Come on, wanna guess where the quote came from? I know I said, maybe once or twice I was done.
Finished with the topic. It was dead to me.
And being as this is Alluring Tales week it isn’t on topic… but dude I have been on topic for three days. In a row!
So say it with me….
It is rarely about the author and almost always about the book.
don’t look you author type people… uh or KarenS or Bev
I told you not to look! My response on Jami Alden’s post on reviews.
The Good, The Bad, and the Downright Scathing: Jami Ponders Reviews
WHAT? Like that wasn’t gonna get my attention…
Out of all those reviews you have read, even the ‘mean ol snarky’ ones or lower graded book reviews you clicked on first, you have never seen a new author ,cover or summary that made you go hmmmm?
Made you go google, look for more information or seek out the book next time you were in the store…
Not me,I often wonder if I don’t buy more new authors from lower or bad reviews than I do good ones. If it is a site or person who does nothing but sunshine and smoke I don’t even bother to go there. To me those reviews are for the authors and the publishers not me the reader.
And I generally skip over the 4 star pick reviews the first skim through the lists and later go back to them. I am cynical like that.Then again I am just a reader. I only buy from review if it is a reviewer whose taste has matched mine. Otherwise it is all about the summary.
I am very much of the mind set an author should be more focus on getting the book out there, getting people talking about the book and on getting reviewed – period. Focusing on the ‘grade’ or coming up with a reason why the reviewer didn’t like ‘them’ is pointless. And often will lead me to not buy a book I planned too.
It is rarely about the author and almost always about the book.
Sooo anyone want to talk about reviews? ::ducks::
Other than sasha to say damn it stop blog hopping and finish ours. ohhh see maybe this is just preping ya sasha ;). I have five authors here if you wanna reach out and touch one. But I have no clue if they bite or not.
oh that quote in case you wondered….
MULDER: Okay, it’s not yet the finely detailed insanity that you’ve come to expect from me. It’s just a theory, but what if he’s not doing this out of a psychotic impulse but rather out of physical hunger? Maybe he needs to replenish this chemical deficiency in order to survive
SCULLY: From a dry skin sample you’re concluding what? That he’s some kind of fat-sucking vampire?
It is ALWAYS about the book and never about the author. There, Sybil, I said it. 🙂
But on the subject of reviews. . . . My husband and I were just talking about this the other night. I’ve come to the conclusion that reviews are more about the reviewer than they are about either an author or a book. For example, I love the dark, complex characterization in Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop. A reviewer on Amazon.com blasted it as . . . well, blasphemous. All I got from the scathing review was that the reader was a “devout” Christian and hated reading about a non-Biblical version of hell, demons, etc. So her review didn’t have anything to do with Anne Bishop or her book, but rather was all about the reviewer.
I, too, sometimes find that at times I get a better idea of what a book encompasses through a negative review than through a positive one, only because sometimes the positive reviews don’t give a summary, or really don’t say WHY they love the book, just that they do. Of course, you also get negative reviews in which the reviewer says they hate a book but never justifies why. 🙂
Forget reviews. I’m trying to figure out why I’m suddenly linked with KarenS and whether it should be damaging to my psyche or hers. Probably hers. Poor dear. 😉
I think to some degree Schone is right. Its about the reviewers reaction to the book. Readers just have to know that their experience may be different.
I love the X Files quote. The snippets of humor that would come out with these two are why I enjoyed the show so much.
I’m not saying my curiosity hasn’t been piqued by reviews (especially the bad ones), but by and large I usually already have an idea of the books and authors I want to read, so reviews generally aren’t going to influence me one way or another on my buying decisions. And I do think it’s ironic that while as a reader I don’t really care what the reviewers have to say – I do read them more for the summary – as a writer I seek out any and all reviews and desperately want them to be positive. Because I’m needy that way 🙂 And I agree – it’s much more important that the book is out there in the first place.
Hey Robin!!! Always nice to see you around here. And I agree to a point… of course *g*. Something I will have to give more thought too!
bev, bev, bev… that karens is made of stern stuff
Jane, I think something we need to really remember though is reaction can change. What one author can make sound like shit to one reader another author can make the same set up sound golden.
So do you ‘not’ read something because you ‘know’ it won’t work for you? If it sounds interesting I say go for it. You never know.
Cathy, I love, love, love that show!
Hi Jami! Welcome ;). Personally I think most people don’t buy ‘off’ reviews. I think they are interested by reviews and decide all on their own if it is worth a shot or not.
BUT I will say I have heard many a person say they have bought a book because they wanted to see if it was AS BAD as the reviewer thought…. soooo
There are no wrongs or rights as far as reviews go. I think it is honest feeling and all about the book. And since it is the readers reaction and opinion which will be drawn from their life experience we do bring our own baggage to the books.
hmmm well robin I think I just thought more about your point *g*
I just can’t think that talking about books is ever bad. Of course I don’t think I have ever read you, so maybe… LOL I kid… no really! I am a smartass.
Thanks for stopping bye!