Overrated/Underrated Writers

[Incarnate]

Need some suggestions for good authors to read (and also some to avoid). Been working my way through the detective genre lately. The Dashiel Hammet stories were pretty dry. Mike Hammer was better. Just read Chandler's The Big Sleep, and wow, does it make the film look bad. Talented Mr. Ripley was great too. But i'm kind of sick of them.

Anyone know a good history novel?

I keep hearing how great Hillary Mantel is, but literally the second sentence of her magnum opus is a bloated, redundant mess. In arguably the most important sentence of the entire work she tells us three times a dude is on the ground. Does not bode well for a 500-page book when you question the writer's competence and economy in the first six seconds. Apparently this sentence is good enough to win the Man Booker:

"Felled, dazed, silent, he has fallen; knocked full length on the cobbles of the yard."

[Rio]

I've been a fan of hemingway's message almost my whole life. That you should write for the layman. And leave you ten dollar words at home.

When I open a book and each page I need a dictionary, its someone trying to appear smarter than they are. Because with layman words if someone doesn't understand its your fault for not explaining it well. And as many people will know what you mean, and they can rip you down when your wrong.

And I think its better to relate to the common man over the top percent. Its not my job to punish people for not having a dictionary or my job to force them to learn new words today, that they'll forget tomorrow.

So thats who I think is over rated. To me, a writer that thinks big words make a story great is like a song writer that thinks rhymes makes a song the bestest ever.

[Commander Makara]

Messaggio originale di ZootsIdenticalTwinSisterDingo:

Douglas Hofstadter: Underrated. His works should be required for finishing highschool/starting college.

I think his works are great for all ages, but should definitely be on any thinking person's "to read" list.

[Commander Makara]

Messaggio originale di GunsForBucks:

Harry Harrison's another classic, especially "Bill the Galactic Hero"

Shame other authors took the character and ruined the series, but I loved this book and I'm really glad to see someone else here rates it tooo :)

[arctic monkey]

Messaggio originale di Holografix:

Messaggio originale di spider-man gaming:

Lovecraft is a unique kind of horror that you can only get from the man himself or the hundreds of writers his works inspired. It is a genre of horror beloved by many and you should get off your high horse.

Too many Lovecraft simps here. Lovecraft is definitely overrated. He's not even literature, he's pulp. And not very good pulp too. Probably only beloved because the fans are not exposed to much reading material in the first place.

Hmm not enough assumptions, could use some more maybe? Perhaps Lovecraft fans just have jelly for brains, that's quite a safe assumption.

[Rio]

Theres not really a need for insults, theres lots of nice lovecraft inspired things, like games. I would mention the books but I don't think I know any. I mainly used to read stein and a few king, horror wise.

[Electric Cupcake]

Nyaruko-chan deserves love.
https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/880/580/c71.jpg

[Commander Makara]

I actually like a lot of Lovecraft. Not for the "horror", it's somewhat trite and predictable - but I do like his prosaic almost poetic descriptions.

One one hand, he can write a whole paragraph with many sentences describing how something 'appears' without giving any specifcs as to what it looks like - the "indescribable terror"
Whilst on the other hand, he can spend as many sentences with such floral scription that perfectly captures the scene in imagination of, say, an eerir abode set over a misty, frothy ocean cliffside.

I believe he does deserve credit for generally originating definitively what has become a very popular subgenre - whether you or I actually rate his works or not, this is a testament to his posthumous success.

[Holografix]

Messaggio originale di Vexation:

Theres not really a need for insults, theres lots of nice lovecraft inspired things, like games. I would mention the books but I don't think I know any. I mainly used to read stein and a few king, horror wise.

You're right. The best things that came from Lovecraft are those things he inspired: John Carpenter's The Thing, IT by King, The Alone in the Dark games, etc. His actual stories are mediocre at best.

Messaggio originale di spider-man gaming:

Messaggio originale di Holografix:

Too many Lovecraft simps here. Lovecraft is definitely overrated. He's not even literature, he's pulp. And not very good pulp too. Probably only beloved because the fans are not exposed to much reading material in the first place.

Hmm not enough assumptions, could use some more maybe? Perhaps Lovecraft fans just have jelly for brains, that's quite a safe assumption.

