Nathan Bransford - The Forums

One of my favorite stories was written by Anne Rice, The Mayfairs.

I read The Witching Hour and found myself hanging on every word, I just loved the book, but when I finished the last chapter I was so disappointed I didn't know what to do. So I bought Lasher, I just fell in love with the work again and reached the last chapter, OMG, it was horrible. So of course I went out and bought Taltos, again, wonderful book, terrible ending and the end of the series. So...

Even though the work still sits on the shelves calling me to reread it over and over and it's still one of my favorites, each book ended badly, IMHO, and the series itself ended begging for another volume, which I would buy.

====

Have you ever been drawn into a book as almost to become part of it, only to be horrified by the last chapter?


.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Seabold

The beginning was picture perfect to me (now when I think about it, those first few chapters might have had the whole 'workshopped-to-death-by-the-critique-group syndrome but nevertheless, they were excellent and drew me in immediately) but by the middle it began to drag and then when the end came along...wow, very disappointing (all I can say since I don't want to spoil it for anyone).

I have to agree with bronwyn1 and say The Lovely Bones as well. The way the story started off I thought it was going to be that powerful and moving the whole way through. Unfortunately, I didn't connect with any of the rest of the characters enough to care what happened to them. I kept reading because I wanted there to be justice in the end, and while I guess in its own way there was some, I mostly just felt flat when the last chapter came to a close.

The Woods.

I think it is a great read and I know what Tana French was attempting to do (at least I think I do), but I was still mad.

I haven't allowed myself to be burned since the Animorphs series when I was in my tweens. I hated the last book so bad I dragged the whole series outside and barbequed them. The only more satisfying destruction I could have given that series is if I'd been able to hold that barbeque on the author's front lawn.

Now I never read a series unless it's complete. I always read the ending of a book first before I buy it, and read the last book of the series before investing my time in the rest of it. I'm just so tired of reading the first page of a book and loving it so much I can't wait to fork over my money...then reading the rest and feeling short changed.

A.M.Kuska wrote:Animorphs

Most evil ending in the history of ever.

*prepared to be bombarded with tomatoes*

bram stoker's dracula.

i worked so so hard to get through all of the diary entries to get to the meat, and then at the end...they just stake him. that's it. so quick and so easy. he didn't even really have a cool death. the most feared vampire in all of literature, and he just turns to dust.

i threw the book. i don't think i'd ever been so frustrated in my life.

Nick wrote:

A.M.Kuska wrote:Animorphs

Most evil ending in the history of ever.

Thank you! You are now my favorite forum member.

Nick wrote:

A.M.Kuska wrote:Animorphs

Most evil ending in the history of ever.

Now I'm intensely curious. I read a handful of the books, but it didn't hold my interest long enough. Anyone wanna fill me in on what happened? (Or are there unwritten rules around here about not spoiling book endings?)

craig wrote:

Nick wrote:

A.M.Kuska wrote:Animorphs

Most evil ending in the history of ever.

Now I'm intensely curious. I read a handful of the books, but it didn't hold my interest long enough. Anyone wanna fill me in on what happened? (Or are there unwritten rules around here about not spoiling book endings?)

Seconded. I remember watching the tv series as a kid. What happened with all that alien stuff?

jkmcdonnell wrote:

craig wrote:
Now I'm intensely curious. I read a handful of the books, but it didn't hold my interest long enough. Anyone wanna fill me in on what happened? (Or are there unwritten rules around here about not spoiling book endings?)

Seconded. I remember watching the tv series as a kid. What happened with all that alien stuff?

Full synopsis here if you're interested: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beginning_(Animorphs)

In a nutshell, they introduced a new, more powerful enemy and cut it off on the worst possible cliffhanger. There were other problems with the book as well, but that ending was by far the most evil.

A.M.Kuska wrote:I haven't allowed myself to be burned since the Animorphs series when I was in my tweens. I hated the last book so bad I dragged the whole series outside and barbequed them. The only more satisfying destruction I could have given that series is if I'd been able to hold that barbeque on the author's front lawn.

A.M. Kuska, remind me to stay on your good side. :-)

I hated the way the Twilight series wound up, although it was a slow death-by-character-assassination throughout the whole series; I loved the first book, and it went downhill from there. I skimmed through much of the last book in the series, since it just didn't have much to hold me. And it was so quick and easy and blah at the end! Very depressing. There are more - books that I've been more invested in, that I was even more bitterly disappointed by at the end - but this series is what I've read the most recently.

bronwyn1 wrote:The Lovely Bones by Alice Seabold

The beginning was picture perfect to me (now when I think about it, those first few chapters might have had the whole 'workshopped-to-death-by-the-critique-group syndrome but nevertheless, they were excellent and drew me in immediately) but by the middle it began to drag and then when the end came along...wow, very disappointing (all I can say since I don't want to spoil it for anyone).

I totally agree.The ending veered into crazy territory, so out of left field.

A.M.Kuska wrote:I haven't allowed myself to be burned since the Animorphs series when I was in my tweens.

I was a huge fan myself too, even read the chronicles and everything. Just like you, I felt betrayed by the horrible ending. Talk about lazy writing. She said in her notes at the end of the last book "I wanted to end the series on a bang." Well, isn't that marvelous? I suppose we should be grateful for the countless subplot arcs you didn't bother to close? Lazy, lazy, lazy!

Maybe that's why Stephenie Meyer ripped off the Yirks for her novel The Host... revenge for the bad ending? It was so blatant I'm surprised K.A.Applegate didn't try to sue.

OMG! Dean Koontz Odd Thomas - what have you done?!?

This is why I read romance, I know there's going to be some type of happy ending. Even in supsense, even in paranormal. They get the good guy, the guy gets the girl, everyone goes home happy.

So, my loving sister throws Odd Thomas in my hand and says "Read this. Just do me a favor and don't ever do what Dean Koontz does when you write your story". She and I are having a tiff about my current wip. I want to kill someone off and she says don't. Anyhoo - so I read it. Just finished it this afternoon. And I think from now on, I'll stick with my romances, thank you very much.

I think Dean Koontz is missing some marbles. Actually, no - I take that back. The man's a genius, there are no other words to describe it. But when I got to the end, I was like WHOA! Roll the tape back, back the rig up, rewind a scene or two and explain to me what in the name of Odd happened here? Dean Koontz killed off a main character. Not just a main character (I would called Stormy a main character), she is also Odd's "soul mate". He loves her. They are one in the same. Dean talks about their relationship the entire time. And then she dies!!! Sorry for the spoiler if no one has read this yet. But, I had to rant somewhere ;-)

There are two more Odd Thomas books and quite frankly, I won't be reading them. I'll stick my head back in the romance vortex and just keep it there. And I will never read another book my sister recommends again.

*PS - my current wip that started this whole thing doesn't kill of a MC. I'm still undecided on this front btw.

~JD