The End

[Azhev]

I was talking with my mother and sisters the other day about reading, and they told me that they read the end of their books before finishing the story.  I was stunned!  That seems kinda anti-climatic if you me.  Their reasoning is that they want to know if eveything turns out alright in the end.  I couldn't do that, personally.  It would just ruin the story, don't you think?

So here's my question:  How many of you read the end of the book before actually getting there in the story? Anyone?  *looks around suspiciously*

[Peter Ahlstrom]

I have done it on a very few occasions, and I can't remember specifically when. If a book is going downhill fast, I might skip to see if it gets any better, so I know if it's worth continuing.

[dawncawley]

I can't remember a time when I skipped to the end, but I have skipped ahead a few chapters in a particularly slow book, just to see if it picks up, kind of like what Ookla said.

[WriterDan]

I've actually only done this once.  Honestly.  It was when I was reading I am Legend.  And really, I only read the very last line.  I didn't understand it when I read it.  Then, as the end of the book was rapidly approaching, I was wondering more and more what the last line of the book meant.  Then I got to the end, finished the book, and the epiphany of the last line hit me.  Dang cool.  In that instance, I can say that reading the last line pretty much made the end of the book a much greater experience than I think it would have otherwise.  Still, I don't think that I'll ever flip to the back of a book again.  If I even get to the last page of a book, it means that I've liked reading it.  And if I've liked reading it, then I don't want the ending spoiled.  And the ending better be dang good if I've invested a whole book of my time into the story! 

[skibocastle]

I never read the last page of a book.  I do remember the Billy Crystal quote from "When Harry met Sally" where he says that he always read the end of a book in case he dies before finishing it.  I would rather get there when I get there, and be surprised by any twists or epiphanies.  It's one of the things I love about reading, being drawn to the climax and living through it emotionally with the characters.

[Azhev]

I can't remember a time when I skipped to the end, but I have skipped ahead a few chapters in a particularly slow book, just to see if it picks up, kind of like what Ookla said.

That's actually okay.  I've done that once or twice myself.  Especially when the story has become boring.  But is never suppose to happen, right? 

[Phaz]

Even reading ahead a little bit would ruin the story for me, thus I never do.  But, I'm also very easily entertained, and never read a book I hated, only picked up a few that were just ok, and like or love the rest.

The only exception was Alcatraz, Brandon just made it too tempting...

[Loud_G]

I never read the ending first. I never skip chapters. I can't even skip a paragraph. I have to read every word in the story. So even if it is dull at the moment, I'll slog through. I'm kind of obsessive like that.

If I REALLY don't like what I'm reading, I get another book.


Edit: Though to be fair, in most fantasy novels (and that is what I tend to read) the last page of the book is usually nothing exciting and just serves to let the reader know without saying it that they live happily ever after and their lives continue and stuff happens.

[Sigyn]

I try not to read the end of books, but sometimes I will glance through at the end to make sure certain characters are still alive.  Sometimes I just get so stressed that a character will die that I have to make sure one way or another before I can keep reading with enjoyment.

[Shrain]

The only exception was Alcatraz, Brandon just made it too tempting...

LOL. Trouble is, that *wasn't* the ending! Authors are indeed torturous beings.

[dawncawley]

I agree, a book is never supposed to become boring. It is one of many reasons why I love Brandon's books. I don't feel the need to skip ahead to see if it picks up, firstly  because it isn't ever slow enough to make me want to, and secondly because I know that if it is slow at any point, it will pick up

[Shi]

No, I never read the ending first, though I know some people who do that. Sometimes I'll skip to the center of a book and read a few paragraphs, like a sneak preview. Although usually I do that before I buy a book, to see how the writing is.

On occasion, my sister and I will tease each other at the book store my picking up a book and reading the last line, then we always say "see, doesn't that sound interesting? You know you want to buy it now." And sometimes I do.

[Ratlord12]

I absolutely refuse to read a book with a boring beginning, so I don't skip to the ending if the beginning sucks. That's why I frisby-tossed Gulliver's Travels and The Great Gatsby.

But sometimes I do read the last couple sentences out of curiousity. My ADD gets so bad sometimes that I read the bottom of a page first, then I have to read the top and the bottom again because I'm funky like that.