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Post by Claire on Jul 12, 2016 23:32:19 GMT 1
Just got inspired to start this thread by our reading challenge discussion. Which are the best and worst books by our most popular authors. Are there any real stinkers from authors who you otherwise like? Or are some incapable of writing a bad book.
We've already been discussing Primrose Cumming and K. M. Peyton on the Challenge thread and also JPT got a bit of a mention. I'd be interested to find out what people's favs and non-favs are for various authors.
So to get the ball rolling let's start with JPT. Rally and I think the Moors books were her worst series, although they weren't really that bad compared to some author's lowest moments! I also wasn't that struck by her (with her sisters) first book It Began with Picatee. I'd really like to know what others thought of it..?
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Post by garej on Jul 13, 2016 1:56:29 GMT 1
I found that DPT's The Pennyfields the worst book. I was throughly bored by it. If it wasn't for the fact that my copy is signed I would have thrown in the bin.
Although not strictly a pony book (but has a lot of pony action) The Boy Who Came to Stay didn't impress me. I can tolerate religion to a certain extent but basically the main character converts everyone in the book in the end. I know DPT wrote it for a religious publisher but it could have been less preachy. I haven't read any of her non pony books because it put me off.
I am sure CPT wrote a few bad books too but I will come back at a more sensible time!
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Post by garej on Jul 13, 2016 2:13:51 GMT 1
Oh and two books I never managed to finish are Tan and Tarmac by Gillian Baxter and Shanks Pony by Eleanor Helme. I wasted money on the rest of the series by Eleanor Helme. Ah well I can admire the illustrations. Tan and Tarmac was a complete and utter bore fest from a usually superb author.
I got bored by Mona the Welsh pony by Allen Seaby. I have most of his other books though but Mona has put me off trying them. I suspect that I will keep them for their illustrations.
Another one that seems to polarise us is the Three Jays series. I must admit that I haven't read them all but I thought they were ok. Definitely prefer Pat Smythe's autobiographies though.
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Post by haffyfan on Jul 13, 2016 11:05:49 GMT 1
Have to agree the moors book were not her finest hour and i like pretty much everything she has done. I'm not so keen on some of Christina's books - The riding schools ones, pony dopers, Empty field etc. Picotee is okay, they have wrote worse between them!
I have been quite disappointed in many hyped up books. Susan has touched on this with Water Wagtail and can i add Wish For A Pony, A rosette For Royal and the Jill and Prince books to this list for starters!
Tan and tarmac and the 3 jays were pretty terrible too, but i've never really heard anyone rave about them...bar the DW on the 3 jays of course.
Elyne Mitchell is an author that always delivers in my opinion. Some of the ones of hers which i have read are not my usual cup of tea but her writing, which is so underrated generally outside pony books, really captures the essence and the reader along with it.
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Post by garej on Jul 13, 2016 19:33:46 GMT 1
Out of the modern pony books authors one who has yet to write a bad book is Victoria Eveleigh (though admittedly I haven't read all the Katy books or A Stallion called Midnight). I really enjoyed the Joe series. The reviews I read are all positive and I have put the missing books on my amazon wishlist. I am not usually a fan of modern books but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Victoria Eveleigh. Really glad that I chose one of her books for the challenge!
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Post by susanb on Jul 13, 2016 20:47:56 GMT 1
The Pennyfields was deadly dull. I didn't care for Plenty of Ponies either(the kids were so USELESS), but as that was the entire point of the book, you really can't fault it for that I've loved most of Jean Slaughter Doty's books, but really didn't like If Wishes Were Horses Ruby Ferguson...I'm a fan of the Jills, but Paintbox for Pauline was a distinct letdown I'm afraid The Three Jays....hm...I haven't read them all, but I didn't think they were awful..it was just the disparity between the lovely cover art and the story within! (I do have one book that I could add to challenge....thinking now that I should shove the Olympic one on my list.....) Judith Berrisford....the "....in the Family" books....yikes! Tan and Tarmac....ahem....I'm afraid I must be one of the few who actually liked it, but I did!
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Post by garej on Jul 13, 2016 21:55:59 GMT 1
Oh yes the "in the family" books are tedious. I have all of them but I have yet to read them all. I think I bought it for the sake of completion rather than their merit.
The ones that I wasn't fond of is the Phantom Horse series by CPT. I loved the first 3, the 4th and 5th were ok but the sixth was unbelievable.
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Post by Claire on Jul 13, 2016 23:11:22 GMT 1
I like all of DPT's books except for The Secret Dog, not a pony one but it could probably vie for the title of 'Most Depressing Book Ever Written' lol. The Long Ride Home, which I think was her last one, was also a bit of a stinker. It tried too hard to be modern but failed miserably she would have been better sticking to a more traditional story. A few of CPT's are a bit depressing but the Black Pony Inns are probably the worst, like the Moors series another adventure/mystery series which doesn't quite work. I did love I Rode a Winner and The Horse Sale, they're probably my favs of hers.
