Overrated Authors?

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MarcomMom
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Post by MarcomMom »

I'm on the Dan-Brown-is-overrated bandwagon. And I like Philippa Gregory, but I can't get past page 49 of "Wideacre." She can be uneven.
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Kitten
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Post by Kitten »

Fern Michaels...a friend of mine suggested the sisterhood series so I gave it a shot.....That is a week or so of my life I can never get back.

Although she is published and I'm not......
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MarcomMom
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Post by MarcomMom »

Kitten wrote:Fern Michaels...a friend of mine suggested the sisterhood series so I gave it a shot.....That is a week or so of my life I can never get back.

Although she is published and I'm not......
I haven't read her, although people used to order her books for book baskets I made. What didn't you like?
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Kitten
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Post by Kitten »

I found her resolutions very convenient. For example the series is about a group of women that take revenge on people that have wronged them, they do it as a team and one of the women just happens to be a millionaire (solves any monetary issues) and her husband just happens to be ex MI6 and has the ear of the Queen so of course they have no problems getting the information they require on people or the equipment they need. It just seemed like there was absolutely nothing creative about how the characters had to solve their issues.
I hope this makes sense..... :)
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MarcomMom
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Post by MarcomMom »

Kitten wrote:I found her resolutions very convenient. For example the series is about a group of women that take revenge on people that have wronged them, they do it as a team and one of the women just happens to be a millionaire (solves any monetary issues) and her husband just happens to be ex MI6 and has the ear of the Queen so of course they have no problems getting the information they require on people or the equipment they need. It just seemed like there was absolutely nothing creative about how the characters had to solve their issues.
I hope this makes sense..... :)
It does. Thanks for elaborating. Those convenient setups do make the plot and the characters involved seem less realistic and less resourceful--and therefore, harder to relate to. I like stories where people dig deep and come up with serious solutions to tough problems.
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sarascareermail
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Post by sarascareermail »

I know that this will probably upset most people, but I believe that Stephen King is extremely overrated. Most of his work is the same thing happening, just in a different time and place. I am a fan of horror and his whole genre, but I just cannot stand his books. I don't think I will ever be able to really get into a Stephen King book.
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shadylady
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Post by shadylady »

Well, i'd have to agree with most that has been said, Dan Brown and Danielle Steel particularly, but the one that I can not and will not ever understand is Virginia Andrews. OK, Flowers in the Attic I don't mind (I actually shocked my english teacher at school by doinga book report on this when i was 11!! Poor thing could never look at me again after that!!), but all of her other books are simply remixes of each other, even down to the reuse of names!! Argh!!!
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prettyvicky
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Post by prettyvicky »

is J.K. Rowling overrated? i think she is. :roll:
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sjankis630
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Post by sjankis630 »

Dan Brown: his style is juvenile, he uses cheap emotional shots and relies on shock-tactics to hide a really poor plot. I read only two of his books and they STANK.
Count me in on the Dan Brown stinks club. I don't understand how he has become so rich. One thing that especially irks me is that the Davinci Code is the #1 book read by friends and acquaintances who don't read books. They think that just getting through the book makes it good. Sigh, since they don't read more stuff, they miss out on a lot of better reading.

Alice Sebold - The Lovely Bones - wow, don't see the love here. This one was recommended to me by two different women who read it while pregnant. Is there some connection there?
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J.Seishu
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Post by J.Seishu »

Norman Mailer and Stephenie Meyer are both in the elite of overrated authors in my opinion. Don't like their writing styles or their storys very much.
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globalvision
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Post by globalvision »

If you ask me, the majority of the most celebrated modern 'serious' writers are over-valued - Martin Amis, Salman Rushdie, Ian McEwan etc., do they really have anything to say? And, if not, does anyone actually enjoy reading them? At least a genre writer has only issue to agonize over: to entertain, or not to entertain.
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Daily Alice
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Post by Daily Alice »

Stephen King, without a doubt.

I find his characters unlikable and one-dimensional and his endings are almost always a let down, especially after all the build up he does to get to the ending.
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poomlie
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Post by poomlie »

I really enjoy Stephen King books for the most part and I think he fleshes out his characters better than most authors and am looking forward to reading Under the Dome (which I am getting for Christmas).

I will also defend J.K. Rowling as an author. I have found her writing to be solid and sometimes exquisite and often amusing. Her stories are good, consistent and sometimes amazing in their creativity, especially after reading the series and watching the story come around full circle.

I am going to agree with the Dan Brown criticisms here. Mainly it was the poor writing of his that turned me off, but the stories were kind of silly. I have only read two books of his, The DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons, and was sorely disappointed, especially after such raves. The end of Angels and Demons was so outrageous that I had to just laugh. I did like the illustrations in that one, however.

Also, Stephanie Meyer is absolutely horrid as a writer. I have to wonder how she got published without a major rewrite. I am truly amazed at her popularity, as I was about Dan Brown. Go figure.
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Daily Alice
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Post by Daily Alice »

I am not sure how Dan Brown can be overrated, when everyone I have heard or seen talk about his books criticize them. :? :lol:
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Briar
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Post by Briar »

I can't believe that Stephanie Meyer's books are sitting next to the Harry Potter series in my daughters bookcase. I enjoyed the Twilight series, but as an author she doesn't even compare to JK Rowling. I'm astounded by the errors that was missed by the editor. I have two young teens and try to keep up with what is popular. I enjoyed the series, but I'm seriously cutting some pages out because they are a bit too graphic (vampire sex??) and they weren't even necessary. Many people of my faith (LDS) look at the author and say "Hmm Mormon and BYU grad, it'll be okay." Not me!
Also my daughters are divided between Team Edward and Team Jacob. I seriously dislike the character Bella nor do I like the actress who plays her in the movies. They BOTH deserve a better girl.

I like Stephen King but it's like he's 3 separate authors. One kind of sucks. One has your interest only to flub the ending. One is an absolute genius.

I don't like Diana Gabaldon
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