Are we judging by the average literary merit of a page or the total literary merit summed over the pages. If the former the bible is cat litter, as is the Koran etc but by the latter criterion both Bible and Koran surely have many translations that at least trump the first book of Harry Potter. I don’t know about the later books. I had no desire to read on, as a series may get better but authors capable of that first book simply aren’t plausibly capable of writing things that are actually worth my reading.
Seriously it is worth asking that question with regard to judging artists. Evaluate on the best work, the average work, or the total. By criterion 1 or 3 Shakespeare merits his reputation, but his average is not so hot.
Are we judging by the average literary merit of a page or the total literary merit summed over the pages. If the former the bible is cat litter, as is the Koran etc but by the latter criterion both Bible and Koran surely have many translations that at least trump the first book of Harry Potter. I don’t know about the later books. I had no desire to read on, as a series may get better but authors capable of that first book simply aren’t plausibly capable of writing things that are actually worth my reading. Seriously it is worth asking that question with regard to judging artists. Evaluate on the best work, the average work, or the total. By criterion 1 or 3 Shakespeare merits his reputation, but his average is not so hot.