# How far into a book do you know whether it's going to be a good one?



## WillCorcoran (Feb 28, 2012)

For me, it's almost immediate.  If the preface is sound and captivating, it has the potential.  Can always go downhill from there, but usually doesn't seem to get better.


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## Rasi22 (Feb 4, 2012)

Of course, I know within the first few pages if the authors voice is one I enjoy, but I usually need to give a book 50 pages or so before I decide. It's funny, my grandmother has a policy that she reads 100 pages no matter what. If she hates the book, she throws it away so, "no one else will ever have to read it." if she likes the book, she finishes it and than donates it so others will see it.


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## Ethan Jones (Jan 20, 2012)

I may not know if it is a good one right away, usually it takes two-three chapters, or 30 or so pages.

On the other hand, I know right away if I am not interested in the story, within the first ten pages or so.

Thanks,

Ethan


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## Griffin Hayes (Sep 20, 2011)

I usually make up my mind in the first chapter. I like things to get started fairly quickly. Michael Crichton fooled me with a few of his books. He was a master of the first 50 pages. After that his books tended (for me at least) to crash and burn. So, Crichton aside, I usually know within the first chapter.


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## flipside (Dec 7, 2011)

It's honestly difficult to tell if a book is good, until you've reached the end. The author can drop the ball at any time (beginning, middle, end, etc.).

Determining whether it's horrible, on the other hand, can be seen in numerous places (some in the beginning, others in the middle, etc.).


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## history_lover (Aug 9, 2010)

Hard to say - I've read some books that started out really good and then went drastically downhill in the second half (usually due to what direction the plot took). 

I can generally tell by the first few pages (or the Kindle sample) whether a book has quality writing or not and whether I'll like the style of writing. Whether I like the characters or not usually becomes clear in the first few chapters or at least by a third of the way through. Whether I like the plot can't be determined until the end.


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

I dunno.  I've started at least 3 lately that I thought were going to be really good.  I finished the first two, much my agony.  The third one got worse and worse.  By 50 percent I gave up.  I didn't even bother to cheat and verify, but I did ask someone else if the plot really was going all over the place and if the guy was a big jerk the rest of the way through.  

Sometimes books just go downhill.

Other times they take time to warm up.

I give most books 30 pages to grab me.  If they haven't done so by then, I move on.


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## Ty Johnston (Jun 19, 2009)

I usually _feel_ like I know within the first 20 to 30 pages, but I have been pleasantly surprised a few times. There have been a handful of novels I've slugged through, hating much of what I read, but then the payoff is worth it in the end. And there have been a few novels that didn't really kick into full gear for me until about halfway through. These are reasons I usually try to finish anything I begin reading. For instance, though the writing wasn't bad, I felt the first half of Shirley Jackson's _The Haunting of Hill House_ was far too slow, but then about the halfway point things kicked into overdrive (or over _spooky_, in this case) and it's come to be one of my favorite novels. Also, Hemingway is an author whose prose I don't especially love, but I always find it worth finishing his stories. Dickens, I can't stand his prose, but I tend to like his characters and find his plots excellent, at least for the time he was writing, so I push my way through.


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## JRainey (Feb 1, 2011)

Rasi22 said:


> It's funny, my grandmother has a policy that she reads 100 pages no matter what. If she hates the book, she throws it away so, "no one else will ever have to read it." if she likes the book, she finishes it and than donates it so others will see it.


I love this!!

It's pretty immediate for me. I have to like the author voice and the plot and characters have to grab me right off the bat. Unless I'm reading the book for review (I won't give up on a book I'm reviewing), I'll know in the first 50 pages or so if I want to keep reading.


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## beatbox32 (Mar 13, 2012)

I've never really applied a rule to judging books after a certain amount of pages. Some books I've read almost 2/3rds of the way through, especially if it came highly recommended, and then just gave up. Of course I got angry that I wasted so much time, but then I realized... well, it wasn't really time wasted. It helped me define my tastes a little better. You have to know what's bad to know what's good, in my opinion.

There have also been many books that I've wanted to give up within the first chapter, but force myself through. And by the time I reached the end, was very happy I didn't quit. Usually these are books I want to re-read, because there is so much I didn't get out of them until I understood where the story was headed.

-beatbox32


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## PAWilson (Jan 9, 2012)

Usually within the first two or three pages. I sometimes go further with a book, thinking it will get better but, it hasn't so far. I've actually given up on a book about 2/3 of the way through because the writing got worse.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

It's usually pretty fast.  If the story and characters grab me, it happens fast.  Blake Crouch's RUN is a good example.  Grabbed me right away and would not let go.


