Your thoughts on authors who aren't very good anymore?

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

Clive Barker!

ever since he sold out to Disney (Abarat). I haven't liked any thing since.

 

[LilyWDW]

DH would have me mention Jim Butcher who, starting out mediocre, has improved rather than gone downhill

One of my FAVORITE authors. I LOVE the Dresden series... however, his Codex Alera series is not good. I had to force myself through the first book. It doesn't read like a Jim Butcher book and that saddened me.

But like I said... the Dresden series is amazing! I never feel let down by that series.

One of my favorite authors that I have started to become disappointed in is Laurell K Hamilton. Her books are starting to feel forced and as if she just wants to get them over with. Flirt was HORRIBLE!

 

[mandylo]

I agree with the Stephenie Meyer comments. The last book in the Twilight series read like bad fanfiction.

 

[IluvKingLouis]

I took an Intellectual Property Law class a year ago, and learned that a lot of authors allow other author's to write under their name. I wonder if this is why there's such a change in quality.

I know they are suppose to oversee the body of work...but if they are so disinterested as to sell out their name, then are they really that concerned about the quality?

Just wondering if that's what's been happening.

 

[C.Ann]

Once VC Andrews passed away and the ghost writer(s) took over, working from her drafts, outlines and whatever - "her" books went down hill fast. I can't even remember the last full series that I bought of hers and enjoyed.

As for my list, I think Danielle Steel needs to throw in the towel.

And I will include John Saul - someone I really used to enjoy..

 

[MIGrandma]

This question came to me after reading the thread started about Angelina Jolie playing Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta in a future movie based on Cornwell's books.

A few that come to mind for me are:

Dean Koontz -- I loved his books when I was much younger, but after the 450th alien and/or government conspiracy story, I felt his novels were becoming a tad formulaic .

Stephen King-- He was always a little out there to me, but his older books, especially those under Richard Bachman were at least enjoyable.

Robin Cook -- I felt he too was becoming a little bogged down in formula.

Every now and then I will pick up a new release from one of these authors (or others I've liked in the past) and sadly it's like going back to an ex-boyfriend -- I quickly realize why we broke up in the first place!


Also, are there any suggestions for any new authors who might be pretty good? I do love a good mystery (I'm writing one of my own!) and I am starving for a fresh, compelling story to read.

And please, no flames! These are merely my thoughts about authors I thought wrote captivating stories in the past, but as the years went on, their books only got more strange or more unbelievable.

Interesting thread. You won't get any flames from me, everyone's opinion on authors is going to be different, no problem with that.

I agree with you about Koontz, I loved his earlier stuff but not so much anymore.

I was going to agree with you about King as well, until I read "Under the Dome." Even at 1074 pages it was an excellent book, and not so "out there" as some of his other recent ones. I loved it and actually hated to see it end. I really would love it if they made a movie out of that one!

I still like Cook, have enjoyed all his books and I see he has a new one that I'll have to pick up soon.

My DH would agree about James Patterson, he doesn't even read his books anymore since he writes with other authors.

Same thing happened to me with Janette Oke. I loved her Christian prairie-type books and have several of her series books. But once she started writing with other people they were not as good.

 

[Phedre]

However, I'll make specific mention of Jacqueline Carey. I loved the first novels of her Kushiel's series, and her Banewreaker series, but the more she puts out, the less interested I become.

I totally agree with this! Thought I had a new fav author... then later, not so much.

 

[Ephany]

One of my FAVORITE authors. I LOVE the Dresden series... however, his Codex Alera series is not good. I had to force myself through the first book. It doesn't read like a Jim Butcher book and that saddened me.

But like I said... the Dresden series is amazing! I never feel let down by that series.

That's funny because the Dresden books bore me to tears, I actually like the Codex Alera ones better. JB is DH's favorite author so I think we have all the books in paperback, and hardback, and in kindle version now.

I adored the Pern books as a kid, and they're so disappointing now I can't even bring myself to read them from the library. Same with Dean Koontz, the thrill is just gone. I'm sticking with Stephen King (although it was rough going there for a few years) and I've really enjoyed the books by his wife and his sons that I've read.

 

[Shelton123]

Avi, sad2say because he's still conceited as ever...

