Worst book you've read (or attempted to read)?
- Thread starter Religiously_Unkind
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i usually don't run up against books i consider to be outright bad. maybe i'm easy to please, maybe i've just been lucky. but i picked up a bargain hardcover once, called End of Days by Robert Gleason. it was awful. there were talking rats for no apparent reason in what was supposed to just be your standard apocalyptic world war type fare. no other signs really, just randomly a chapter showed up dedicated to talking rats (they were talking among themselves, but still). i had to put it down, it took me right out. saw some reviews on goodreads the other day when i was adding books on and added that one, and apparently further on, nuclear missiles started talking too. wtf. the reviews seemed to suggest it got published as a favor to an employee. which makes sense because it was bad.
there was also a star wars book that was hands down the worst star wars book i've ever read. i don't think the author understood the characters quite well enough maybe? all i know is it was weird, nobody was acting the way they should've and although i made it through that one, i didn't like it. The Crystal Star.
there was also a star wars book that was hands down the worst star wars book i've ever read. i don't think the author understood the characters quite well enough maybe? all i know is it was weird, nobody was acting the way they should've and although i made it through that one, i didn't like it. The Crystal Star.
....I can't recollect any particular dumpster book right now-but I've read some short stories in anthologies that were the literary equivalent of a wet fart....
Having read all of Bernard Corwells Last Kingdom series, U saw one in a hospital sale called by him called Stonehenge. I did give it until nearly half way through, but it was just boring.
50 Shades of Grey. ugh. I usually give any work a 10 page chance, but not this one.
The Emperor's Children. I can't comment on the writing - it was at least adequate as I recall. But the characters were all the human equivalent of room temperature oatmeal. I tried hard to like it, and am still devising a kind way to not tell my friend I never finished it when I return her "incredible, captivating book that (I) will LOVE".
The Emperor's Children. I can't comment on the writing - it was at least adequate as I recall. But the characters were all the human equivalent of room temperature oatmeal. I tried hard to like it, and am still devising a kind way to not tell my friend I never finished it when I return her "incredible, captivating book that (I) will LOVE".
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I stopped taking my grandma seriously when she said the first Fifty Shades of Grey book is great; We're talking about a woman who got me into reading Stephen King at an early age. Something is not right with her now (well, she does drink and pop pills).
Oh, dear. At least your grandma has an excuse. Not sure what my sister was thinking with that mess. Maybe if she'd dogeared the good parts?
It may take me a while to roll back through the years and find that one book that was absolutely THE WORST, but in recent memory I'll say A Head Full of Ghosts mostly because it sucked so bad but also because SK is quoted as saying it, "scared the living hell out of me." He must be getting much easier to scare in his dotage. 
It may take me a while to roll back through the years and find that one book that was absolutely THE WORST, but in recent memory I'll say A Head Full of Ghosts mostly because it sucked so bad but also because SK is quoted as saying it, "scared the living hell out of me." He must be getting much easier to scare in his dotage.
He said the same thing about Broken Monsters; I liked what I read of it but it wasn't scary.
the only exposure i have to the book (or movie for that matter) was watching the honest trailer on youtube. honest trailers are sarcastic take downs of movies. they even do good movies, but when it's bad, oh man, they can have a field day. they included actual lines from the book in it, and that was traumatizing enough. i'll never be able to decide whether to be upset that people made that schlock of all things to be one of the most popular books, or mildly appreciative that she was at least encouraging people to read. it's a conundrum for sure. seriously, look up the honest trailer. you'll be both entertained and slightly appalled.
side note kingricefan that reminds me of my mother (not the drinking and popping pills lol). she read king and saul and koontz and others when i was young. when she got older, for some reason, all she read was romance novels.
The best thing that ever came out of Fifty Shades of Grey was that video of Gilbert Gottfried doing an audiobook reading. Man oh man, that video makes me laugh so hard that I can't breathe.
My grandma is.....something else, she's actually on probation and is not supposed to be drinking and taking drugs but I guess drug testing a 60 year old woman isn't high priority in Pryor, Oklahoma.
i have no idea why i tagged kingricefan when i should have tagged you. i think cause i was looking at their "like" on your post. sorry lol. tagging kingricefan again so they can see my explanation for my moment of confusion
Yes, I was like: What?i have no idea why i tagged kingricefan when i should have tagged you. i think cause i was looking at their "like" on your post. sorry lol. tagging kingricefan again so they can see my explanation for my moment of confusion
Angels & Demons. I remember plowing through The DaVinci Code easily enough, but this one...I just couldn't get into it AT ALL. Something about the writing, it came off like really bad Ken Follett, who's also been known to throw out a few stink bombs from time to time.
The Nameless
M-O-O-N - That spells Nameless
Given that I don't read much by anyone other than king, mine are all by him. The only books I started and didn't finish because I didn't like the book are The Regulators, and Misery. The Regulators was probably because I'd just finished desperation when I started it and probably just worn out on the characters (even though they're flipped). Misery, I shouldn't have started it to be fair, it's just something I knew I wouldn't like. I'm not the biggest fan of King's "innie's" and while Annie is horrible, Paul was a bit of a prick so I had nobody to like.
Finders keepers is easily the worst book I've ever finished.
Finders keepers is easily the worst book I've ever finished.
You're entitled to your opinion but may I ask why you consider Finders Keepers to be the worst book you've ever finished? I couldn't put that one down.