Best Ending to a Novel!

[Imran Siddiqui]

That's probably because you're a heartless conservative, naturally.

No, because it seemed to be obvious... the story led up to it.

On the contrast I cried when I read what JK Rowling just recently did for a girl, who was a huge Harry Potter fan, that was dying of cancer (just died, IIRC )

[Imran Siddiqui]

Well, given that I figured it out halfway into the book, Imran, it wasn't that surprising of an ending.

Damn you!

But wasn't halfway through the book not even 25 pages into the second story?

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

That's probably because you're a heartless conservative, naturally.

No, because it seemed to be obvious... the story led up to it.

Not every novel is supposed to have a suprise or twist ending. You've been seeing too many Hollywood movies.

[JohnT]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

Well, given that I figured it out halfway into the book, Imran, it wasn't that surprising of an ending.

Damn you!

But wasn't halfway through the book not even 25 pages into the second story?

Don't know. What I do know is that, somewhere in the middle, a little went off and I went "Oh!"

Turned out I was right.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Not every novel is supposed to have a suprise or twist ending.

But if you can accurately gauge the ending, then it doesn't NEARLY pack the emotional punch... because there is no punch, you've seen it and deflected it.

[JohnT]

It all depends upon how you write it, Imran.

[Imran Siddiqui]

JohnT, true... I guess I didn't think Remarque was a great writer. Good book though .

[Master Zen]

The Moonstone had a very good and surprising ending (best detective novel I've read...)

[Kassiopeia]

Not every novel is supposed to have a suprise or twist ending. You've been seeing too many Hollywood movies.

Yeah, but when the punch just comes behind the corner and *wham* strikes you, and you realise that it's completely possible but you never thought about it, and it isn't a lame "it was all a dream" sort of deus ex machina either.... Like in Dan Simmons's Fall of Hyperion, though this isn't the ending:

Spoiler:

When we find out that the Ousters weren't the attackers after all. Damn, it was so obvious, but the text just kept me so occupied with itself that I didn't have the time to figure it out. I was absolutely... I can't really name the emotion. Exhilirated, maybe.

[Guynemer]

He loved Big Brother.

[Adagio]

Best ending to a Novel? Isn't all endings good? Because when you're finally at the end, you don't have to read more

(In case you didn't know: I hate books... the only books I've ever read, is those you're supposed to read in school)

[Ecthy]

Not the end, but Mrs Roy is quite good in building the story peu à peu in the God of Small Things.

Every few pages you're shocked with a new detail, the end itself is a little weak, though, no revelation

[JohnT]

Originally posted by ADG
Best ending to a Novel? Isn't all endings good? Because when you're finally at the end, you don't have to read more

(In case you didn't know: I hate books... the only books I've ever read, is those you're supposed to read in school)

Did they ban the word "are" where you live?

[Ecthy]

interesting question... maybe he just hasn't been reading enough in his youth, thus too small a vocabulary

[JohnT]

Very likely. I'm also a little surprised that someone who doesn't like to read hangs around in message boards... one would think an AOL chat room would be more to his taste.