Series you were disappointed with...

[Scattered]

No need for a rant, I could not possibly agree with you more!!!

[PeterAhlstrom]

I loved the Liveship books. My favorite trilogy of Hobb's.

I could not like the Soldier Son books though. I stopped after the first one. When the huge plague hit and everyone was dying, I realized I simply did not care.

Edited August 9, 2012 by PeterAhlstrom

[Shivertongue]

The Wayfarer Redemption series, by the late Sara Douglass. The first book was fantastic, and made me so excited about the next one... and I couldn't finish it.

Without giving spoilers, I felt like several major promises had been broken, to the point where I felt almost betrayed as a reader. It didn't help that my favorite character, awesome in the first book, spends the rest of the series getting dumped upon.

I have yet to pick up another one of her books, and I don;t see myself doing so anytime soon.

[Ryan]

I loved the Liveship books. My favorite trilogy of Hobb's.

I've heard the same from others, which is why I've avoided reading anything else of Hobb's.

[ProfessorMLyon]

If I said A Song of Ice and Fire would anyone hate me? Do I have any supporters out there?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Bueller?

Edited March 21, 2012 by ProfessorMLyon

[Shivertongue]

If I said A Song of Ice and Fire would anyone hate me? Do I have any supporters out there?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Bueller?

I like it, but I do feel it's a bit... overhyped, for lack of a better term. Enjoyable books, but certainly not the greatest achievement in fantasy that some fans seem to think it is. And A Feast For Crows was so unsatisfying, I haven't bothered to pick up Dance of Dragons yet.

[Ryan]

If I said A Song of Ice and Fire would anyone hate me? Do I have any supporters out there?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Bueller?

I have no intention of reading this until the series is complete. Maybe not even then. I'm not a huge fan of graphic sex and violence, y'know?

[Thought]

I might as well add my voice to the chorus regarding Hunger Games. I liked the first book, but the third? I read it out of obligation. Katniss may have well been the least interesting POV character for every single scene in that book. Yes, this goes even for those scenes in which it is just her and the cat.

[Scattered]

If I said A Song of Ice and Fire would anyone hate me? Do I have any supporters out there?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Bueller?

I have mixed feelings about those. They're definitely interesting, and you can tell a lot of thought and effort went into them, but there's so much going on and each book is so long that it becomes sort of a chore to get through them. All the characters I like either die or don't get talked about very often, so I was stuck reading these long sections about characters I didn't really care about. I can see why people like them so much, but I'm certainly not hanging on the edge of my seat for the next one.

[Sweetness]

Oh god. I have spent the last two years with a bag over my head for shame that I couldn't make it through the first WoT book. Now I feel better. Thank you.

[Shivertongue]

I have mixed feelings about those. They're definitely interesting, and you can tell a lot of thought and effort went into them, but there's so much going on and each book is so long that it becomes sort of a chore to get through them. All the characters I like either die or don't get talked about very often, so I was stuck reading these long sections about characters I didn't really care about. I can see why people like them so much, but I'm certainly not hanging on the edge of my seat for the next one.

This. So much this. You have hit upon one of the biggest issues I have with the series. I know I've said it before, but the series has gotten to a point where I only like three people who are still alive, and I'm annoyed with having to read through long segments featuring character I hate or, more, am entirely indifferent to.

And I don;t care how "unrealistic" it might be, but I like heroes. The recent trend toward dark and gritty low fantasy has worlds where there are no heroes, where the protagonists are nearly as awful as the people they are up against. Some can do it well, but most, it seems as though they're doing it just to be dark and gritty.

[ProfessorMLyon]

Oh god. I have spent the last two years with a bag over my head for shame that I couldn't make it through the first WoT book. Now I feel better. Thank you.

Ah don't feel bad. The first time I tried to start Eye of the World, I never got passed the first three chapters. Put it down for a couple of years, picked back up went off with it. Until Winter's Heart, then I had to stop. I'll finish it when Brandon finishes Memory of Light.

This. So much this. You have hit upon one of the biggest issues I have with the series. I know I've said it before, but the series has gotten to a point where I only like three people who are still alive, and I'm annoyed with having to read through long segments featuring character I hate or, more, am entirely indifferent to.

