Christian Grey vs Gideon Cross

missybct

I prefer fanfiction written by fourteen year olds tbh.

This.

You want erotic fiction that isn't really, really badly written - go on the internet. I read a chapter of 50 Shades, laughed and gave it to a friend. I'm no literature snob, but it genuinely irks me that the book is so popular based on the fact it's a bit smutty because it's truly atrocious whilst there are many good authors out there who can't get a break because it doesn't cater to the niche.

Generally though, it makes me laugh - I don't mind that people like it, I can see the appeal. I just hate the "I want to find my Christian Grey" rubbish.

HannahJDiaz25

I have read both. I found Gideon Cross just a teeny bit stuffy and I found Christian Grey immature and actually a little weak. Not a good combo for someone who imagines he is a "dom."

What I hated the most about 50 Shades was the inaccurate assumptions the author makes about BDSM. Her ignorance was glaring.

What I hated the second most was the author's terrible grammar and oh-so cliche characters. The story progression did not feel balanced at all.

The heroine irritated me, the hero irritated me.

I thought the "inner godess" thing was a cute way to express her feelings the first, and maybe second time she did it, but after that it just became a lazy crutch for the author to use. By the end of the first book I wanted to strangle the inner goddess!

If you like reading kinky novels try Cherise Sinclair. (I admit I enjoy a dominant male hero in a book, but it has to be done right!)

silvergurl518

missybct

:laugh: Saved for future reference!

rml_16

The following reflects my sentiments on 50 Shades of Grey....

LOL!

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/340987215

http://jennytrout.blogspot.com/p/jen-reads-50-shades-of-grey.html

Then you will really enjoy: That being said, they really are just fiction. I think people get way too worked up over it. It's no different than violent movies or tv shows. If you can't separate a book from real life, you really shouldn't be reading these things or watching tv.

The problem is not the subject matter. The problem is these horribly written books are serving as the basis for romance to SO MANY women -- even being marketed as a great love story and those women are lapping it up. Most don't see the problem with CG. They really believe that love will make an abusive creep into a wonderful life partner, even though CG never actually changes. I weep at the lack of insight of 50 Shades lovers.

And on top of that, I love to read. I love to read GOOD BOOKS. When something like 50 Shades outsells Harry Potter, publishers looking to make money are going to lap up everything they find that's like 50 Shades and that means a lot of truly great books are not going to get published and in the end, it becomes the dumbing down of the publishing industry and those of us who want to enrich our minds with reading rather than kill brain cells with drivel won't have anything left.

I'm still waiting for one person to tell me what is actually redeemable about those books.

Fitnin6280

:laugh:

alehundrah

I think everyone likes reading different types of books. Not everyone is going to like reading the same things. I had never read anything like Fifty Shades before and I picked up the books because everyone kept talking about how great they were and one of my best friends loved the trilogy. I personally liked the trilogy. I found the books to be different than anything I had read before. This is definitely not a conventional love story however I do see how some people might consider it a romance novel. Just because I liked the books doesn't mean that i'm waiting for "my" Christian Grey to come knocking on my door. I wouldnt be able to handle a Christian Grey. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't want to date a man like Christian Grey EVER. He is possessive, controlling, expects Ana to do whatever he says, etc. And quite frankly, the sex would scare me!!! I think a lot of people that don't like the trilogy assume that the people that enjoyed the books want a relationship like that. this is a wrong assumption. Most people that read these types of books do not go out and seek out a boyfriend like Christian Grey. Like i said before, everyone is entitled to their opinion and everyone has the right to read or not read whatever book they want to read.

Bajiggity

I read all three 50 shades, they were pretty boring and I would NOT want a boyfriend like that, I'm too controlling myself! LOL

wtfusernameisnttaken

If you ever met a man IRL like CG, you would run far in the other direction. Please stop romanticizing abuse.

^^^^^^^^^^!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The fact that 50 Shades is what so many people think an accurate portrayal of a BDSM relationship is, or a relationship at all, makes me so sad. Yeah, it's poorly written, but so is any trash novel you pick up at the airport. That's the least of my concerns. It's far too popular to be so inaccurate.

Ignoring safewords isn't cool (actually, that's rape). Spying on/stalking your partner is abuse. Using your partner's economic status as leverage is abuse. Making your partner feel guilty is abuse. Basically, everything that goes on in those books is straight up abuse.

AMEN! This story pissed me off from cover to cover of each novel. The ONLY time I got interested was the brief side story involving her boss stalking them and plotting against them. Everything else was infuriating.

bricktowngal

Like this

Timshel_

The 50 Shades of Plaid featuring Bubba Smith is cool. Takes his girl out hunting, feeds her steak and beers, then bangs her in the cattails by the moonlight and the lake. Works his butt off and rasies a family. hits church on Sunday when he can too.

