what makes a good book

Originality, and imagination are important to me.

Something connected to the REAL world. Personally I I'm not too keen fiction books, unless they focus on reality. I prefer books not to take me away from reality. That said, the book should contain emotion where I can really feel for the characters.

It has to bring up emotions and feelings. I like surrealistic histories, but not too much.

But most important, it has to be connected with ones emotions and feelings. Make me laugh, make me be sympathic og what so ever.

The only ways in which I would go through the unmitigated torture of reading either a poorly written/amazing story book or a well written/boring book are if it were required for some course I had taken; or, if it was written by a friend who wanted me to take a look at it. Other than those reasons, I would toss the book away in short order. As for actual preference, neither one seems to outweigh the other as far as the cruelty being inflicted upon the reader.

Only if they relate to real life. I do like Fantasy & Sci Fi but nothing too heavy. I used to like James Herbert but he is now very poor. I am not keen on "Chase" novels where the main character is always running from the bad guy or girl.

What makes a good book?
This question was asked of me by one of my students who dropped in for a chat the other day. I suggested this and that. On further reflection, and with my tongue a little in cheek, let me add to what I told him. Here goes:

Ask the above of five readers and you will get five varied answers, probably with some common content. Ask it of five writers and you will get—if they have the time—five dissertations which elaborate on one or other aspect of writing, an elaboration that will rise like a vision out of the sea, the sort of thing that John the Revelator might have seen, and with no two elaborations the same. Writers, you see, are a peculiar breed and like nothing more than waxing grandly, at times even eloquently, about their craft. It is a disease, and a pleasant one.
However, if you were to leave that question with the writer and allow him—or her—to ponder it for a day or so, then the response will be more considered, more widely ranging, and more likely to find echoes in the responses of other writers. For the record, this is what one writer sees as the qualities of an A-grade book, a book that says, “Hey, take me,” and then turns and takes the reader, body, mind and soul.
Such a book, the book that will possess you, must first of all have an exceptional story to tell. And what makes a story exceptional? Several things. Firstly, it will be a story that is capable of capturing the interest of a wide range of readers; a story that captivates. Secondly, it must hold the interest of every reader it captures, an interest that will grow with the turning of the pages and, quite possibly, mourn the passing of the last. Thirdly, it will be a story that resonates with at least some part of every reader, a resonance that will bond with a thought here, an experience there, a fear or a fancy, so that each reader can find a piece of himself or herself on the pages and be moved to say, ‘Spot on!’ Fourthly, the story—even if it is an ordinary story of an ordinary person—will shine with the telling and the reader will not see the ordinariness, but will marvel at its lively transformation, at its coming-to-life. Finally (to cut a long story short), an exceptional story will never age, but will live from generation to generation and—if it is truly exceptional—will spawn a yearning for a time that once was but which has now gone forever.
Secondly, an A-grade book will tell its exceptional story in an exceptional way. We are now getting into the more indeterminate aspects of writing because it is not always a simple thing to explain why a particular piece of writing is exceptional. However, the reader will know it when she sees it, and the writer when he strikes it. A light comes on, or a bell sounds, and a deep satisfaction infuses you as though you have sipped fine wine: satisfaction at having written it; satisfaction at recognising it. It is where the writer and the reader meet on the page and shake each other by the hand if they are English, or hug if they are Latin, and say, ‘How very nice to meet you; I hope we shall see a great deal more of each other.’
Lastly, an A-grade book is one which will isolate the reader from everything else and move with him or her through an enchanted place, at times quickly and at times slowly, but ever moving. And when the journey ends there is always a pause, a moment of reflection, perhaps even regret, before the reader steps from the book into his other life, his ordinary life. But the journey has been worth it, and the reader is the richer for it. Now, that was a good book.
Between you, me and a wondering world, I wish that I had written it.

Best regards

Larry Ashe

adventure, adventure, adventure

If someone honestly had a good story to tell, I think I could overlook any flaw. But then again, every reader is different.

To quote Will Hunting: "Hey, whatever blows your hair back."

Good story, good characters and plot line. Something that's believeable. I hate books that are set in airy fairy fantasy. That's just me, i guess.

I agree with this to some extent--I enjoy a lot of historical fiction or fiction based in history at least loosely, particularly if it does a good job of giving me a feel for what life was like in those times.

I think what makes a good book is what format appeals to the reader. Some readers like flasbbacks, others like books written in the first person, others like books written in the "you" form, 3rd person perspective. Some authors focus on detailed setting descriptions while others keep them short but emphasis the development of a character's thoughts. What do you think?

I'll read anything that challenges me in some way.
I no longer waste time on writing that doesn't open me and get my blood pumping.

Good for you, flushd.

For myself, I'll sometimes read a book I absolutely hate through to the end, muttering the whole time, "This is BS...this is such a crock...god! this is bad!" From time to time I've been either given a book, or someone has recommended it, or it was on a best-seller list and I've read it cover to cover and afterwards wondered why I didn't toss it out after the first 10 or 15 pages. Sometimes it's because the story fascinates me even though the writing is dreadful (most of Michael Chrichton). The story doesn't even have to be good, just enough to hold one's interest. Right now I'm reading a perfectly awfyl book by Mary Higgins Clark. I've never read anything by Clark but she seems to be so well liked I thought I should try one. It's On the Street Where You Live. This book truly sucks. But I'll finish it just because I want to know how it turns out.

I think a well written book is the lesser of two evils. If a book is poorly written, it causes more mental strain and pain than boredom from a dull yet well-written book.

Well.
I am glad to have found this. I'm a new writer and these replies were exactly what I was looking for.

Anyways, I believe a good book is when the reader is constantly yearning to find out what happens next. A good author will always keep the reader's focus and interest throughout the story.

And yet again, it's my opinion.

A similar questions arose on another thread about books. Here's what I said about what I think makes a book great:

Well said, Roberta.

I am open for almost every genre. Some sci-fi books with absolutely no connection to reality are quite thrilling. Perhaps Perry Rhodan (a German sci-fi caracter) series.

The only thing I generally hate in books are false facts. For instance, a novel by Stanislaw Lem, "The austronauts", tells about melting the poles ice helps the human race and so on..... That was too much... I had to stop.

A book that says something interesting that never came to my mind, especially if it is important and related to real life or things in general. Even better if it asks something fresh.