# What's the worst novel that you read that you loved? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 3, 2006, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-novel-that-you-read-that-you-loved/371265 "2006-09-03T02:33:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-novel-that-you-read-that-you-loved/371265/21 "2006-09-04T04:19:28Z")
Ditto the **John Carter of Mars** books by ERB. Love 'em. Ditto **Triplanetary** by E.E. Smith. That one was _good_ bad, while the second book was just _bad_ bad. I haven’t read any more, less because my dislike of the second book and more because they’re just hard to find. Add: **Starsmashers of the Galaxy Rangers** by Harry Harrison. A parody that is so poorly done it doesn’t even work. My wife keeps putting it on top of our stack of books to get rid of when I’m not around, and I keep taking it off when she’s not around :). ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-novel-that-you-read-that-you-loved/371265/22 "2006-09-04T04:36:13Z")
> [@](#): > > Add: Starsmashers of the Galaxy Rangers by Harry Harrison. A parody that is so poorly done it doesn’t even work. My wife keeps putting it on top of our stack of books to get rid of when I’m not around, and I keep taking it off when she’s not around Oh, Cisco, you have captured the true meaning of this thread. You are willing to defend and retain the worst of the literary arts. I salute you, sir. Sgt Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-novel-that-you-read-that-you-loved/371265/23 "2006-09-04T04:59:38Z")
[Sword of the Golden Stud](http://www.gdprice.com/books/05678.htm) by Ashley Carter. I stumbled on it when looking for Barbara Cartland novels for my friend at the public library. Was quite steamy for teenagers in the 70’s and we all took turns reading it. To appreciate the true horribleness, here’s the back cover: > [@](#): > > He was born the bastard son of an octaroon slave girl. With his muslee hide and hair of red-gold fire, he could pass as Jeff Carson, slaver and whoremaster. > > His magnificant body drew women like moths to a flame. Women like Gretchen, the buxom serving wench and Margarith, the elegant beauty in widow’s weeds. > > From the brothels of New Orleans to the pirate fortress of Jean Lafitte, he lived on his wits in a world of savage lust. > > Yet he still bore the brand of Baxter Simon, the man who owned him once and would journey to Hell itself to take him once again… ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-novel-that-you-read-that-you-loved/371265/24 "2006-09-04T05:11:45Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] **The Curse of Clifton** by Mrs. E.D.E.N. Southworth. The book was just plain terrible – and a hell of a lot of fun to read. Bonus: you can’t really appreciate **Moby Dick** if you haven’t read Southworth. [/QUOTE] I object to the “just plain terrible” characterization because i started “The Hidden hand” and realized Mrs Southworth is not the worst novelist I’ve read. She’s a favorite of Wife and i will try to find it since I’ve managed to find–and pay for, unfortunately–most of the ouevre of Kathleen Norris (the SIL of Frank Norris, not the woman who is alive) after tracking down (and paying for 25th editions still ain’t cheap because they’re still more than 100 yrs old) much of Mrs Southworth. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-worst-novel-that-you-read-that-you-loved/371265.md?page=1)