Just out of curiosity. If you haven’t enjoyed the first book by an author, do you give the second book a chance?
Just out of curiosity.
If you haven’t enjoyed the first book by an author, do you give the second book a chance?
52 Answers
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Life’s too short…
No I don’t normally and sometimes I have really enjoyed their first one then been disappointed with the second 🙁
Yes. I agree @Carol.
Nope! One chance and one chance only before I move on; my TBR pile is too big to do otherwise. To be fair I always finish a book even if I’m not enjoying it. ???
That’s something I cannot do @Kirsten I have to give up if I am not enjoying it.
I have in the past put a book down then gone back to it. Just in case I was in the wrong frame of mind when I started it.
It depends. The author that I abandoned after a few pages the other week, has had some good shouts on here for another book which I *might* give a go.
I think part of the problem is having far too many books by other authors to try
@Susan I see what you mean. There is a couple of unread books on my kindle, but I don’t have a huge tbr pile or it would be overwhelming.
@Simon Ah I have a couple of a couple of hundred books on my kindle. Hence there lies the problem
Would you consider having a cull?
@Simon No! Lol
@Susan one was tongue in cheek ?
Sometimes I’ll try a book further into the series, because everyone improves as an author. That’s what my fans tell me anyway. lol xx
I’ve never thought of doing that @Mel. IMO your books are constantly good
I am reading Immoral justice and really enjoying it.
You’re so kind, Susan. Thank you, I do work a lot of hours compared to some authors I know. Lol xx
Thanks, Simon. Xx
Yes. L j Ross. Returned first 2. Rest were good. (Audable)
Thanks for that. The first one was irritating. Gave the 2nd one a go and abandoned it halfway through and wasn’t going to bother anymore but your recommendation might persuade me.
Sorry, just seeking clarification. You mean you read them, didn’t like them, then returned them for a refund?
I listened to about an hour. Couldn’t get into it so returned it. Same with the second but listened to all the rest. @Lesley x
@Terry Ok, thanks
Yes, but I will check the synopsis and reviews by others.
No not usually
Going back to the classics, the first book in a series is, with hindsight, often not really in keeping with the rest. For example, while they’re all fine novels, A Study in Scarlet, The Big Sleep and The Talented Mr Ripley aren’t the best literary vehicles for the characters they launched (although both Conan-Doyle and Chandler had dry runs for Holmes, Watson and Marlowe under different names). The most extreme example is probably The 39 Steps which, compared to the other Richard Hannay novels, particularly The Three Hostages and The Island of Sheep, now reads more like a Monty Python pastiche of Buchan’s adventure stories.
This is a difficult one because I, like many people on here, have a huge TBR pile. I read a 2nd book of a series recently, having enjoyed the first and it had a good plot but the behaviour of some of the characters was so unbelievable that I found it annoying and distracting. I have the 3rd on my Kindle already so will probably read that at some point but not for a while. Will depend on how that goes as to whether I will buy any more. If I don’t like an author the first time I read them it is difficult for me to consider reading more but would never say never!
Not usually, there’s too many other authors I’ve got to try
It depends on how much I didn’t enjoy it. If there weren’t any redeeming features for me or the overall writing was poor, then probably not. But if there were only certain aspects I didn’t like, like a particular plot point that was disappointing, then I might.
No never!
I will give a second chance so yes I would read.
Not usually unless recommended.
If I enjoyed it despite hesitant, overlong or ill thought out dialogue exchanges and a series shows promise, then yes because often the author grows in strength and we get better results.
Well, there are so many books in the world now, there isn’t time to read something you don’t enjoy, is there? I’ve met so many impenetrable course textbooks, where you HAVE to plough on through, that when I read fiction, I want to enjoy it.
Yes I do. Always give them a second chance and they do intend to get better.
Never have so far.
Not usually.
If I hear good things about it. I didn’t much care for Ruth Ware’s ‘In a Dark, Dark Wood’, but I’ve heard that her later work is quite a lot better, so I’m planning on reading it.
Yes, often I will because I now know writers often get better the more books they write especially if the writer is writing a series. He or she won’t know the characters in Book 1 as well as in Book 3.
Yes, I usually go by the blurb not the author.
Yes I do, when someone has worked so hard it would be unfair not to.
No
It would depend for me on why I didn’t like the previous one. For example, I accidentally read a Harlan Coben YA book (nothing to say that’s it was it was on the translated version) about Mickey Bolitar. Did nothing for me, not my genre. But that of itself would not put me off trying others by Coben.
always
If you’re talking in a series, then no…if a different book with a completely different plot line, I will always check out the sample. If I like the sample I will buy it. If I don’t, I won’t. I NEVER buy a book without reading the sample first, and that even goes for my favorite authors like Stephen King.
Me too Tawny ?
Sadly, probably not. ?
I’d say it would depend on reviews. If others felt it was better than the first, I might give it a go.
No
Yes if the plot appeals to me
I have tried second books and really enjoyed them. But if it’s their writing style I wasn’t keen on then usually no.
Depends on the write-up, and if the synopsis reads well.