Right, the last book i read was one too many (of the obfuscatory endings). Yes, i suppose i'm ranting.

What is it with books that end all mysteriously abruptly with no explanation whatsoever? Books with 'open ended conclusions', so as to speak. I hate books like that. Part of what spurs me to read more is the explanation behind the plot, and how the author would resolve the conflict created. And then they just end with bullcrap of LO AND BEHOLD suddenly everything is alright again through some deus ex machina that is in the book because the author's too lazy to think of an intriguing solution to the web of plots created!

Even worse are the ones with vague endings; you have no idea what happened, no idea why it happened, and oh the book has ended there's no way to find out whatsoever. For example you have this ending where after a whole hunt around half of the country the character sees his close friend alive again and talking to him, but no he isnt in heaven or hell. Close friend gives advice which you would expect from a close friend. The protagonist then proceeds to board a subway train (in a normal subway) where he finds the person he's searching for. (despite the person being doomed in hell already, even confirmed by a demon). Person of interest then utters something. The end. Zero explanation whatsoever.

I dont know if the protagonist is insane, in heaven/hell, or what. Nothing. The author just lets the loose ends fly with the wind.

Could be a stroke of bad luck, but many books im reading recently seem to possess abysmal, anti-climatic and lazy endings. Like the author couldnt think of anything and decided to end with 'And they lived happily ever after...perhaps. Maybe. I don't know. You figure it out, because i can't solve the plot i weaved.'

Its like running a marathon trying to get first place, and after you finish first you're informed that the first prize is a dirty old boot you can't even eat for dinner.

Whats your opinion on these types of endings and how often do they appear?

I don't mind open endings if the book / story has given me enough material to actually be able to think about it and what could've happened.

One of three things.

It could the author is setting up a possible sequel.

It could be a Slice of Life type of book, where it's the story about the people in the situation, not the situation itself.

It could also be that after 500 pages, the author did not know how to end the book. Endings are probably as hard to write as the beginning.

Now, what I hate is stories where there is no reason for the story. I remember this one trilogy that I read. In the first book, they discover this time travel mechanism. However for the rest of that book, the middle one, and most of the third one, they battle it out with the bad guys in conventional ways, only to use the time travel methods at the end (to go back and kill the bad guy leader before he gets powerful). Why couldn't they have used the Time Travel ways in the first book?

Depends, a good author can make an openended ending satisfying, and often it leaves the story enigmatic and interesting which is a good thing. A bad author who misuses the technique has a dissatisfying ending and its annoying.

It also depends on whether the openended ending actually fits with the vibe of the story or if it feels forced to make the story 'mysterious' (or the writer couldn't resolve it).

I watched the movie the wall and while it was a good movie they never answered the question why was the wall there? Or how was it there? I wonder if the book was more detailed.

You mean the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wall the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_Floyd_%E2%80%93_The_Wall was based on? In this case, the Wall is a metaphor for the barriers to personal growth, expression and freedom that society has in place.

no it was an indie movie that I watched on netflix about a women who is stuck within an invisible wall which she can't get out of its just her a dog and nature.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5Qa-Lo4RSpw

Oh that Wall. Yea, you'll have to read the book to get that.

Boy, I sure wish Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows had an ambiguous ending. I couldn't have thought up a worse epilogue if I tried.

Okay, I could...but it was horrible.

Well if I remember right.. Witch I don't.. Back in junior high I was deeply indulged in a book called The Contender. It was fabulous... Until the end.. I think it ended at an immediate stop. Riding off into the sunset or anything thing.. It was like it stopped in the middle of a sentence.. Still ponder about it when I think of the book.

I remember a book ending like that once, in the middle of a sentence. It was a first-person narrative, and the narrator died, so the story ended midsentence. Thought it was either the dumbest or most brilliant literary technique ever. Can't remember the book for the life of me, so probably the dumbest.

The Man in the High Castle. Yes, Philip, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself with your i Ching stuff, but I would have appreciated it if your story had had an ending.