Garej I'm with you on Tan and Tarmac, which is by far her worst IMHO. I know it's been discussed before a couple of years ago when quite a few of us chose it for one of our Reading Challenge books. I haven't read Mona by Allen Seaby but I have read a few of his and I find them all pretty dull so I couldn't pick one to be worst.
My favourite Judith Berrisford of all time is not a pony one but The Cats of Winkle Bay which Garej recommended to me. I really love it. My fav pony one of hers is probably Sue's Circus Horse. I agree that the Family series are her worst, although the second and third ones in the series are better than the first if you can get past that one (yes I ploughed my way through them!)
Rosette for Royal - yep, even though I love Patricia Leitch otherwise this one is by far her dullest pony book. (Jinny series and The Black Loch are my favourites.) The worst of all her books for me however is Treasure to the East (non-pony) which I couldn't get into at all and was just weird. Haffy very kindly lent me the book and I felt awful that I couldn't even finish it. (Sorry again Haffy!)
If we are thinking about authors who couldn't write a bad book to save their lives, I'd like to add Vian Smith to the list. Some are better than others but all are very well written and full of depth and excellent characters. Even the one short story I have found by him (Billy the Second) was really good.
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Post by brumby on Jul 14, 2016 1:20:15 GMT 1
Oh No! as soon as I saw this thread I knew that Tan & Tarmac would appear and no one would like it. I'm with you Susan, cause I really liked it, I honestly don't believe Gillian Baxter could write a bad book if she tried. I'm a huge fan
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Post by haffyfan on Jul 14, 2016 11:26:00 GMT 1
It's interesting to see how some books appear universally more unappealing whilst others are very marmite indeed. Treasure To The East is one of my favourite Pat leitch books (Just behind Black Loch) and i think someone is missing out on a bloody good film with either of those two. Kunuma did you read it, what did you think?
I'm another who liked the first couple of Phantom horse books but the later editions were not her most glorious efforts, i actually didn't mind the first Black Pony Inn book either but can see why they would be not anyones favourite.
I seem to often like opposite books to many of you on here (especially Claire!), surprised no one has mentioned Jackie yet on that front. Some, i admit, are pretty rubbish but i have quite a fondness for her in general, especially the missing show jumpers book, which was another of my childhood favourites. On those grounds i know Jump To The top isn't Pat leitch's finest moment, to most, but another i have real affection for as it's pure childhood dream fulfilment. Better go so i'll be back later...
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Post by garej on Jul 14, 2016 12:25:03 GMT 1
I like the Jackie series but in small doses. I get frustrated with Jackie if I read them all at once.
I find that the Georgia series a bit marmite. Personally I do like them but I have to admit that they aren't outstanding examples of the pony books genre.
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Post by kunuma1 on Jul 14, 2016 15:40:42 GMT 1
Well now I am intrigued by this Treasure to the East book, which haffy loves and Claire doesn't - I haven't read it but will have to now just to see who I agree with, I have read Black Loch and loved it. With me the cruelty in the PT books is what makes them the worst for me, so I can't bear the ones in which for example a dog is killed by a pack of hounds - far to close to real life horror for me. So I would not reread the hunting based ones. The Black Pony Inn ones were so unrealistic I couldn't handle them either! But loved the Prince Among Ponies type.
The Pat Smythe books are def an acquired taste, the one that did stick in my mind as being a good story though was the one with Lostboy in it - Three Jays Across the Border, that would be the best one for me.
I liked the Berisford ones that were not Jackie!
But nothing has a better claim to being the worst ever written (apart from Secret Dog) than the PineHollow books!!
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Post by garej on Jul 14, 2016 21:05:44 GMT 1
Speaking of hunting I didn't like A Day To Go Hunting. I found it boring and it's the one few books I didn't care about the characters. I liked the Chill Valley trilogy so it's not hunting that's the problem. So for me it was a stinker.
I don't mind the Black Pony Inn series. They are not my favourites but I don't hate them either.
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Post by haffyfan on Jul 15, 2016 21:43:16 GMT 1
Well now I am intrigued by this Treasure to the East book, which haffy loves and Claire doesn't - I haven't read it but will have to now just to see who I agree with, I have read Black Loch and loved it. I'll send it you next week!
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Post by kunuma1 on Jul 16, 2016 13:44:02 GMT 1
Well now I am intrigued by this Treasure to the East book, which haffy loves and Claire doesn't - I haven't read it but will have to now just to see who I agree with, I have read Black Loch and loved it. I'll send it you next week! Oh dear, I'm going to finish up in the position of either offending the person who has lent me the book, or the person who runs the forum - help!
