Comments on: Three Strikes You’re Out? How Many Chances Does An Author Get?

By: Monique

Monique — Fri, 22 May 2009 00:23:28 +0000

I think that it is because these are pretty popular writers that many people seem to enjoy. So, when you read one book by them and don't get it you feel the need to read something else by them just to prove that there is something wrong with you. Not with them. I haven't done this myself, I resist the urge. I read "Wicked" and I didn't like it enough that I would never try to read anything by him again. Monique’s last blog post..A Second First Time: Booking Through Thursday

By: gaby317

gaby317 — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:00:34 +0000

I think I’ve come up with categories – (A) if the first book by the author was really boring or too pretentious, strange, forced, slow, violent or fluffy, I’m unlikely to try another by the same author unless it gets rave reviews, looks fantastic, and seems markedly different from the last one I’d tried OR i’m stuck somewhere and have no other options and am bored silly.

Category B: If the first book was middling and left no big impression, I’m likely to give the author a try again. Until they come up with something like a category A book or it seems like they’re just writing the same book over and over again. If so, then I just trail off in boredom and want to waste my time. There are just too many lovely books out there waiting!

By: Items of Interest: Links That Caught My Attention This Week & A Giveaway | Linus's Blanket

Mon, 04 May 2009 16:06:42 +0000

[...] from Devour of Books wants to know when is a good time to kick an author to the curb? How many books do you read before you just won’t read an author anymore. I know that I [...]

By: Nicole

Nicole — Mon, 04 May 2009 04:33:35 +0000

Usually it takes very few books for me to decide whether an author will get another chance. If the first book that I read is really a bad experience then it will take a lot for me to pick up another book by the same author. The topic has to really appeal to me. If it's an okay book with writing upwards of decent, then I am usually willing to give an author another try. I can't imagine reading the author again after 2 different books. Nicole’s last blog post..The Little Book on Meaning, by Laura Berman Fortgang

By: mee

mee — Sun, 03 May 2009 14:26:01 +0000

It depends how much I liked or disliked the ones that I've read. I think I gave Jodi Picoult 3 strikes (the first two weren't bad but I greatly disliked the last one). mee’s last blog post..Sunday Salon: Lazy Week

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Sun, 03 May 2009 12:23:14 +0000

I’m a little late to this discussion, but..,

If the first book I read by an author is a dud, I’m probably done with that author. I have 1000s of books on my TBR lists, so I don’t feel the urgency to revisit that author any time soon. If I’ve read several I liked, and come across a dud, I’ll give the author another book to redeem themselves. If the next book is still bad, I’ll move them WAY WAY down my list, and probably won’t get to anything they’ve written for a long time.

I agree with Beth – if I’m in the middle of a series I enjoy, I’m much more willing to put up with one or two that are not up to par. And as far as Kathleen’s comments about waiting for the author to produce the next book – if I really love the author, I’m willing to wait as long as it takes for the next great book to get published!

By: Memory

Memory — Fri, 01 May 2009 20:47:43 +0000

I usually give an author at least two books before I decide whether or not I want to read any more of their work. (Assuming, of course, that I manage to find the time to give them another go. Sometimes it just doesn't happen). If I'm really on the fence, I might extend it to three. And on a few rare occasions, I abandon them entirely after one truly terrible read. I'm pretty good about giving up on stuff that isn't working for me; I rarely force myself to read an entire series just because I should like it, and I won't go rooting around through an acclaimed author's bibliography for that one amazing book that's going to change my mind about them. If I've read two or three books that just didn't work for me, I figure I've got a pretty good idea of where I stand. Memory’s last blog post..64. The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror, Eighteenth Annual Collection

By: Beth F

Beth F — Fri, 01 May 2009 14:04:48 +0000

I'm writing this without reading the other comments, so I'm not influenced. If I read two dud books in a row by an author whose first book I liked, then I'm not likely to try another by that person. If the first book I pick up by an author is a dud, then someone I trust will have to work hard to talk me into trying another. But if I'm reading a long series by an author, then I'm fairly forgiving about a dud here and there. I'm two thirds done with Patrick O'Brian's series of twenty-one books. A loser here or there is almost understandable. Same for some of the longer mystery series I'm reading. If I'm reading a series and book after book suddenly goes south, then I tend to stop reading the series. The Cat Who mystery series is a prime example. Beth F’s last blog post..Monthly Wrap Up: April 2009

By: caite

caite — Fri, 01 May 2009 05:44:59 +0000

Cornwall…I swear someone else is writing her books. I loved her early books and then maybe 10 years ago…awful.
Picoult…liked a couple that I read, but then they got very repetitive.
Patterson…he at least admits he is no longer writing the books. He supplies the ‘idea’ and then that other name on the cover actually writes the book. I personally thing that is a disgrace and why anyone would buy ‘his’ books is beyond me.

Quite honestly, anymore, one bad book from an author is enough to drive me to another writer. So many books, so little time, no need to waste it on something questionable when there are so many other great books waiting out there.

By: devourerofbooks

devourerofbooks — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:51:14 +0000

That definitely makes sense if the first book you read by the author is actually their first book. It could also apply in the case of Picoult and Gregory, who do seem to be churning the books out every year now.