Sebastain Faulks is boring!

Unfortuantely, I have to agrre that Mr F is not as good as he is made out to be. Having read a great deal about him and his works I recently read The Fatal Englishman. Approaching it hoping for great things i was let down badly. Each of the potted biographies said nothing at all and seemed to be just an accumulation of dry facts. If you really want something to blow your mind try my hero, Pirandello and his short stories.

I haven't read that particular book, but try 'The Girl at the Lion D'Or'. I thought it was excellent, very entertaining. I don't think you can dismiss an author on just one piece of writing. Or maybe he just isn't to your taste.

yes i totally agree...i have forced my way through a couple of faulks novels - the most memorable being 'birdsong' which i thought was a big pile of over-dramatised @!#$. very long-winded, don't see the attraction at all. but i am a self-confessed miserable git, so maybe this has some bearing...do you think that general levels of cynicism in the blood affect ones responses to certain writers?

...I'm a teenager. I think cynicism can be good in that you are not easily taken in by appearences, however too much leads to general pessimism - not a good thing. Back to Faulks. Many people prefer to stick to one genre of the arts, be it in dance, art, music or writing. There's nothing wrong with doing this, but sometimes it can be a little narrow as there are loads of great stories out there in genres that perhaps you do not always explore. For instance, I detest Fantasy novels as I cannot relate to the characters, and without empathy I cannot understand the reactions in the book and thus find it dull and monotonous. However, Terry Pratchett is one of my favourite authors despite being a fantasy writer. I also enjoy Marquez (see above thread) who is, to a certain extent, a fantasy writer. So although you don't like Faulks there is no reason not to enjoy war novels in general. He is a little more obessed with the sexual side of the war than most writers, but that is what appeals to a large number of people. They cannot relate to trenches and death, but they may understand passion and love more, having experienced it themselves. I didn't answer your question at all. But yes, I do think that how cynical a person affects their reading material. For instance, a cynic probably won't read Barbara Cartland (exceot to laugh at it) as they don't believe in love at first sight etc etc. cougar