Overrated and Underrated authors http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131 Shard Has anyone done this yet, if so I'm sorry if I trod on your toes, but - Name a writer you believe is overrated. A writer you believe has too much press, publiciity and books published and who you think isn't as good as people may claim they are. And then in the same breath, can you name a writer you believe is underrated. That they don't get hyped enough, that they are great writers and that they seem to be over looked by people. ****** As an example, I can point out that I tried to read Wizard First Rule by Terry Goodkind and couldn't make it past page 50 because the style and writing was so terrible it make me want to burn the book. If you can't keep your audience after page 50 there's something seriously wrong with you. In that same breath, I like reading Michelle West's stories because the writing flows well, the ideas are interesting and you feel pathos for the characters. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 02:21:58 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_166876 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_166876 popsprocket Stephanie Meyer. Her writing is mostly sub par and the moments where you think "that was inspired" are few and far between. Brandon Sanderson. He is definitely under rated. He has sort of been branded with the 'that guy who is finishing the wheel of time series' badge, but his own stuff is pretty incredible. Not only is he well written but the worlds and magic systems he invents tend to be incredibly unique in a genre where pretty much everything is recycled. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 02:38:17 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_166974 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_166974 Argentum I love Michelle West! And all her characters! Sat, 22 Oct 2011 02:55:06 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_167099 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_167099 Elfdragon12 I don't know if anyone talks about him anymore (I remember past years of NaNo where there'd be threads dedicated to how not good this guy was), but Christopher Paolini. He managed to get a movie, so I think he counts. I've recently come across people who liked his books (like my last boyfriend, guess it was for the best) and I can't really figure why. It's such a bland, boring, and unimaginative combination of previous stories. Lately I tried rereading the first chapter again and then just stopped. (If the narrator is going to keeping referring to somebody's name and vague actions, please stop trying to be mysterious and just explain who he is.) I don't really think I need to keep talking with him since I'm pretty sure most of the people on this website who have read any of what he's written already know he's not much good. That and I'll get riled up and get the urse to just start rambling about the guy. As for underrated? I guess I'd say Clive Barker? He's not an author you hear about a lot, I think. Correct me if I'm wrong, just gently. I've been reading his Abarat series and have loved how bizarre and unusual the scenes and people he's created are. That might be part of why he's not particularly well known. They're so bizarre that they put some people off. (I've kind of bad at this, aren't I?) Anyway, as someone who loves things strange and on the surreal side, I think he's pretty terrific. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 03:24:28 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_167246 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_167246 Ophiucha Overrated? <strike>J. R. R. Tolkien.</strike> *coughs* Erm, I'd probably say Robert Jordan. I just didn't like much of anything about Wheel of Time. Usually I can find *something* I like in these big name fantasy series - or else there is a huge hatebase, as with Paolini and Meyert - but Jordan is pretty universally liked, and I just can't stay awake through his books. Underrated? Tough, tough, tough. Guy Gavriel Kay comes to mind. I think when it comes to Fantasy Counterpart Cultures, you're not going to find anyone who does it better. And I think he's a great writer. I might go for the personal favourite, Catherynne M. Valente, since she sort of falls between the cracks. Not weird enough to get grouped in with China Mieville and his sort, not safe enough to get grouped in with Holly Black, Cassandra Clare, etc. Sort of falls between a couple of subgenres, so I don't see her name brought up very often. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 04:19:30 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_167502 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_167502 Ophiucha * Meyer Sat, 22 Oct 2011 04:19:53 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_167505 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_167505 Kibet Ursula Le Guin, I just did not get the feel of the story or the characters. Gene Wolfe I found his books to be written well but the narrative did not back it up. Dan Brown was just ridiculous as I don't think he described what his characters looked liked for half the book in the Da Vinci Code. Never did pick up any of his other things. Glenda Larke is one of the most underrated authors, she gets nominated and recognised for awards but very few have heard of her. Her books do move very fast. Tad Williams is rated high but should be rated way higher, purely for his Memory Sorrow and Thorn series as well as ShadowMarch. A very new author, who is one to watch out for as he has written 3 very good books already is Mark Charan Newton. I can see his series getting a cult following. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 04:32:26 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_167563 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_167563 DozyCat Jodi Picoult... ah but she's not fantasy dangit. Just the first word that comes to my head when I hear overrated writer. Hm. I find many of the 'greats' of fantasy, Tolkein included, fail to live up to their expectations or are outright boring. But that's because I'm not a fan of epic plots. I like the microcosm. Character interaction, personal goals, stuff. I love great world-building but you can build an interesting magical world without having it threated by the Big Bad so it can be rescued by the Hero. Most underrated? Er. It's mostly children's lit, but Diana Wynne Jones. If there were more fantasy writers like her in the adult section of the market... I'd be very happy. I also like Scott Lynch, for purely entertaining writing. I suspect his series will all go down hill from the first book, but the first book is good enough that maybe it won't matter. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 07:15:31 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_168164 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_168164 Lempicka I'll second Stephenie Meyer as overrated. The Twilight series just should not be as popular and successful as it is. The fact that they're actually making a movie out of the last book boggles the mind. My sisters love the series, despite my attempts to point out some of the awful elements in it, like a paedophile werewolf and an abusive stalker vampire boyfriend. Underrated ... not much of a fantasy writer, but Nancy Springer. Her Enola Holmes series is one of my all time favourites, but hardly anyone seems to have heard of it. She wrote the canon Holmesian characters so well that I could easily believe her books were canon, and they were so clever they had me practically applauding at times. She did a couple of Arthurian books as well that I intend to read as soon as I can. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 07:58:17 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_168314 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_168314 Banespawn Agree on Goodkind. I liked the first couple books, but got tired of the formulaic approach to sequels. The entire series seems to lack cohesion. I also think Eddings and McCaffrey are overrated. I read the Elenium and didn't like Sparhawk. The only time I even cared was when his squire died. And what was with that god helping him out? I read the first couple Pern novels, but they did nothing for me. The whole thing with the "thread" was just boring. If you're going to have an inanimate main antagonist, the protagonists and other antagonists better be damned interesting. They weren't. For underrated, I'd have to save Dave Duncan. I certainly don't see him getting enough love on these boards. His "A Man of His Word" series is one of my favorites. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 08:29:23 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_168472 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_168472 Banespawn If we are venturing outside of fantasy, then by far it's Nicholas Sparks. I had to read The Notebook for my sister-in-law's book club. It was awful. The entire story was built on a gimmick. There was no conflict. The author just rushed through the story to get to the gimmick. The book had more sap than a maple. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 08:33:14 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_168490 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_168490 apokatastasis Overrated: I'll agree on Meyer (would everyone just stop <em>talking</em> about Twilight already?) and Paolini (nobody would have cared if he was some 40-year-old guy living in his mom's basement...). To a much (much, much) lesser degree... Neil Gaiman. I actually like his books. They're good. It's just... everyone I've heard talks about him like "OMG he's <em>Neil Gaiman</em>" and... I really don't think his books are <em>that</em> good. I haven't found very many people to agree with me on this... Underrated: Absolutely, positively, totally Diana Wynne Jones. She wrote a lot of stuff, and some of it was okay, and a lot of if it was totally brilliant. She wrote some amazing children's literature, but unfortunately it's not as widely known as it should be... (I do tend to discover, however, that if I meet someone who I think is pretty awesome, there's a greater probability that they grew up reading her books. =] ) Sat, 22 Oct 2011 09:22:44 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_168800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_168800 DozyCat I've never read it. I saw the movie though, and if it's close to the book at all then I think you've got a fair point. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 09:48:24 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_168964 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_168964 thraxx Overrated: agree on Robert Jordan, but I'm still trudging through his books... the Eye of the World had so many cliches and ripped out thing from LOTR that I was going "really??" every ten pages. But it's enjoyable. Maybe it's because I hadn't read any "classic" fantasy in a while and I needed a fix, so I can overlook those things... Other overrated people: Larry Niven (I read his first Ringworld novel and it sucked). Underrated: I would say Guy Gavriel Kay. His Sarantine Mosaic was awesome. Also, Stephen Lawhead. No book made my cry like the Song of Albion trilogy. 15 years after reading it, I still remember most of it and how I felt at the end. No other book had that effect on me. To whoever said Ursula LeGuin was overrated, I guess you're talking about her EarthSea books, right? Because The Disposessed and The Left Hand of Darkness are two of the best books I've read, period. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 09:53:34 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_168995 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_168995 Transcendent Obviously Meyer and Paolini, to the point that I use their books to get better. Meyer teaches me grammar (oh the fragments and seas of commas) and Paolini teaches me plot (Eragon Sporking FTW!). However, I'd really have to second the David Eddings. My mom loved them as a child, and I read them and thought they were pretty cool, but in hindsight it wasn't THAT great. And the main character had an IQ of -2! I've desperately tried to pick up the Dragonriders of Pern several times and failed to get past the second chapter each time. My mom looks at me like I'm crazy whenever I admit it, but I just can't get into those books. Underrated... Maybe it'd just where I am, but I'd say Jim Butcher. The guy is a freaking genius; he wrote the Codex Alera series on a dare with the basic idea of "Pokemon" and "Lost Roman Legion". You never hear anyone really talking about him. Again, this may simply be because I'm so far underground that nothing really gets through. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 09:58:36 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_169044 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_169044 TheOneBlueGecko Sanderson is amazing. He really has such thought out worlds and writes really gripping stories. He is by far my favorite current fantasy writer. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 10:02:24 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_169076 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_169076 larelmian Moving to Fans and Critics. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 10:46:08 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_169461 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_169461 Janje For David Eggings you pretty much have to read the Belgariad and avoid the Sparrowhawk stuff, in my humble opinion. I love the Pern books, but it is a series that is hard to get into because until you get personally attached to the characters it can be dull. Most overrated author? Charlaine Harris. The longer she writes, the worse it gets. I am seriously tempted to sell the books I have so far because I just can't stand the books now. I liked Sookie before but now she is so flatand boring. Underrated? Brent Weeks. Love all his books, the Way of the Shadows series is awesome and I reread them all the time and I am eagerly waiting his next book in the Blinging Knife series. I love books about assassins and he managed to make the moral choices about working to kill people so interesting. Awesome. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 10:46:36 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_169464 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_169464 arielavader I agree with Terry Goodkind. I could never get into his books. I tried 4 or 5 times BEFORE the Legend of the Seeker TV show, and when I liked the show, I tried again, and I just could not read Wizard's First Rule. As for underrated, Brent Weeks. I never hear anything about him, but his Night Angel Trilogy was awesome - though I don't recommend it if you are already clinically depressed. His characters wish they were in George RR Martin's novels, because then they'd just be killed. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 12:58:58 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_170844 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_170844 premiumcider Overrated: Terry Pratchett. Yeah, I said it. Honestly, when I read his stuff my mind always wanders off and thinks of other things. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 14:24:27 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_171886 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_171886 Lady_Warrior Over-rated? Tamora Pierce. She writes well, but... :/ Under-rated? Diana Wynne Jones. Gail Carson Levine. Eoin Colfer (!). Anthony Horowitz. Helen Dunmore (I've only read her Ingo series, but not many have...). Emily Rodda. Shannon Hale, kind of. Alison Croggon (you almost never see her mentioned, and MAN her Pellinor series is amazing). Sat, 22 Oct 2011 15:00:06 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_172296 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_172296 -happyness- Over-rated: The usual - Stephanie Meyer and Christopher Paolini. Also, L.J Smith. (The one who wrote Vampire Diaries). Sure, she's alright, but not that great. Under-rated: Philip Reeve. The Mortal Engines series is honestly one of the best pieces of writing I have ever read, and I'm including the Fever Crumb books in that as well. The world he has created is incredible. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 15:16:46 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_172472 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_172472 Victoria Nonpraeda Overrated: Stephenie Meyer makes my BRAIN HURT. And I know I'm going to get pilloried for this, but to be quite honest? J.K. Rowling. I enjoyed Harry Potter, I did. I like her personal story. But she is not G-d and she isn't some kind of writing oracle. She does what works for her, and she's been successful with it, and more power to her, but her way isn't the only way, and frankly, I find it simplistic sometimes. Underrated: Laurie R. King. She writes a series on books where Sherlock Holmes has acquired a young female sidekick, but instead of being stupid and cutesy like you might imagine, it's ... amazing. The character development, the turns of phrase and the ambiance has just consistently killed me every time I open a book of hers. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 15:27:43 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_172603 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_172603 Chester.Copperpot Overrated: George R.R. Martin. I read through the first three books in the series and found it all way too dark and depressing. My younger brother, who typically likes the books that I do (we've read through all the Shannara books, even though they're not all that awesome. Terry Brooks should probably be listed up here too), stopped reading halfway through the second because it was just bumming him out. Obviously there are those that love him, but for me, I'm not a fan. Underrated: Peter S. Beagle. Yes, I know he got a good run of attention for "The Last Unicorn," but all the stuff he's done besides that is just as brilliant! I could read "Tamsin" over and over again! Sat, 22 Oct 2011 15:30:32 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_172639 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_172639 Gerd D. Not sure I could agree on "all" - I found Beagle's "Lila, the werewolf" to be pretty typical, pretty bad 70's writing. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:18:15 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_173189 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_173189 Gerd D. Well, Over-rated: Hemingway, I'd say. He just doesn't work for me on any level, I don't find his prosa all that amazing or his stories all that deep and meaningful. Love the movies they made from his stuff, though. Under rated: Difficult, can I say Stephenie... honestly I can't think of a single one that I liked which didn't get his/her due recognition. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:26:18 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_173286 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_173286 VirtuallyCJ Of course JK Rowling writes simplistically, she is writing for Children. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:41:37 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_173466 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_173466 VirtuallyCJ Personally, I think all publishers should boycott Stephenie Meyer and banish her to punctuation hell where is forced to write "I will not overuse dashes and comma's" over and over again for all eternity. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:44:08 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_173502 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_173502 Inoru no Hoshi Over-rated: Christopher Paolini (I have read <em>Eragon</em>, and to this day I have no idea how I managed it, because his sentence structure is <em>horrendous</em>, his naming patterns make little sense - in that they don't hold to one at all - and it's honestly very trite and derivative. It could have been good if he'd, say, set it aside for a few years and then given it a few rounds of editing. Thorough, sporkalicious editing.), and Stephenie Meyer (I read <em>Twilight</em>. I have not been able to re-read or get very far into <em>New Moon</em> at all, and at this point have just given up trying. I think the reasoning here is similar to the above: her writing is really not that good, first off, and once I started actually looking at it, it's creeptastic. Which, yes, vampires are supposed to be - but darkly, sinisterly creeptastic and sympathetic almost despite yourself, not "If my sisters date anyone that makes me strongly think of Edward <em>I will kick that person in the balls</em>" creeptastic.) I agree that Terry Goodkind gets very stuck in patterns - I gave up on the series after repeated attempts to get through <em>Naked Empire</em> failed dismally. I have to say I don't like <em>Wizard's First Rule</em> - <em>Stone of Tears</em> through <em>Temple of the Winds</em> are the best, IMO, while <em>Soul of the Fire</em> through <em>Pillars of Creation</em> are read- and enjoyable, though in hindsight <em>Faith of the Fallen</em> is better than both SotF and PoC - especially since PoC is extremely borderline plotwise. (So basically I like roughly 1/3 of the series. Ouch.) Under-rated: Naomi Novik. Her Temeraire novels are a glory of period correctness, characters that are fleshed out and yet continually grow, and <em>dragons</em>. I don't see them talked about nearly enough, so they're my default rec these days, even if I have only read two of them. (The rest are on the list. So high on it.) Sat, 22 Oct 2011 17:10:33 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_173781 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_173781 IamOzymandias Overrated: A lot of them have been mentioned already, but James Joyce. Seriously, I can't STAND the guy's writing. &gt;_&gt; Underrated: Markus Zusak, but this may be because I am biased since he's my favorite fiction author. ^_^ Sat, 22 Oct 2011 17:42:32 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_174196 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_174196 Inoru no Hoshi Also, because I couldn't remember all the relevant Sword of Truth titles in the correct order, I looked the series up on Wikipedia. Then I read the summarisation of <em>Naked Empire</em> and beyond and... Wow. Just, wow. I can think of only one canonical point that might logically support the plotkey in the Chainfire trilogy, but it comes across as seriously dubious to me. Also, the Chainfire trilogy and <em>The Law of Nines</em> sound AMAZINGLY trite and cliche and like he just stopped trying. I wouldn't know for sure, though; I haven't read those books, and now likely never will. I guess that means I'd consider him over-rated now, too. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 17:46:35 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_174254 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_174254 Chester.Copperpot Eh, I can't remember any that I didn't enjoy, but I'll take your word for it. "Almost all" then! :) Sat, 22 Oct 2011 18:02:07 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_174436 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_174436 Catwoman1138 I can't think of any overrated authors at the moment but underrated ones are: Douglas Coupland- this man is HILARIOUS. His books are quirky, profound, and also really really funny, but I have yet to meet anyone who's read any of his books. He needs more love. Jpod is one of my favourite books. Libba Bray- more people need to read the Gemma Doyle trilogy, and Going Bovine and Beauty Queens are both great. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 18:30:03 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_174812 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_174812 Catwoman1138 Totally agree on the Neil Gaiman thing. I liked Coraline, I enjoyed Good Omens, but I wasn't like "THIS WAS THE BEST BOOK EVER." Everyone talks about him as if he's God and I like his books well enough, but there are a billion authors I like more. And I love Diana Wynne Jones. Howl's Moving Castle was an awesome book. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 18:36:55 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_174907 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_174907 Aerlinn Overrated: Frank Herbert. I just *can't* get into Dune. I'm sorry. And everything about Paolini annoys me. Underrated: I will second or third or fourth or whatever Dianna Wynne Jones and also second Clive Barker's Abarat. I loved Chrestomanci as a kid and I did and do absolutely adore Abarat. Um...how about Robin McKinley? I'm not entirely sure how people view her. Oh, and again not an author but a series...Brain Jacque's Castaways of the Flying Dutchman plus sequels. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 19:51:35 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_175870 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_175870 littlehurricane Overrated? Orson Scott Card. Sorry, I realize that qualifies me for treason for many of you, but I couldn't get through Ender's Game. Underrated? All of the Russian authors: Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Nabokov, Gogol, Pushkin... I wish we had talked about them in high school/college. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 21:21:55 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_176899 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_176899 EricaShadows Overrated? Throw me on the Stephanie Meyer and Christopher Paolini train for these because neither of the series should have made it to a respected editor/publishing house WITHOUT years of massive editing beforehand. And the self-insertion by the authors? It's allowable to a point, but to be so blatant about it? Ridiculous. If you must "borrow" from other authors, at least don't make it so obvious that people are able to actually name the series/character/etc. *turns off rant* I could continue, but it's all been said before and more eloquently than I. Underrated: Robin Mckinley for her "Hero and the Crown" and "Blue Sword" duology and Kat Richardson for her Greywalker series. Now there are some SCARY vampires in that one, plus how there's just so much good stuff there. Did I forget to mention J.A. Pitts? Now there is one amazing author. I thumbed through "Black Blade Blues" and had to buy it after only a few pages because I got so caught up in it. In fact, I passed both it and "Honeyed Words" along to a cousin and she couldn't put them down either. The way all the mythology and the modern day were intertwined in awesome writing is beyond good. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 22:20:24 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_177620 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_177620 Arlequin Evelyn Waugh is criminally underrated. Sun, 23 Oct 2011 01:31:18 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_179635 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_179635 Gerd D. After reading his open letters about the evils of homosexuality I couldn't bring myself to touch any of his works with a pole, tbh. Sun, 23 Oct 2011 10:02:15 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_182429 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_182429 ipark87 Alright, I'll start with George R.R. Martin. I read Games of Thrones and I was never all that thrill with it. I couldn't get into the story at all. I'm not exactly sure that I can blame him for that, but I am right now. For my underrated author I'm about to blow your minds and say Stephanie Meyer. That's right, Ms. Twilight and sparkly vampires. You might say that she is underrated, but there are so many people out there bashing her work that I can't imagine that there are people who don't understand that Twilight has sub-par writing. I know that doesn't make her good. Here is the turning point. For every complaint I have about Twilight, there is a compliment about The Host. The Host is an amazing well told and well thought out story. It's even realistic despite about being about a race of aliens. There are no ridiculous elements like sparkling, just emotions and complications and excellent plotting. If I