Book series/Authors you used to love, but are now losing interest in

Pellaz said:
Hmm, I'll toss out an exception, IMHO. :)
I would argue that Michael Moorcock's literary output has gotten much better over time, even as the frequency of book releases has decreased (so he has more time to craft his newer novels).
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My experience with Moorcock is limited to the Eternal Champion books as packaged in the 15 Dark Fortress collections. ("Limited" is a strange phrase to use with respect to that many novels, though!) I thought the early books were great (early Elric, Hawkmoon, Corum, Kane of Mars). But I thought the later works were more hit or miss. And the books packaged now as "The Elric Saga: Part IV" by the SF Book Club didn't hold a candle to the original Elric novels.

So in my perception (and in my occupational language), the slope of his quality graph did end up going negative :) But perhaps not as negative as others!

I can't speak to Storm Constantine since I'm still waiting to follow up on your recommendations and read her stuff.

Ken
 
I liked the Elric books, but haven't liked anything else Moorcock did, except maybe lyrics from "Veteran Of The Psychic Wars" for BOC.

Another series I couldn't finish was Pohl's "Heechee" series. I loved "Gateway" book, and read a few after that, but they were winding down for me pretty bad.
 
I also used to read the Xanth series. I haven't read one since age 15 or so.

I'm also getting sick of waiting on GRRM to finish the Song of Ice and Fire series. He seems more interested in watching football than finishing his novels.
 
OrbWeaver said:
I'm also getting sick of waiting on GRRM to finish the Song of Ice and Fire series. He seems more interested in watching football than finishing his novels.
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And getting his old books reissued, figurines and comic books released, getting TV deals done, etc...this book is never going to come out.
 
spag said:
I liked the Elric books, but haven't liked anything else Moorcock did, except maybe lyrics from "Veteran Of The Psychic Wars" for BOC.
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Don't forget "Black Blade" and "The Great Sun Jester." :headbang:
(The latter is ooookay, but "Black Blade" is great, albeit in a slightly cheesy/fantasy way. It would make a great song for a band to cover.)

It's weird that you'd like the Elric books but not, say, the Corum books, which are fairly similar. Back in the days when I was devouring all things MMish, I actually preferred the latter series in some ways. I was in decent company, because Metallica's Kirk Hammett preferred Corum, too. :) (Kirk was a lifetime member of MM's international fan club back when I was running it.)

Another series I couldn't finish was Pohl's "Heechee" series. I loved "Gateway" book, and read a few after that, but they were winding down for me pretty bad.
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As I recall, Gateway and the first sequel were really good. Later I remember reading a few sequels that were fair to good at best, but the most recent, The Boy Who Would Live Forever, was great. I think it brings the series to a close, and why not; Pohl's 88 years old now. He won't live forever, sadly; he's a really nice chap.

Wandrail said:
And getting his old books reissued, figurines and comic books released, getting TV deals done, etc...this book is never going to come out.
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Please, don't say that. It's a depressing scenario indeed.
 
Pellaz said:
The Boy Who Would Live Forever, was great.
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That's good to know. I was going to blow it off because I didn't think I could make it through, but will add it to the queue. There is a pile ahead of it though. Maybe around 2011. :lol:

I just don't make time to read like I used to. Maybe 20-45 minutes before falling asleep, so it takes a while to get through them.

I thought of another, the "Kovacs" series by Richard Morgan. I read "Altered Carbon" and liked it, but had trouble getting through the second book, and never could finish the third, even though it was better than the second. Just lost interest.
 
spag said:
Another series I couldn't finish was Pohl's "Heechee" series. I loved "Gateway" book, and read a few after that, but they were winding down for me pretty bad.
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I read a bunch of those. I had no choice. I took a Science Fiction Literature class at the local junior college and the teacher made us read them. Frederick Pohl was the teacher's husband. She was also a huge flake. Every book we read, according to her, had a central theme of how feminism. Huh?:confused: I wrote a paper about Robert Heinlein. I got a B+ on it. The only comment or mark anywhere on it was, "I'm surprised you didn't city my paper on him." What kind of bullshit reason is that for giving me a B+? I didn't like her much. (Is that evident?) That was the class that got me hooked on reading though. I had to read a book on my own and I chose, "Lord Foul's Bane" by Stephen Donaldson. Great book!
 
