no, not at all.

Posted by charlotte in canada ,

Actually I believe it was was underrated in Canada at least

Posted by Xavier in Hamilton ON, Canada ,

Do not agree with you…I loved them.

Posted by TZ in Michigan , 9 October 2012

Disagree completely.

Posted by Zack in Kearney NE, U.S. ,

Well there are apparently as of October 2012 approximately 80 million people that think otherwise. That number is so far beyond white noise statistically that it validates and erases any hype.

The number of people that have read and enjoyed these books is simply staggering.

Posted by GG in New York ,

Definitely not true, the sales speak for themselves. Just finished Vol 1 – Loved it!

Posted by MP in Canberra Australia ,

You want to read overrated…..try Fifty Shades of Grey

Posted by A.N.Other in London ,

So true A.N.Other

Posted by charlotte in canada ,

Just because they sold 80 million, doesn’t mean 80 million people liked them. According to Oxfam and Travelodge hotels these books are the most donated and abandoned, respectively.

Posted by OtmShank in New Delhi ,

Didn;t know that. Have ti look that up.

the success of these books prove one thing: a good marketing strategy makes all the difference

Posted by Elly in Kentucky ,

They are definitely worth sharing! I would leave mine behind for someone else to read. I do not believe they were merely abandoned and it would be foolish to think so.

Posted by Miley in France ,

Hey, I liked them so much I even wrote a parody, The Girl Who Fished With Worm, that’s now available in paperback and e-book form.

Check it out. If you love Stieg’s work it will make you laugh…out loud!

Posted by Harry Groome in Villanova ,

Just finished the second book, and will get the third on Monday. Gripping. I cheated though, I saw the Swedish trilogy, but had to read the books which really flesh(!) out the gripping story lines. brilliant compelling reading. The character development and attention to detail is absolutely outstanding for a “novice” writer. Such a shame he should die so young, and without enjoying his well earned success

Posted by Alan Ogilvie ,

I’ve read all the books three times and the watched first movie twice.

Books are much better, they have a richness which not even the best producer/directors can replicate.

I like the movie but the book/s have so much more!

Writers are much more creative than film makers.

Posted by John M in Palm Beach ,

I totally agree. the most overrated, misjudged franchise in a long time. Stieg Larsson is a terrible writer. His prose is so dull and unimaginative

Posted by CC in Dosac ,

It is NOT overrated. Stieg Larson created a real masterpiece of a crime novel. It was first time in my life when I read detective fiction more then once.

Posted by VW in Naples FL ,

I wouldn’t say over rated. But I would say that, had the author not tragically died so shortly following delivery of the manuscripts, the publisher very likely could have returned at least volumes 2 and 3 for a much needed consolidation. They probably should have been condensed into one novel, removing all the extraneous by-lines and clutter. If Sony Pictures actually proceeds with a sequel to its mildly successful yet basically disappointing first entry, they very likely could make that happen.

Posted by David in Arden Delaware ,

Perhaps those of you claiming agreement to this thread should read the books in the original Swedish, as I have done, before claiming his prose to be dull? Some basic understanding of the Swedish psyche and lifestyle (I have lived there for over 10 years) may also help you appreciate them more.

Posted by NC in Sydney, Aus ,

My criticism has nothing to do with the presentation of Swedish psyche or lifestyle. It concerns the numerous technical shortcomings of the novels. Why clutter up the first book with the mole from Wennerstrom spying on Millenium? Why portray Blomkvist as a sexual dog more than willing to sleep with any female willing to spread her legs? Why start the second novel with Silander having a fling with some teenage boy in the Caribbean when the forward motion of the plot doesn’t begin until she moves back to Sweden? Why paint Faust in the second book as a sexual pervert rather than just an incompetent cop? What does Silander’s bisexuality have to do with any of the plot development? Why spend more than half the third novel killing off Zalachenko, all the while having Silander recuperate in a room directly adjoining him, the person she was incomprehensibly accused of having attempted to murder? Why paint Telebourian as a sexual pervert rather than a corrupt and incompetent psychologist And why would he choose just that moment to dial up his favorite porn site while Plague just happened to be sitting downstairs with his crack hacking laptop ready to catch him? What did Erika Berger’s stalker in the final book have to do with anything? Why have Silander totally disown any of the inheritance from her father (an inheritance which by the way surely would have been confiscated by the Swedish government for crimes against the state) yet still have her curious enough to check out the so called abandoned brickyard and once there just happen to stubble upon her half brother with nothing but a pneumatic nail gun to save her from certain death? Yes, it is interesting fiction. With flaws.

