As there is a book recommendations thread, I figured there ought to be a warning thread as well (Yin and Yang and all that). Post here the overrated or just plain terrible books you've read in the past!

Personally, I'd like to warn against Julius Caesar by Shakespeare. My least favorite shakespeare ever. It's drawn out (though the actual story is shrunken down from about 4 years to 3 days) , boring, and overwritten (even for Shakespeare)

Hey, at least it's not crazy and stupid like A Midsummer Night's Dream.

As far as overrated books go, I'd like to submit the entire Harry Potter series. They're not bad, just most people consider them about five times as good as they really are.

As far as bad books go, Erich von Daniken is always a good bet.

Midsummer was allright, but for some reason I absolutely hate Julius Caesar.
Also, never read The Dollmaker. Bleaghh.

Ack! you are all insulting plays I love!

I reccomend highly against The Sound and the Fury by Faulkner, sure, it's a "great" American novel, but its long, anticlimactic, confusing in many parts, and VERY much a representative of stream of conciousness style writing. I couldn't stand it.

Again with Faulkner...As I Lay Dying. There's a chapter in that book which consists entirely of "My mother is a fish."

I hated that book more than I can express in words.

I would like to add the Da Vinci Code to the list of overrated books. I found it an entertaining read and worth the purchase but not nearly as good as its made out to be. I personally found digital fortress and his other non Robert Langdon story far more entertaining.

I read that too, that was actually my favorite chapter.....

I shall second the vote for the Da Vinci Code. I tried reading this book and didn't make it very far. Personally, I found the writing to be horrible and the plot just couldn't make up for it. This book gave me a headache.