could I would give everyone who hate Stephanie a copy of The Host just to show them the whole story. Its like she got published one series too early. It will actually confuse you when you read it. "How did Twilight and The Host come from the same brain?" I don't know the answer to that one, but everyone needs to read this book. Sun, 23 Oct 2011 11:00:38 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_182852 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_182852 FlameRaven Unfortunately, not going to happen. While Meyer's works are pretty terrible, they also make incredibly stupid amounts of money. Publishing as struggling as it is-- no publisher is going to turn away the guaranteed cash that will come in if they publish something by Meyer. Sun, 23 Oct 2011 11:10:41 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_182934 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_182934 Chester.Copperpot THANK YOU! This is exactly how I feel about Card. I enjoyed his works (I didn't love them, but I read the Ender's series and liked them) until I read his views on homosexuality and now I won't even pick up one of his books. Sun, 23 Oct 2011 16:56:14 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_186959 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_186959 Medd Overrated: I just have to say it: Douglas Coupland. I absolutely loved Jpod. It had me laughing to the point of tears, but everything else I read after that was a just one disappointment after another. I enjoyed Microserfs and, while Girlfriend In A Coma started to bore me towards the end, I still enjoyed it. When it came to Hey Nostradamus...all I can say is, it's the most frustrating, tedious, and overhyped book I've read. I find that with most Coupland books, they start off okay, but that's it- the pace never picks up, the characters merge and become indistinguishable from one another, the humour soon starts to grate. Just...agh, I don't know. It's been a strange experience with Douglas Coupland and don't see why his work is so highly praised. I've never come across anyone that <em>doesn't</em> like his work. Sorry for the rant, but I feel it needs to be said. I'll come back to underrated authors, not sure yet. Sun, 23 Oct 2011 18:21:53 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_188159 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_188159 Its_Chai_not_Chae Overrated: No doubt Meyer. At one point, I thought I just hated how popular it was because of the movie and the plot didn't seem to good. So one day I decided to read Twilight and had to quite by chapter two. I actually really hated her style, and EVERYTHING just kept running on. It got annoying. Underrated: Eoin Colfer, definitely.I am so committed to Artemis Fowl, I only read one book a year for my birthday so we will always be the same age when I read about that boy. Scott Westerfeld. Aside from Uglies, his other works do not get enough credit. Especially Leviathan. my personal favorite of his work. And Chris Wooding. I read Malice and ADORED the half comic, half novel. And his writing style was perfect for something so creepy. Sun, 23 Oct 2011 18:32:06 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_188313 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_188313 Elfdragon12 Hey~! Someone else who's read the Mary Russell series! Awesome! 8D Wed, 26 Oct 2011 03:23:53 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_226186 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_226186 ASongInMyHead I definitely agree on Scott Westerfeld. Wed, 26 Oct 2011 09:16:46 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_228439 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_228439 Victoria Nonpraeda I meant that it's simplistic that just because Harry Potter's a hit with some people, a lot of writers I know seem to think her way to write is the only way. It's not. Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:46:52 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_233153 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_233153 golfgal08 I love Dave Duncan! The King's Blades books are probably at the top of my all-time favorite books ever, and I was so excited that <em>The Gilded Chain</em> finally made it to Kindle last week! Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:07:53 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_233478 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_233478 cadaughtrey Sanderson's worlds and magic systems are fantastic. His execution, though, is beyond lacking. He is prone to info dumps, his writing is preachy, his characters are rarely more than mouthpieces for his own personal beliefs. And, most of all, he falls too much in love with his own magic systems. I'll be the first to say that they're all unique and interesting, but you can't base a whole book, or worse, a series around a magic system. Overrated- James Patterson. I glanced at one of his books that my wife was read once. She was on page 50, at the beginning of chapter 34. I threw up a little in my mouth. Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:30:09 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_247503 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_247503 Samwise Gamgee Overrated? Christopher Paolini is way up there. Maybe at the top as well. I think Rick Riordan could also be thrown in there. His books are good, but nowhere close to as good as people say he is. As for underrated? N.D. Wilson is so underrated, he should get much more press attention. Thu, 27 Oct 2011 21:04:04 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_255620 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_255620 doorknobofakender One of the things about Host that needs mentioning is that a lot of the same themes and aliens were done before in a children's series called Animorphs with a scattering of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. I thought it was a bit better than Twilight but it was still on the dull side. But that's me. Thu, 27 Oct 2011 23:01:18 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_257115 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_257115 myyearinlists Overrated: David Foster Wallace. My god, David Foster Wallace. I'm not happy that he killed himself, but at the very least, at least he won't be writing any more terrible, overwrought, purposefully obtuse books. I literally hurled a library copy of Brief Interviews across the room because it was so irritating to read. For God's sake. I also think Chuck Palahniuk is deeply overrated. I never particularly got into the Fight Club cult, and Choke was almost unreadable. His books have never provoked a violent reaction in me, but when I see someone has him listed as one of their favorite authors, I instinctively go, "Ugh, Jesus, call back when you've read some more books." Oh, and I'm totally going to get flamed for this, but - John Green. I feel bad, because he likes the Mountain Goats and anyone who likes the Mountain Goats can't be that bad a person, but as a writer? Eh, I'll pass. Not my bag. The cult surrounding his work is just as annoying to me as the Palahniuk fanboys. He's not the worst, but he's completely overrated. Oh, and one more for the road... Stieg Larsson. UNDERRATED: DC Pierson and Simon Rich both come to mind. I'm a big fan of twentysomething funny dudes who write excellent coming-of-age novels and humor pieces (Elliot Allagash; The Boy Who Couldn't Sleep And Never Had To). And I adore Sarah Vowell, but I feel like absolutely everyone I know loves her, so I'm not entirely sure that she counts... Thu, 27 Oct 2011 23:43:58 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_257690 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_257690 Spica I have to say I agree. The Host was marginally better written than Twilight, but it was basically a Meyer-flavored knock-off of Animorphs. And Animorphs was significantly better and deeper (although I will admit that the writing style is not the best, but Applegate more than makes up for that in other aspects.) Fri, 28 Oct 2011 01:40:47 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_258880 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_258880 mlthut I think Sarah Vowell counts because I don't think ENOUGH people love her. Fri, 28 Oct 2011 01:50:54 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_258971 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_258971 Gerd D. Nice to see somebody else thinks Green overrated (although I do think he has a talent for creating stories, he just lacks talent to tell them), never read Palahniuk, mainly because, well, "Fight Club" was a fun movie, but one of those that all but run down to this final twist - and once you know it the story hasn't much to offer anymore. Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:39:06 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_262106 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_262106 sophia0021 never knew about that....definately disappointing...won't read his stuff any more either. Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:04:44 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_268967 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_268967 Demagis I love Brent Weeks so hard. I read the first book in the Way of Shadows series and ran out the next day to buy the other two. Fri, 28 Oct 2011 21:22:05 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_272694 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_272694 Itzika I've only read his Alcatraz series, and I adored it. I didn't notice any of those problems. Sat, 29 Oct 2011 01:25:16 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_275989 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_275989 Itzika Can I just ask you to finish that "but" statement? Because Tamora Pierce is one of my favorite authors ever, she's pretty much the only high fantasy author I've ever managed to get through, and while I figured out her formula for the Tortall books a while ago (new appearance + new kind of warrior + new magic + new weapon + new region + new Big Bad + new animal companion + new patron god + etc., I forget them all) I still think she pulls it off well. I'm not a big fan of Beka Cooper, but that's just because journal format isn't my thing. So... really, what do you not like about her books? Sat, 29 Oct 2011 01:32:50 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_276069 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_276069 Itzika Overrated: Meyer, definitely. I'll be honest, when I first read Twilight, I liked it. Then again, when I first read Twilight, I was fifteen. Then I took a few steps away and started thinking about what I'd just read. And then I reread it recently as part of a project I'm working on, and wondered exactly how I let that poison into my head. I'm also going to say Paolini just because last I heard, one of my friends STILL likes his books and got Brisingr. I couldn't get through Eldest. Underrated: Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I first picked up Tattoo a few years ago, and didn't finish it mainly because it was during the school year and I never finished books during the school year--but more recently, I picked up Raised by Wolves at the library and it was so awesome I bought it. Tamora Pierce. She's a respected author, but I don't see nearly enough people reading her books. More girls read Twilight than Tamora Pierce, and this is sad. Her books actually have powerful, positive role models for young women. Sat, 29 Oct 2011 01:49:46 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_276280 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_276280 Coffeedrinker Overrated: Gaiman and Jordan. Yeah, I know sacrilege. I'd better throw in Palahniuk as well, whom I find horribly boring and pretentious. Underrated: some of the oldies, like Edmund Cooper, Robert Merle, Cherryh, Kurtz. Sat, 29 Oct 2011 05:10:43 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_277794 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_277794 aurora17 The secret ingredients here are hype and bestsellerdom, and that's worth unpacking. Publishers are always looking for the sure thing, and they hype what they're comfortable with. Overrated: Meyer and Rowling, sure. Meyer put me to sleep with her zombified POV character; Rowling definitely gets points for plotting, especially on the early books, but at the micro level (sentences and paragraphs, word choice, rhythm) is not head-and-shoulders above the crowd. However, she did hit the jackpot. Jim Butcher, particularly the Dresden Files. The plotting is craftsmanlike but they're a remix of <em>very</em> familiar ingredients. Hardboiled male detective with a jones for anything female and ambulatory, meet world-saving wizard dude. Yawn. Underrated: definitely the Russians, and I'll add to the list: Alexander Herzen (novelist, memoirist, dashing investigative journalist, definitely one of the funniest and most cutting styles I know); Marina Tsvetaeva (poet, but her essays are the trippiest thing going. if you want to write a creepy family tragedy, you can do worse than study "The House at Old Pimen"); Nadezhda Durova (<em>Leviathan</em> fans, this is Deryn/Dylan in real life: disguised herself as a boy to serve in the Russian cavalry and got her officer's commission in 1811. Crazy brave, and funny as well, and she doesn't leave out the boring parts of military service in the Napoleonic Wars. She also wrote some awesome short stories, but mostly they are not translated into English yet.) Older writers/"classics": overrating and underrating goes on in university lit departments too. So here are a few: George Sand. She wrote <em>everything</em>: adventure stories (including pirates!), metaphysical thrillers, road movies, romances, science fiction. Her correspondence is required reading for its canny, ornery, persistent eye to the business end of writing (c. 1830s-1860s). For prolific: 60-70 novels, which I'm still reading my way through. Margaret Walker's <em>Jubilee</em>. Family epic with the best command of American idiom that I've ever seen. She writes the slaves, the free blacks, the overseers, the lady and lord of the plantation, all with flawless accuracy. I read this book alongside the Icelandic sagas and Tolstoy's <em>War and Peace</em> and it holds its own. Contemporary: Octavia Butler. Pretty much everything, but <em>Kindred</em> is the best, scariest time-travel story I've every read. Tananarive Due: <em>The Good House</em> and <em>Joplin's Ghost</em>. Nobody writes ghosts and weird time-loops better. Ursula LeGuin, particularly (as noted above) <em>The Left Hand of Darkness</em> and <em>The Dispossessed</em>. Now both of these have political content that's both serious and non-standard, so you might want to guess why they're underrated. Catherynne M. Valente, for sure. <em>Palimpsest</em> is one of the best Long Strange Trips I've been on recently. Joanna Russ. One of my writing <em>gods</em>, rest her soul: an elegant rabble-rouser. Sun, 30 Oct 2011 11:53:18 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_297856 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_297856 Eiremauve2 Actually, I agree about Dune. Tried it, just could not get in to it. Robin McKinley is fairly well known and liked, I think. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:53:56 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_373159 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_373159 Phoenix No kidding--advocating armed revolution and the overthrow of the govt. if gays are given equal rights? Seriously, dude?! Wed, 02 Nov 2011 20:22:07 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_408412 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_408412 Phoenix Overrated: Stephen King. Rick Riordan (though he's mostly overrated by the YA crowd; adults find his adult books mediocre.) Underrated: Gael Baudino. Kerry Greenwood. Laurie King. John Scalzi. Rosemary Sutcliff. Rudyard Kipling. Tom Deitz. Ru Emerson. Heather Gladney. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 20:30:23 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_408718 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_408718 EJKorvette I like James Patterson. It just took a little time to get used to his style of writing. Since he publishes a book a week, they all can't be good. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 03:43:42 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_420905 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_420905 EJKorvette Disagree. Although Jodi follows a specific template for each book (even to the same fonts for the female lead, the male lead, etc.) she does it so well you don't mind it's basically the same thing again. Well, I don't mind. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 03:46:10 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_420928 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_420928 EJKorvette The second book in the series, Speaker for the Dead, was a much different book. Treason was a great OSC book. I do have to say I was sucker-punched by the first book in his Homecoming series. I read all five of those books, my favorite being the first. Then one day I pick up The Book of Mormon, and realized that the story was very familiar. More than familiar; OSC basically took a word processor to the BoM and turned it into an SF book. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 03:52:06 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_420997 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_420997 EJKorvette And I was going to list Chuck Palahniuk as an underrated author. And I disagree about Steig Larsson. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 03:54:36 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_421029 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_421029 EJKorvette I can't think of any overrated authors right now. Conspicuous by their absence from this forum as underrated authors: Scott Sigler and J.C. Hutchins. Scott Sigler has turned most of his books into free podcasts, performed by him. He does a weekly show where he podcasts his latest books. He just dropped the first podcast of his book The All-Pro last Sunday. Check him out! Thu, 03 Nov 2011 03:58:23 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_421076 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_421076 samneve this just broke my heart. I grew up with Ender's Game. I haven't looked at the book in years, but now that I've taken a minute to look into Card and his views, I don't think I'll ever be able to touch it again. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 05:47:21 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_422311 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_422311 cadaughtrey I assume by, "they can't all be good" you really mean, "none of them are any good." Thu, 03 Nov 2011 11:39:55 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_428540 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_428540 H I agree on Scott Westerfeld. Lots of people are reading Uglies at my school now finally, but none of his other work gains any appreciation whatsoever. I really enjoyed Peeps, Midnighters, and Leviathan, though I haven't had a chance to finish the entire series-es. Also, even most of his fans have never heard of his older, more mature-adult stuff, which is definitely just as meaningful and thought-provoking! Sun, 06 Nov 2011 18:19:21 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_533177 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_533177 clutzycricket Overrated: Hmm... Cassie Clare? *ducks flamewar she's courting* JD Salinger as well. It might have been circumstances of reading and all that, but *shrugs* Most things I'm just willing to say it's not my cup of mint tea. Underrated: Seanan McGuire! Though I'm not sure how popular she is.... Hmm... Also Melissa Marr, who is amazing! Sarah Rees Brennan is wickedly funny. Deborah Grabien perhaps isn't the best, but I will order my own copy of her works because of her characters and settings and atmosphere. (If she wrote a Mac and Dom Bicker and Have Wacky Adventures, I would buy it. In turn, the backstories for her Haunted Ballads are amazing, and Matty Groves is one of my favorite books.) Sun, 06 Nov 2011 19:50:07 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_535591 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_535591 x0xSorax0x Overrated?: Stephenie Meyer (duh. What person with actual intelligence likes those books?) Christopher Paolini (stupidest. books. ever...he's ugly too. XD) Tamora Pierce (I just find her books SO boring...its unbelievable. Do they have ANY plot? Uhm, nope.) Underrated?: Diana Wynne Jones (She has the sweetest, funniest, original-est stories :3) Cornelia Funke (I dunno, maybe I'm wrong on this one. But barely anyone knows her, and she writes the most brilliant things!) Rick Yancy (Stunning author. Just....brilliant.) Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:15:07 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_560777 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_560777 Indigo Supernova Overrated- Let me see, there are loads and loads for me. Cassandra Clare's books are terrible. I got through City of Bones as a kind of fluffy piece of candy for my brain, but City of Ashes was so awful I felt like throwing it out the window. The prose is terrible and her storylines are so predictable. Rick Riordan. I don't get the love for this guy. I read the first Percy Jackson book and thought it was terrible. Full of cliches and lacking any interesting characters. Maybe I'd like it more if it came out when I was younger. James Patterson is the worst writer whose stuff I have read. He is simply terrible. Underrated- I second Sarah Rees Brenann! Also, Meg Rosoff's stories are always beautiful and atmostpheric, I love all her books. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:14:11 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_623267 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_623267 Elfdragon12 Yeah, Card was put on my mom's blacklist when she realized what he plagarized. (I wouldn't know since I've never read any of his stuff, even Ender's Game.) Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:39:06 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_625029 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_625029 The Lion of Saint Mark Diana Wynne Jones all the way, yep. I was just rereading House of Many Ways the other day, which led me to go reread Howl's Moving Castle again, and ... wow. Every time I reread her, how good she is just hits me viscerally. Everything she writes is so interesting and structured and wonderful and charming - the people, the plots, the places - it's all /brilliant/. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 21:39:09 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_630490 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_630490 jerriecan Overrated: As much as I love some of his work, I think Stephen King is badly overrated. He's far too hit-or-miss nowadays, especially with the conclusion to the Dark Tower series. I used to love each new book, but that time is long, long past. Underrated: Jack McDevitt. When it comes to clear, well-crafted science fiction, Jack McDevitt is among the very best. With two separate novel series and several stand-alone books, he's one of my very favorite authors. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 23:52:54 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_632848 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_632848 DarkOwl Overrated Authors: I've seen plenty of Paolini bashing going on, and to throw in my two cents I never made it past the first page of Eragon. I simply returned it to the library and moved on with my life. Erin Hunter was good, to a point, but it seemed everyone I knew was obsessed for the longest time... am I the only one who couldn't keep all the character's straight? I'm sick of people trying to shove the Hunger Games down my throat as literature that ought to be read... when will they get that I don't want to read books about people killing each other for entertainment? Looking for the author in particular... Suzanne Collins. Ah. I tried to read Gregor the Overlander earlier, and hated it, so there's a good excuse I can use the next time some normally rational person recommends the Hunger Games to me. Jeanne DuPrau... I managed to make it through the third book in this series, but only because I was given a copy with the first three books in one. It wasn't something I'd recommend to anyone, or read again. Underrated Authors: I'm not sure if Lloyd Alexander counts as underrated, because he's gotten a Newbery Medal for High King, but I'm the only person I can find that has actually read and enjoyed something of his under the age of twenty, and since I've never read a Lloyd Alexander book I didn't like, that's a horrible travesty. Jasper Fforde... Thursday Next is an awesome series, and got me hooked on several older authors that are now out of copyright, such as Charlotte Brontë. Speaking of older authors, P.G. Wodehouse is hilarious and amazingly amazing. Just saying. I can't resist the opportunity to put in a plug for Brandon Mull, who is my favorite author of all time. Fablehaven is one of the reasons I'm writing today. I'm thinking of starting a petition to send to him to get him to write something else that's Fablehaven. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:29:33 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_633389 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_633389 Squight Overrated: The Hunger Games. "But the concept is so good!" Bitch, the concept is Greek Mythology. The characters annoy me greatly, and I'm a character person. The plot is alright, but it doesn't matter because I loathe the characters. If I ever have to read another love triangle I'm going to off myself. John Green. I like him. But only Looking for Alaska and Will Grayson, Will Grayson. Wg, wg is the best of all his work, and half of it is David Levithan's. Who is supremely underrated and brilliant. Underrated: Megan Whalen Turner. The woman's a fucking genius and nobody reads her books. Nobody SELLS her books. You have to go to a damn huge bookstore before you find anything more than her first one (and even that they stopped stocking a few years ago at my local Barnes and Noble.) Although they seemed well-liked enough when I was a kid, now I'm starting to wonder if anyone really cares about Diana Wynne Jones, Tamora Pierce, or Cornelia Funke. D: Or, hell, when's the last time you saw a kid reading Ursula K le Guin? Oh, also the Raging Quiet by Sherryl Jordan. It's best if you read it without even looking at the jacket. It's usually in libraries, forgotten because the cover is so old. But it's brilliant. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 04:16:27 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_635628 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_635628 Gerd D. I think Wynne Jones and Funke are still finding younger readers, but Le Guin is becoming one of those authors you hear only elder people talk about (or see screenwriters pulling out of their hat when they need to portray a nerdy character), just like Andre Norton, and if you really want to get people scratching their heads you drop in the name of Octavia Butler in a conversation. :D Speaking of which, I would say Octavia E. Butler counts as underrated, for me anyway, because it took me really long to appreciate what she brought to SF writing. