19 Bad Books By Good Authors

Even master storytellers can occasionally waste our time.

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Complex Original

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In search of stocking stuffers, those always thoughtful gifts that cost relatively little but impress their recipients? With everything from easy coffee table reads to more challenging novels, booksellers like Barnes & Noble house all kinds of great gift ideas.

But what if you don't know who their favorite author is? The safest bet is to stick with the publishing world's biggest names, since their reputations precede them. If, say, Stephen King and Kurt Vonnegut are such huge deals, surely all of their novels would make worthwhile presents, right?

As any avid reader can tell you, that's most definitely not the case. After all, world-renown authors are still human, and, in turn, prone to the occasional slip-up. Allow your trusty Complex bookworms to make sure those narrative misfires don't end up in any poor sucker's stocking this year with the following list of 19 Bad Books By Good Authors.

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Written by Ross Scarano (@RossScarano), Foster Kamer (@weareyourfek), Matt Barone (@MBarone), Noah Johnson (@noahvjohnson), Jack Erwin (@JackEComplex), and Orlando Lima (@limachips)

The Tommyknockers

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The Broom of the System

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Across the River and Into the Trees

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Vineland

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The Casual Vacancy

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Mockingjay

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The Yiddish Policemen's Union

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Jazz

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Woman

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The Name of the World

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Tell-All

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I Am Charlotte Simmons

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Steppenwolf

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The Seven Days of Cain

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Glamorama

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Hocus Pocus

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The Body Artist

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The Breast

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Divisadero

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