Yippee38 said:
I read a bunch of those. I had no choice. I took a Science Fiction Literature class at the local junior college and the teacher made us read them. Frederick Pohl was the teacher's husband. She was also a huge flake. Every book we read, according to her, had a central theme of how feminism. Huh?:confused:
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Mmmm, sorry to disappoint her, but her hubby's books are generally devoid of feminism. :)

That was the class that got me hooked on reading though. I had to read a book on my own and I chose, "Lord Foul's Bane" by Stephen Donaldson. Great book!
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--As long as you bring a spare dictionary and a crying towel. :)

I had a most-excellent SF Lit class at W. Ga. College -- great book choices, including a couple I had already read, and a wide range of styles, from JRR Tolkien to Walter Tevis to Arthur C. Clarke.
 
booB said:
Jacqueline Carey
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One of the most attractive authors I've met. This was an ongoing joke with me and Paul for awhile.

Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles are the series that I lost interest in. Now it is in vogue to dismiss her work, but the first four vampire novels are among my all-time favorites. "Interview With The Vampire" was good, "The Vampire Lestat" was great, "Queen of the Damned" had silly moments but still enjoyable, and "Tale of the Body Thief" returned to greatness (many disagree with me there, though). And there the series should have ended. To me, those first four books tell a complete story and should have been left alone. I am glad she is now writing books about Jesus, because it was obvious that she no longer had passion about vampires.
 
Ruthven said:
Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles are the series that I lost interest in. Now it is in vogue to dismiss her work, but the first four vampire novels are among my all-time favorites. "Interview With The Vampire" was good, "The Vampire Lestat" was great, "Queen of the Damned" had silly moments but still enjoyable, and "Tale of the Body Thief" returned to greatness (many disagree with me there, though). And there the series should have ended. To me, those first four books tell a complete story and should have been left alone. I am glad she is now writing books about Jesus, because it was obvious that she no longer had passion about vampires.
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Incidentally, since you liked Yarbro's The Palace so much, I'll again reiterate that you'd very likely enjoy Rice's Cry To Heaven, which has a lot of great historical detail in it. :kickass: (Yeah, sorry, no vampires in it, though. :) )
 
I forgot one – the Janet Evanovich “Stephanie Plum” books. I used to rush out and buy every new one in hardback, but they started getting repetitive. Oh, well…they are still usually good for a laugh or two. Just not $25 worth of laughs for one book.
 
booB said:
Seconded. I wouldn't mind acting out one or two of the scenes from Kushiel's Dart with her. :lol:
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When I met her, I didn't recognize her. All I saw was this attractive woman walk up to Paul and start talking to him in a social manner. I just assumed this was one of Paul's friends who I had never met before. I was about to go for broke and flirt with her until I realized who it was. I figured if I really fumbled, it would be really embarassing in more than a "Derek made a joke out of himself to one of Paul's friends" way.

Still...very cool, very attractive lady :headbang:
 
Ruthven said:
When I met her, I didn't recognize her. All I saw was this attractive woman walk up to Paul and start talking to him in a social manner. I just assumed this was one of Paul's friends who I had never met before. I was about to go for broke and flirt with her until I realized who it was. I figured if I really fumbled, it would be really embarassing in more than a "Derek made a joke out of himself to one of Paul's friends" way.
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If you make enough of an impression, maybe she'll write a goofy character about you. :lol:
 
Pellaz said:
I'm still trying to figure that out, Derek, since I can't understand how I could have met her except through you and your programming at Dragon*Con first. :)
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The only time Carey has been at DragonCon is when Storm was running the track. That's how you met her.
 
I can agree with Stephen King, can't get into him anymore...

On the other hand, I love RA Salvatore, his ongoing saga of the Dark Elf, Drizzt Do Urden is a great story, one that I don't want to end anytime soon. I think there is 17 books total in the series now and he has two more coming out in 2008 and 2009. I am currently on my 13th book in the series. This should be made into a movie, only if done right.

Bear
 
Bear said:
I love RA Salvatore, his ongoing saga of the Dark Elf, Drizzt Do Urden is a great story, one that I don't want to end anytime soon. I think there is 17 books total in the series now and he has two more coming out in 2008 and 2009. I am currently on my 13th book in the series. This should be made into a movie, only if done right.
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That's actually a great idea. :kickass:

That series has a lot of fans, more than any aside from Tolkien, Robert Jordan and maybe George R.R. Martin's.
I know this because hardly a day goes by at the Rennaissance Festival here without someone ooooh'ing and ahhh'ing over our scimitars and asking to hold two at once -- Drizzt, of course, fights florentine style with two of 'em. If they don't mention the books, we say knowingly "Let me guess. R.A. Salvatore?" and they always answer "Yes!" :lol:

We had a customer actually commission two special smaller-size scimitars from our blacksmith because of Drizzt. $400 each. The commission fell through, one of them was bought elsewhere, and we had the other at our booth briefly at the Georgia Faire. It was superb, one of the best-handling blades I've ever hefted. And it sold within a matter of hours. I'd have bought it myself if it had lasted the weekend. :kickass:
 
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