[Kierk Soren]

I have to say that if I had never read fantasy and came to this board to find out what to read, there is no question all of your different opinions would lead to a wonderful, varied reading list. BUT---If all of you, who have obviously read way more fantasy than little ole' me, had to say HONESTLY, which books or series of books, or singled out a particular author, that really is not up to par. I mean really bad writing, derivitive, as in no point in reading it because been there done that! which books or what author would it be?

[Cadfael]

What a fantastic question!!!!

But, I think we may have a war on our hands soon... b/c I will say one thing, and someone else is gonna flame me, but here goes...

Baldur's Gate by Philip Athans, total waste of a good tree. I bought it on the strength of the computer game. I am really into the 'Forgotten Realms' books, but this is utter dross, his writing style is so childish, and he keeps repeating various themes... almost as if he thinks we are stupid.

[Bardos]

Dennizm, I also bought it bc of the comp game, and I totaly agree with you. The characters just go around and kill monsters. *ough* And in the end not even a decent epilogue!...

[Shadowen]

Anything by David Eddings...(ducks)

Books 4 and after by Terry Goodkind and Oliver Johnson's 'the Lightbringer trilogy'. Utter dross.

[FitzChivalry]

My list of really bad series:

The Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind.
Dragon Prince/Dragon Star by Melanie Rawn
Wars of Light and Shadow - Janny Wurts.

But as you can see, it's a matter of personal taste, so unless you ask what books people also like and see which people's taste is like your own in order to see which books you probably won't like, these lists won't be very helpful to you.

[Xayn]

pretty much every other heroic fantasy novel written through the seventies.

[Zsinj16]

Any slop written by David Eddings, such as Shadowen said! http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Zsinj16]

Oh, and also I didn't like C.S. Lewis much either because I thought he was too preachy in his novels.
Dennizm, I saw the Baldur's Gate novel in the bookstore and by what you said I'm glad I didn't buy it! It looked like to me to be just a promotional novel for the computer game anyway, you know, just added hype. But don't anyone let this novel poison your mind against the Baldur's Gate computer game, because I've heard that it is truly excellent! I saw somewhere that they are making a Baldur's Gate sequel also.

[Liselle]

Any book by Marion Zimmer-Bradley, if it is the second one you read. The first might pass, but al she repeats herself in every book, you should stop after one and not read any more of her writings. In my opinion.

[Ntschotschi]

The Gor series by John Norman. It's purely sexistic, s/m oriented sexual fantasy and badly written, very boring as well.