It's sappy, cliched rubbish with little literary merit. Just because it's about prejudice we're supposed to worship it and nobody dares to point out that it is irritating, misfocused, smug, patronising propaganda.

Answer 14

Twilight - Because it was pissy.

Eragon - When I learned I didn't really like dragons as much as I thought I did.  

Answer 15

PS I Love You. My friends were all crazy about it but I couldn't even finish it (which is rare for me). I couldn't get into it, I just found it a bit boring to be honest.  

Answer 16

Pride and Prejudice and The Da Vinci Code.

I don't know why, I just couldn't get through those books. Heaps of people love Pride and Prejudice, but I couldn't get through it. It seemed really boring and meaningless. Maybe I didn't get in far enough or maybe I'm just too impatient. =)

The Da Vinci Code was really confusing, I thought. I heard about how good it was so I though I'd give it a go. It didn't turn out to be as good as everyone else said it was. But that's just my opinion =). I have read another book by Dan Brown though, it was called Digital Fortress (I think). I actually liked that one, I mean it wasn't the best, but it was pretty good.

Answer 17

Ben Elton's first novel, "Spark".  Elton is a clever and funny guy, but his grasp of English was so diabolical that the thing was almost unreadable.  I was surprised he didn't have a decent editor.

"Stark" sorry, not "Spark" - obviously didn't make much of an impression on me.

Answer 18

I was very disappointed in No Country For Old Men by Cormac McCarthy. It was a huge best seller, the movie (which I have not seen) won picture of the year so I was expecting something really great. And it was the most confusing, pointless, disjointed book I have ever read. I have no idea what all the fuss was about.

Answer 19

Twilight. One word: S***.

Answer 20

Yes, eveyone in work was reading "A Stone for Danny Fisher". Can't even remember who wrote it now, but it was all about criminals and I ploughed through it, but found it really boring most of the time.

Edit: Have just remembered it was Harold Robins.

Answer 21

The Da Vinci code. Badly written, predictable and boring!

Answer 22

I normally avoid books that people rave about, because I tend to prefer weird books which noone else normally reads!  I did read one book thought that everyone went on about how you would feel changed after reading it...can't for the life of me remember what it was called.  Anyways, I read it and it was good, but it wasn't amazing the way everyone said...I just felt a little under awed at the end and wondered what the point in the book was!

Answer 23

I must admit, I never read anything that is popular, or a best seller. However, I did read Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park, when it was on the best sellers list and I couldn't put it down.