Do you think a book is better if it has a good story or good language?

Question

Do you like books with
a) a good story
b) good language and meaning (literary elements)
c) a combination of both

Thanks.

Answer 1

I think it needs both. Sometimes I think it's really a matter of what a particular person notices most. I like to lose myself in a book...I love to get swept up into a book...into the characters...into the story...into the world created by the author. It would be hard to do that if it was poorly written...I'm not necessarily looking for deep, poetic, fanciful, had to have studied four years at an University in order to understand it language...for me it's not something I necessarily recognize unless I find it LACKING. I miss it when it's not there. Whereas I think most books use "b" in subtle ways.

I think writers who use "good language" make it such a natural part of the story that it sometimes fades into the background and is overshadowed by other elements such as plots and characterization.

But I can tell you this, characters mean much more to me than plot. If I don't care about the character, I don't care what happens to him. I like characters that take you into the mind of the character and does present his inner thoughts and feelings in addition to action & plots.

Answer 2

I think a good book could have either a good story or good literary elements. But a great book is a combination of many things. Great literary elements, story, plot, easy read, continuous suspense, research and details about the subject, some funny jokes and a bit of everything merged together in brilliant harmony.

Answer 3

I think a story needs a combination of both. It has to be a good story to keep a reader interested and needs to be written with good literary elements so readers can understand the book.

Answer 4

Yes, I like a good story and with literary skill. I like historical fictions the most. And my biggest turn-off with any book is the manner an author tries to introduce a sex scene or even a woman into the story. It is always a beautiful woman with untold sex appeal (not too realistic to me) and the sex scenes seem to be placed in the story line without it needing to be there. It's just tossed in in awkward fashion as if the author thinks it will satisfy the reader more, but it's completely out of place and most of the time, unneeded.

Answer 5

I like a good plot line. The language is second to the plot. I can do without the cursing. If it fits into the plot, fine. If the writer adds it to "sell" the book, that hurts the book for me. I want to see the plot line move along and the characters develop- 4 letter words get in the way.

Answer 6

A combination of both of course, but sometimes you can get past a language issue with a great story. I don't think I would read a lousy story with great language.

Answer 7

I think C. But I think that ultimately even if a story is not very good, a good author can make it good. I've read book that have amazing stories but the author hasn't been able to tell them in a good way.

Answer 8

c. If the way it is written is hard to read, then i am not going to be able to get through it. If the story line is terrible, then I am not going to be able to get through it. it has to have a good story and good language equally as much for it to be a good book.

Answer 9

Story first. Language is there to serve the story.

Answer 10

C, but B is more important. If a book reads like it was written by a 11th grader with a B average then it is hard to get through.