That one disappointment by a usual favorite?

Have you ever come across a book by your usual favorite author that ends up being rubbish? I've just finished reading Tracy Bloom's Strictly My Husband and it was a disappointment from the get-go. I normally like this author. She creates humorous, light hearted stories that are relaxing. Well, Strictly My Husband wasn't witty, and the whole plot was cliché. It's a bit of a let down.

 

I read The Spy by Paulo Coelho for a book group and I have to say I expected quite a bit more from the author of The Alchemist.

I've not read Tracy Bloom. Her other titles do look fun. I'll have to try one.

 

I've read a few of his books and to me, Paulo Coelho is a one off. I couldn't put The Alchemist down, it was that good. But Eleven Minutes is rubbish. There are wide gaps in the story that make no sense. It's also poorly written with lots of mistakes. The Supreme Gift was confusing. It also seemed like he wrote in a rush just to get it done. I haven't been brave enough to attempt another. How could this man write such a masterpiece then have everything else resemble drivel? Where did the talent go?

 

Formula books for teens are much the same way. The author writes one, it's great, and everyone after that is the same with only minor changes. The Alchemist was great but I haven't read any more of Paulo Coelho's books. Thanks for the warning.

 

The Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling was a big disappointment to me. I just didn't think it matched up with the world created in her other Harry Potter books. I found it to rely a lot on shock value which just didn't make it an enjoyable experience for me. It didn't feel true to the original series.

 

It feels kinda like she just put her name on The Cursed Child. Its not her style.

Terry Pratchett's last couple of books just didn't feel like him either .

 

I noticed that as well. Do you think he's using a ghostwriter now? I've noticed that when some authors become popular, they begin to rely on their name alone to sell books.

 

I suspect Jessica was refering to his illness and the effects. If you had not heard, then I am sorry since this is not good news.

Sadly, Terry Pratchett suffered early-onset Altzheimers and passed away from the disease in 2015. He was public about his struggle, which affected him while he was writing the last few Discworld titles and the last Tiffany Aching book. The effects of the disease are clear in his writing, as those titles just don't feel like Terry Pratchett's work even though he wrote his own books, right up until the end.

For me, the Tiffany Aching series shall always end with "And I shall wear Midnight." The Shepherd's Crown may have been the last book with his name on it, but it didn't feel like him writing. The joy was gone.

 

Reader, I had no idea! I just write down the authors' names from the books I enjoy, so I can check out more of their work. It's been a good system for finding worthwhile books that I'll like. When it comes to fiction, I don't pay attention to the authors' private lives. I wish I had in this case. How sad! Thanks for letting me know.

 

I suppose if I were talking about ghostwriters, I should probably mention that Virginia Andrews' recent books haven't been entirely in keeping with her first ones, specifically the ones written before 1986...

 

I love Alison Weir's Tudor biographies. The one about Mary Boleyn though was a complete disappointment. She wrote a 400 page book based on very few concrete facts. She was basically running with the popularity Mary had after The Other Boleyn Girl despite not having a whole lot of facts to discuss.

 

I wonder if he realized the shift and if it was part of the reason he wanted his unfinished works destroyed.

For those who don't know, it was part of his final wishes to have his hard drive, computers, whatever held his writing destroyed by a steamroller after his death. Rob Wilkins, the manager of the estate, made it happen not too long ago.

 

I don't think anyone else is ever going to write about Discworld, at least in an official capacity. I think Rhianna Pratchett has said she would not be writing for it either.

 

I was talking about Pratchett's illness. It was a tragedy.

I kinda ruined that one for myself when I looked up what the actual histories and contemporaries said about Mary Boleyn... "a very great whore, the most infamous of all" There was a reason Henry married her sister, not her!

 

'nother end-of-life fall off. Asimov's first three Foundation books were great. Then he started trying to tie them in with the other works he wrote. The last two just weren't so good.

 

Haha, yes, but you know, she tended to ignore historical comments like that and more or less wrote them off. But yeah, no wonder he chose Anne and not her. My mom did always say 'no one will buy the cow if you're giving the milk for free'.