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Rank: Forum Facilitator
Joined: 8/11/2012
Posts: 1,965
Location: Glasgow-ish
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I can't, no matter how many times, or how hard I try, finish Bram Stoker's Dracula. It always gives me weird dreams, not exactly nightmares, but just weird to the point where I wake up confused and swearing. Yes, swearing, because I'm confused.
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Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 8/22/2010
Posts: 285
Location: United Kingdom
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All the time, if I find it hard going and don't like the writing and am not into it, I'll abandon a book. If it's badly written or I hate the lead character/protaganist because they are unbelieveable or annoying the 'cr@p' out of me then I'll abandon a book. If a book is not labled as a Christian type book and I buy it and have to read through pages of 'Christian' beliefs ,then I'll abandon it.
New Poem out The Observer
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Rank: Rest in Peace
Joined: 10/12/2010
Posts: 3,402
Location: Earth, for now..., United States
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I've been unable to finish a book because I was someplace and it was borrowed, or some reason like that... But, when I start reading something, I sort of have to finish it if possible...maybe I should put that in the OCD thread...
I once knew a drinker who had a moderating problem...
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Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 9/8/2012
Posts: 236
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yes I could not make it past the first chapter in Lord of the Rings.
All Alone my latest story.
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Rank: Story Moderator
Moderator
Joined: 8/24/2011
Posts: 511
Location: lost in the ozone west of Apache Junction
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Yep. My latest abandoned book was, '50 Shades of Grey'. Prior to that, it was something by, Dan Brown. Life's too short and there are too many entertaining books to waste time on one that's boring. 
Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwords.[/ - ROBERT HEINLEIN Schemers Scheme -- young women talking about young men OF WAR, AND PEACE, AND MARY BETH: my contest winner, honestFor Whom the Good Tolls an 'RR' and it's short, no kidding
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Rank: Active Ink Slinger
Joined: 5/12/2012
Posts: 14
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I have tried (and failed) on three separate occasions to finish Heart of Darkness but it's like there's just this mental block. I can't put my finger on what it is but I always get to the point that I just cannot pick it up again.
That said, each time I've tried I've gotten a little further through it. Maybe if I keep going I'll eventually finish. I don't know if it's worth it though...
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Rank: Forum Facilitator
Joined: 10/13/2010
Posts: 1,628
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Yes, I have been unable to continue reading many books, and do not feel in the least apologetic about it.
Mind you, I have never drifted off to sleep while reading a book or story - yes, that is true - but have been told by someone here at SS that he fell asleep while reading one of my stories but he tried, unconvincingly, to convince me that it was NOT my story that was responsible but that he was 'tired'.
Yeah, whatever... just sayin'...
It was thoughtless, unnecessary and felt like a slap in the face.
Personally if I were to tell an author I was unable to read his or her story, I would certainly not say I fell asleep but would offer a considerate, if brief, analysis.
The subject who is truly loyal to the Chief Magistrate will neither advise nor submit to arbitrary measures. Junius
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Rank: Advanced Wordsmith
Joined: 11/4/2012
Posts: 32
Location: NW of Baltimore City, United States
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I have never made it all the way through anything by either James Fenimore Cooper or Leo Tolstoy. And, no, I am not the least bit apologetic. I believe literature is like graphic art: I don't know if it's "good"; I only know what I like.
And my estimation of what is "good" is sometimes at odds with literary pundits.
"Any book not worth reading twice was not worth reading the first time." Oscar Wilde
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Rank: Active Ink Slinger
Joined: 3/8/2013
Posts: 40
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Rumple_deWriter wrote:Yep. My latest abandoned book was, '50 Shades of Grey' I also abandoned this book after a few pages of reading. The only other book I have abandoned is the final Harry Potter book as the pacing in that slowed down too much for me to be able to keep reading.