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:46:36 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_639754 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_639754 Angryman Jasper Fforde! I love the Nursery Crime books! Tue, 13 Dec 2011 01:08:21 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_968586 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_968586 Angryman I think all of the overrated authors have been listed, so I'll skip to the underrated author instead. Jim C. Hines Why? First, no one seems to have heard of him, despite having seven books to his name (he's even written short stories alongside other authors). Second, he takes classic ideas, looks at them, and says, "That can be done, but what are the repercussions?" Goblin Quest is a great example: adventurers enter the mountain looking for their relic, they capture a goblin, and have him guide them. But who said the goblin knows where to go? The other great example is The Stepsister Scheme (and the rest of that series). In the original fairy tales, Cinderella didn't have a fairy godmother, and Sleeping Beauty was awoken by the pains of childbirth, not a princes kiss. He stuck with the originals, and found the flaws in the adage "Happily Ever After." Tue, 13 Dec 2011 01:16:30 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_968598 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_968598 Beautiful Illusion Respectfully, I like Chuck Palahniuk. xD ... not sure whether I'd call him underrated, though - same goes for Bret Easton Ellis. But then there's that whole 'American Psycho' 'Love that movie' 'I was talking about the book' thing ... eh. A little bit stung by your 'instinctive' reaction, though. I don't like the implication that I haven't read enough books just because I like Chuck Palahniuk. But to each their own, I suppose - I have my reasons for enjoying his work, which, hey, I might not enjoy so much five or ten years down the line. But for now, I'm good. But I am aware of the 'love/hate' surrounding his books (or at least Goodreads has taught me as much) ... so people can love and people can hate. :) I just ... don't like the assumption that I don't read enough because I enjoy his body of work. And on topic, now ... I must admit, I get a little bit annoyed whenever someone mentioned Hunter S. Thompson and the only reaction anyone gives is 'I liked Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' ... and they're never, ever talking about the novel. Wed, 14 Dec 2011 06:02:42 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_971945 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_971945 mycatduncan Overrated: I have to be honest. I did love the Hunger Games, and while I hate Katniss and Peeta, the plot was pretty good. However, the books got worse and worse as the trilogy went along... Underrated: Believe it or not, I see Tolkien as somewhat underrated, at least with kids my age. Everybody's heard of him - but there are a lot of people who won't open LOTR and will say "ohh, Tolkien, that stuff's really boring". They'll complain that they've heard it's too lengthy or descriptive, but if they'd just read into it, it's awesome writing. If you can read Harry Potter and memorize its entire world, then give LOTR/The Hobbit a shot. I know he's famous, and I know his books are some of the most successful as far as sales go. But kids my age are just not giving it a chance. I read LOTR with my mom when I was eleven; it wasn't even my choice. We read it because I asked her what it was about, and she came home with The Hobbit. I didn't want to read it at all, but it was amazing. After all, The Hobbit, at least, was written for children. LOTR was trickier, but we'd read one book and then watch its movie equivalent, and that helped strengthen the image. After reading it, you become used to the lengthy-description-ness, and you learn to love it and see how beautiful the speech really is. Anyway, you can agree with me or not, but that's just how I see it. ^_^ Thu, 15 Dec 2011 05:53:31 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_974807 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_974807 beanza3 I read it about that same age, and... Mmm... I didn't like it. Is he a great writer, yes, I'll give him that. Did I fall asleep? No. Would I read it again? No. I adored the Hobbit, but... Everything after fell flat. If I hadn't read the Hobbit, I probably wouldn't have finished the other books. But I agree that people should give him a read though! He's actually made a name for a reason. :D Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:29:37 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_976070 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_976070 Angryman The problem with the Lord of the Rings is that it's confusing. And when I read it, I ended up taking long breaks from it because I had a hard time with the long traveling scenes. I didn't need to know every bathroom break the fellowship took between Rivendell and Moria (I know that wasn't what happened, but that's what it felt like). The Return of the King was the best of the trilogy, since it wasn't about traveling, but the big battles that awaited the reader, tension constantly building. Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:50:43 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_976363 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_976363 mycatduncan Well, it isn't for everyone. And as a flighty, distracted eleven-year-old, I had a tough time with the traveling scenes as well. You're right, sometimes it did feel like they were telling you about every bathroom break. XD But once you've finished, and you wait a while and read it again, you start to really appreciate this amazing culture Tolkien wrote for us. Yeah, it's not an easy book to read, not in the very least. But I believe it's worth the trouble. ^_^ Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:06:47 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_977516 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_977516 Angryman The fun thing with Tolkien is the fact that he DID work on every detail of Middle Earth. He, being a language professor, wrote all of the languages. And explored the history with The Silmarillion (I'm willing to bet I spelled that wrong). Fri, 16 Dec 2011 20:37:48 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_978572 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_978572 Aisling Banrion Megan Whalen Turner! Yes yes yes! She is amazing! Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:02:27 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1117565 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1117565 Aisling Banrion Overrated: Paolini, Erin Hunter. I know there's like 5 different people writing under Erin Hunter, and the first two sets of the Warriors books were good, but now there are way too many characters, who all start to feel the same, and the plot is so strung out and complicated it's ridiculous. Paolini- well, I don't mind his books, and I read Inheritance because I wanted to know how everything would end, but I'm really not impressed by him at all. I can write better, and there really isn't much originality in his books at all. Underrated: Robin Hobb. For sure. She has incredible character development and immensely original plots and worlds, IMO. Also Robin McKinley. Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:07:45 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1117570 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1117570 frozenonthesea I could say that Meyer, would be overrated, but that's already been mentioned, so moving on to under rated. Obert Skye: I never hear people talk about his books, or him. He is amazing. All his books are amazing, and I would read them again and again if I had the time between LOTR, HP, and a select few others. Obert Skye has great description, great narrative, and he explores so many interesting concepts, and yes, at times he includes things that are not totally original, but most Fantasy writers, or Scifi, or any other genre, really have a hard time coming up with purely original things, I mean, almost everything has been done before. Vampires, werewolves, magic, wars, etc... But, he does great, and I would recommend his books to anyone looking for a good read. Sat, 25 Feb 2012 13:29:46 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1169462 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1169462 IonaPeridot I can't think of anyone overrated, or at least not anyone who hasn't been mentioned a thousand times. But for underrated: Megan Whalen Turner Robin McKinley Gail Carson Levine Shannon Hale I guess none of them are THAT overrated--Robin McKinley's been mentioned at least three other times on this thread--but no one I hang out with has ever heard of them, and it makes me sad. Sat, 25 Feb 2012 14:25:57 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1169510 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1169510 Vacillator [quote=ipark87] Alright, I'll start with George R.R. Martin. I read Games of Thrones and I was never all that thrill with it. I couldn't get into the story at all. I'm not exactly sure that I can blame him for that, but I am right now.[/quote] I can't say for certain that George R. R. Martin is the greatest author ever, but you would have to look outside the fantasy genre to find a better one. Tue, 28 Feb 2012 11:06:34 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1176707 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1176707 _Zivaliya_ Overrated would be James Patterson hands down. Yuck. Underratted would be Brandon Mull, I love his books and he deserves more of a mention. His characters are amazing, and the plot is orginal and brillant! Tue, 28 Feb 2012 22:29:41 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1178126 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1178126 fuzz Dave Duncan! I was not expecting his name to come up. I like the swordsman ones. Wed, 29 Feb 2012 06:46:35 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1178836 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1178836 fuzz Underrated: Jeff Lindsay. Most people don't know who he is but I'll bet you ten bucks those same people know his character. Wed, 29 Feb 2012 06:50:04 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1178840 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1178840 Vacillator [quote=Chester.Copperpot] Overrated: George R.R. Martin. I read through the first three books in the series and found it all way too dark and depressing. My younger brother, who typically likes the books that I do (we've read through all the Shannara books, even though they're not all that awesome. Terry Brooks should probably be listed up here too), stopped reading halfway through the second because it was just bumming him out.