ROBUST discussion

Post your reviews in this FOLDER (not necessarily in this thread). Book and film reviews would be fabulous, but post anything you can make a case for as even remotely connected to reading or books or— what?

These can be REVIEWS OF YOUR BOOKS BY OTHER PEOPLE or REVIEWS YOU'VE WRITTEN OF THE WORK OF OTHERS.

You can either post the full review or a URL pointer to it.

This is also the place to discuss reviews. Remember, nobody is protected here, so if you commit a driveby shooting, the lashback is on your own head.

We watched "The King's Speech" last night. Although the story sounds a little lame, it was actually very good. The acting was exceptional and you learned a bit about history and the life of royalty.

Alright, I posted a review about another Indie Author. I told the truth. I couldn't sugar coat it. I talked about what bothered me the most. So why do I feel bad about writing it?

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

My reviews about Traditional Authors that weren't so sweet, I didn't feel like I bit a sour lemon. Is this some attachment to another Indy who's jus trying to make it? Yuck, I need a freaking shrink.
If the shrink is cute, I'll go for two visits.

On Edit: Alright, I don't feel bad anymore. I went back and looked again, realized that the author 5 starred herself twice in two different months to up her ratings. That type of self hype is on my 'disgusting meter' and I will never ever do it myself. If I have a book that earns one star across the board for all eternity, then a one star it will be. That would be my fault, and I would never misrepresent myself that way. Still, if the shrink is cute, I'll go for two visits. I need some type of help somewhere, LOL.

Personally, I've given up on guilt. I just say what I think, and console myself that you can't please all the people all the time.

For the most part I only review books I like. Not so much a matter of I won't write a bad review, but more an issue of not accepting books for review that don't grab me quickly.

Alas, I do have an example of one where I didn't do enough due diligence and got stuck with a bad book to review.

I wrote up the review http://bookpumper.com/2011/04/shiftin... and didn't pull any punches, but I did feel bad about it because the author is quite young, a genuinely nice person, and just doesn't know a thing about how to write a book. It's not only a first novel, it's a NaWriNoMo that wasn't edited.

These days I try to do a better job of selecting books for review.

I wrote a review of Cathy Marie Buchanan's The Day the Falls Stood Still today on my blog (http://parlezmoiblog.blogspot.com/201... ) and the author responded!

Sheila wrote: "We watched "The King's Speech" last night. Although the story sounds a little lame, it was actually very good. The acting was exceptional and you learned a bit about history and the life of royalty."

We've seen it too. A story too unlikely as movie fodder, and very slender at that. But superbly acted and involving. Colin Firth's finest work; possibly Geoffrey Rush's too, though he is so universally superior, it is difficult to chose.

There's an anachronism in the details. The British royal family did not drive Rolls-Royce between the wars; they rode in Daimlers.

Other details are spot on. Lord Reith insisted that BBC radio announcers wear full evening dress; that's not just for the special royal broadcast. Queen Mary was a notoriously bad cook.

Kathleen wrote: "I wrote a review of Cathy Marie Buchanan's The Day the Falls Stood Still today on my blog (http://parlezmoiblog.blogspot.com/201... ) an..."

Super review, super comment from the author. There is in parts of American literature a certain connection to the landscape that gives it far more vitality than swathes of limp campus novels that receive much more attention. But it was better described by the Australian Robert Hughes talking about American paintings than I've ever seen it covered by any American literary critic.

Lovely review too of your The Old Mermaid's Tale that you quote immediately below your review of the Niagara book. And a useful reviewer! Your lucky day, Kathleen.

Andre Jute wrote: "Lovely review too of your The Old Mermaid's Tale that you quote immediately below your review of the Niagara book. And a useful reviewer! Your lucky day, Kathleen."

Thank you. I was somewhat surprised by her reaction to the book -- I mean I was glad that she loved it but I was surprised that she was surprised that the relationships in the story were so complex. I was glad she wrote to me about it. You never know what a reader will see in something.

From a goodreads giveaway, here's the link to his blog on my book, "Flash Warden and Other Stories."

http://dunceacademy.com/965/flash-warden...

Best review yet!Flash Warden and Other Stories

Sheila wrote: "We watched "The King's Speech" last night. Although the story sounds a little lame, it was actually very good. The acting was exceptional and you learned a bit about history and the life of royalty."

Sheila: I liked the King's speech, as well. It was refreshing to watch something that had a heart as well as a brain. Too often those "bighearted" type movies end up wallowing in the sentimental, you know? Even more hopeful was the fact of the film's success; maybe there are more to come. One can hope!

The British film industry has all these wonderful resources, actors, writers, directors, but it's like a yo-yo, one great movie, then three embarrassing ones. My family screens British movies before I watch them...

Eileen wrote: "
http://dunceacademy.com/965/flash-warden...

Best review yet![book:Flash Warden and Other Stori..."

You're a star, Eileen!

19? I'd be inclined to cut her a break too, give her brownie points for finishing a novel. I think your review balanced it just right, making a point of the telling-not-showing, and the deus ex machina suddenly revealed at the end.

Sophia has balls?

Another baby author (probably 20ish), the book is (or was when I got a hold of it) an unedited NaWriNoMo.

Definately needed a swift kick in any and every bit of anatomy that would have gotten her attention.

