What do you look for in a novel?
 

What excites you? Whenever I see someone walking out of the library with a stack of novels, I think, "BORING"!

And why would anyone keep reading novel after novel? What are they looking for? Is their own life so empty that they have to read about someone else's life?

:)

I feel my life isn't exciting enough to read about, but if the author does his/her job the life of whoever your reading about can be very exciting. Personally, I like stories in the first person POV as I feel it brings you closer to the character. I love Nelsen DeMille's John Corey character.
On another subject I tend to read short stories more often. (Jeffery Deaver's two collections are my favorites) It sucks when you pay $15 for a novel and you can't get past the third chapter. With a short story collection, if one story doesn't work, turn to the next one and maybe there will be better luck.

VillagePL, what do you find interesting to read? My life is interesting to me, but not others so I appreciate it when an author can make characters very interesting and fun to read about. I also like biographies about whole leaders, ike history too.

Excuse me, I meant world leaders.

I am listening to a book about the end of the 1st Century in Rome. So far, the author and narrator have taken me to the Great Fire of Rome of 80 A.D. just following the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79.

Very good writing by Lindsey Davis that takes you back into Rome of that period. http://www.lindseydavis.co.uk/master&god.htm

I like historical novels and well as history non-fiction books.

I cannot see heavy readers though as leading boring lives. It beats reality programs on the TV. A very good writer can almost take you to that foreign city in that far away time period like with the Rome of Emperor Titus.

If you make a typo you can go to your post and click edit. You can reword or do whatever you want and then click save. No need to post a followup to correct your mistake.

i can read a book in a night sooooooooo yep i guess my boring life from 11p to 4a needs a stack of books

What do i look for in a novel Lots and lots of pictures:1rotfl:

Agree 100% with you Tal! Thanks for the author recommendation! I'm always looking for the next great novel. Like Asian3, I do most of my reading from 11pm -4am.

Novels are for the road. I drive many miles a year and love to listen to recorded books. Authors like Stephen King, Michael Connelly, Jonathan Kellerman John Sanford, Scott Turow, Ken Follett, Harlan Coben, Jeffrey Archer, Lisa Scottoline, Sue Grafton, and even John Grisham put me INSIDE their characters heads. Stirring up a little mystery or suspense really increases the attraction. And I'm a real sucker for characters who reappear.

It doesn't work for everyone, but I can drive farther and stay more alert while listening to a good book.

No doubt you are playing "Devil's Advocate" here, but exactly how can you tell that a library patron has a "stack of novels".......even if you could read the title of the topmost book????
Perhaps under the top novel, they have a stack of research books.....?? Just saying.

Unless you have X-Ray vision???

My guess is that these are very speedy readers....or perhaps they are getting books for a housebound spouse or other family member.

This is what's great about KINDLE.......if you begin a certain book and do not care for it, you simply return it for a refund. Often, we both are reading several books at one time.......some on our older Kindle and some on our newer Kindle Fire......in different levels of our home.

I guess having 4 Kindles in the house would constitute the "modern" stack of library novels. When our adult kids come home, there are even more of these wonderful devices around............

I guess I feel sorry for the OP. Reading books is so much more rewarding then watching the TV (now that is boring) or going to the movies. Reading for me is relaxing and I enjoy it much more then other solo activities.

I guess I am at the other end of the spectrum from the OP. Books have been an important part of my life since I first began to read. I love all genres, but if I had to pick a favorite it would probably be history. By the way, my life is filled with family, friends, and activities. Saying that people that read have empty lives is like saying that people who golf must not enjoy life. I probably spend more hours per week golfing than I do reading. Reading enhances my enjoyment of life by teaching me new things, allowing me some escapism, and opening my mind to different viewpoints.

and i must be old cause i want to hold a good book that i am reading not my ipad.....just saying

I agree with you. Either one loves to read or not. My love of books was instilled in me by a mom who loved going to the library from her own childhood when she had to read by gaslight.....

No book is boring if one learns something new from it....or finds it relaxing to just "escape"....