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## JFHilborne (Jan 22, 2011)

If I don't like a book by the time I'm 40% in, I'll usually stop reading. Dragon Tattoo took me 105 pages before I got interested, and a Dean Koontz book (forgot the title) took me 200 pages. Those are the only 2 books where I've hung in past my tolerance level and actually gone on to enjoy the story.


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## bakerjw (Feb 27, 2012)

It's hard to say. I've seen that some slow starting books have ended up being fantastic reads while some that start off great lose their way somewhere in the middle.

If it is published by a real publisher then I'll usually finish the book. If it's from an indie then I'll be hyper critical for the first chapter or two. The first sentence in the last indie book that I picked up started something like "Bob looked up at the full moon with a smile on his face." I thought to myself, "Hmmm. The moon had a smile on his face?"

There's a good writers forum over at hatrack.com where people post their first 13 lines of their stories. Invariably there needs to be a quick hook to get and keep a readers interest.


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## jackz4000 (May 15, 2011)

It will depend on the book. I used to think I should read a book 1/3 of the way through before quitting and prior to that I thought I should read the whole thing just to make sure. But experience has taught me some lessons.

That was wrong and I wasted my time on a few books hoping it would improve. It didn't and I learned my lessons the hard way. I don't slog through a book I don't like anymore. If you don't have me hooked and drawn in within the first 50 pages I stop right there. With some I've stopped after 20 pages. It's like being served a dinner that looks, tastes and smells bad--I don't need to eat the whole thing to know if it's any good.

It's not like I am looking for a lot of action or mayhem at the beginning, but somehow you have to hook me. 

Years ago reader's tastes were somewhat different and they would plod and slog through whatever the author threw out on the page. I don't mind a slow read--I do mind a bad read. If the author can't get the beginning interesting they sure won't do it in the middle or the end, since beginnings are the easiest parts to write.


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## Rick Gualtieri (Oct 31, 2011)

Usually by chapter 3 or 4 I'll know for sure if I'm sucked in or not.

I will say, one thing that annoys me (albeit in a good way) is an awesome prologue that immediately sucks me in, followed by slowing things down in Chap 1.  It's like "C'mon! Get back to the good stuff!"


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

jackz4000 said:


> It will depend on the book. I used to think I should read a book 1/3 of the way through before quitting and prior to that I thought I should read the whole thing just to make sure. But experience has taught me some lessons.
> 
> That was wrong and I wasted my time on a few books hoping it would improve. It didn't and I learned my lessons the hard way. I don't slog through a book I don't like anymore. If you don't have me hooked and drawn in within the first 50 pages I stop right there. With some I've stopped after 20 pages. It's like being served a dinner that looks, tastes and smells bad--I don't need to eat the whole thing to know if it's any good.
> 
> ...


Well, I agree with everything except the last part. Beginnings can easily be the hardest thing to write. Or not. Some books it's the ending that is a killer to write. Shoot, some books become books because of a scene that ends up in the middle...and that might be the ONLY easy scene to write!


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## Darlene Jones (Nov 1, 2011)

Totally depends on the book. With some I know within the first few pages or even the first few paragraphs. To be fair, I'll skip to farther in the book and read a bit to see if it hooks me. I have been fooled on occassion and read as much as half the book before I got totally disgusted and gave up. It's all so personal in terms of likes and dislikes.


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## Chad Wilde Author (Mar 16, 2012)

When I'm at a bookstore and the first page doesn't grab my attention, it goes right back on the shelf.


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## Casper Parks (May 1, 2011)

Novels that are "epic design" tend to start out slowly, at least that I've noticed. 

Depending on type of story, really get to know the characters and feel as if a part of their daily lives. Their lives, interesting and believable.

Right now, struggling through a Dean Koontz novel, page 78 out of 337. Being Koontz, will read it until the end.

A book would really have to be bad for me not to struggle through it.


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## Meb Bryant (Jun 27, 2011)

By reading the first few pages, I make a judgement as to whether the book is written well. By the second chapter, I hope to be invested in the storyline. Usually, I complete a book I have purchased.


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## IowaGuy (Jan 31, 2012)

Usually all I need is the Amazon sample to know lol.  If it doesn't grab me right away in the sample then I usually don't buy it.....I tend to buy books in one genre and lots of times I end up reading stuff that people recommend to me that I have had suggestions from in the past.


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## CoffeeCat (Sep 13, 2010)

I usually can tell how I feel about the book within the first chapter, but even if I'm only slightly intrigued I try to finish the book unless it's really unbearable as I never know when things could change.


