We read...

To know we are not alone. ~C.S. Lewis~

Thursday, April 30, 2009

BTT is a long running bookish meme. To join in pop over and read the 100's of interesting comments. This week's question ...

Which is worse?
Finding a book you love and then hating everything else you try by that author, or
Reading a completely disappointing book by an author that you love?


I don't mind hating everything else I try by an author after one good read. I am well able to put the book down after giving it a fair go and moving on to another (there’s not enough time to be wasting it on a book I don’t enjoy as my good friend Renae says). If a second or third book disappoints too then I may try one more or I may just put the one good read down to a fluke and consider myself lucky to have had one good read.

On the other hand I'm devastated if a loved author has an off day, to the point that I might not actually admit it, even to myself. I had this disaster with Mary Stewart. At the risk of offending her many fans I must admit that Stormy Petrel and Rose Cottage offered only vestiges of her former glory. I know she was in her 80s when she wrote them and I tried so very hard to like them but to be honest they were feathers compared to the gold of her Merlin series and earlier romance/crime fiction.

I read them with my Mum, we were both fans, out of loyalty but we decided if there were any more to come from Stewart's pen we'd probably not read them - it was like loosing a friend.



p.s. Hello Emily this is for you

4 comments:

Melissa said...

I've never read Mary Stewart, even though I have a few of hers on my shelf...

-.- said...

I've never read her books, but I agree with your answer.

~ Popin

Anonymous said...

What matters to me is whether I'll venture into another book of a new author (or new "old" author) if I didn't enjoy the first. It's about building the credit. I do believe in second chances. :)

I'm extra cautious about reading another if the author is not good in my book. At least I wouldn't buy it but borrow it.

Expectation is a huge factor. Once I have liked a book, my expectation mounts.

Nise' said...

I can get over a bad book or two. It is so disappointing to be so excited after reading one book and find that you don't like any of the other books.