Things about books that PISS you off!!!

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Kzinti_Killer
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Post by Kzinti_Killer »

Norma It ties in to the recurring theme of where books go wrong. I have a half-assed theory, that there's a big chunk of the population that's so relentlessly happy, successful, and untroubled by life that they greet the fictional pain and suffering of others as something refreshing. *g* That they can live situations vicariously what their happy lives haven't equipped them to handle in reality. (very much tongue in cheek)

It's part of a larger theme that runs through the media at large. Sex may sell, but pain, death, and angst sell more. Which causes you to wonder about who's buying...books, movies, and television.

My wife was howling the other day about a period romance in which the heroine had to submit to a months long session as a sex toy for the chief bad guy to save the hero's life. At the end, the hero and heroine pick up what remains of their dignity and try to get on with their lives together, while the villain gets to live long and cherish the memory of yet another virgin ravished. End of the story. My wife said that she kept waiting until the very end for something, anything. to prevent what happened, or to visit justice of the villain. It never did. That's an extreme example, but it typifies what I'm talking about.

Show of hands? Who thinks the whole premise sucks?

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Rick
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Norma Bates
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Post by Norma Bates »

Kzinti_Killer wrote:Norma It ties in to the recurring theme of where books go wrong. I have a half-assed theory, that there's a big chunk of the population that's so relentlessly happy, successful, and untroubled by life that they greet the fictional pain and suffering of others as something refreshing. *g* That they can live situations vicariously what their happy lives haven't equipped them to handle in reality. (very much tongue in cheek)
Actually I think its not just the "always happy people" but because a lot of people like to see the pain and misery of others. That's why Judge Judy or any of those other judge shows are so popular--people like to see others insulted. That's why there's so many reality shows--they like to see people fail. That's why there's so many Jerry Springer, etc. shows--they want to see the most gross, outrageous, immoralistic, horrible things people can do. That's why people like to go really slow by car accidents--in the hopes to see a really bad accident. I think a lot of people are sadistic, immoral and uncaring. Our society has made them so. I can see not having a not so happily ever after every time but so many are stepping over the edge into moral decay and indecency.
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Post by FamersAmers »

I think it has a lot to do with the fact that people like pain. I mean think about it, we like to see other people in pain. That is why those shows sell. If it were us in pain it would be a completely different story! Society has made it that way, it is ok for people to get hurt and suffer, and the media has made it funny and into a joke with such things as America's Funniest Home Videos and All those other shows that have you laughing when people get hurt.

And about the driving really slow when there is a car accident people are just mediche(nosey) and have to know what is going on!!!
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Post by Kzinti_Killer »

FamersAmers wrote:I think it has a lot to do with the fact that people like pain. I mean think about it, we like to see other people in pain. That is why those shows sell. If it were us in pain it would be a completely different story! Society has made it that way, it is ok for people to get hurt and suffer, and the media has made it funny and into a joke with such things as America's Funniest Home Videos and All those other shows that have you laughing when people get hurt.

And about the driving really slow when there is a car accident people are just mediche(nosey) and have to know what is going on!!!
I can't agree, not totally, though I accept the possibility. Some people (perhaps even the majority of people) like to see others in pain. They want to see some metaphorical blood and guts fly, and they don't care whose. It's the same mind set that made the Roman Circus Maximus (where the blood and guts weren't metaphorical) popular. I think that it was that constituency that kept Roswell afloat towards the end. The problem with that sort of story telling is that pain junkies get bored easily. You have to keep raising the ante. Getting more extreme. And (at least at present) there are limits to what you can put in books, on TV, or in movies). Some people may indeed enjoy it, but that doesn't mean that it should be given to them. Speaking for myself, I don't enjoy it at all. To me real pain has been a close personal acquaintance for too long for me to enjoy seeing it visited on others. The difference is, I can tolerate seeing suffering depicted on the way to the end of a story....provided the end is a pay off and not a blow off...as more and more books, movies, and TV shows seem to be today.

Pain and angst can be a useful story telling tool, yes. I use them myself. But unanswered, unbalanced pain and angst for it's own sake, simply to provoke a reaction in the reader/viewer, no way. I find it repugnant.

As I pointed out earlier, I read/watch fiction to escape reality, not to reinforce it. If I want the full horror of reality, I'll watch the Normandy landing scene of "Saving Private Ryan" again. That's about as "real" as it gets.