[/quote] The fact that it's "way too dark and depressing" for your liking has absolutely nothing to do with whether George R. R. Martin is a good or bad author. People seriously need to learn the difference between something not being to their taste, and the author being objectively bad. Sun, 04 Mar 2012 11:52:34 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1189149 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1189149 nevillegirl Overrated: Some of these authors have already been mentioned here, so I won't write too much about them~ James Patterson: When I was about 12 or so, I really liked his books. Now... not so much. I still like Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment. He had such a good idea for a series. And then he didn't do a very good job actually writing that idea. His Daniel X and Witch and Wizard series were just terrible. Christopher Paolini: I couldn't keep the characters straight. And it seemed a lot like LOTR. WAAAAY too much like LOTR. Underrated: Bill Bryson: His books are hilarious! He is one of my favorite authors. I wrote to him a while ago, actually, and he sent me a postcard back!! Anyway. It seems like the adults I know (I'm a teenager) have heard of him, but not many teens I know have. That's too bad. :( Agatha Christie: It doesn't really seem like many teens have heard of her.... READ HER BOOKS. And Then There Were None is the best mystery ever! I had no idea who the murderer was... Kirsten Miller: Has anyone even HEARD of her?! She wrote the Kiki Strike books. They're wonderful, but it seems like she isn't well-known... Suzanne Collins: No, not her Hunger Games books. They were OK, but had a bit too much senseless violence for my tastes. No, I'm talking about her Underland Chronicles. They are about war, but they make you think a lot more than the Hunger Games do. An Na: Read A Step From Heaven. It is one of the best books ever. But hardly anyone I know has read it! Sun, 04 Mar 2012 13:40:34 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1189256 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1189256 Arya Svit-Kona Overrated: Suzanne Collins: <em>Please don't kill me!</em> She isn't a bad writer by any means I really do love the Hunger Games and Gregor the Overlander, but with the way everybody just gushes over The Hunger Games seriously annoys me. They're good books.... but they weren't <em>that</em> good. J.K. Rowling: *hides under her bed* I love Harry Potter, I swear! I really do love it! I would never have started reading in the first place if it weren't for Harry Potter! But.... the way people gush about her kind of does annoy me. People act like she's a goddess and that Harry Potter is the best series in the universe and that has just really gotten on my nerves lately. Scott Westerfield: For Uglies, to be exact. I read Midnighters and absolutely loved the trilogy, but when I started reading Uglies.... Well, I just had a horrible nagging feeling that I had heard this exact same story somewhere before. As it turns out, I had. Number Twelve Looks Just Like You, a Twilight Zone episode from about fifty years ago. Basic plotline? Exactly the same. After that, I really couldn't continue because while the books may have been 'inspired' by this episode, it seemed like he took just a bit too much from it. As for others, Stephanie Meyer is a given and Christopher Paolini.... well, I don't think the books were all that bad... except for Eldest. I hated Eldest. But I really doubt that he would get this much hate if he had been about thirty years older. Underrated: Brent Weeks: Just... Brent Weeks. I picked up The Way of Shadows in an airport bookstore on my way back from Washington D.C. last summer. I liked the cover, I liked the summary, and the story? I fell in love. I read the entire book during the five hour flight and couldn't wait to get to a bookstore and get the next books. Unfortunately, very few people seem to have actually heard of him. Obert Skye: I admit, Leven Thumps is rather odd... but it's absolutely brilliant as well! i believe that he should be getting full points for originality! I have yet to read his next series due to my now being nearly fifteen and the books being meant for people my little sister's age... wait... now there's an idea.... Must make her get the book! John Flanagan: Fifty bucks nobody knows who I'm talking about! I personally loved his Ranger's Apprentice books and cannot wait to get my hands on the first Brotherband book! Sure, his books technically are children's books but I still like them! Though he has an annoying habit of never maiming his main characters.... Fri, 16 Mar 2012 04:49:22 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1215633 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1215633 MrZiggles Gosh. This is a tough one. Can I nominate Stephen King for both categories? He's written a lot of second-rate horror that makes me wonder how he got so popular. But Running Man was quite a bit better than the movie. Misery compares favorably to Fowles' The Collector. And he hit a home run with The Long Walk. Sun, 18 Mar 2012 01:05:52 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1219723 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1219723 talkstoomuch Underrated: Sharon Penman. I know this will sound over the top, but I think she is honestly the best writer I have ever had the pleasure to read- the kind that makes you want to vow to never write another word because you feel you could never live up to something this good. Her historical and period detail is pretty much flawless without sacrificing the need to tell an amazing story- I think the fact that she has to confirm in the epilogues that she didn't make up many of the events in her books says a lot. I also love the way she manages to maintain a medieval world view and perspective and still create characters that are relatable and fully human- even if their almost invariably tragic ends make you want to throw the book at the wall screaming "CURSE YOU, HISTORY!!" (Which, I ahem, did.). Also, I think pretty much any author who had their finished manuscript stolen and had the guts to spend fifteen years re-writing it deserves a pretty big pat on the back. Over-rated: George R R Martin (please don't kill me!) I'll start by saying that I acknowledge that he is an extremely good writer technically and that the scale and depth of his stories is pretty impressive, but at the same time, I personally couldn't help but feel that A Game of Thrones consisted of this: Someone is riding a horse somewhere. They are ambushed and get into a fight. Someone gets hit in the face with a sword, someone gets a limb severed, someone gets bludgeoned over the head. They asses how many people have been killed and keep riding. Repeat, with the same injuries, for 900 pages. Sun, 18 Mar 2012 04:39:42 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1220142 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1220142 EJKorvette I figure Stephen King owes me about a month of sleep from all the staying-up reading his books to find out what happens next. I am always amazed by the ending of Running Man being written about twenty(?) years before something like that actually happening. Tue, 20 Mar 2012 15:01:44 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1226680 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1226680 neon.tigress Overrated: [Warning: Opinion Ahead] Suzanne Collins. Unoriginal premise, weak character development, non-engaging plot, choppy writing, and surprisingly little moral/emotional conflict over the trauma of the Games. I kept rolling my eyes at Katniss, whose middle name I'm convinced is Mary Sue. I read The Hunger Games and half of Catching Fire two years ago but couldn't bring myself to keep reading, because by that point I realized it wasn't going to get any better. *reads other comments* Oh good, I'm not alone :D Under rated: Cormac McCarthy. I know he won a Pulitzer Prize, and two (or more?) of his novels have been turned into movies, but few people I talk to know his name or his works, which is such a shame because I am absolutely *astounded* by his writing. The Road left such a profound impact on me. If I had to use one word to describe it I would probably say 'breathtaking', because I actually felt breathless by the end of it. I just love writing that can challenge me intellectually, morally, etc. without trying to blatantly announce 'This book is artsy and deep! Read it!' So while he's held in high esteem in the literary world, I've come across shockingly few people who have even heard of him. Sun, 25 Mar 2012 17:54:37 -0400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1238141 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/fans-and-critics/threads/9131?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1238141