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Rank: Story Moderator
Moderator
Joined: 8/24/2011
Posts: 511
Location: lost in the ozone west of Apache Junction
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Tempy, it's obvious you will have a long and glorious run here at SS. Anyone who quotes me on their third post is a most commendable keeper. ;) But seriously (sort of) welcome to Stories Space.
Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwords.[/ - ROBERT HEINLEIN Schemers Scheme -- young women talking about young men OF WAR, AND PEACE, AND MARY BETH: my contest winner, honestFor Whom the Good Tolls an 'RR' and it's short, no kidding
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Rank: Active Ink Slinger
Joined: 3/8/2013
Posts: 40
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Rumple_deWriter wrote:Tempy, it's obvious you will have a long and glorious run here at SS. Anyone who quotes me on their third post is a most commendable keeper. ;) But seriously (sort of) welcome to Stories Space. Why thank you ^^
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Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 11/27/2012
Posts: 4,841
Location: In the Void, United States
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There was one it had bothered me some much and the characters annoyed me I had to skim through the end just so I could write the book report for class.
Because I can,
because I want to,
And because who are you to tell me otherwise?
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Rank: Active Ink Slinger
Joined: 2/15/2013
Posts: 36
Location: Portland, United States
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Sadly, I hardly ever finish a book. I can't read any faster than I can talk. If I don't form the words physically with my mouth they make no sense to me. I get alot out of what I read, and enjoy reading, and read aloud beautifully, and love audiobooks....but regular reading, is slow going. I have to really love a book to finish it.
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Rank: Administration
Moderator
Joined: 2/2/2011
Posts: 2,257
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
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I don't think I've ever started reading anything I couldn't finish. Even if I am bored, I will still trudge through it to see how it all turns out. I think the only book I've never finished was '50 Shades of Grey', I was bored after 4 or 5 pages and since I already knew how it ends, there was no point in trudging through it. Haven't even bothered to open the other two in the series, doubt they are much better than the first.
“Many people hear voices when no-one is there. Some of them are called mad and are shut up in rooms where they stare at the walls all day. Others are called writers and they do pretty much the same thing.”
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Rank: Rest in Peace
Joined: 10/12/2010
Posts: 3,402
Location: Earth, for now..., United States
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fallingdove wrote:Sadly, I hardly ever finish a book. I can't read any faster than I can talk. If I don't form the words physically with my mouth they make no sense to me. Oh, I'm exactly the same way btw...I read at the same speed whether I'm reading to myself or saying the words out loud, so it takes me about 5 minutes per 1k words or so to read something... So...if someone submits a 10k story here, it would take me almost an hour to read it...
I once knew a drinker who had a moderating problem...
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Rank: Rookie Scribe
Joined: 6/11/2013
Posts: 6
Location: United States
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I struggled through Beautiful Creatures, and then I started on the second book for some reason and I just couldn't finish it. I tried reading Beautiful Darkness twice. It was just too slow and boring for my tastes. There have been some books that I had to stop reading because they were too slow, but then a while later I'd try again and get really into it.
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Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 2/9/2012
Posts: 494
Location: Seattle, United States
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Many times...very often I grab a new release book from library just for fun, randomly read few chapters, decide it's not my taste then return.
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Rank: Active Ink Slinger
Joined: 6/10/2014
Posts: 19
Location: United States
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If you are having trouble finishing a book try audio version. It can be easy to become background noise and you can easily miss finer details but all in all it can work for if you wanna listen and go for a walk or just lounging around doing whatever. :)
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Rank: Forum Facilitator
Joined: 4/23/2014
Posts: 537
Location: Somewhere amongst the trees
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Many times. Sometimes I start a hefty tome and realize that I just don't have the time for a hefty tome. Sometimes I find the book just doesn't do anything for me (Da Vinci Code). Sometimes another, more interesting book comes along and lures me away.
