# What's the WORST book you have read on your Kindle?



## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

Okay, in honor of turkey day, let's celebrate the those turkeys you read on your Kindle. Books you _thought_ were going to be good but didn't even remotely live up to the hype. Books where you shake your head that you threw your money away. Those that you call Amazon and ask them to remove from your content library because you don't want them to contaminate the others. You get the idea...

I'll go first with this doozie:











Now let me give you a little background on this and how I came to have the jaw-dropping amazing experience of reading it.

This book was originally self-published by the author. A junior editor at HarperCollins is assigned to scan the Amazon catalog, looking for new and undiscovered jewels among all the lumps of coal that exist there. He found this. Sounds promising, right? What every author dreams of...being discovered by a big, New York City publisher and being offered a lucrative book contract with an advance and royalties.

Since I read alot of indie authors and self-published stuff, I was naturally curious about this one. I saw five star reviews at Amazon and downloaded the sample. The sample was pretty good--the writing was fast and breezy--and I went ahead and bought the book.

And then...Oh. My. God. What started off okay just turned into a ridiculous pile of junk. The story was ridiculously convoluted with nine zillion characters that I couldn't keep straight. Supposedly it was "meticulously researched" but I found anachronisms on every page. The characters were completely unbelievable. Everything about this book was unbelievable!

Amazingly enough, I read to the very end. I was fascinated...with every absurd plot twist or line of dialog I'd think, "She can't out do herself this time..." but the author did...over and over again, right up until the completely preposterous ending.

I have decided that the five star reviews at Amazon are all written by buddies of the author. A more realistic review of the limitations of this book can be found here.

L


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## KBoards Admin (Nov 27, 2007)

That certainly sounds like a turkey of a book!


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## ScottBooks (Oct 28, 2008)

I thought of one that was much worse than what was in this space...Read Onwards...


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## cush (Oct 27, 2008)

This is the worst so far.
Kindle edition poorly formatted.
Cartoonlike characters. predictable plot.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

This thread is making me very nervous, Leslie.


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## ScottBooks (Oct 28, 2008)

Jeff said:


> This thread is making me very nervous, Leslie.


Just for that I'm reading _Gone For Soldier_  (I'm not committing to anything that has Vol. 1 in the title).


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

Jeff said:


> This thread is making me very nervous, Leslie.


I should probably add: books from big, mainstream publishers...books that somehow make it onto bestseller lists and you just say, huh? I am not into bashing indie authors who are trying to make it outside of the mainstream. Well, except for maybe Stefphan f.d. bryan (that's for you, quickfics and Teninx).

That's why I picked the one I did. The fact that HarperCollins had trolled the Amazon catalog and found this...it made me think it had to be good. And to be honest, the writing itself was okay. That's probably the only reason I could get through the whole thing. (I throw up my hands with poorly written books and stop reading.) But this was actually okay in that department. It was more of a case that when I finished it I said, Wowza. And obviously HarperCollins is pleased with its sales because last I heard, the author had a contract and was hard at work on a second book. Unbelieveable.

Dissension is welcome, too. If anyone read Phyllida (or any of the other books here) and liked it, chime in with your 2 cents!

L


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## Michael R. Hicks (Oct 29, 2008)

Don't sweat Jeff - I'll lend you some moral support! ;-)

To be honest, I haven't encountered any stinkers yet on my Kindle. So far the samples I've read have all been pretty indicative of the book, and I haven't hit any, um, "surprises" like Leslie did with Phyllida. 

The biggest problem I have is settling on a book to actually read: I tend to meander around through a bunch of samples!


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## Mnemosyne (Oct 31, 2008)

I wasn't EXPECTING it to be good, but I got two chapters into that awful but free "MaidenFlight" and had to delete it. JMHO, I don't mind a little smut, but I just didn't think it was very well written.

Nemo


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

Mnemosyne said:


> I wasn't EXPECTING it to be good, but I got two chapters into that awful but free "MaidenFlight" and had to delete it. JMHO, I don't mind a little smut, but I just didn't think it was very well written.
> 
> Nemo


I didn't even download that one. I read about a chapter or two of* Chasing Dane* or *Leaving Dane *or whatever it was called (another freebie) and quit. Just poorly written. I did like the free *Perfecting Amanda *but I guess I am the only one, since I am the only person to leave a review on Amazon (the last time I looked).

L


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Leslie said:


> I am not into bashing indie authors who are trying to make it outside of the mainstream.


I hope you know I was kidding, Leslie.

But, to be semi-serious, I've been reading nothing but books by indie authors for the last two months so I'm going to keep my mouth shut. I will say that I've been pleasantly surprised to find that most are pretty good writers. Not that I liked everything I read, but I've been reading genres that I've never read before so I don't really have a basis for comparison. One thing is certain, many of us need editors. I can't seem to find the typos and misspelling in my own books but they jump right off the pages of others.