Laters,
Rick

Note: I'd sooner gouge out my own eyes than watch an actual reality show. The one time I accidentally caught a one minute segment of "Fear Factor" (which involved two girls, a meat grinder, and a lot of earth worms) I was so disgusted that I couldn't believe that I was seeing what I was actually seeing. In terms of personal degradation that segment made straightforward whoring look like a game of Parcheesi by comparison. It was on a par with a carnival sideshow geek biting the head off of a live chicken. No thanks.
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Post by Norma Bates »

Kzinti_Killer wrote: Note: I'd sooner gouge out my own eyes than watch an actual reality show. The one time I accidentally caught a one minute segment of "Fear Factor" (which involved two girls, a meat grinder, and a lot of earth worms) I was so disgusted that I couldn't believe that I was seeing what I was actually seeing. In terms of personal degradation that segment made straightforward whoring look like a game of Parcheesi by comparison. It was on a par with a carnival sideshow geek biting the head off of a live chicken. No thanks.
I totally agree with that but also I think that it's not just pain, I think that people who don't have things so great are enjoying seeing things are worse for others. They feel better about themselves.
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Post by FamersAmers »

I have to agree with you both! You make excellent points!!!
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Post by Believer2 »

Kzinti_Killer wrote:I don't know about the rest of you, but I find it hard to miss the fact that real life isn't fair to most people...and is downright cruel to some. If I want a miserable ending to a story, I'll watch the nightly news.

When I watch/read fiction I'm trying to escape reality. I want to reinforce the belief that good can triumph over evil. I want to see true love conquer all. And I want the hero and heroine to stay true to each other, no matter what. I can handle some pain, death, and angst on the way to a happy ending. But if you screw me out of that happy ending by killing the hero/heroine, or with ambiguity (as with Tom Hanks at the end of "Castaway"), then I'm going to be pretty ticked off..


Books are the same way for me. I spent my money and invested my time, so it's up to the author to deliver on my expectations.

Rick
I totally agree with this point Rick! I hate reading a book or investing time into a movie and have a stupid ending(like Castaway!!). But my biggest pet peeve is reading a book that goes off on so many different tangents that the reader gets lost and confuse. I shouldn't have to read a book 2 or three times to understand the ending!!
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Post by Anniepoo98 »

Believer2 wrote: But my biggest pet peeve is reading a book that goes off on so many different tangents that the reader gets lost and confuse. I shouldn't have to read a book 2 or three times to understand the ending!!
Okay.... I have to totally agree with this. I just got finished trying to read a book that was so utterly confusing and ridiclious that after a 150 pages... I had to stop and ask myself what was the point of this torture.

When I slap down money for a book, I want to enjoy it. I want to stick it up on my bookshelf when I'm done so that it is there to enjoy another day. Nothing ticks me off more than taking a pile of books to the used bookstore.

Another thing that is just a personal pet peeve (and sorry if this has already been mentioned... I haven't kept up with this topic like the evil git that i am) Double or triple weddings at the end of a series. Nothing says lovin' like getting married at the same time as all your friends... I don't think so. Come on... has anyone actually been to a multi-marriage wedding? I haven't... and over the past three years, I've been to a total of 17 weddings... or was it 18? I'll digress.

Still... that just strikes me as being... silly. And not realistic. I know that you have to suspend some reality with fiction, but this just push the envelope for me. Does it annoy anyone else?

Annie:)
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Post by Believer2 »

I have never ever seen a multiple wedding(except that creepy Korean mass wedding at a stadium)! Plus they do not seem romantic or special at all when I either read about them or see them on TV.

One other pet peeve which I just ran into - a book ending that has no resolution or cliffhanger, just a 'TBC' for the next book in the series. PISS ME OFF!!!!!!!!!!! :x
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Post by dreamerfiend »

Okay the thing I hate most is typos. Typos make me wanna stop reading the book.

I can't stand it. I've read books where it had about 20 typos on one page and I was like who the hell are they getting for publishers these days. I find it mostly in one publishing company. Now I won't put that publishing company on blast but come on now get someone that can spell please.

That company publishes most Urban books and that's mostly what I read(aside from roswell fanfiction and books of course :wink: ) so I get upset when I see so many typos especially with me being a good speller. It is very frustrating to me.

The second thing I hate is when you read the entire book, love it and then a really bullshit thing happens. Your favorite character gets killed. As much I might love the book that just makes me hate it even more.

Another thing is waiting for another book. You get to the end of the first book something happens then you're like what happens next and instead of finding out you see To be continued... That pisses me off. Cuz then I won't get that book off my mind till the next one comes out.

That's all I can think of right now. When I think of some more things I 'll come back lata.
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