Chris OConnor wrote:You guys are brutal.

My wife just finished 50 Shades and quite enjoyed it. And if you don't tell anyone I just might confess that I'm about 16% into the book too now. But shhhh I don't want the whole world to know.

I LOVE the statistical analysis, usdfg! You're so right that the author uses the same phrases over and over again. I've noticed it with the grinning and the pants hanging off his hips. LOL

But again don't tell anyone but I plan to dig a bit deeper in an effort to get to the real substance. Currently there appears to be a lot of crap to dig through before the good stuff that everyone is raving about.

Stays between us

Make sure you tell us if there is any good stuff at the end

RobynPorteous wrote:I think it's availability as an eBook helps its sales too - women all over the world can purchase and read the books in the trilogy on their Kindles and other electronic reading devices without others seeing what it is they're reading. Thus increasing their anonymity when it comes to what they read, and allowing them to indulge in a little "guilt-free pleasure".

Thats a really good point, never thought about it.

RobynPorteous wrote:I read a very funny review of this trilogy and have pasted it below:

Once upon a time...
I'm Ana. I'm clumsy and naive. I like books. I dig this guy. He couldn't possibly like me. He's rich. I wonder if he's gay? His eyes are gray. Super gray. Intensely gray. Intense AND gray. Serious and gray. Super gray. Dark and gray. [insert 100+ other ways to say "gray eyes" here]
I blush. I gasp. He touches me "down there." I gasp again. He gasps. We both gasp. I blush some more. I gasp some more. I refer to my genitals as "down there" a few more times. I blush some more. Sorry, I mean I "flush" some more. I bite my lip. He gasps a lot more. More gasping. More blushing/flushing. More lip biting. Still more gasping.
The end.

This makes me giggle every time I read it, because to put it bluntly, the writing of these books is BAD, BAD, BAD!! There's no redeeming qualities to it at all... But due to its inarguably astronomical sales figures, it's a horrifying reflection of the state of consumers and popular culture today. In a world where Justin Bieber is considered a "singer" worth paying thousands to see live (really?!); and in which a book like this becomes a bestseller (really, really?!) I think the most concerning issue is what is going on in the minds of the majority of the people of the world!? The only way I can justify purchasing this trilogy is to keep it in a cupboard to use when the fridge and/or toilet leaks!

That first paragraph sounds like a summary of the first book

I dont understand how things like justin bieber or this terrible colelction have made it so far

Welcome to BookTalk. It's a great place for readers and writers alike!

First of all, I am happy for any indie author who makes it big. I see the great success of 50 Shades as encouraging news for all of us indies. I have not read the novel, as erotica (or soft porn) is not a genre I am in to. However, I have heard and read some negative comments about the quality of the writing, mostly from other authors. I don't think your average reader who enjoys that kind of book even notices it. They just love the steamy story. But in my opinion, the biggest reason the title is so hot right now is because of all the negative comments and hype. People are curious. Just like you were--you bought it. Hell, I've thought about buying it myself, just to see if the writing is really as bad as they say.

I guess the old saying holds true in this case. There is no such thing as bad publicity.

it's a horrifying reflection of the state of consumers and popular culture today. In a world where Justin Bieber is considered a "singer" worth paying thousands to see live (really?!); and in which a book like this becomes a bestseller (really, really?!) I think the most concerning issue is what is going on in the minds of the majority of the people of the world!?

it's an indication that the dumbing down has reached critical mass when people dont know how to obtain quality porn.

The author should be given court-ordered restitution: read Lady Chatterly's Lover and the works of Henry Milller.

and as a punitive measure be required to attend 100 consecutive justin bieber appearances.

I'm a spammer and my post has been deleted.

if only the same could be said for the books.

Thus increasing their anonymity when it comes to what they read, and allowing them to indulge in a little "guilt-free pleasure".

a very pertinent point, what we may be looking at here is a "porn noobs" phenomena not a literary disaster.

leigh byrne wrote:Welcome to BookTalk. It's a great place for readers and writers alike!