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Post by fizz on Aug 9, 2016 20:16:34 GMT 1
Well you all know what I'm going to put down......The Horse from Black Loch! However it's probably me, I have always disliked fantasy and I'd rather have a scale and polish than read or watch Harry Potter! However I'm actually not all that keen on many of Patricia Leitch's other books, notably the Jinny series and I thought Riding Course Summer rather light weight. I enjoyed Dream of Fair Horses though. I was also disappointed with Tan and Tarmac, though it isn't the worst I've read, Gillian Baxter is good and to be fair the Green Dragon I read was probably heavily edited, if Ribbons and Rings is anything to go on. I agree the Pat Smythe books didn't engage me as a child, there was the oddness of the real and the imagined; Pat being herself and real people like Harry Llewellyn and real horses, Foxhunter, Tosca and Prince Hal featuring. I wouldn't mind trying one as an adult to see if they were better than I remembered. The Black Pony Inn ones are pretty depressing, isn't one called Catastrophe? There are some horrible events in them, humans and animals alike face maiming and death between the pages. As a child I'd probably have loved them. Of Diana Pullien Thompson, Friends Must Part/Horses at Home disappointed me, not one of her best, Horses at Home being especially unconvincing. Of Christine's a number are deadly dull. I found The Impossible Horse rather distressing in places (well place).
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Post by Claire on Aug 10, 2016 21:41:11 GMT 1
I found The Impossible Horse rather distressing in places (well place). Yeah I know what place, me too. In fact quite a few of us on here who have read the book found that part rather nasty. Don't really see the reason for it at all. But then CPT (and to a lesser extent DPT) does have some pretty distressing bits in a few of her books, Ponies in the Forest being the worst (please don't read this anyone unless you are not easily upset by descriptions of animals being hurt). I had actually forgotten about that book (or maybe I blanked it out) which for me is by far the worst of her pony novels.
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Post by fizz on Aug 11, 2016 10:18:55 GMT 1
I did wonder if Christine had actually witnessed such an event herself? I know foxhounds have been guilty of killing cats, have they actually killed dogs as well? I read Ponies in the Forest years ago but I don't recall any lurid descriptions of animals being hurt or abused. Could I have read a newer edited version? Some of the worst animal abuse is in Monica Dicken's books, Cobblers Dream and the first Follyfoot book. I can remember being distressed by these as a teenager when I fist read them. Why is Ponies in the Forest worse for you Claire? Is it that it is a book aimed at younger children or is it because it is more of a gratuitous add on in the text? Gillian Baxter is one of the biggest horse killers, the plane crash incident in the Difficult Summer is still very shocking.
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Post by kunuma1 on Aug 11, 2016 13:51:00 GMT 1
I did wonder if Christine had actually witnessed such an event herself? I know foxhounds have been guilty of killing cats, have they actually killed dogs as well? Yes - and in front of the owners as well.
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Post by Claire on Aug 12, 2016 20:34:53 GMT 1
I read Ponies in the Forest years ago but I don't recall any lurid descriptions of animals being hurt or abused. Could I have read a newer edited version? Some of the worst animal abuse is in Monica Dicken's books, Cobblers Dream and the first Follyfoot book. I can remember being distressed by these as a teenager when I fist read them. Why is Ponies in the Forest worse for you Claire? Is it that it is a book aimed at younger children or is it because it is more of a gratuitous add on in the text? Gillian Baxter is one of the biggest horse killers, the plane crash incident in the Difficult Summer is still very shocking. Ponies in the Forest has only had 1 edition (paperback) as far as I know. It's many years since I read it but as far as I can recall many of the animals at the amimal park which the family ran were hurt, some possibly killed, by hooligans. If anyone has read it recently can you let me know if I'm in the ball park...? Lol. I do know it shocked me in both the intensity and the fact that there was no need for it and I have never read that book again. With Cobbler's Dream/Follyfoot, yes I was upset by the cruelty but Cobbler's Dream was actually aimed at adults when it was first published. It was only after the Follyfoot series became popular that the other books were written and aimed at a wider readership with the prominence of the younger Callie as a character along with the adults Dora, et al. As you rightly said Fizz, the Ponies in the Park/Blizzard/Forest series were written for younger children. Also with Follyfoot it was about a home for abused/rescued horses so it was inevitable there would be some cruelty so it wasn't as gratuitous. But why stick something like that in a children's pony book? I was shocked by The Difficult Summer too. Again it was part of the plot, although, I think it went overboard in killing off some of the ponies. Surely they would have experienced enough problems at the stables with them just being injured and out of commission. But once again those books were for older teens so were a bit more gritty than some of her other pony books. I just hate needless or overdone violence in children's pony/animal books. Well to be honest I hate it in adult books and films when animals are hurt or killed although I can cheerfully watch a film where 100s of people are bumped off.