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## acellis (Oct 10, 2011)

I can usually tell by the end of the first chapter. If it doesn't have me by then, it isn't going to.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

Sometimes true. But sometimes, it can take a while longer than that. I had several tries at _Interview with the Vampire_ before I could get into it, and it took me until the little girl vampire appears to realize what a terrific book it was.


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## Carol (was Dara) (Feb 19, 2011)

If I don't get into a book within the first couple chapters I probably never will. Sometimes I'll keep reading anyway, hoping things get better, but that's usually a mistake.


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## Jan Strnad (May 27, 2010)

I can tell about writing style from the first few sentences in the sample. Plot, characters, etc. take a lot longer to decide.

I'm more than halfway through _Lucifer's Hammer_ right now and I have to say, I'm thinking of moving on to something else. The action seems to have gotten repetitive and too detailed and I don't really care much about any of the characters. It's a long book so it's like I'm starting the fourth book in the series after having not really enjoyed the third one.

Okay, I've talked myself into quitting it at 63%. Unless I hear a chorus of voices saying, "Man, the best part's coming up!"


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## MagentaSunset (Oct 1, 2010)

With my favorite authors, I almost always feel "safe". With unfamiliar authors, I very often try the samples first and I'm always glad when I do. I've saved myself precious reading time that way! . Life is too short to waste on books which you don't "get" IMHO.

When I lose myself in a book almost immediately, that is the best feeling.  I've read books by favorite authors where I've hated the endings.....in many cases, could never have guessed them....but it always gets me thinking and that is a good thing. They often end up being the books I remember the best.


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## Sean Patrick Fox (Dec 3, 2011)

Impossible to tell. A book can be good for the first 90% and then blow the ending. Or the beginning can be tedious and overdone but after that it turns into a masterpiece. And everything in between.

There's really no way to know for sure without reading a book in its entirety.


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## theraven (Dec 30, 2009)

Usually by the second chapter I'll know if I plan on 'committing' to the book and finishing to the end. Now, I have read some books where the ending turned what I would have labeled 5 stars into a 2 star book. Some books I'll put off to the side to try again later as I'm not sure at the time if its the writing that I'm not connecting to or just what's going on in my life/my mood that is affecting my attitude toward the book. Sometimes I'll come back later to a book and love it.


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## jenjiyana42 (Mar 15, 2012)

I try to give it at least a chapter.  If I like the writing style but the story is slow, I'll keep going until it hits its stride, but if it's not well-written, I can lose interest after a couple of paragraphs.


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## JimC1946 (Aug 6, 2009)

If I have pretty good reason to think that I'll enjoy a book, I might give it a hundred pages, but usually no more than fifty.


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## Guest (Mar 18, 2012)

WillCorcoran said:


> For me, it's almost immediate. If the preface is sound and captivating, it has the potential. Can always go downhill from there, but usually doesn't seem to get better.


Also almost immediate for me. Within a paragraph, usually (if I get past the cover/blurb to reading a sample). That said, I've been tricked a few times lol I mean, I still really liked the book, but it just wasn't AS good as I expected.


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## Carl Ashmore (Oct 12, 2010)

A couple of chapters at most


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## FrankZubek (Aug 31, 2010)

I always try to give a book a minimum of 100 pages


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## KurtCarlson (Mar 12, 2012)

I'll know if a book is BAD in the very first page usually. I'll know if it's good after the first couple of chapters. It's usually much easier to find bad grammar than it is to find people who are bad at storytelling.


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## Jedidiah (Mar 7, 2012)

I have never stopped reading a book because I didn't like it, I will always finish the story just to see if it gets better or if there was at least something I could take away from it or learn. I feel like if another person put that much time into writing it than I can at least give the time to read it. Not only that but if you finish the book and understand it you can provide a more constructive review that may help the author write a better book next time.


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## jwest (Nov 14, 2011)

Most of the books I have really ended up enjoying just barely kept me turning the pages until about the midpoint. This is the reason that once I start a book, I finish it.


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## Mel Odious (Feb 29, 2012)

MagentaSunset said:
 

> With my favorite authors, I almost always feel "safe". With unfamiliar authors, I very often try the samples first and I'm always glad when I do. I've saved myself precious reading time that way! . Life is too short to waste on books which you don't "get" IMHO.


John Irving is one of those favorite authors for me, and the excellence of novels like _The Cider House Rules_ and _Owen Meany_ compels me to plow through everything of his. He could lean on prostitutes and taxidermied animals for the remainder of his days and I would still take the trip. "Safe" in this case means believing that John's recurring themes and devices are not evidence of a guy who has run out of things to say, rather of an author who is still refining a message.

