Overrated Authors

[Kassiana]

John Steinbeck. Bleak, ugly stories about people getting fucked over.

Frank Herbert. Dune has no action and makes no sense. I don't mind if things make no sense if they at least do so entertainingly.

Nicholas Sparks. Don't bring people together, have them find love, then murder one off...particularly in such an obviously classist way (I kept thinking all through the book Message In a Bottle that there's no way anyone who wasn't rich could be constantly going on vacation).

Ernest Hemingway. Same problem as Steinbeck.

(I rather like Stephen King, though I didn't like Dreamcatcher. His story "Word Processor of the Gods" is one of my favorites of all time. Now, back to critiques.)

Robert Heinlein, for "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress." I prefer to read books, not have to work to understand them because they're written in your own made up quasi-English, thank you.

Dean Koontz, for changing from horror to weirdo mystical crap without telling us. Note: I don't mind weirdo mystical crap, but he didn't tell us and besides, it wasn't entertaining. I expect horror from my horror genre authors, and if they aren't writing horror, for them to say "And now for something completely different."

 

[rikaaim]

Dean Koontz, for changing from horror to weirdo mystical crap without telling us. Note: I don't mind weirdo mystical crap, but he didn't tell us and besides, it wasn't entertaining. I expect horror from my horror genre authors, and if they aren't writing horror, for them to say "And now for something completely different."

By far my favorite author, but I agree. I must admit that Fear Nothing and Seize the Night shall remain a two book duo favorite of mine for a very long time.

 

[SeaCat]

Robin Cook

His first three books were okay, and his second (Coma) was a neat idea. However after Sphinx all of his books are basicly the same. Also his ending suck. It's almost as though he got tired of the story and tried to find the fastest way to end it he could.

Cat

(p.s. His first book was actually entertaining in an odd sort of way.)

 

[Boota]

Most famous authors are overrated because, if you're famous, you are worshipped. That's pretty much spells "overrated" to me. It's only writing.

That said, I really want to be vastly overrated one day.

 

[The Mutt]

John Irving.

I hear he's writing a childrens book: Owen the Three-Legged Bear.

 

[shereads]

Me.

You're my new hero. That was priceless.

 

[shereads]

John Irving.

I hear he's writing a childrens book: Owen the Three-Legged Bear.

You don't eat a great bear like that all at once.







No, it doesn't work with bears, does it. Just pigs.

 

[Belegon]

I adore Tolkien personally. Just shows that opinions differ, even among a set of often like-minded individuals. I like Rice too, but not all of it and I have gotten bored with her...

While not a King fan, I think he gets a bit of a bum rap because it has become kind of fashionable to dislike him. He is in the same boat as George Lucas...it is considered "intelligent" to complain about him...regardless of the truth of the criticisms...

Favorite author right now: George R.R. Martin. Here is a man not afraid to let his characters take him to surprising places...

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

>ducking under desk before blurting this out; expecting hurled sharp objects<

Dan Brown. "The Da Vinci Code" is entertaining. I applaud the concept and the marketing. But Dan Brown is to writers what William Shatner is to actors.

Shereads, that was way more than brilliant.

It must be nice to have such exquisite taste, one doesn't hesitate to categorize Steinbeck and Hemingway, two Noble Prize winners, as overrated. Of course, to be honest, the Noble Prize for Lit. is way overrated.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[The Mutt]

>ducking under desk before blurting this out; expecting hurled sharp objects<

Dan Brown. "The Da Vinci Code" is entertaining. I applaud the concept and the marketing. But Dan Brown is to writers what William Shatner is to actors.

Aw, man! Don't be dissin' Denny Crane!

 

[BlackShanglan]

George Lucas...it is considered "intelligent" to complain about him...regardless of the truth of the criticisms...

But Lucas has got it coming, damnit. He had a golden opportunity for some amazing movies, and he gave us Jar Jar Binks and an Annakin so teenage-obnoxious that you want to give him an in school suspension until he grows up. Ugh.