I continued the weekly library trips with my own children as they now do with theirs...........

T.V. is indeed pretty darn boring lately.....

I have an I-Pad as well and that would be too heavy to hold and read from.

The original Kindle is the perfect size, even with the leather cover.
Also, you don't have to swipe your finger across the screen. Just click a side button or whatever it is. Actually, we LOVE THEM....take them everywhere and keep our entire library of books on the Kindle.

I gave away 40 plus years worth of accumulated books........now there is less to dust....and every title is at your fingertips no matter where you are.

The new Kindle Fire I find to be a bit heavier to hold with my arthritic wrist.....but it has added features. The younger set loves it (we gifted them this past Christmas)....

Excellent post.



How could anyone think that reading is BORING?

Early on, I was warned by several different people that not everyone was who they say they are and that not everyone could be trusted.

I know I could not be so judgemental over what someone is reading.
Our daughter recently told us that her 7 year old daughter always has her nose in a new book and she actually requested books as gifts....
We saw her in action during a recent visit. She was an early reader and truly loves reading during her school summer vacation, as does her brother. I think it's wonderful. As you mention, it's a form of escapism. Kids need time to dream as well as adults.......our older grandaughter read all of the Twilight series when that was popular as well as Harry Potter beforehand...........better than not reading at all.

Reading also builds vocabulary and definitely helps spelling skills.

I like to read science books mostly, anything about health and nutrition. I did read some clasic novels when I was young and found them enjoyable but I'm not sure I would be able to find that enjoyment again. I think that phase is over....ran it's course.

PL, your life seems very centered around health and food, that seems a little boring and one dimensional to me...only my opinion. Books are everythng everyone else has said, I love to read, can't imagine my life without a good fiction book.

Does the library have books on DVD? Maybe that's what I need because I'm kind of a slow reader.

I don't think reading is necessarily boring (heck, that's what I mostly do in my spare time) but I picture many people reading romance novels one after another. How did I get that impression? I guess from seeing all the many books in the library that are devoted to that. Libraries tend to stock the kinds of books that are in demand. The kinds of books I'm interested in (science) get very little shelf space, by comparison.

I don't have TV in my house. Haven't had it since I moved into my new house in 2005. But I do watch DVDs on my 9" portable DVD player. :)

I'll vote for that. I like lots of pictures too. I read a book about the building of the Brooklyn Bridge and I enjoyed the pictures. The reading itself got a bit tiresome after a while.

What do you mean? Do they die and come back from the dead?

I know because I'm a very observant person. I sometimes see someone in line and I can read the titles on the edges of the book. Or, I can see people picking out books at a library or recreation-center book sale. At least once a year a group of women put on a book sale and I get to see all the hundreds of novels offered for sale. I did find one gem though: "A history of Time" by Stephen Hawking.

Kindle? How does it work? You're buying and getting refunds? Is this done by credit card? I've never had a credit card. And how much do you pay to read a book? How much does the device cost?

No need to feel sorry for me because I haven't owned a TV since 2005. But you do have a TV. Why do you own a TV if it's boring?

:)

How about some reading comprehension? I don't mean to be harsh about it, but I didn't speak the words you are attributing to me.

Yes, I tend to agree. Reading a book seems more natural. And you get to go to the book store or library where you see and meet people. I'm not familliar with these modern reading devices but I suppose it's some sort of computer-like screen? Don't we stare at computer screens enough as it is?

And why would anyone keep reading novel after novel? What are they looking for? Is their own life so empty that they have to read about someone else's life?

Sorry if I misconstrued your meaning. What did you mean by the above?

Well, yes, I love food and I love being healthy. And I give credit to my reading for helping me to be so fit and healthy. You could say that medical doctors are one dimensional or golfers are one dimensional. But perhaps they love what they're doing and that's what makes all the difference.

My opening post was not about books per say and not about reading in general. It was a tongue-in-cheek statement of my impression of novels and the people who read them. Should I have said, "this is a tongue-in-cheek post"? I would hope that people here who are avid readers would be able to pick up on that.....only my opinion, of course.