And I don;t care how "unrealistic" it might be, but I like heroes. The recent trend toward dark and gritty low fantasy has worlds where there are no heroes, where the protagonists are nearly as awful as the people they are up against. Some can do it well, but most, it seems as though they're doing it just to be dark and gritty.

I was talking to a co-worker about this earlier today. I agree with you. I like heroes, people who are trying to do right. I like flawed heroes, who make mistakes, but ultimately succeed in their story. I don't understand this fascination on characters who are basically villains.

[Jack the Halls]

I'll probably be shot for this, but the Kingkiller Chronicles. Sometimes I find it absolutely amazing and I can't believe just how good it is, but there were times when I had to force myself to keep reading the first book, and it took me way longer than most books I read of that size. I LOVED the first half of Wise Man's Fear, and I kept thinking "I finally get it! I finally get it!" but then there was about 120 pages (the Felurian sequence) that pulled me so far out of my enjoyment that I put it aside and haven't come back to it yet.

I'd also add my vote for Hunger Games. The first one was less than mediocre while the second was a step up to mediocre. I might not even read third one even though it would only take a day.

[Thought]

Well Jack, you haven't been shot yet, so good show.

I'll go ahead and add the Inheritance Cycle. The first two books were fun enough to justify reading, but I haven't been able to get past the prologue of the last one. So now it is just sitting on my shelf, mocking me.

Edit: Also, His Dark Material. The reason for this is that the universe is saved by sex, and we know that god doesn't exist because a nun likes marzipan. Those two sections were so ridiculous that I haven't been able to reread the books. Other than that, the books are rather good. Alas

Edited July 18, 2012 by Thought

[Trizee]

I actually really enjoyed the first two Hunger Games books- they were pretty awesome! But the third was just terrible!

I think the plot went something like this:

Katniss is unconcious, she wakes up in a hospital, she decides to go out to fight against everyone's advice, she gets hurt in the fight, she wakes up in a hospital- over and over again... Oh, and did I mention that the author has one of the main characters brainwashed so that his character is completely ruined, and that the protaginast is quite insane...

As for A Song of Ice and Fire, I think Jon, Ned, Sam,and a bunch of other people could be called real good heroes.

[Lysid]

^ this ^

I read the first one, and i everyone keeps telling me i need to read more before it gets good, but I just can't read 'em. Reading the first one felt like a chore. I had high expectations for it, too, because a lot of people talk good about these books are.

Here I thought I was the only one... every fantasy reader I bump into seems to love it.

Read book one, it was alright. Not brilliant enough to warrant reading the others though.

[Cracknut]

Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

[Shivertongue]

Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

And whyfor is this?

[Cracknut]

And whyfor is this?

Taste.

1. I don't like it when characters are born as a heroes. With great powers and so on. I like it when they achieve it. Even more I don't like when there are 5 people like that in one little village and somehow they're all friends. Yes its that great wheel weaving patterns that way but still I just don't like that.

2. I didn't liked how Horn of Valere worked, it had feeling of fairy tale.

3. I hated almost every character, especially Rand even though I tried to like him.

4. Rand and Balzamon fighting in the sky.

Other details I can't remember... I'm going to finish it anyway. Hope it gets better.

[Shivertongue]

Taste.

1. I don't like it when characters are born as a heroes. With great powers and so on. I like it when they achieve it. Even more I don't like when there are 5 people like that in one little village and somehow they're all friends. Yes its that great wheel weaving patterns that way but still I just don't like that.

2. I didn't liked how Horn of Valere worked, it had feeling of fairy tale.

3. I hated almost every character, especially Rand even though I tried to like him.

4. Rand and Balzamon fighting in the sky.

Other details I can't remember... I'm going to finish it anyway. Hope it gets better.

How far into the series did you get/are you?

[Voidbringer]

I cannot downvote someone for not liking WoT. I love it but I know too many people that think it is the greatest achievement in literary history, to the point of where it gives people unrealistic expectations. Then you get to the middle books where things slow way down and that can be disappointing for lots of people. I have to upvote that just for posting it on a website where that is considered blasphemy.

As for a disappointing series, there are a few:

A Song of Ice and Fire - Good, but not as good as the fanboys say.

