Books You Never Finished

[TheDoctor]

Generally speaking, I try to finish every book I start - no matter how bad. There have been three that I started and never finished (and never will).

The Scarlett Letter - This was an Honor's English, pre-Sophmore year (summer reading) assignment. I could NOT get through it. I got about half way through it and skimmed the rest.

The Illuminatis Trilogy - I got about 200 pages into this one. It was just TOO weird and I couldn't keep up with all the weird stuff going on.

The DaVinci Code - So, you take an idea that includes some great sounding adventure plot points and how do you mess it up? By writing it like it was meant for third graders. The writing was so terrible I could only make it 2/3 the way through. The only reason I made it that far is because I was reading it with someone else. I thought it would be Indiana Jones/National Treasure/ etc. Ugh. He should have used a ghost writer.

Close...
Okay, so there were almost FOUR books. I started reading Cryptonomicron in early spring 2011 (in fact it was a book I picked up on my way to a business trip). I just couldn't "get into it". Between Spring 2011 and Summer 2012 I must have started and stopped that book at least six times. Finally I just decided to apply some discipline and read it... and I REALLY enjoyed it!
I HIGHLY recommend it.

Currently I'm slugging my way through The Difference Engine[\B]. I bought it because of a recommendation from a friend and because I had just finished Cryptonomicron. He said it had "Steampunk elements" but it wasn't really Steampunk. Sat down and the first chapter mentions a steam-powered Zepplin. I'm really trying to read this. It's not nearly as long as "Crypto", but I'm already 1/4 the way in and I have yet to "get into it". It's not that it's a bad book, but I like my Steampunk "lite" (i.e. regular history with just some jarring examples of 'steampunk' - like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea).

So, what books have YOU been unable to finish?

 

[Dracosfire83]

Trumpet of the Swan. Had to read in in 4th grade but I couldn't make it half way. I was just so boring.:sleep

 

[dbuck]

I walk away from books all the time. Life is too short to waste it reading drivel. I really like the free sample aspect of Kindle. I have passed on buying books I almost bought, and purchased others I had no idea I would enjoy.

Admittedly I like some types of bubble gum novels but I know what I'm getting into.

My wife is the type that cannot stop a book once started. Amazingly enough if she hates the first one she will still finish the trilogy.

 

[Flagg]

I'm not going to list HIgh School reading list stuff as I passed with flying colors using my method of only reading the first 4 chapters and the last 4 chapters of any of those books.

"The Witching Hour" by Anne Rice. Made it 100 or so pages in and couldnt do any more. I was surprised too as at that point I had read all her Vampire books and liked them all.

"Koko" by Peter Straub. I read about 15 books in the time it took me to almost finish that one. I dont like to give up on his stuff as it usually pays off in the end but this was a snoozer.

Does it count if someone steals the book from you when you are part way through and never got to finish it? If so, then "Under The Dome" by Stephen King. I have since reacquired it but haven't gone back to finish.

 

[PotionMistress]

J.K. Rowling's The Casual Vacancy....just haven't been able to pick it back up to finish it....it's so darned glum. I'm about a 100 pages in or so, and I guess I'll finish it some time, but for the moment, I'm reading other more interesting things.

 

[CB2001]

Somewhere in Time by Richard Matheson - Seen the film and I've read a lot of his short stories, so I figured I'd give it a shot. As far as I got was when Richard finally made it into the past.

Henry and June: From the Unexpurgated Diary of Anaïs Nin by Anaïs Nin - Again, saw the film, became interested in reading it, but I had to stop due to school, so I haven't had a chance to actually finish reading it.

 

[Zombie_61]

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. In my opinion Tolkien is the most boring, long-winded author I've ever had the displeasure of attempting to read.

Dracula by Bram Stoker. Bored by this one as well; skipped to the end to see how Dracula was "dispatched", and I was done.