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Post by fizz on Aug 13, 2016 10:06:59 GMT 1
The whole of that trilogy by Gillian Baxter is dark. In the first book Jump to the Stars it begins where Bobby's teacher is killed in a riding accident and we get horses killed in a horsebox collision, some horse cruelty thrown in for good measure. In the second book, the plane crash, with a huge loss of equine life and a serious injury to one the main protagonists. I don't think there is a death (that I recall) actually occurring in the third book, though Jay and Darren's parent had been killed in a plane crash. It seems planes just drop out of the sky in Gillian Baxter land, I live under a flight path and they go over every minute at times, Gillian wouldn't like it.
Her later books seem less tragic, but there are still dark bits, like the man blinded in the car crash.... Maybe it was unusual and I was lucky, but I rode regularly for about twenty-five years and the worst injury I had was a sprained wrist, my pony a splint and a slipped stifle. I also don't recall any serious injuries to riders in my Pony Club branch either. Well I suppose fiction has to be more dramatic than life!
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Post by kunuma1 on Aug 13, 2016 14:48:26 GMT 1
I wonder if those pony books are to blame for my fear of airplanes! Have a good holiday Claire, that's the trouble with going abroad, you have to get on one of those airplane things!! lol I certainly blame Black Beauty for my paranoia about fires in stables! The Pine Hollow books are on the same lines - they begin by one of the heroines hitting a horse (while learning to drive) which has jumped out of it's field on her way to the stable - and the horses long illness and death is really made a meal of - setting the tone for the whole series - it does begin to seem that teen horse books have to have tragedy in them to make them readable.
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Post by Claire on Aug 14, 2016 11:04:17 GMT 1
Thanks Kunuma, oh I don't mind planes, far safer than cars! The worst thing for me about flying is having to sit next to a load of other people and in economy you are packed in like sardines, ughh! Crikey I'd forgotten about all the other dark bits in that trilogy, Fizz! Mind you haven't read it for years. My favourite was always the last one in the series, maybe because it had less death and destruction! Hmmm maybe I will try and re-read Ponies in the Forest some time and see if it really is as bad as I remembered. I never had any serious injuries from riding either. A few kicks and blackened toes and a pretty bad bite, but my worst injury so far in over 40 years (a broken finger) came from ice skating!!
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Post by foxglove on Aug 18, 2016 16:19:03 GMT 1
I recall enjoying the PT Moors series as a child!
I was very disappointed with the Leitch books that AREN'T Jinny, Black Loch or Dream of Fair Horses. They don't even read as being by the same author IMO.
I suppose we've been so spoilt with Fly-By-Night and Blind Beauty that many of Peyton's other works can't reach such excellence. I refuse to acknowledge the existence of Flambards Divided, given the preceding trilogy is so great!
Interesting that both E Mitchell and V Smith are named as authors who don't seem to disappoint; what they both have in common is a very lyrical and evocative sense of place in their works.
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vera
Pony Clubber
Posts: 247
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Post by vera on Oct 22, 2016 3:33:56 GMT 1
am I the only one who absolutely loved Tan and Tarmac? Although I am fairly critical of most books if it has horses or ponies in it I am sold....I love Vian Smith's books but found Martin rides the Moor very disturbing. In TAn and Tarmac I found the whole idea of stables upstairs fascinating. Also puzzled by walking valuable horses through the streets of London to get them to the theatre seemed kind of weird.
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Post by brumby on Oct 22, 2016 7:28:02 GMT 1
Vera wrote No there are a few of us who liked Tan & Tarmac, like you I was fascinated by the upstairs stabling. I know Claire is not a fan I don't really understand why people don't like it.
Perhaps we should choose it for a book of the month and have a major barney (polite discussion) about whether or not its any good!!!
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Post by trixiepony on Oct 24, 2016 11:17:14 GMT 1
Vera wrote No there are a few of us who liked Tan & Tarmac, like you I was fascinated by the upstairs stabling. I know Claire is not a fan I don't really understand why people don't like it. Perhaps we should choose it for a book of the month and have a major barney (polite discussion) about whether or not its any good!!! I'm one that loves Tan and Tarmac, Hi all sorry I have been away for so long partly its as mum was so sick, but now my pro board app is playing up so I can only get on on my computer and its funny how hard the time when Im on the computer I forget to come on here. Well mum is slowly getting stronger the stones are gone, so now its a case of getting mum stronger and and back fit a gain.
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Post by ginslinger on Jan 14, 2018 14:27:39 GMT 1
I did wonder if Christine had actually witnessed such an event herself? I know foxhounds have been guilty of killing cats, have they actually killed dogs as well? She may well have done or had first hand accounts, she was the keenest on hunting I believe (and her output would suggest it) whipping-in for the local hunt and one of the threads in I carried the horn, is whether hounds who have killed “cur dogs” are redeemable. They are given a couple of such hounds who would otherwise be put down.
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