Favorite author right now: George R.R. Martin. Here is a man not afraid to let his characters take him to surprising places...

Ahhh! I loved "The Sand Kings." At least, pretty sure that was him ...

Shanglan

 

[logophile]

William Faulkner

 

[Belegon]

But Lucas has got it coming, damnit. He had a golden opportunity for some amazing movies, and he gave us Jar Jar Binks and an Annakin so teenage-obnoxious that you want to give him an in school suspension until he grows up. Ugh.

did not care as much for "Clones", and less for Jar-Jar, but overall I really like "Phantom Menace". Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are my favorite Jedi. *edit: not like that. pre-empting obvious Master-Apprentice slash references*

My real point is that Lucas just wants to make fun movies and everybody is after him to make "art". He has consistently said since '77 that his major inspiration for Star Wars was the old Saturday Matinee thing. Fun and escapist.

Does Lucas count as an "overated author" for this thread? He did write the movies...

 

[BlackShanglan]

did not care as much for "Clones", and less for Jar-Jar, but overall I really like "Phantom Menace". Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are my favorite Jedi.

True, I did greatly enjoy the battle scenes and all elements involving Qi-Gon and Obi-Wan. That annoying moppet, however ...

My real point is that Lucas just wants to make fun movies and everybody is after him to make "art". He has consistently said since '77 that his major inspiration for Star Wars was the old Saturday Matinee thing. Fun and escapist.

Does Lucas count as an "overated author" for this thread? He did write the movies...

In my rational moments, I know that you're right. Hell, the only one of the original trilogy that was really great was Empire. But Lucas himself created a situation that could have been incredible: the blazing fall of a noble soul as Annakin Skywalker, Jedi, turns to the dark side of the Force. It had such potential, such power to it.

Instead we get Prince Whiner and incoherent drivel about clones and pod racing.

It was just a dissapointment

Shanglan

 

[rikaaim]

Instead we get Prince Whiner and incoherent drivel about clones and pod racing.

It was just a dissapointment

Shanglan

That's why I'm playing Knights of the Old Republic for the X-box. That is a great game(s) and it stays true to the realm of Star Wars and not the commercialism of the movies.

 

[BlackShanglan]

That's why I'm playing Knights of the Old Republic for the X-box. That is a great game(s) and it stays true to the realm of Star Wars and not the commercialism of the movies.

I used to play the Star Wars roleplaying game. My finest moment came when we came, thoroughly unprepared, upon a Sith Lord. Everyone froze in a moment of horror - except my character, who punched him in the face. Good old Hrrkrr. Live was a very straightforward place for that kitty.

Shanglan

 

[rikaaim]

I used to play the Star Wars roleplaying game. My finest moment came when we came, thoroughly unprepared, upon a Sith Lord. Everyone froze in a moment of horror - except my character, who punched him in the face. Good old Hrrkrr. Live was a very straightforward place for that kitty.

Shanglan

That is great. In my current game I just came across 2 thugs who are beating up a refuge and trying to take all of his money. So he sees me and tells them that I have their money. So they try to get the money from ME. Well, now this just simply won't do. So, I Force Persuaded them to give me all of THEIR money and jump in the giant pit in the middle of the town. To the torture of their fragile minds and ultimate doom, they did so, and paid me to boot.

 

[Belegon]

Honestly, I think the real problem is that George is too unwilling to give up some control...A good script doctor or two and a different director would work wonders...but , while somewhat disappointed, I still love the setting and enjoy the movies, even AOTC.

The one thing I have not forgiven is that Han would never in a million fucking years let Greedo get a shot off, let alone shoot first!

 

[rikaaim]

The one thing I have not forgiven is that Han would never in a million fucking years let Greedo get a shot off, let alone shoot first!

Amen.

 

[BlackShanglan]

The one thing I have not forgiven is that Han would never in a million fucking years let Greedo get a shot off, let alone shoot first!