Having said much more than I intended, I'll add that it really is fun looking for a Hemmingway. If I find one, I'll tell you in another thread.

Jeff


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## yogini2 (Oct 27, 2008)

Now don't be hatin", but I would say The Story of Edgar Sawtelle was the worst book that I've downloaded that had a lot of hype connected to it.  I know The  Oprah recommended it.  This is the first book I've read that she has recommended.

I started out slow, but I liked it and the slow life of the Sawtelle family, then it picked up again and then it slowed down again, way down.  I usually like to read books that can move slow with beautiful background information.  

But, this book ugh.  I got 3/4 of the way through it a couldn't go on.  Why?  I have so many really interesting books on my Kindle not to mention a gazillion samples that I need to go through.

Kathy


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## ScottBooks (Oct 28, 2008)

I know I already answered once; but I was wrong. This was much worse. I think I blocked the memory of reading this book from conscious thought because it was awful. I only read it because several people on the Insomniac's Mystery thread (on Amazon) recommended it.

Dead Until Dark is supposed to be A: Southern (there was one throwaway line about Southerner's always knowing their genealogy); B: About Vampires (OK-there were vampires. Strangely ineffectual vampires (Bill's original "rescue" is wildly unbelievable even in this poorly thought out and badly imagined universe) but they were there; and C: a Mystery. There are murders but there is no mystery. Nobody is trying to solve them except for an offscreen cop that we rarely meet. None of the main characters seem to care except as a later plot device. In addition, Sookie's telepathic ability (Not a spoiler, it's on the cover) comes and goes at the author's whim. She is also unlikable. I'd consider this bad YA fiction save for a few explicit sex scenes that read as if the author took writing lessons from Penthouse. (And that might be insulting the fine folk who write those letters...)

>>>>Running off to build a house of bricks! (And amend my original post)!


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## MikeD (Nov 5, 2008)

yogini2 said:


> Now don't be hatin", but I would say The Story of Edgar Sawtelle was the worst book that I've downloaded that had a lot of hype connected to it. I know The Oprah recommended it. This is the first book I've read that she has recommended.
> 
> I started out slow, but I liked it and the slow life of the Sawtelle family, then it picked up again and then it slowed down again, way down. I usually like to read books that can move slow with beautiful background information.
> 
> ...


Yeah, I agree. I know an awful lot of people liked Edgar Sawtelle, but I did not much care for the book.


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

So far, the least interesting book I've read on the Kindle has been In the Midnight Hour by Patti O'Shea. I kept waiting for something interesting to happen and finally gave up after a handful of chapters and deleted it. If I could get rid of it permanently, I would. As it is, it shares the Media Library Trash with Spirit House by Christopher Moore (which I didn't like either, but for different reasons).

It was free, or I wouldn't have even tried it. I find that I give books I didn't have to pay for a good deal less slack than ones I paid for. 

Mike


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

So far I haven't read anything on my kindle that I haven't enjoyed.

I can say the worst sample I have had was a result of the formatting rather than content.

Of course, I still have tons of samples and books yet to read, so who knows??


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## Xia (Nov 10, 2008)

yogini2 said:


> Now don't be hatin", but I would say The Story of Edgar Sawtelle was the worst book that I've downloaded that had a lot of hype connected to it. I know The Oprah recommended it. This is the first book I've read that she has recommended.
> 
> I started out slow, but I liked it and the slow life of the Sawtelle family, then it picked up again and then it slowed down again, way down. I usually like to read books that can move slow with beautiful background information.
> 
> ...


Hi Kathy,
I actually DID NOT sample or buy this book PRECISELY because The Big O of ChicagO recommended it. Now, (as she said: don't be hatin' y'all!!) I learned a while back, and at a fair cost to me I might add, that... hmm, how do I put this so as not to get kicked off the board... um, she (Miss O) and I have entirely different tastes in literary material. (Whew!! How was that?!). If O recommends it, I know to stay as far away as possible from it. (Books, I mean. Some move recommendations have been okay.) I know there are others (millions, in fact) that live and die by her book (and other ssshhhhtuff) recommendations. I'm just not one of them. There. I said it. *Ugh* Let the abuse begin...


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## Michael R. Hicks (Oct 29, 2008)

Well, I have nothing against Oprah, but I confess to just being contrary: when a media personality says something is the greatest thing since sliced bread and that I should get it, my immediate reaction is to run the other way! LOL!


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## ScottBooks (Oct 28, 2008)

I read _Edgar_ back in June, long before O recommended it. Then I had to reread _Hamlet_. I really liked this book.

As for O, I've read more than half of her picks; almost none "after the fact". I wonder if Wally Lamb will get picked again?


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

kreelanwarrior said:


> Well, I have nothing against Oprah, but I confess to just being contrary: when a media personality says something is the greatest thing since sliced bread and that I should get it, my immediate reaction is to run the other way! LOL!


Except when she recommends buying the Kindle. Odds are, she had to get it right sometime.