I like to write something a little eerie or spooky for Hallowe'en every year. "Haunting" is what I went for this year.Lady In The Lake
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Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 8/4/2014
Posts: 94
Location: Saskatoon, Canada
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Noraj wrote:yes I could not make it past the first chapter in Lord of the Rings. I couldn't either. And I can't make it past the first ten minutes of the movie either.
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Rank: Rookie Scribe
Joined: 11/29/2014
Posts: 1
Location: United States
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I've ordered a couple of books before because they really sound interesting, but then I just become exasperated with the way they're written. If I can't finish a book, then often times I can't look at it or I'll feel guilty. Also, I think there's only been one or two series that I've been able to finish.
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Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 12/3/2013
Posts: 2,131
Location: kalkar
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There have been a few books I didn't finish. If a book fails to capture me in the first chapters, I'll abandon it. But when it does, I'll keep on reading till the end.
If life seems jolly rotten
there's something you've forgotten
and that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing
from Monty Python's "Life of Brian"
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Rank: Rookie Scribe
Joined: 12/7/2014
Posts: 1
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I think everyone has a phase when they cannot read. Lately, i've been trying to read but, I just can't. There was a time when i couldn't keep a book down until it was finished. But now, it seems like everything's wrong with books and me. Only if someone can relate to this! I'm still trying.
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Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 2/17/2014
Posts: 84
Location: In the window seat, United States
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It's very rare, but I have ran into a few books that were so awful or poorly written that I just could not bare to finish it--even the idea of not knowing the ending did not bother me.
Please Read My Latest Story (Click on the Banner):
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Rank: Active Ink Slinger
Joined: 10/5/2014
Posts: 23
Location: Las Vegas, United States
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The only book I never finished, but skimmed was Catcher in the Rye. Save your praise. I don't like this book. I hate it worse than Heart of Darkness & that I did finish in college.
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Rank: Active Ink Slinger
Joined: 4/8/2015
Posts: 14
Location: United States
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Yes I could not finish the third hunger games book. I just resigned myself to watching the movies. Got really tired of being in katniss'. Cannot stand the wishy washy annoying person she is so I got through book one and two and started three but couldn't finish it.
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Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 5/20/2015
Posts: 1,601
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I tried to read 50 shades of grey but couldn't get pass the first few pages.
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Rank: Story Moderator
Moderator
Joined: 11/25/2015
Posts: 766
Location: Sailing on the Bay, United States
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I could never finish the first book in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I tried a few times but kept getting all the characters mixed up.
The same for any Jane Austen novel.
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Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 2/22/2015
Posts: 286
Location: United Kingdom
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gillianleeza wrote:I could never finish the first book in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I tried a few times but kept getting all the characters mixed up.
The same for any Jane Austen novel. I’m right there with you for Lord of the Rings, I can’t read them at all. I like Jane Austen though. I tried re-reading Jane Eyre recently because my daughter’s reading it at school (like I did many years ago) but I couldn’t plough through it. When did Jane Eyre become such hard work? I must be getting old... :(
"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be."Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul
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Rank: Forum Guru
Joined: 9/1/2015
Posts: 5,472
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Welshdreamer42 wrote:gillianleeza wrote:I could never finish the first book in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I tried a few times but kept getting all the characters mixed up.
The same for any Jane Austen novel. I’m right there with you for Lord of the Rings, I can’t read them at all. I like Jane Austen though. I tried re-reading Jane Eyre recently because my daughter’s reading it at school (like I did many years ago) but I couldn’t plough through it. When did Jane Eyre become such hard work? I must be getting old... :( Have to say... I have read Lord of the Rings from cover(s) to cover(s), both as a single paperback and as a hardback trilogy, many times. I love it and once started, I can't put it down. The characters are so well defined that I feel as though I got to know them all. As an aside, I thought the films were all the poorer for omitting the characters of Tom Bombadil and Goldberry
The third part of this epic journey starts here... https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/drama/the-long-road-home-chapter-1.aspx  "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." George Santayana
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