First of all, I am happy for any indie author who makes it big. I see the great success of 50 Shades as encouraging news for all of us indies. I have not read the novel, as erotica (or soft porn) is not a genre I am in to. However, I have heard and read some negative comments about the quality of the writing, mostly from other authors. I don't think your average reader who enjoys that kind of book even notices it. They just love the steamy story. But in my opinion, the biggest reason the title is so hot right now is because of all the negative comments and hype. People are curious. Just like you were--you bought it. Hell, I've thought about buying it myself, just to see if the writing is really as bad as they say.

I guess the old saying holds true in this case. There is no such thing as bad publicity.

Thats a really good point, never thought about that

I have not read "Fifty Shades of Grey" or its sequels. I asked my daughter if she had read it and liked it (We discuss books a lot - she put me on to "The Hunger Games"). Her response: "It's okay, if you like BDSM porn."

Cattleman wrote:I have not read "Fifty Shades of Grey" or its sequels. I asked my daughter if she had read it and liked it (We discuss books a lot - she put me on to "The Hunger Games"). Her response: "It's okay, if you like BDSM porn."

Hahahhaa BDSM :p. Anyways, I also got my mom into reading the hunger games and she loved it

I have read books before that I just could not put down. This wasn’t my case with Fifty Shades of Grey in particular. People are saying so though, and when I stopped to watch the TV the women were saying too they could not put it down, that’s why it sparked my curiosity on top of needing something to read. Well, so Fifty Shades Of Grey is not one of them, but I still would recommend it (for open minded people, of course, as the sexual reference might not be for everyone’s taste).

Some readers say the book is “unputdownable”. However, I would not push it that far. You can read a detailed review of the book here http://www.prisqua.com/3174/fifty-shade ... metaphors/

I am an awful person! I've finished the first book of this "trilogy", so you can bite me. Lol! I was just curious why this book was so successful, popular and best selling. The secret is simple. Here is my lists of reasons:

1. It's written with simple language (people do not like reading "dictionaries" today, especially when most of them live online)

2. The audience. Who are the fans of this book? Girls and women, lonely or unsatisfied with their personal life (well, even if they have men nearby, it does not mean those men are ideal for them).

3. The protagonist: he is like an archetype of a man every woman wants to see nearby (I am an awful person! I've finished the first book of this "trilogy", so you can bite me. Lol! I was just curious why this book was so successful, popular and best selling. The secret is simple. Here is my lists of reasons:

1. It's written with simple language (people do not like reading "dictionaries" today, especially when most of them live online)

2. The audience. Who are the fans of this book? Girls and women, lonely or unsatisfied with their personal life (well, even if they have men nearby, it does not mean those men are ideal for them).

3. The protagonist: he is like an archetype of a man every woman wants to see nearby (subconciously of course): confident, strong, powerful, ready to solve all her problems, rich, blah-blah-blah.

4. Every girl wanna be like Ana (to do nothing, to be not clever enough, not beautiful enough, not rich, not independent.. be nothing but be able to get such a man like Mr. Gray. for nothing. just because she is a girl. not smart, but... whatever. isn't it a dream of the majority of ladies who sit and dream about a "prince" without doing nothing? ))) of course): confident, strong, powerful, ready to solve all her problems, rich, blah-blah-blah.

4. Every girl wanna be like Ana (to do nothing, to be not clever enough, not beautiful enough, not rich, not independent.. be nothing but be able to get such a man like Mr. Gray. for nothing. just because she is a girl. not smart, but... whatever. isn't it a dream of the majority of ladies who sit and dream about a "prince" without doing nothing? ))) Perfect audience for such books!

A sad thing about all this story is a number of this trilogy's fans. A huge number of copies sold is an easy way to count how many women are unsatisfied with their lives to "love" such stories as "50 Shades" is.