Otherwise books need hooks, just like any song that makes it to the play lists. I have no doubt put some great lit back on the shelf because of a boring opening few pages, but an awful opening paragraph pretty much guarantees I can re-shelve (or leave "Look Inside") without any heartache.


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## brianjanuary (Oct 18, 2011)

First page! If it doesn't grab me right away, then the cover is closed.


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## Matthew Lee Adams (Feb 19, 2012)

There is no single answer.

Here's some experiences I've had:

"Moon Called" - Patricia Briggs -- first couple pages, I could just *feel* this was going to be a good one.  Briggs's skill and confidence came through in the writing.  And so it was.

"Shiver" - Maggie Stiefvater -- Great opening chapter, so evocative.  The rest of the book meandered with too many weak plot elements.  The prose was often beautiful and kept me reading to the end.  But for me, the rest of the book never delivered on the promise of the opening chapter.

"Little Big Man" - Thomas Berger -- 13 pages of foreword by the initial narrator were a chore for me to wade through.  And then the story began, with the main narrator, Jack Crabb, and launched into a tale the likes I'd never read except from Twain.

"The Passion" - Donna Boyd -- reminiscent of the kind of beautifully descriptive time-period prose that Anne Rice created in much of her work.  It was the second half of the novel that really deeply drew me in.

A lot of books - Stephen King -- King is great with his build-up that his climaxes are sometimes almost anti-climactic ("The Stand" is a great example).  The stories are always worthwhile between the story, vivid characters, suspense, and writing quality.

I'll agree that generally I can tell from the first several pages or first chapter whether an author knows how to write and what their style is like.  But a novel is a lot more than an opening sentence, page, or first chapter.

As several other people have noted, some authors begin strong and lose their way, and a few never even really seem to find it.  Style and quality of writing can only hold up a story so much.  I see even bestsellers with hackneyed plot elements and climaxes that are dependent upon the literary equivalent of movie cliches like the heroine tripping while she's running or the main characters deciding that now they're in danger, this is a good time to split up.  I'd like to respect the characters I read about and not begin to see the hand of the author sneaking into the side-pane and beginning to move characters around rather than allowing them to live and breathe and act as they will.

I can't get any of that from an opening sentence, page, or chapter.  Unless I'm already familiar with the author and believe in their ability and consistency, I won't know whether they can truly support a story arc through to its resolution.

So I don't place too much weight with strong openings.  I weigh more toward whether I like the author's style and they demonstrate they can write.


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## thwaters (Dec 12, 2011)

flipside said:


> It's honestly difficult to tell if a book is good, until you've reached the end. The author can drop the ball at any time (beginning, middle, end, etc.).


Yeah... I kinda feel this way, too. I can always tell if I'm going to *enjoy* reading a book within the first 30 pages or so, but that rarely turns out to be a guarantee that I'll love it from start to finish. Sometimes I'll be so intrigued by a writer's unique style or fascinating themes in the very beginning, but then the things that drew me in initially sometimes fizzle out midway through. But, there have been other times when the really great authors are able to maintain their magic throughout -- those are the books that cause me to lose myself in the pages -- those are the golden ones. I'm usually pretty forgiving when reading a brilliant book that has a somewhat unsatisfying ending because I figure if an author can bring me the gift of beautiful creativity for 300-400 pages, that's quite a remarkable accomplishment in and of itself. Endings are a tricky business.


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## Cher Carson (Mar 27, 2012)

I usually know whether I'm going to going to like a book by the end of the first chapter. The author's voice is usually very evident from the beginning, and either I like it or I don't. I'm one of those people who feel compelled to finish a book whether I like it or not, so I'm always hoping the book is as good as the blurb. Otherwise, it can seem like a looong few weeks trying to get through it.


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## ChrisWard (Mar 10, 2012)

I'm a terrible starter and very rarely like a book immediately.  These days I'm a massive George RR Martin fan but it took me two goes to read the first one because I read the prologue and just didn't get it.  Only when a few months later did a mate tell me I really should try again did I go back and trawl through the first few chapters.  Same thing happened with Time Traveller's Wife, one of the best books I've ever read.

Chris Ward


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## Steverino (Jan 5, 2011)

If I'm feeling the pain by page three, I put it back.

(Sorry, Dragon Tattoo.)


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## brianjanuary (Oct 18, 2011)

If the fiirst page doesn't grab me, then I generally don't read any farther. I think all our attention spans have grown shorter these days!


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## scottmarlowe (Apr 22, 2010)

I can usually tell within a few pages, but sometimes it takes longer--maybe a chapter or two or even 50-100 pages. Usually if the writing isn't up to snuff then definitely within the first few pages.

