|
Post by rakie on Jun 15, 2009 15:49:37 GMT
the last book i hurled across the room in disgust was by Tanith Lee, but i forget why it irked me so.
i nominate Laurell K Hamilton, for breaking my heart by going from wonderful to average to f*cktardedly awful all in the space of one series. *shakes fist*
|
|
|
Post by danielirussell on Jun 17, 2009 10:29:33 GMT
The Campbell books I read where The Doll That Ate its Mother (Very disappointing) and Ancient Images (nothing much happened. A woman did lots and lots of aimless driving).
|
|
|
Post by Jim on Jun 17, 2009 10:35:53 GMT
at least his depiction of women drivers was pretty spot on
|
|
|
Post by funkdooby on Jun 18, 2009 6:15:30 GMT
In a tragic attempt to get back to the topic, my nominated writer is Ramsey Campbell. Ok, Ive only read 2 books, but they were both awful and very very dull. Heretic! Campbell is without doubt the greatest living horror writer (IMHO).
|
|
|
Post by funkdooby on Jun 18, 2009 6:19:09 GMT
Worst writer of horror fiction by some considerable margin has to be Shaun Hutson. His novel Spawn must surely be the most appalling bit of old crap ever to be committed to print. I seem to remember Graham Masterton's work as being almost unreadable cobblers too
|
|
|
Post by rakie on Jun 18, 2009 11:12:49 GMT
heretic! again! ;D Graham Masterton's a star, he's one of my favouritest writers ever.
(anyone else get the feeling this thread is going to degenerate into childish name calling and hitting with sticks? ;D)
|
|
|
Post by darrelljoyce on Jun 24, 2009 21:31:50 GMT
Steppedon - I'd nominate Ramsey Campbell as 'zero rating,' and 'The Hungry Moon' is one of the books I'd cite as evidence - overlong, unnecessarily complex, too many uninteresting characters, and a distinct lack of narrative drive. Oddly memorable though, admittedly.
OK, this is heresy for some people, but two other writers I don't rate at all are Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, and not just because I'm not big on sci-fi.
|
|
|
Post by darrelljoyce on Jun 24, 2009 21:34:58 GMT
Worst writer of horror fiction by some considerable margin has to be Shaun Hutson. His novel Spawn must surely be the most appalling bit of old crap ever to be committed to print. I seem to remember Graham Masterton's work as being almost unreadable cobblers too It's 50 / 50 for me, funkdooby (don't I know you from the old GNS forum, too? I was on there as demonlover1973)....I'm not a big Hutson fan, either, but I have to disagree with you and agree with Rakie (HI RAKIE, btw) about Graham Masterton.
|
|
|
Post by darrelljoyce on Jun 24, 2009 21:36:20 GMT
heretic! again! ;D Graham Masterton's a star, he's one of my favouritest writers ever. (anyone else get the feeling this thread is going to degenerate into childish name calling and hitting with sticks? ;D) Agreed, Rakie! And I have a feeling the sticks in question won't be glowsticks.
|
|
|
Post by Jim on Jun 25, 2009 6:10:20 GMT
Masterton was a god as far as I was concererned, it just, for me anyway, his last few books have been terrible. Manatou blood, was just two separate ideas stuck together, and the last night warriors book was such a let down
|
|
|
Post by garryc on Jun 25, 2009 8:13:46 GMT
Another vote for RC from me... I just find his writing drab, far too much time spent on words and not enough on telling an entertaining tale.
Hutson... love the guy. Not every book, but on the whole he has entertained me for years.
Masterton... again, years of great reading.
|
|
|
Post by steppedonwolf on Jun 25, 2009 19:40:59 GMT
Steppedon - I'd nominate Ramsey Campbell as 'zero rating,' and 'The Hungry Moon' is one of the books I'd cite as evidence - overlong, unnecessarily complex, too many uninteresting characters, and a distinct lack of narrative drive. Oddly memorable though, admittedly. OK, this is heresy for some people, but two other writers I don't rate at all are Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, and not just because I'm not big on sci-fi. Uninteresting characters...but what about Mr Gloom and Mr Despondency? OK, point taken. Characterisation is RC's weakest point - not that he can't do it, but that he's too cold and impersonal about it. Stephen King had a great quote about this in Danse Macabre: "Campbell is good, if rather unsympathetic with character (his lack of emotion has the effect of chilling his prose even further, and some readers will be put off by the tone of this novel; they may feel that Campbell has not so much written a novel as grown one in a Petri dish). '
|
|
|
Post by nwdavies on Jun 27, 2009 19:10:15 GMT
RC - gave up on The Hungry Moon, bored waiting for something to happen. The Count of Eleven was bearable but he's not my favourite.
Masterton - I love 90% of his books but am not fussed on the Night Warriors series and gave up on Ritual. However, some of his other books are among my absolute favourites.
Totally love Douglas Clegg books.
Hutson - not a great fan. Some ok.
Like both Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, although I don't consider Douglas Adams to be a wonderful writer (the Dirk Gently novels are hard going) but THHGTTG was good storytelling. Pity about the movie.
Think that covers most of those mentioned so far... and now at the risk of bringing the wrath of the horror gods down on me, I nominate the last 10 years or so of Stephen King. I've given up even looking at his books now. Used to be good too. Shame.
Most recent book I gave up reading before the end was The Birthing House - can't remember who wrote it. Wasted potential. It just got so dull!
|
|
|
Post by darrelljoyce on Jun 28, 2009 23:09:44 GMT
RC - gave up on The Hungry Moon, bored waiting for something to happen. The Count of Eleven was bearable but he's not my favourite. Masterton - I love 90% of his books but am not fussed on the Night Warriors series and gave up on Ritual. However, some of his other books are among my absolute favourites. Totally love Douglas Clegg books. Hutson - not a great fan. Some ok. Like both Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, although I don't consider Douglas Adams to be a wonderful writer (the Dirk Gently novels are hard going) but THHGTTG was good storytelling. Pity about the movie. Think that covers most of those mentioned so far... and now at the risk of bringing the wrath of the horror gods down on me, I nominate the last 10 years or so of Stephen King. I've given up even looking at his books now. Used to be good too. Shame. Most recent book I gave up reading before the end was The Birthing House - can't remember who wrote it. Wasted potential. It just got so dull! No SK wrath here....I'm not a massive Stephen King fan, either. His best books (eg, Pet Semetary, The Shining, Rose Madder) are unbeatable, but he's churned out some real drivel, as well.
|
|
|
Post by Vaughan on Sept 5, 2009 21:02:11 GMT
I'm going for late Stephen King, and late Dean Koontz.
Neither of these truly lived up to their potential, imo.
Okay, so they made it "big", so if that was the goal then good for them. But as story writers they just went nowhere.
I could name some rubbish I've read, but they're not authors anyone would know.
|
|