[fortytwo]

Has anyone been put off an author by disliking the first book they read of his (or hers)

In my case it was Stanislaw Lem and Solaris, yet he is such a renowned author that maybe I have made a mistake? Perhaps it was a one off? Is this my closed mind, perhaps I would enjoy some of his other works?

Have other members ever been put off authors in this way?..or have they got more sense?

[elpa]

Leo Tolstoy

[Caly]

I do this all the time. It doesn't even take a whole book to turn me off of an author. Sometimes I'll give up on a book within 2 chapters, sometimes I'll give up after 300 pages. It just depends on my mood. Generally, if I give up on an author I don't go back. I have made a few exeptions though. For example, I just couldn't get into Tigana the first time I tried it, but I went back and read it a year later and loved it.

There are lots of authors that I won't read based on less than 100 pages of their writing:
Terry Goodkind
Mercedes Lackey
Ian Irvine (he is the worst author I've ever read)
JRR Tolkein (I just can't get past Tom Bombaldi)

Numerous others that are so forgettable I can't remember them

Caleyna

[Blizzaurel]

Lackey's written some really good books in her Valdemar series (and some horrible ones) and I like her Elvenbane stuff... you should give her another try. I also like Goodkind and Tolkein though, so maybe I just have different taste.
Oh and I always finish a book once I start it. I didn't much like David Drake's Lord of the Isles at all but I kept reading and it got a little better- still don't much like it but I was glad I finished it.

[Rob B]

fortytwo:

I had the same experience with Lem and SOLARIS. It was an assigned book in college and of the books on the list, it was easily the worst, IMHO.

Don't think it is close-mindedness necessarily. If you don't like it don't read it. Though I have tried books a second time I didn't enjoy first time around.

[fortytwo]

Caly

You have jogged my memory,I was persuaded by others to try Mercedes Lackey so I bought the Last Herald-Mage series and after 50 pages or so gave up (not something I do often incidentally).Those 3 books are now gathering dust in my attic.

To go off on a slight tangent I find that I only enjoy about 50% of Brian Aldiss.Non Stop and Who can Replace a Man? are amongst my all time favourites and Starswarm and Dracula Unbound are definitely not.

[Tagalie]

I always finish books, even if they stink, just so no one defending it can ever use the argument that you can't comment as you haven't read all of it. It also helps put things into perspective; after reading something tedious and wearisome such as Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenence you appreciate writers who are pacy and sharp. Occasionally reading really dull and pointless books reminds you of how lucky you are to have such taste.
One Terry Pratchett was enough for me, but I will save that rant for another day......

[Warewolf]

There are several authors that I will most likely never pick up again. The two worst offenders would be Carole Nelson Douglas and Neal Stephenson. Tanith Lee is likely on this list as well unless someone can convince me that the atrocious non-book HEROINE OF THE WORLD was a complete fluke from her.

There are a couple of authors whose first books I read by them that I didn't like that I'll probably try again. I didn't like Le Guin's LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS, but I will definitely try her Earthsea series.

I guess it all depends on how bad the book was (Nelson's SIX OF SWORDS and Lee's HEROINE were just awful!) and how interesting their other works sound and how other people like them. Of course, Stephenson's books get great reviews, but I don't see how THE DIAMOND AGE can even be termed a book when it had zero plot, but I refuse to waste my time trying anything else by him...

[Lord Soth]

Without wanting to stir up to much emotion i have to say i will never touch Jordan again after i finish the WoT series. I enjoyed the 1st few books but i'm really struggling to keep reading them (I have a bad I've started so i'll finish mentality http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/biggrin.gif) and that just doesn't do it for me.

The only other author i have really struggled to enjoy is Gene Wolf who seems to be quite popular, (I read the 1st 2 books of Claw of the Conciliator?) and just didn't enjoy them.

[Corwwyn]

Solaris afaik is a translated work, and the english version has a very far-from-quick pace, and quite introspective...not exactly something that appeals to many, especially younger or action-oriented readers.

I know when I was assigned books the ones I found unpalatable reading at the time (though reading them years later made a positive difference for me) were George Orwell's 1984, and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World.

Caly, if you jump past the Tom Bombadil chapter or chapters (which is what the movie did) you don't lose much story (admittedly I personally liked that part...not so much all that singing though), and it really does get better. The main support characters either haven't been introduced yet or any characters really developed much yet by TB stage, so its not surprising if you don't find yourself involved with any/many characters at this very early stage of the saga.

If you think Ian Irvine is bad, I can suggest a couple of other horrors: Octavia E Butler's Mind of My Mind, and Samuel Delany's Stars in my Pocket Like Grains of Sand (beautiful title, horrible characterizations).

Tag, which Terry Pratchett book did you read that turned you off? Was it a discworld one, and did you realize it was comedy fantasy going in?

Warewolf, I think Left Hand of Darkness is a very good book, but not to everyone's taste. I recommend Earthsea. I think you will like it. It is very different from LHoD.

Also, I haven't read Tanith Lee's Heroine of the World, but from what I have read of her works, I found her a bit of a hit-and-miss author.

I personally liked Tanith Lee's The Storm Lord, and have had The Silver Metal Lover recommended to me (though I suspect that may be geared more towards a female audience...I could be wrong though, will know for sure when I get around to it).

Soth, I got 2 chapters into Shadow of the Torturer and put it down for a month. Then I restarted, and enjoyed it a lot (mind you, the competent main character in an age of decay and ruin setting appeals to me...though he doesn't really show his competence at the beginning).

I put it down the first time, because there was just too much new/different information that I had to take in, which I couldn't assume and just take for granted. The second time it actuallly made sense and I found I could start getting into it.

I must admit, I have been put off Jordan's WOT. I went into it despising the premise of the book (ie that the wheel turns, nothing matters, noone matters, no point in reading this) so I had to fight hard all the way to try and like the characters and find some meaning to what they were doing and why.

I forced my way through it, and some of his writing I found actually very good (some of the stuff would have made quite good novellas) but I still hate the premise, and I really don't think the books (at least the first two) are all that good overall - despite having good bits in them.

Others would disagree with my views on WOT, and that's fine. I don't mean to disparage WOT fans in this post. I'm just answering 42's question and explaining my answer.