OT: new thread about books/authors

Susan Hartman · 2009-03-13T15:45:32+00:00

I read with interest the comments about Grafton's latest books.question: What authors of series started out really good, but after awhile kind of petered out for you? And did you stop reading them, or do you just go on as if addicted?For me, Patricia Cornwell sort of tops the list. Her early Scarpetta books were good, but each passing one just gets worse and worse, more and more tired. And I don't like her non-Scarpetta books AT ALL. (But I'm still a sucker for each new Scarpetta, hoping it'll be as good as I remember the earlier ones being. And I've been continually disappointed. But it's like a habit.)Maeve Binchy went through a period (Scarlet Feather, Quentin's) in which I think she got away from her earlier style and tried to be "relevant" and address social ills - but IMHO it just weighed them down. She doesn't do darkness well; she's better with a light touch. Fortunately, I think she's realized this and returned to her roots.Others? I remember Jasper Fforde being discussed in the past, what about some of the other fantasy and mystery writers? Diana Gabaldon? Diane Mott Davidson? Grafton?sue

Mar 13, 2009 43 Replies

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Gillian Murray 17 years ago

I got tired of the Cornwell books about four years ago. I will give a try with her new one. Kathy Reich turned me off when she started the TV show. Brennan wasn't as I had visualised her and I prefer to read a book than see the film or TV.

Evanovich was fine for the first four or five books...then BORING...just more of the same.

I still like Jance, and look forward to the new Brady book. There is a new "Anna Pigeon" coming out shortly..and I will be on the list at the library when that happens.

Gill

Catching up on posts.

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Trish Brown 17 years ago

I'm not up to 'Double Cross' yet (half-way through 'Four Blind Mice') but *I* think he's got a hide asking a woman in her eighties to care almost exclusively for a baby!!! Nappies, feeding, doctor appointments... Poor old Nana Mama's got a lot on her plate!

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NDJoan 17 years ago

I just finished it and was very disappointed in it. I thought it was boring, actually, and I love fantasy stuff. I don't think I'll even attempt "Son of a Witch". I've also read a couple of his books for about the 5th-grader level. Couldn't get into those, either (and I really like reading kids' books!), so I guess Gregory Maguire just doesn't do it for me.

I'm going to the public library shortly to get the next of Naomi Novik's Temeraire series (a dragon), which adds a fantasy aspect to the Napoleonic War (the dragons are used for battle).

If you like fantasy, have you read Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series? There are 13 or 14 in the series with a couple of smaller related books. I thought they were really good and didn't get tired of them.

Joan

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