Vittorio the Vampire by Anne Rice. I read and enjoyed the first five novels, and enjoyed parts of the sixth novel, in Rice's "Vampire Chronicles". But by the time Vittorio was published I realized I had grown tired of reading history lessons disguised as vampire fiction.

 

[Wes R]

Lord of the Rings: I can appreciate what he did making the world but it's sooo dull.

The Road: buncha post apocalyptic crap and i like that genre but it's pure crap.

 

[Mole]

I've only read the first chapter of The Hobbit. It annoyed me so much for some reason that I couldn't read any more.

I was also given a 'copy' of 50 Shades of Grey. Couldn't get past the first paragraph. I've read a few quotes from the series since then and they make me want to punch EL James in the face.

I haven't started The Casual Vacancy yet. Almost every review I've seen says that it's terrible for the most part. Too much setting up the characters and not really going anywhere. Apparently it's worth sticking with for the ending though. Maybe I'll read it one day when I'm really REALLY bored.

 

[Angelus Lupus]

The Name of the Rose: Can't remember why I couldn't finish it, though.
Lord of the Rings: Parts of it are hard work and all the long sections of songs can get a little distracting.

 

[Probe Droid]

Joyce's Finnegans Wake and Proust's Swann's Way. I've read everything else by Joyce multiple times and loved it all, but I was deep in the nothing of Wake and realized I was clueless as to characters and plot so gave up. I've tried it a few more times since and was equally defeated. The Proust just bored the hell out of me.

I've been reviewing books for more than 20 years, so I'm a serious reader but sometimes you come across something that seems insurmountable or just not worth it. There is no shame in dropping something that you don't enjoy.

 

[Michael Bergeron]

Believe it or not almost all of the Star Wars EU books that I've been given. Maybe got through 3 or 4 of them.

 

[Mola Rob]

Black House by Stephen King and Peter Straub.

Beyond the Fall of Night by Gregory Benford.

Even though I finished it Moby Dick is still the most painful book I have ever read.

 

[pitchforknumb]

The Gun Slinger by Stephen King.

Ulysses by James Joyce. Although this one I couldn't finish because I didn't have the slightest clue of what the hell was going on.

 

[firesprite]

One word: Twilight.

I started reading the sample that they let you see on Amazon because a friend of mine that I otherwise love and respect as a smart woman loves them. I couldn't do more than four pages. :sick

 

[IndyFanChuck]

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It was so horribly translated and awkward. As someone who is working on his Masters Degree to be a teacher, I can tell you that a 9th grader could have done a better job with the translation.

I simply couldn't get past the first 30 pages.

 

[IndyFanChuck]

Agree 100% percent. I read a hilarious review of the style and substance on The Road. If I can find it I'll post it. It is one of those genius reviews by someone who really gets writing.

The Road: buncha post apocalyptic crap and i like that genre but it's pure crap.

 

[Solo4114]

Cryptonomicon. I just couldn't connect with it. I liked Snow Crash and LOVED The Diamond Age, but Cryptonomicon just didn't do a thing for me.

Challenger's Hope. This was supposed to be part of a series that's basically "Hornblower In Space," which seemed like a no-brainer good choice to me. But it was kinda dull (although I sort of enjoyed the first one) and when the guy's infant son dies in a viral outbreak, I was just done with it.

There's a few others that I've started but haven't yet finished, although I fully intend to finish them eventually.

 

[tgreco]

The Number of the Beast
I've read a lot of Heinlein but that book was just a lazy mess

 

[The Schlitzie]

I actually liked the LOTR movies & Hobbit, but I always had trouble getting through the books. I was recommended "The Road" by a few people that found out I was into post apocalyptic stories. That's too bad that it's a crappy book. Did you ever read Metro 2033? I actually liked that book,couldn't get through the game though,hehe.

Lord of the Rings: I can appreciate what he did making the world but it's sooo dull.

The Road: buncha post apocalyptic crap and i like that genre but it's pure crap.