The assumption about needing to be exposed to more reading material could be a real possibility. Although, jelly for brains is definitely a Lovecraftian theme.

[Incarnate]

Messaggio originale di cyberluddite:

Martin Cruz Smith's "Gorky Park" is finally making a comeback, it's a historically-placed murder mystery with some cool Cold War-era NCIS stuff thrown in.

John le Carre's another underrated historical mystery author.

Jim Butcher's done several series, including the epic Harry Dresden.

Faye L. Booth's got a few dimestore novels running around, they're worth checking out.

As for overrated, let's see...

James Patterson.

The Spy Who Came in From the Cold was terrific.

The rest of Le Carre's books are a little plodding imo. Call for the Dead, meh. The Perfect Spy? I had to give up when he started going into pages of exposition.

[ArgentAbendAzure]

Since you mentioned reading some detective novels.
If you haven't read the original Sherlock Holmes stories, give them a try.
They're very entertaining. There's a reason Holmes is the classic detective.
Start with 'A Study in Scarlet', or 'The Sign of Four."
I think you can find them free online.

A historical novel?
'In Cold Blood' by Capote.
It's about a murder in a small Kansas town, and the story of the two lost young men who did it.

'Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe' by Flag.
The modern story about the depressed housewife is pretty predictable.
But the part about old Alabama is very good.Entertaining,funny,and deeply human.

If you want something humorous, and witty;
The Bertie Wooster Series by P.G. Wodehouse.
Some of the most clever writing on the British upper class you could hope for.
Brilliant stuff.

As far as overrated / underrated.

Overrated;
I would agree about KIng.He writes ripping yarns.But he's tiresome,gross,and limited.
'Wurthing Heights' by Emily Bronte is nothing special.A bore.
John Grisham, overrated, definitely.

Underrated;
Wilkie Collins.I've only read 'The Moonstone'.But it was really entertaining.
Mark Twain.I know you think he isn't underrated.But he's better than most people think.He wasn't just some popular writer with a goofy mustache.
'Life on the Mississippi' is a fascinating look into the experience,and times of a river boat captain.
And 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' is an early look into the idea of time travel.
Ray Bradbury. A classic Science Fiction writer, and a very good one.
'The Martian Chronicles' is a collection of stories about the promise of space travel.His writing is very imaginative,and poetic.
'Dandelion Wine' is another good one.

I'll make another suggestion on reading about American history.
Any of the books for the documentaries by Ken Burns.
The books for the series are brilliant.
It's basically the script for the films with a lot of pictures. But they're also some of the best writing about American history you could find.
Not in tedious deep long detail. But a lively look into the important aspects of various major American historical issues.
'The Civil War' is the most well known example.

[Incarnate]

Messaggio originale di ArgentAbendAzure:

Wilkie Collins.I've only read 'The Moonstone'.But it was really entertaining.

English Lit major? I've literally never anyone talk about that book outside of a campus setting. Pretty solid book though.

[ArgentAbendAzure]

Messaggio originale di Incarnate:

Messaggio originale di ArgentAbendAzure:

Wilkie Collins.I've only read 'The Moonstone'.But it was really entertaining.

English Lit major? I've literally never anyone talk about that book outside of a campus setting. Pretty solid book though.

Not an English Lit. major.
I studied history.
If I remember it was a friend who recommended the author...who was probably an English Lit. major.
But good writer.

[The Impractical Engineer]

Messaggio originale di gugnihr:

Stephen King is overrated in my opinion.

Yeah... no.

I've read several of his works and they really are above and beyond.

In fairness, some of his later works are pretty bad (okay I've never read them but that's what people say) but his earlier works like The Shining, IT, Salem's lot, and Misery are very good.

[🅷🅴🆇🅴🅽]

Both overrated and underrated at the same time: H. P. Lovecraft.

Underrated, because most people don't even know him let alone read his books.
Overrated, because when you are part of a subculture who is well aware of him, he's "OMG! The best thing that happened since sliced bread!" Which makes him somehow somewhat of mainstream within the scene.

[Pigeon Pecking Keyboard]

I am bemused by how the Detective/Historical thread has evolved into Lovecraftian discussions. I thought we are all readers here

or

Cthullu lives!
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