Who are the five most overrated writers & underrated writers ever?

Question

Book recommendations would be great.

Answer 1

Overrated:
-F. Scott Fitzgerald
-John Steinbeck
-Kurt Vonnegut
-Maya Angelou
-JD Salinger

Underrated:
-Terry Pratchett, especially the later books. Read Night Watch or Thud.
-Jeanette Winterson. Start with Written on the Body and move on to Art and Lies
-Galway Kinnell - A New Selected Poems
-Joseph Heller. If Catch-22 didn't break your heart, you weren't paying attention.
-Niccolo Machiavelli.

Answer 2

Laurell K.Hamilton is the most overrated.The first few books were adequete and the later books are terrible.Still ask anyone to name a vampire/shapeshifter book and she's on the top of the list.

J.K.Rowling.I agree that the harry potter books are entertaining.But so are a lot of other books.Even better.

As for underrated books Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini heads the list.Everyone recommends Tale of 2 cities or Scarlet pimpernal as books about French revolution.Tale of 2 cities sympathise with the revolutionaries.Scarlet pimpernal glorifies the aristocracy.Scaramouche provides an objective view about the revolution.Its a bit cynical,but I think that that's what really happened.

Answer 3

Overrated:
1. J.R.R. Tolkien
2. C.S. Lewis
3. Stephen King
4. J.K. Rowling
5. John Steinbeck

Underrated:
1. Lynne Truss: Just because someone writes of grammar and manners doesn't mean she can't write it in an entertaining fashion.
2. Susanna Clarke: She may be bursting new to the scene of published book writing, but her story Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is one of the best fantasy books I've read.
3. Philip Pullman: Although "His Dark Materials" is seen as a child's book, it's one of the few that does not talk down to the reader.
4. John Milton: Sure, people have heard about Paradise Lost, but how many have actually READ it?
5. Stephen Fry might be known as an actor, but his books are widely ignored outside of Britain.

Answer 4

Overrated...where to start???

JK Rowling tops the chart.
Robert Frost bugs me, so I'll add him.
Stephen King.
Dan Brown.

Underrated...much better.

Sonya Sones
Shannon Hale
Cherith Baldry
Kate Cary
Libba Bray
Amelia Atwater Rhodes
Wendy Mass

...and many others.

Answer 5

Vastly under-rated- John Fante
Vastly over rated - Mitch Alban - his sh*t should only be sold at airport gift shops.
oh, recommendations...
The Hunger - Knut Hamsun
The Hawkline Monster- Richard Brautigan
The left hand of Darkness- Ursula K Le Guinn
The Master and Marguirita - bulgakov
Lolita- Nabakov

its endless...

Answer 6

Stephen King is the most overrated of all time. His works consist of nothing more than a cheap way to get a quick scare out of someone..someone who is easily amused. Enough said.

Answer 7

Over rated Dan Brown. No rationalization needed. less than Rated Kim Stanley Robinson. His books are genius as are those of Philip ok Dick. a techniques extra acceptable than the action pictures they inspired; finished keep in mind Blade Runner

Answer 8

Paulo Cohelo is very overrated. He has not written anything new. The only thing he must have credit for is for writing things in an original way.

Answer 9

Overrated:
Shakespeare
Dan Brown (perhaps a little too modern, but enough already!)
J. K. Rowling
Stephen King
Jane Austen

Underrated:
Richard Brautigan (can't stress this one enough!)
Julian May
Arturo Perez-Reverte (can't stress this one enough either!)
Jeff Noon
Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child (as a duo and on their own merrits)

Answer 10

OverRated ....Danielle Steele