Surviving a Bad Book – A Quest of Heroes

 

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A Quest of Heroes by Morgan Rice

1 Star

Book One of The Sorcerers Ring

 

 

 

 

Yes, Surviving a Bad Book has returned. It makes me feel like Life has returned to normal too, even though it hasn’t. And like I always say:

“Feelings are more important than anything, even Logic, Truth and Life Itself.”

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Yep, that’s me, Old Man Feelz

 

After the last SaBB post, I wanted one that wasn’t so vile. So I started perusing my 1/2 and 1 Star books and oddly enough, the majority of them were from the last 3 years.  So either my taste had improved dramatically OR I’m just being a LOT more picky and not willing to put up with barely adequate trash masquerading as novels.

This particular novel isn’t offensive beyond it’s complete and utter mediocrity. The storyline is lifted wholesale from the story of King David in the Bible and has a dash of Arthurian Legend thrown in.

What really makes this book bad is that I wasted my precious time on it and that the writer has a whole series of the wretched things. I HATE being a Gatekeeper. Back in Ye Olde Olden Days, there used to be these people called Agents and Editors who were paid to sift through all the dreck. Now, with the Self-Publishing Revolution that the Ebook has enabled, I am the Gatekeeper. What’s more, when I actually do some Gatekeeping and call a piece of trash a piece of trash, half the time I get this kind of response:

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This is the kind of book that I would DNF at the 10% mark now. Live and Learn.

 

 

bookstooge

 

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51 thoughts on “Surviving a Bad Book – A Quest of Heroes

  1. saloni says:

    I guess that’s one disadvantage of self-publishing: you’re the only filter. But I must say that agents and editors aren’t doing the best job of filtering books. I’ve read some really terrible books which I would have expected to be filtered out. Anyway, this is definitely one book which I won’t pick up. 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

  2. This book got suggested to me a few times by bookbub (I think). Glad I decided against it.

    Totally agree with the self-publishing thing. It’s why, despite the fact I have been published before, I refuse to self-publish. Much rather wait until someone says yes.

    Liked by 2 people

  3. I think the industry needs more people like you (and me) who are willing to write bad reviews.

    It’s not helpful if someone just says “this book sucks”, but your comments about this book having too many elements copied from the Bible and Arthurian legends is very helpful. Some readers will say “oh, I’m sick of that kind of story” but there may be a small group out there who will say “ooo, I love those kind of stories”. Your review is helpful to both kinds of readers, and maybe even to the author, by getting readers to him that will actually like his stuff.

    The same thing applies when I write that I hate a book because it’s full of childhood flashbacks. Maybe there are a few readers out there going “ooo, I love childhood flashbacks”.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Bookstooge says:

      Too bad Goodreads doesn’t think that is what the industry needs 😉
      Of course, they now exist to sell books, sigh.

      10 years ago, I probably would have just written that ubiquitous “this book sucks” but now, when I go back to look at my review and I remember exactly NOTHING about the book, a reminder about why the book sucked is very helpful 😀

      I know that I have read a book because someone said they hated “X” and I liked “X”. Farmboy to Chosen One? I’m in! Give me Duke Planeswalker any day 🙂

      Liked by 3 people

  4. savageddt says:

    That wanted poster was actualy aimed at you? Man, that sucks.

    Like

  5. OlaG says:

    It’s actually the reason I don’t read indie books – not unless someone very picky (like you) slobbers all over it, like on Riyria books – and even then it takes me a while to get to read them… Gatekeepers are what we really need right now! 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

  6. Sort of why I stopped taking requests for self-published authors now… Hate going through them now and falling on things that could be excellent candidates for your SaBB series!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Bookstooge says:

      Good choice.
      I just wish more indies were self-aware enough to realize when their book is a piece of crap and to let it go.
      Instead, we end up with hordes of delusional fanatics who think THEY and their BOOK are the next Chosen One.

      I mean, if you don’t even know how to properly use the rules of the english language or that there even are rules, then for goodness sake, don’t write a book 😀

      Liked by 2 people

  7. Shame, I like the cover 😀

    That’s the reason I am staying far away from self-published books. There’s maybe 1% or less than that, that is actually worth reading.. and I don’t want to spend my precious time finding those jewels^^ Everyone and their dog can publish a book nowadays..

    Liked by 1 person

    • Bookstooge says:

      That cover is actually a stock photo that you can buy the use of through various sites. I found this out when I was searching for a decent sized photo of the cover and ran across the base cover on multiple sites.

      And yep, some people seem to relish searching for that 1%, but not me. And the other thing I’ve noticed is that the people who are the loudest in proclaiming that we NEED to give indies a chance, read like 10 books a year. It becomes obvious that reading isn’t the center of their life like it is mine…

      Liked by 1 person

  8. When I still accepted indie submissions I did write some negative reviews (and the skewered ratio good finds vs. bad finds was the main reason I stopped accepting submissions, btw) but I was lucky enough that I never received negative feedback. Still, I wonder why a well-thought-out, reasoned negative review that explains what the reader considered wrong in a story should be seen as a capital offense: IMHO, if I ask someone their opinion on something, I must also be prepared for some unpleasant surprises…

    Liked by 1 person

    • Bookstooge says:

      Someone who writes a bad book and isn’t selfaware enough to realize it, surely isn’t going to be the kind of person who can take criticism, of any sort.
      They’re kind of like those people who can’t sing but still audition for shows like American Idol. The people we love to watch fail spectacularly 😀

      Liked by 2 people

  9. Manuel Antao says:

    As we get older our ability to withstand BS books gets lower…

    Liked by 1 person

  10. @lynnsbooks says:

    Henceforth you shall be known as The Gatekeeper. It’s a heavy mantle to carry. I think you can do it though 😀
    Lynn

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Yay surviving a bad book is back!! You are definitely old man feelz 😉 hehehehe oh my goodness that “wanted” sign!! See this is why I why I use samples for self pub books (on the rare occasion that I bother to pick them up at all) It’s not even remotely worth being a gatekeeper- I just so happen to have just had a conversation about how ridiculously touchy indie authors are nowadays and how there seems to be more trends of authors going after reviewers/writing these posts telling reviewers how to review. Ugh- and on top of all that, the likelihood of me even wanting to read some random indie author is close to zero anyway- they’re really not doing themselves any favours.

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Zezee says:

    Lol, that was funny.
    But I do agree with you about this book. I DNF’d it a few pages in and was pissed that I’d bought the e-book. I saw it on a list of fantasy book recommendations and thought it was good.

    Liked by 1 person

  13. […] Surviving a Bad Book also returned, with a book so mediocre it should be ashamed to call itself a book. […]

    Like

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