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I know there are about half a dozen of these threads in the books sub forum, but I wanted to know about YOUR most disappointing reads.

Was there a book that you loved until the end, when the story suddenly went to pot with the last line? Or was there a book that you'd heard good things about, only to be let down when you read it? What about a story that you disliked all the way through, but kept reading with hopes that it would get better (but of course, it never -did- get better)?

I remember reading Tarzan. I loved it. It kept my interest, I liked the way it was worded, and I liked the story. Then the ending . . . I couldn't get over the ending. I've not picked the book up since.

I also read Phantom by Susan Kay (sp?). I was captured for the beginning, but after that, it started to go downhill for me. By the time I got to the end, I was bummed with the feeling of that-book-just-got-lame.


So, we all have them. What book(s) disappointed you the most?

To tell you the truth, I can't name any one book that is the most disappointing I've ever read. But I seem to have awful luck in textbooks.

Of course, many textbooks are deathly boring anyway. But once in a while, you find that gem of a textbook that keeps your interest, even through the repetitive examples. Often, I'll pick up one of the latter category to find that, despite the dazzling explanations and theories, it just doesn't strike my fancy. Not because of the subject or the experiments/theorems/[etc] quoted, but because the ending is just...not inspiring.

But then, can any textbook ending be truly inspiring?

Hmmm... The Ragwitch, by Garth Nix. I love Garth Nix, truly I do. I love everything I've ever read by him, although the Keys to the Kingdom series isn't going so well; it started great, then turned into Harry Potter. Not good.

But the Ragwitch is terrible. It's alright, I guess, but so completely inferior to everything else by the master writer that I wanted to punch him.

Stuart Little... I just wish that he could have done something more... crying

My friend spoiled the death of Order of the Phoenix for me...

Clive Barker's Coldheart Canyon started off good, but the rest of the book kind of took a nose-dive after the first part. His writing was wonderful, but just the way things were going... well, I'm sure you guys know what I am speaking of.

I had to read I Am the Cheese for a literature class during winter quarter at college. I hated every agonizing second of it. The title alone tells you it is going to be a horrible book.

The Church of Dead Girls was going great until toward the end. Also like 3/4 of the way through the narrator just blurts out that he is gay, which doesn't really serve any purpose to the story. It's like he just needed an extra chapter in it and decides to add that trivial fact.

On Leaving Charleston by Alexandra Ripley was something of a disappointment. I liked the original novel Charleston set against the backdrop of the Civil War and the Reconstruction period because I admit that I am a history buff for that era of American history. However, the next installment in the saga of the Tradd family fell short of the mark for me. The fact that Shad was killed at the beginning didn't help matters, but I also think the story should have continued on with Elizabeth's children instead of going to another branch of the family.

Hmm, that's all that is sticking out in my mind right now.

When I was in something like second grade, I read a book called Comeback Dog.

It's basically:

Boy rescues dog.

Dog runs away for two days.

Dog comes back.

All of this took place over 200-some pages, I believe. It was horrible. That one always sticks out in my memory.

Another is the 7-volume manga by Yu Watase called Fake. I hoped some kind of plot would develop to support its reputation as a great series, but no. It was just boy-sex. x_x

I just finished reading It by Stephen King a few days ago because a friend reccomended it and I read almost everything anyway...however he told me it a was good horror book. I had to force myself to finish the book because I personally thought it was terrible. My friend claimed I was crazy conisdering he couldn't sleep alone or without a nightlight of some kind for a while. I believe he is still like that. But yes...there is my comment about that terrible book.

Yeah, me too. I have the book, and it could have perhaps been better or cooler or something. Ah well, T.H. White is still awesome. whee