Somewhere I came across the rumor that Han originally didn't, and that it was changed to preserve a certain moral standing. But it may just be rumor.

Honestly, I think the real problem is that George is too unwilling to give up some control...A good script doctor or two and a different director would work wonders...but , while somewhat disappointed, I still love the setting and enjoy the movies, even AOTC.

*grin* Seen the "Onion" article where M. Nyght Shyamalan and some other young directors do an intervention with Lucas? "They were both still good ... they just weren't good for each other any more." It was good

Shanglan

 

[SnoopDog]

I might get flamed for this but I think Stephen King is underrated.

A lot of critics say that he just writes s*** but I think while he might never win a prize for literature, he is a genious and gives an audience what they long for, which is mind-breaking, entertaining, exciting books.

*shrugs* Sorry.

I just recently found that Robert Ludlum ('Bourne' books for instance) is waaaaay overrated.

Snoopy

 

[Kassiana]

It must be nice to have such exquisite taste, one doesn't hesitate to categorize Steinbeck and Hemingway, two Noble Prize winners, as overrated.

So you've never thought any author who won critical acclaim didn't deserve it? How about movies?

Heck, I've hated some movies that got practically everyone drooling about how WONDERFUL they were, like Terms of Endearment.

Yes, I despise what I've read of Steinbeck and Hemingway's writings. That doesn't make me wrong, just of a different opinion than those who like them.

And yes, I still hate Dune with a passion. I wish I could get back the time I wasted attempting to read it.

 

[Guest]

Ok, more from me on King...

Yes, he has written some mind-blowing stuff. I adore The Stand, and that is one of my favourite books of all time. He's written some amazing shorter stories, too. The Long Walk being one of them. However, he is not a good horror writer. About the only of his books that actually frightened me and moved me emotionally in doing so was Pet Semetary.

Don't get me wrong, I like the guy. His book On Writing was a fascinating and insightful read. For example, in that book he describes how Misery came about - drugs controlling him and him being the struggling writer.

His writing is not tight. He he verbose and overly descriptive. I don't give two hoots what colour the lampshade was, but I do care how the character felt when that light went out. He tells a good story, but he never really makes his characters come to life.

I think he is vastly overrated, because to a lot of people, he is the be all and end all of the horror genre. He was for many years, anyway. There are a lot more talented horror writers out there, who didn't get the break he did. Edward Lee, Richard Laymon and Ray Garton, to name but three. Now, they write (wrote In Laymon's case, because he sadly passed away 4 or 5 years ago) *really* good stuff - proper horror, in my opinion. They aren't afraid to take risks with their writing, and they always make me care about their characters. That's just three other authors, I could name many more.

Lou

 

[TheEarl]

Don't get me wrong, I like the guy. His book On Writing was a fascinating and insightful read. For example, in that book he describes how Misery came about - drugs controlling him and him being the struggling writer.

His writing is not tight. He he verbose and overly descriptive. I don't give two hoots what colour the lampshade was, but I do care how the character felt when that light went out. He tells a good story, but he never really makes his characters come to life.

Oh come on Lou. Admittedly I can't speak for a lot of his books as I haven't read them all, but Paul Sheldon and Annie (the characters from Misery) were beautiful. Annie was off-the-map and a complete mentalist, but what made her so real was that you knew why and you also knew that everything she did seemed a perfectly reasonable response to her. Loved that book.

Kassiana: I liked Dune (I'm in an argumentative mood this morning). It's a bit of hard work the first time you read it as it's not exactly clear about where it's going, but when you break the surface, the plot will carry you. JMHO.

The Earl

 

[TheEarl]

Somewhere I came across the rumor that Han originally didn't, and that it was changed to preserve a certain moral standing. But it may just be rumor.

I've heard that one too and watching the film backs it up. Greedo doesn't make much in the way of a firing movement, in fact he acts just like he's reacting to a surprise shot. IMHO his laser shot was painted in as an afterthought so as to make Solo look a bit less ruthless.

The Earl