Posted by David in Arden Delaware ,

A fair critique, I read all three books in 24 hours, could’nt stop !

Posted by Tom in Houston, TX ,

Excellent critique

Posted by Cindy in St. Louis MO ,

I too have read all three books and enjoyed them.. To me the storylines of the characters that are dead-ended or not directly related to the main plotline serve to flesh out the personalities of the characters and in some instances to serve as red herrings to the reader. I don’t often read crime novels because they are so predictable both in plot and character complexity. Larsson’s characters are interesting because they do unexpected and irrational things (much like ‘real’ people) and we are given small glimpses into the lives of even minor characters through larsson’s details of the minutia of their lives. The descriptions of their houses, clothing and vehicles and the exchanges they have with partners and co-workerswhich help to give them dimension. For example, the stalking incident with Berger in the third book could have been related to the main plot, and I read on, curious to find out. From that story thread I learned more about Berger – that she comes from an affluent background, where and how she lives with her husband and some events from her past that belie her well-dressed, composed image. To me these plot ‘flaws’ are small detours that add to my enjoyment of the read. I would not say the books are perfect or that the prose is inspired but it’s a wonderful thing to suspend belief so enjoyably and I am so disappointed there won’t be more from this author.

Posted by Cate in Bethel, CT, US ,

Its funny in a way how there is always some troll who loves to be the antagonist. I could just start at the top but it seems too much effort but I think Lisbeth’s ambisexuality was a necessary part of her portrait and that Teleborian had to have his stature nullified and that Lisbeth intuition about him be verified. And Detective Faste as a woman hater was the only cop who represented the element among authority that had oppressed Lisabeth.

Larsson was actually pretty kind to the cops, besides Faste and the DA most were just a bit bumbling and slow but sincere

Posted by John Ross in Oakland, CA USA ,

I thought about my last post and wanted to add or enlarge on my comments: First on Teleborian; it seems that his perversion explains how he could have a 12/13 year old girl tied to a bed in isolation for 380 days and why he would lie, obfuscate, and rationalize it. That is a portrait of pathology. He is without conscience. He is arrogant, convinced of his invulnerability he goes to his hobby/addiction which is collecting images of young kids which, a pure voyuer, he gets off on the looking. It is necessary to the art he plays in the story.

Posted by John Ross in Oakland, CA USA ,

Over rated?? I disagree vehemently. The books have been praised for their strengths which far outweigh their shortcomings. Had Mr. Larsson not died before publication, the technicalities discussed may have been edited, or not. He was the author and got to choose his plot lines as he saw fit. I, for one, have not been so thoroughly engrossed in a storyline since reading the Hobbit followed by The Lord of the Rings trilogy as a child. Tolkien inspired a life long love of reading in me with his stories of pure fantasy. I just finished Hornet’s Nest in the past half hour, and came here to see if Mr. Larrson has any other published novels, as I will buy them in hopes that any other works of his are equally entertaining. I think the snipes about technical, geographic or historical inaccuracies are the result of over thinking and forgetting that these books are all works of fiction meant to entertain. Rated based on entertainment value, Mr. Larsson’s works, in my always humble opinion, cannot be overrated.

Posted by Bill Arch in Denver, CO ,

I agree, it is overrated. Not a very challenging writting but I must admit, very entertaining. But so much better (even it its weakest points) than Dan Brown(at his absolute best if it exists ha ha). Sometimes I had a feeling Larsson was bored and wanted to skip a bit here, a bit there just to move to the next idea. i didnt like those brief summaries, found them useless and superficial. It was the first time when I read a book which the action was set in Sweden and it intrigued me. Took me 3 days to compelete the reading of the whole trilogy. Read it in Polish (mentioning it because people complain about poor translations). The curious thing is that I didn’t like anybody in this story, she was too unbelievable (Larsson idealised her too much and didn’t give her a bit of credibility) so were others. But it was not intended to be a deep psychological studium, it was just a good thriller. When it comes to a really good writing I simply choose Umberto Eco. Of course it is only my humble opinion

Posted by Ania Sudolinska in Bologna ,

I have never been able to get into fiction. Could never focus on it. The first book of fiction I was actually able to read was The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I read right through and went to the second book. Now I’m reading the 3rd one, but this one I am reading in Polish. So it will take awhile.

Posted by sevrandy in Chillicothe OH USA , 12 April 2014

Steig Larsson wrote boring, predictable books. I gave up on them.

I think the reason there are so many “unnecessary” plot threads in the books is that Larsson was setting up themes and characters for the later books. The child labor theme on book 3 was likely to be a major theme in book 4, and so on.

Posted by Andy in Takoma Park ,