Well, I guess I should contribute my two cents to this as I was the one who created he topic..
Best - A fairly substantial list, consisting of a few staples in the “written by Darren” category, but over the years there have been quite a few that I enjoy, some I would even consider to say I loved. There’s a few classics ranging from the absolute insane and strange works of Franz Kafka, to some of “those” books that they make you read in school, that I was not to keen on them but now I have grown to enjoy most and would gladly re-read on a boring day. Rounding out some of my favourite authors would be Lewis Carroll, Dan Brown, J.K. Rowling, and a whole list of others that have written some of the most obscure things I have discovered in a used book store, stashed away in a box in some dusty corner. But my hands down favourite, no matter how many times I read it, I always want to read it again and it never fails to leave me with the giddy feeling that I actually finished it would be *pauses for effect* Oh, I can’t choose! ><
However, with this year having some really good releases, such as Birth of a Killer, the best book I read this year (Not published this year!) goes to Johanna Skibsrud - The Sentimentalists. It’s a rather sombre story about the emotional ghosts of war and the unreliable nature of memory. It was well written, and held my interest from page to page and while everything else I read this year was more “Read for story” this one was more on my list as a “I’d like to read” but it really showed a glimpse of what we’re heading for because of what we as humans where/are like.
Worst books - Oh, I can name a fair few I would gladly toss into the nearest bin, or use to heat my house and grin ear to ear as the pages went up in smoke, as I watched filed with contempt - and probably should have left amongst the dust where I had found most of them, one stands out above all. Now, most of you have heard my rant on it, but I’ll try to be brief and not bore you all. The worst book ever award goes to…... Twilight! Are you really surprised? I’m sure most of you are not. This “book” was truly awful, and is a dark stain to literature as a whole. If you’re going to have a dream/fantasy about a relationship - keep it to yourself! Everything from the horrid writing style, to the lack of plot and the one-dimensional characters in this book stunk. It was full of twisted morals, poor choices and not even the most mis-guided teenager would make the stupid choices Bella made. The book dealt so poorly with certain subjects and censored it’s self in the wrong places it turned out more along the lines of a 13 year old girls fanfic of her perfect relationship, when she is not mature enough to know how to handle/understand her emotions, language errors and all! Even respected Authors where dissing it - Stephen King himself outright dissed her work. (Now I am not a huge fan of King’s work myself, but when you go up against one of the most popular writers that has maintained continued success over the years, he’s entitled to his opinion!) And it’s not just King, a lot of writers have called her work(s) an abomination to literature, and Darren himself has said he’s not a fan.
Second goes to Justin Beiber’s book (No, I didn’t read it, but I can rest assured if it is by that thing, it’s got to suck!) - don’t get me started on that pathetic excuse. Canada, if you where trying to out-do the US for worst singer/artist, with there front of Miley Cyrus - you win!