Shannara Books - I try but I can't like them... Well, except for a few characters that were awesome.

I don't agree with some of the previous posters about the Malazan Book of the Fallen. I am on book 5 and it is awesome!

[Cracknut]

How far into the series did you get/are you?

Finished second book about month ago.

Ty Voidbringer. That was exactly what happened to me. On other hand I had watched Song of Ice and Fire and exactly knew what it was so when I started reading it I wasn't expecting much.

Btw after finishing The Great Hunt I started reading Malazan book of the Fallen and its one of the best fantasy books I've read.

Edited August 22, 2012 by 213

[Shivertongue]

Finished second book about month ago.

Ty Voidbringer. That was exactly what happened to me. On other hand I had watched Song of Ice and Fire and exactly knew what it was so when I started reading it I wasn't expecting much.

Btw after finishing The Great Hunt I started reading Malazan book of the Fallen and its one of the best fantasy books I've read.

Voidbringer: There's nothing wrong with disliking the Wheel of Time here. I think the downvotes were more because there was no explanation given as for why 213 disliked it.

213: Ah, you're still early in it, then. It does get better, much better, but you have to keep in mind when these books were written. A lot of what comes across as a trope or as cliche were not cliche at the time. I had to keep that in mind when I first read the Belgariad. I admit to being a bit biased - Wheel of Time is what hooked me on fantasy, and I've been devoted to the series for more than half my life. I have this innate desire for people to love it.

Malazan, though... I've given my thoughts on it earlier in the thread. I started the second one, but the first was just such a major disappointment, I have basically no desire to continue. You talk about disliking character? I couldn't even muster up dislike for most of Malazan's characters. I simply could not bring myself to care one way or another if any of them lived or died.

[Cracknut]

but you have to keep in mind when these books were written. A lot of what comes across as a trope or as cliche were not cliche at the time.

I haven't thought about that. Though most of the times I don't care about cliches/tropes, I just like whatever I like and dislike whatever I dislike. Even if born as a hero wasn't cliche back then I still hate it, though I'm gonna try to ignore it from now on

You talk about disliking character? I couldn't even muster up dislike for most of Malazan's characters. I simply could not bring myself to care one way or another if any of them lived or died.

Yes, exactly. Thats what I like most about it. I don't care about 90% of characters. I'm not trying to associate with them(though I can). I just enjoy plot twists, badass chitchat and action. Same can be told about First Law though what I like about Malazan is that its also High Fantasy and I really like 'fantasy' there. Its a different kind of fantasy, you shouldn't read it expecting epic good vs evil battle or something like that.

Edited August 22, 2012 by 213

[Lady_Yasha]

Yes, exactly. Thats what I like most about it. I don't care about 90% of characters. I'm not trying to associate with them(though I can). I just enjoy plot twists, badass chitchat and action. Same can be told about First Law though what I like about Malazan is that its also High Fantasy and I really like 'fantasy' there. Its a different kind of fantasy, you shouldn't read it expecting epic good vs evil battle or something like that.

WoT is High Fantasy...

High Fantasy or "epic fantasy" is fantasy that is set in an invented or parallel worlds.

And you don't have to read WoT expecting a battle of good vs. evil. Just try reading it for what it does best and "listen" to the characters. Robert Jordan is such a marvellous writer and it is his proficiency to make us care about even the minor characters who appear for one chapter in the entire series, that enables us to say Wheel of Time is perhaps the greatest fantasy written.

Of course, that's personal conjecture, and you're entitled to disagree with me, but I never read WoT anticipating the next big showdown of the good and bad guys; I was interested in the characters themselves, how they reacted, what they thought and did, and how they evolved throughout the story. Conflicts between characters were just as interesting between two "good" characters as they were between "good x evil."

You claim to like fantasy and yet discriminate WoT for being exactly that. Malazan also has a magic system, it also has two-dimensional characters and a plot that only cryptologists can solve. If you want that, badass chitchat and action, go watch a Michael Bay movie. If you're reading a book and you're expecting every character to be cardboard cut-outs I've got news for you: books aren't your thing. Because identifying with characters is exactly why we read books, each and every one of us.