Booky thoughts?

[darkelf105]

So I think I may have asked what people like in a book and what their favorite bits of shiny are, but now I have another question. Is there anything that an author can put in a book that will stop you cold from reading it? Or is it all just a matter of how the author handles things?

Comments

[guinlet.livejournal.com]

Really bad and obvious religious references, stilted conversations with way too much expository dialogue.

[darkelf105.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I hate indoctrination of any kind, especially religious or political (and that goes for people who share my views, so books that are overtly about have evul religion is or how evul conservative politics are, are also a turn off. I don't want to read about evil Christians OR evil pagans OR evil atheists OR evil Muslims or evil anybody because of what they believe...unless they don't like puppies or cupcakes, then they're pretty evil). Some of my favorite writers are deeply religious, and it shows in their books, but not in a way that makes me grit my teeth and roll my eyes. But then again, there are writers like Tim LaHaye...man it was satisfying discarding the Left Behind series, but enough of that.

Stilted conversation...yes! Good dialog is an art and I find many writers are very clunky with it. But man, do I love unusual or charming dialog. Nick Harkaway's novel "The Gone-Away Wordl" seems to fall under the latter category. His characters don't talk in a very naturalistic way, but it's quirky and charming and I love it.

Exposition is best done nowhere. I find the best writers don't really explain so much as paint pictures with a few deft strokes. Ursula K. LeGuin's "A Wizard of Earthsea" is one of my favorite examples of this. She doesn't explain things, she just give enough really vivid details for you figure it out on your own.