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79 of 80 people found the following review helpful
Appalling in so many ways, By
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This review is from: The Darkness of Bones (Kindle Edition)
As this was only 70p I didn't bother downloading a sample first, what with all those (inexplicable) 5 star reviews (who are these people??). So I feel it is necessary to add a balancing view. Let's be blunt; I really wish I'd bought a KitKat instead. The malapropism filled prose is as purple as a baboon's backside, the dialogue laughable, the unremittingly unlikeable and unpleasant characters struggle to fill even one dimension and the flimsy plot has all the charm and sophistication of roadkill. The best thing that can be said is that the book is relatively short.Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting literature. I have a huge tolerance for potboilers after years of lengthy train and plane journeys. But this one was not just bad, it was positively disturbing. Other reviewers call it 'dark'; I think 'revelling in murky sadism' is more like it. If the author got death threats, it was for his crimes against publishing; surely nobody else could take the author of this evil tripe seriously, except perhaps a clinical psychologist looking at his next case. On the other hand, if you are not too bright and gratuitous descriptions of sadistic sexual violence and paedophilia float your boat, this might just be the book for you. Comments
Tracked by 4 customers
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Showing 1-10 of 10 posts in this discussion
Initial post:
25 Mar 2011 08:56:29 GMT
[Deleted by Amazon on 18 Sep 2012 21:32:44 BDT]
In reply to an earlier post on
25 Mar 2011 16:29:04 GMT
S. Lauer says:
I don't think disagreeing with fellow reviewers constitutes an attack, neither does speculating a little about the mindset of those who would enjoy or write a book like this. If hating this book and stating why constitutes axe grinding so be it. It's not going to stop people who like this kind of stuff buying it (possibly the opposite) but hopefully it might warn off those of us who don't. PD James it aint.
In reply to an earlier post on
27 Apr 2011 10:37:50 BDT
LouiseV says:
'all those (inexplicable) 5 star reviews (who are these people??)'
I have often asked myself the same question about the people who write the 5 star reviews. I have very often bought books on the strength of the reviewing only to be bitterly disappointed. Maybe my standards must be far higher than many others. I don't know, but I think 5 stars are handed out far too easily. I have only read a handful of books which I think deserve this rating.
Posted on
13 May 2011 13:24:21 BDT
Tabbygray says:
Further to the 'who are these people' comment, it was pointed out elsewhere that a lot of the 5 stars are given by one-review-only reviewers, or people reviewing multiple books from only one author. Interested in this (as, I agree, some of the books with these 'great' 5 star reviews are appalling, and I did wonder) I traced the links between some of the reviewers (I realise this is a bit picky but I was having a boring afternoon) and a lot of them are either by authors reviewing each other's books, or one person, as mentioned, reviewing only one author's book/s.
I'm not suggesting all authors (or their publishers) get their friends and family to comment on their books favourably, but I tend to view 5 star reviews with suspicion now, which is a shame and rather spoils the whole point of having them. What I mind more, really, is that it insults all the genuine readers who are good enough to take the time to give their own considered opinions.
In reply to an earlier post on
29 May 2011 06:07:58 BDT
Phone_Junkie says:
I am very grateful for your review because the subjects covered in book are two I refuse to read about. Any wiff of peedo carry on and book gets dumped by me. I have been caught a couple times when not mentioned in synopsis, J.Kellerman did once, swine,lol, as I ike his work. Thank you.
In reply to an earlier post on
26 Jun 2011 19:10:19 BDT
Garscadden says:
Crime Lover - Amazon seemed really interested when it was pointed out that you, Noir Fan Cormac Mac and the author seem to be uncannily similar. No idea if they'll wipe you from the boards, but one can only hope so.
I wish other people would point out shills to Amazon too - it's very easy. Go to the Help section, Contact Amazon and follow the steps from there. They do seem quite active if you point out obvious scams like these related posters...
In reply to an earlier post on
26 Jun 2011 22:03:48 BDT
Tabbygray says:
I see what you mean - they are either the same person or Sam Millar has a couple of disturbingly obsessed fans!
Thank you for pointing out that it's possible to report this kind of thing. It's a shame Amazon can't do what eBay do and allow people to 'rate' the reviewers - that might slow this kind of dishonesty down. As book reviews are very subjective that wouldn't be practical, obviously, but there are genuine reviewers I'd like to award 5 stars for pointing me in the direction of some terrific books - it would be nice to be able to thank them!
In reply to an earlier post on
27 Jun 2011 10:11:12 BDT
S. Lauer says:
Amazon has a forum for their reviewers which I was unaware of before I posted my review. It is interesting to see that reviewing on Amazon is a hobby that attracts not a few zealots, anxiously vying for the best 'helpful review' scores, so positive votes are the approval many crave, a negative vote being received with much wailing and rending of shirts. There is also a forum for those who self publish, which also contains a few obsessive individuals. From perusing these fora, I have come to the conclusion that amongst self pubishers there are individuals who talk up the work of a friend, or slag the work of a rival with the actual quality of the work being largely irrelevant. I wonder if the 'axe to grind' comment aimed at me might be because Crime Lover, whoever he/she may be, suspects me of being part of such a group of people. I am not. My review came about because I was genuinely appalled by this book and was angry at having actually paid for it, based on reviews that seemed to me to be either dishonest or, at best, misguided. But I'm not sure how I could prove that.
In reply to an earlier post on
27 Jun 2011 10:17:04 BDT
Garscadden says:
Crime lover has a problem with your review because (s)he appears to be the author...
It seems representative of a more general problem that has made all 5* reviews on Amazon suspect, at elast for me. I'm even wary of 4*'s on slef published books, which pretty much makes reviews on indie books worthless to me, which in itself is a darn shame.
In reply to an earlier post on
27 Jun 2011 10:57:47 BDT
Tabbygray says:
Crime lover, Noir fan, Crime King (New York), Crime Queen (Essex) and Cormac Mac all seem remarkably similar. And Cormac Mac has reviewed one book twice with 5* - a little unnecessary for an 'ordinary' fan methinks.
As mentioned in another post - these things can and should be reported. I'm waiting to hear what Amazon have to say.
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