I loved his early stuff, but his newer stuff is a big NO THANK YOU!

 

[redlight]

I liked King's Duma Key, but it was way too long. Koontz seems to have played out the guy's wife is held hostage plot a few times over, but I love his earlier work.

I don't think Rowling jumped the shark. The latter Harry Potter books are so rich. I want to read books 5 and 6 again.

 

[phamton]

I liked King's Duma Key, but it was way too long.

I absolutely loved "Duma Key." I thought it was one of King's better books. I wasn't crazy about "The Dome" though. It was just OK in my opinion.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

One of my FAVORITE authors. I LOVE the Dresden series... however, his Codex Alera series is not good. I had to force myself through the first book. It doesn't read like a Jim Butcher book and that saddened me.

But like I said... the Dresden series is amazing! I never feel let down by that series.

However, I think he could benefit from a bettor editor even with Dresden.

 

[HOGFAN]

Cornwell
S. King
Jan Karon's last book, bleh!!

 

[erincon23]

Cornwell's last book was confusing and a couple hundred pages too long. I'm never disappointed with Butcher's Dresden series, not interested in Codex Alera.

A good new one I've discovered and have been devouring is Linda Fairstein's Alex Cooper series (she hasn't written anything else except one non-fiction book). I think there's 7 or 8, and I'm finishing the most recent. I'll be sad when I'm done.

-Erin

 

[LilyWDW]

That's funny because the Dresden books bore me to tears, I actually like the Codex Alera ones better. JB is DH's favorite author so I think we have all the books in paperback, and hardback, and in kindle version now.

I adored the Pern books as a kid, and they're so disappointing now I can't even bring myself to read them from the library. Same with Dean Koontz, the thrill is just gone. I'm sticking with Stephen King (although it was rough going there for a few years) and I've really enjoyed the books by his wife and his sons that I've read.

Did they get better? I really had trouble reading the first book of the Codex Alera series... I made myself finish it though. I would be willing to give the series another chance as I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Dresden books, but can't justify the money atm (and our library is pathetic).

I also am SO excited to get my hands on the new Kim Harrison Rachel Morgan book! Kelley Armstrong also has a newer one out that I need to get and devour! Ugh, you go for months with nothing new and then BAM all at once... my poor wallet!

 

[Planogirl]

Lillian Jackson Braun (The Cat Who...) is just phoning it in (actually, I'm not sure she's still alive!) To the pp lookng for good mystery authors - Ruth Rendell, P. D. James, Elizabethh George, Anne Perry. None of them write fast enough for me!


Queen Colleen

That's the one who came to mind for me. I love the early books, they're so fun and relaxing but the later ones just don't have the charm of the others.

I find that it's harder and harder to find good horror novels now too. So many of the great authors have retired or died and the new people just don't interest me much. But I'm still looking!

 

[ScottOKW2K]

Authors whom I have read a majority of their work and still think every single one is genius are pretty few and far between:

Neil Gaiman
J.R.R. Tolkien
J.K. Rowling (although book 7 was a bit of a letdown)
DH would have me mention Jim Butcher who, starting out mediocre, has improved rather than gone downhill

If you enjoyed Tolkien you might want to check out the Thomas Covenant Unbeliever series by Stephen R. Donaldson. In some ways I found his "world" richer than Tolkien's.

 

[gm]

Jackie collins has lost her touch. I did not like her latest book. It was not up to par with her other books.

 

[HunnyPots]

I was a huge fan of Diane Mott Davidson but it seems she's run out interesting twists and her mysteries are just not so mysterious anymore. Seems to happen to all series mystery writers after 7 or 8 books. I mean, just how many bodies can one woman in a small town "discover" without arrousing serious suspicion? I have the same problem with Joanne Fluke, but at least she's very tongue and cheek about it: "Hannah! Don't tell me you've discovered another body! You really must stop doing that!"

I also once loved Robin Cook but agree that he is just filling in the blanks now.

 

[Carys]

John Grisham, who in my book rapidly went downhill after his breakthrough novel, David Eddings (who I stopped reading years ago now, same basic story, same characters, over and over, and more pleased with it's own cleverness each time - boring!), and have to agree Picoult's latest ain't her greatest.

I'm not a picky reader though.