Disappointing re-reads

[EHyde]

Have you ever re-read a book you loved and found it didn't live up to your memories of it? That's what's happening to me right now. I'm reading a fantasy novel that I first read in early high school, and it's...well, I've certainly read much worse, but it's not the work of art I thought it was. The story is pretty cliche, the main character is very much a mary-sue, and the writing sounded a lot more poetic at 14 than it does at 23. I guess it's a sign that I've developed more as a reader and my tastes have changed but...there are some books I read at that age and I re-read them and they're still wonderful, which is awesome, and it's disappointing when it doesn't work out that way.

[Sigyn]

What book was it?

I had this happen with The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, which I loved when I was younger. I haven't reread any books though for a long time.

[Joe ST]

I tried to reread Artemis Fowl, couldn't get past the first one :\

[leinton]

Inheritance cycle and Shannara both do not re-read as well as the read originally for me.

[Silus - Shard of Flame]

Inheritance. Yeah. I've said this before and I'll say it again: Eragon bugs me to no end (the character, not necessarily the book). I still like the Roran plot in the second one though, despite seeing much better takes on similar storylines. (Kaladin in WoK immediately springs to mind, in the way of that they're both characters defending a small group from major outside powers.)

I'm sure there's more out there that would probably fit this mold, but I haven't actually reread them.

[happyman]

Inheritance. Yeah. I've said this before and I'll say it again: Eragon bugs me to no end (the character, not necessarily the book). I still like the Roran plot in the second one though, despite seeing much better takes on similar storylines. (Kaladin in WoK immediately springs to mind, in the way of that they're both characters defending a small group from major outside powers.)

I'm sure there's more out there that would probably fit this mold, but I haven't actually reread them.

I came to Eragon way to late to be hit by that one. I already thought it was cliched and not terribly well written. But I was about 25 when that happened, so I guess it's a different story.

I think the story that was the biggest disappointment on re-read was Prince Caspian from Narnia. Too short, too simplistic, and not that engaging. (This doesn't extend to the other books in the series.)

In my case, though, there are an enormous number of other books I read as a kid which I wouldn't bee so keen on any more. My dad had an amazing collection of mostly sci-fi, with some fantasy, from the early 60's, some of which I think had been published in the 20's and 30's. A large amount of those were essentially published pulp fiction novels. Many aren't that good on re-reading. Others, like the Lensmen series, seemed terribly cliched, even though they created the cliches. Also, it was a lot more disturbing on re-read. That probably happens a lot, too!

[EHyde]

This particular one was Song in the Silence by Elizabeth Kerner. Interestingly, it was originally published as adult fantasy, then some time later was slightly abridged and republished as YA. I'm not sure it should have been abridged, but I think it probably fits better as YA.

I think some of it, too, is there are some books that work well as introductions to the genre, but once you've read a lot of sci-fi or fantasy, just don't seem that great anymore. Dragonriders of Pern was kind of like that for me, though I do still enjoy them.

[TleeMcCllelan]

I had this problem with the shannara books too. Also I have the same problem with Eddings on occasion. I think I have been spoiled as a reader and have high expectations now that I am older. I think that as time passes often our tastes and our expectations are changed by what we have read and are reading.

[Emeralis00]

There was this book called White Wolf, that I read in 3rd grade. At the time I thought it was really interesting. Basically, the U.S. got taken over by communists (Yeah, its that kind of book) and the protagonist escapes from one of their re-education camps. He finds the U.S. Army They kick butt. The End.

Reading it again, however, and the whole thing screams bland plot and deus-ex.

[guess]

I got into reading fantasy when I was in junior high school (in the mid-1980s). I saw someone on the bus reading a Dragonlance book. This was before it became a franchise. I devoured them. I have not re-read them, but I am willing to bet if I did, I'd be bored today.

my tastes have changed as I have gotten older. I actually rarely re-read books. Since there are so many other books that I want to read and I don't have time.

[Silus - Shard of Flame]

I got the War of Souls from Tracy Hickman at LTUE, and I really liked it. Not the best thing in the world, but definitely not the worst.

[LightReader]

I have had this experience with David Edding's Belgariad. I read it when I was in middle school and loved it, it was my favorite series at the time. Reading it now, I find it simple and a little cliche, however I still think that when my kids are that age, I will suggest that they read Eddings before handing them WoT or the Stormlight Archive, because I realize that for a younger reader just starting out in fantasy, it is a great place to start. Having read books like Eddings' Belgariad and Brian Jaques (sp?) Redwall books helped me develop my reading skills so that I could handle the learning curve that more complicated series like WoT require of readers. So while I may not enjoy re-reading some of the early fantasy that I read, I would still recommend them to first time fantasy readers. Of course, I would probably hand Elantris to my kid right after they finished with Eddings.