Real romance.

missybct

I think everyone likes reading different types of books. Not everyone is going to like reading the same things. I had never read anything like Fifty Shades before and I picked up the books because everyone kept talking about how great they were and one of my best friends loved the trilogy. I personally liked the trilogy. I found the books to be different than anything I had read before. This is definitely not a conventional love story however I do see how some people might consider it a romance novel. Just because I liked the books doesn't mean that i'm waiting for "my" Christian Grey to come knocking on my door. I wouldnt be able to handle a Christian Grey. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't want to date a man like Christian Grey EVER. He is possessive, controlling, expects Ana to do whatever he says, etc. And quite frankly, the sex would scare me!!! I think a lot of people that don't like the trilogy assume that the people that enjoyed the books want a relationship like that. this is a wrong assumption. Most people that read these types of books do not go out and seek out a boyfriend like Christian Grey. Like i said before, everyone is entitled to their opinion and everyone has the right to read or not read whatever book they want to read.

I'm not saying YOU (or most) want a Christian Grey - you seem to have the intelligence to know that his character isn't desirable, but I know a lot of people who can't distinguish that. I don't think people who like/read the books want relationships like that - I think they just may have not come across erotica before and it became popular very quickly, which always influences reading material purchased. It tapped into a niche which was perfect selling fodder.

My best friend loves 50 Shades and Twilight, which I find equally as awful. If someone said to me "My favourite book is 50 Shades..." I wouldn't judge but I would direct them to more erotica fiction they may find more compelling/interesting. We're all different, and that's brilliant

rml_16

I think everyone likes reading different types of books. Not everyone is going to like reading the same things. I had never read anything like Fifty Shades before and I picked up the books because everyone kept talking about how great they were and one of my best friends loved the trilogy. I personally liked the trilogy. I found the books to be different than anything I had read before. This is definitely not a conventional love story however I do see how some people might consider it a romance novel. Just because I liked the books doesn't mean that i'm waiting for "my" Christian Grey to come knocking on my door. I wouldnt be able to handle a Christian Grey. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't want to date a man like Christian Grey EVER. He is possessive, controlling, expects Ana to do whatever he says, etc. And quite frankly, the sex would scare me!!! I think a lot of people that don't like the trilogy assume that the people that enjoyed the books want a relationship like that. this is a wrong assumption. Most people that read these types of books do not go out and seek out a boyfriend like Christian Grey. Like i said before, everyone is entitled to their opinion and everyone has the right to read or not read whatever book they want to read.

But WHAT did you like about it??? You haven't specified that. You have a lot of things you didn't like and then say you enjoyed it. What did you enjoy?

Honestly, I don't have anything against erotica. I've read a Harlequin or two in my time -- nice little easy reads without having to think about much. I thought those were poorly written, but compared to 50 Shades, they're practically on the level of Mark Twain.

My issue with 50 Shades (other than that there ARE women out there who think it's romantic and something to aspire to) is it is really, really, really, really, really BAD writing. No one with half a brain can tell me it's good or even mediocre. It should never have been published simply for that reason.

Now, I attempted to read The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty and I had to stop about 100 pages in because it's some pretty hardcore stuff and was a bit disturbing. But FPS, at least Anne Rice can WRITE. It had plot. It had pretty language. It had several redeeming qualities. 50 Shades has nothing.

sarahtonin015

I thought the Twilight series was a poorly written set of books until I read the 50 Shades trilogy. I'm not even trying to be clever, I've literally never read anything so bad and laughable, ever. :huh:

122ish

I only read 50 shades
"Holy cow" Lol. I have to admit I was really into the first book but quickly got irritated by their obsessive and possesive relationship. Reminded me of my abusive relationship! Midway through book number two I started skipping the sex scenes cause I felt like they were all the same. I kept picturing Christian bale as I read the book for some reason maybe the name.

missybct

missybct

Actually, I'm going to get it from the library today - just to say I've read it because I hate book snobbery. We like what we like - I just think 50 Shades is funny, rather than serious, and concerning that SOME people idolise it much like they did Sex in the City.

Who am I to judge, I'm obsessed with fictional characters all the time. :grumble:

torymichaels

I've only read the sample available on Amazon for 50 Shades, and just couldn't get into it. Didn't see why all the hype, nor any comparison to Twilight (only read the first book in 'that' series, because I couldn't stand Bella and personally was hoping she'd be converted and the pain of conversion would shut up her whining).

On the other hand, it sounds like I need to look up the Crossfire books.

Also, to the person who suggested Cherise Sinclair - right on sister!

sarahf3092

Gideon Cross ! Partly because im finding the crossfire series a better read. And the 3rd book is out on the 4th June.....wooo!! Pre-ordered to my kindle.

ashleereign

I actually prefer Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain Reynard. But then again, I've always loved the Divine Comedy and Dante.