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)

I've only read one Oprah book so far: I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb. It was very good. And before anyone asks: No, I didn't read it because of Oprah. I didn't even know what Oprah's Book Club was at the time (this was several years ago). 

I never bothered with Edgar Sawtelle because it doesn't sound like my cup of tea, and from looking at the page now, it appears to have gone up in price (to $11.99). No thanks.


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## Jeff (Oct 28, 2008)

Angela said:


> I can say the worst sample I have had was a result of the formatting rather than content.


Amazon is working diligently at improving their conversion interface but it's actually still in beta testing. Mike (kreelanwarrior) has written a book for Kindle authors that will certainly help and there are numerous services, such as Leslie's co-author, Joshua Tallent, who provide conversions. However, since the whole idea is to enable self-publishing, I fear you'll see formatting errors for some time.

Jeff


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## Michael R. Hicks (Oct 29, 2008)

On formatting errors, I've seen plenty of those from books published by the major houses. I don't know exactly how their books make it into the Kindle Store (they follow a completely different path than the ones published through Digital Text Platform), but you can tell that some don't exactly have top-notch quality control for their digital distribution...


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## Guest (Nov 23, 2008)

Having recently finished Edgar Sawtelle in DTV, I have to say I was completely disappointed. I don't remember Oprah mentioning that it was a modern retelling of _Hamlet_ with dogs. If she had, I would have stayed away.

I should know better by now, having been burned by her before. Does anyone remember _Deep End of the Ocean_? Although, there have been one or two of her recommendations that I did thoroughly enjoy (_Midwives, The Lovely Bones_ and _The Good Earth_).


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## qotdr (Nov 22, 2008)

Hands down The Reincarnationist. I read the first 4 chapters and said forget it. I have only done that about 5 times in my life. It was dreadful. Too much jumping around between time periods, plot was just odd. All I buy is sci-fi /fantasy so I thought I'd like it. Boy, was I wrong.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

LuckyRainbow said:


> _The Good Earth_).


You can't go wrong recommending The Good Earth.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Kreelan, I agree re: Oprah.  I'll occasionally see a book and think.. .I wonder if I would like that.  Then I see that Oprah recommends and I know I WON'T.  I've tried.  I know she gets a lot of folks reading who maybe wouldn't otherwise and that is GREAT.  But, as you say, her taste and mine are Totally Different.

Ann


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## Figment (Oct 27, 2008)

Much as I hate to say it, because I have generally loved most everything I've read that she wrote, but Alison Weir's _Henry VIII, and His Court_ truly is one of the worst things I've read anywhere in a very long time.

I love, love, love stuff about Tudor History (Henry VIII => Elizabeth I), and it was Alison Weir's _The Six Wives of Henry VIII_ that got me started on this interest years and years ago. Since then I've read biographies, histories, fiction centered around the period (lots of the Phillipa Gregory stuff), etc. I know way too much about Tudor history for a person holding a Masters degree in Renaissance French Literature.

However, this last book...UGH! Better she had just said it was to be a compilation of lists. There was no story to it. There was no explanation, or effort to fit stuff into other things that were happening...just interminable lists of names and places. I'm certain it was quite a work of scholarship, and if ol' Henry were to come back and need an alibi for any particular year, he'd be good to go with this. It was, however, absolutely deadly boring...something I almost (almost, but not quite) actually quit before finishing.

And since I'm the type who reads only one book at a time, and finishes EVERY book I start, the two weeks I spent with this dog were a torture! (I did manage to get my sister's Christmas socks knit...anything but reading on that book). Stay away from it. It explains nothing!!!


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

Xia said:


> Hi Kathy,
> I actually DID NOT sample or buy this book PRECISELY because The Big O of ChicagO recommended it. Now, (as she said: don't be hatin' y'all!!) I learned a while back, and at a fair cost to me I might add, that... hmm, how do I put this so as not to get kicked off the board... um, she (Miss O) and I have entirely different tastes in literary material. (Whew!! How was that?!). If O recommends it, I know to stay as far away as possible from it. (Books, I mean. Some move recommendations have been okay.) I know there are others (millions, in fact) that live and die by her book (and other ssshhhhtuff) recommendations. I'm just not one of them. There. I said it. *Ugh* Let the abuse begin...


See Xia... as you can tell by several posts that followed you, you won't be kicked off the boards any time soon because you don't like the same books as Oprah!! I am in the same boat with ya!!  There have been very few of her picks that I actually liked. Chances are if she likes it, I won't!! Of course, whether or not she was sincere in her love of the kindle or not, we are in agreement there!! The kindle is definitely one of my favorite things!!


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## Mikuto (Oct 30, 2008)

I'm going to have to agree to the consensus that Maidenflight is the worst thing I've read on my Kindle so far. It read like amateur x-rated Eragon fanfiction, and I hated Eragon.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

Bumping this for Gator....

L


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