I've found as I get older my tolerance has diminished. I used to read a book through no matter what. Not anymore. It really has to grab and hold my attention for me to want to keep going with it.


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## JenniferRenee (Apr 18, 2012)

Within the first few pages I usually know whether or not I'm going to enjoy a book. There have been the occasional surprises when the endings of books have left me speechless (not in a good way). But more often than not, if the first chapter grabs my attention, I think I'm going to really enjoy the book.

I generally give a book 50 pages to become enjoyable before I toss it onto the "Unfinished Pile," which isn't very large, thank goodness.


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## William Woodall (Jun 8, 2009)

I tend to do a little browsing at first, reading the sample, the cover blurb, maybe a little piece out of the middle, things like that.  If it interests me then I'll take it home and give it a shot.  Normally I finish whatever books I start reading but there have been exceptions.  Once in a while I come across one I absolutely can't stand and have to put down, but rarely.  

And then, as others have said, there are times when a book starts out really good and then seems to plunge off a cliff about halfway through and become awful.  I usually finish reading that kind because I keep hoping the author will recover, but sometimes he/she never does.  Even famous authors do this- I've read books by Orson Scott Card and even Robert Heinlein which took a detour into la-la land.  Sometimes, if I want to reread that particular book, I'll just stop reading at whatever point the weirdness starts.

That's why it's hard to tell if a book will be really good or not until you completely finish it.


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## Vegasgyrl007 (May 11, 2011)

Within the first few pages. I can just tell whether or not a book is going to grab me though there have been some false starts where it seemed a bit interesting and I stuck with it for a while before I just broke up and decided never to visit again. I should say it takes a lot for me to delete a book from my Kindle and even with over 600 novels/novellas, I always feel like I might just go back and try again.

There are so many issues which can have an affect on whether you enjoy a story or not. One night, I received an email that didn't deliver exactly exciting news. I was in the middle of reading Minion by L.A. Banks. To this day, I haven't tried to go back and read it but it wasn't the story per se which took me away, rather it was the email and for some reason I will always associate that particular book with the email I received that night.


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## FranShaff (Apr 26, 2011)

I read the first chapter and at least half of the second. If I'm not hooked by then, I delete it from my Kindle.

So many good books, so little time. I'm not going to waste time on something I find boring. 

Fran


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## Hubert Campbell (Apr 17, 2012)

I've discovered that it depends on my mood. About 3 years ago, someone suggested that I read Game of Thrones and it took me 5 tries to get through the first 3-5 chapters. Then, I shook myself out of a funk and gave the prelude one more go and daggonit, that first chapter is the best first chapter in the entire series. 

Sadly, I'm now having trouble reading the latest in the series, Dance with Dragons. ><  I think it's because I'm too busy to just set aside time to calm down and lose myself to a book.


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## Neil Ostroff (Mar 25, 2011)

If I'm not hooked by the first paragraph I start another book. There's too many great stories out there.


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## iralangstein (Apr 23, 2012)

I usually know within the first few pages.  If I am unsettled, start thinking, reread 
a few early sentences--then I know it's going to be a good one.
I'm not sure if a book is like a sports team--I don't think it can make a comeback....


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## Grace Elliot (Mar 14, 2011)

I give myself at least a chapter. If I judged some of my favourite books on the first paragraph alone I'd never have read on. 
On a slightly different note, when do you stop reading if it's your favourite author but the book sucks?
Margaret George is positively my all time favourite, but her latest book about Elizabeth I is dull, dull, dull. I keep reading because I cant believe an author as awesome are her would write a dud and it just has to get better....28% in and no signs of improvement though! 
When would you give up and move on?


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## Adam Poe (Apr 2, 2012)

I usually give a book three chapters.


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## HMart (Apr 25, 2012)

flipside said:


> It's honestly difficult to tell if a book is good, until you've reached the end. The author can drop the ball at any time (beginning, middle, end, etc.).
> 
> Determining whether it's horrible, on the other hand, can be seen in numerous places (some in the beginning, others in the middle, etc.).


I tend to agree with this sentiment. Though, I usually give it around a quarter of the way (the ol' college try) before deciding whether or not to continue.


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## Dave Adams (Apr 25, 2012)

A couple pages to know the writer can write...50 the make sure the story/plot are pulling me in.  Tragically, all the way to the end if the end is lame (I hate when that happens!)


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## Julius St Clair (May 8, 2012)

For me, it's usually the first chapter or so, but that's only because I have to get a sense of the character's voice. Once I get to know them, I know whether I want to stick with them for the rest of the ride. The only thing about a book that truly makes me mad is the ending. Please don't give me a great book and a horrible ending. (Mockingjay I'm looking at you!)


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