I wrote the review for another site, so I didn't post it here, but if you're curious...

http://bookpumper.com/2011/04/shiftin...

lol. tough audience :)

Yep, send me an unedited book, and prepare to be flayed alive!

Bethany wrote: "Well for me it's really a matter at aggravation at a book with so much potential but damaged by silly things that would have been easily fixed.

The author I read really does have a lot of talen..."

I can understand that. I think part of my annoyance is that I liked the author of the book, and had high hopes for it based on talking to her, then I got into it and... UGH!

Andre, speaking of deux ex machina, in Red Adept's review of one of my books (one she didn't like), she wrote: "The storyline was so convoluted that I began to think that the only way to tie is [sic] together was with a deux ex machina" -- but she admits she didn't finish the book, though she did get through 95% before abandoning it. As it happens, she was wrong. I wish she had finished the final 5% rather than leave that quasi-accusation (based on an assumption rather than fact) in a review on Amazon. The rest of her review was negative enough without that hanging over it, too.

I tried to give Red Adept a copy of IDITAROD. She sent it back twice because part of the title was in caps. Struck me as a prime case of a reviewer considering herself more important than the writers. Why should I ever change my title simply to please some reviewer?

Does she accept gift copies of books for review? I thought she bought all the books she reviews. (I like her, by the way -- something that might not have come across in my whine about the deux ex machina review.)

Can't remember whether there was a copy involved; I filled in her form and twice it came back with a demand that I not use capitals in the title. I dropped it there. Sure, I like here too, and her editing work; she can take quite a bit of credit for the awareness of quality among the Kindleboarders.

Is it smashwords that has a thing about caps in titles for the premium catalogue? Normally I would not use all caps, but it works in this case. I have a similar title and use caps on the cover, but went conventional in the metadata to keep everyone happy. lol.

I came to Smashwords late. By the time I arrived there I was bored and too rushed to fight city hall, and just gave in.

Ah yes. I see you did the same as I did on smashwords. lol.

Political satire, insect style: Over at my wife's site, I review Jonathan Gould's insect-based political fable Flidderbugs.

http://bit.ly/nlQ4oI

Dear old Dean Swift didn't know what he started...

Oh, sure, J.a., as if my Kindle wasn't full enough!

My brothers always read the Archy and Mehitabel series, so I read them too. I've always enjoyed that type of humour. Sounds like Flitterbugs would fit that bill and looks like a fast read...

Yeah, it's a quick novella. A good thing, I think. It was cute enough, but stretching out that premise would have made the whole thing fall in on itself.

Magic is for Authorized Personnel Only: At Good Book Alert, I review Shoshana Frerking's often sarcastic contemporary fantasy, A Highly Technickel Memoir

http://bit.ly/nRhYCR

Even the review has a giggle or two. I like that.

I've been trying to experiment with working more voice into my reviews. At the minimum, I'm trying more and more to match the voice of the book in the summary.

It's A) Good blurb practice
and B) helps communicate the book's style more.

Besides, both by editorial policy and personal design, I generally only review books that I liked, so it helps promote them more.

Er, Kyle, you're supposed to say something about the book, unless we're intended to read it from your expression.

My review of Margin Call (a new film): Skip it.

Yeah, I know: it's getting good reviews elsewhere, but I thought the real story would begin where the film ends. I wanted to know what happened next, but didn't care much about what led up to that moment. Irons was a ham, Spacey was swell as usual, and Demi Moore showed her age for a change. Demi's getting praise for her role, but I thought it was unimpressive -- something that could have been played just as adequately by anyone.

I watched Margin Call via Amazon's Instant Video service. Isn't it unusual for a new film to be available online at about the same time it's making its debut?

Tuesday Twofer:


Ambition, honor, and culture clash in ancient America: The Cahokian by Zoe Saadia: http://bit.ly/vTrOyy (Historical fiction)

The good thing about darkness is that it conceals what's out to get you: Diary of the Displaced by Glynn James (Horror) http://bit.ly/vtcKh0

Kyle wrote: "It's a book about three female friends and it follows them into adult hood. One of them is a murderer, and that's the mystery. I like this book because it keeps a person guessing.

Is this good, Andre."

I wanted to know what you think about it, Kyle.

Thanks. Sounds good.

So many writers one hears about for the first time in places like Goodreads.

I recently reviewed the film Tree of Life (official website, for what it's worth: http://www.twowaysthroughlife.com/), on our group blog at Boomers and Books.

Could have been a really beautiful story, had the director, Terence Malick (who also wrote the screenplay) made it into a story. It was disjointed and hard to connect with.

http://bit.ly/uqWqTe

Malick messed up a movie?!?! Badlands is one of my most-loved films.

Patricia, I'd love to get your take on the film. I've yet to talk to anyone who enjoyed it.

But take heart. After a career of very sporadic movies, he's now shooting not one but two, both apparently starring Christian Bale. He certainly seems to attract big names...

Sharon wrote: "Patricia, I'd love to get your take on the film. I've yet to talk to anyone who enjoyed it.
"

It looks like folks on Amazon are very divided in their opinions: http://www.amazon.com/Tree-Three-Disc...

I have a $14 credit for streaming videos so I may watch this one. A lot of the reviews mention the visual beauty, which was a big part of what appealed to me in Badlands. The opening, showing the house burning, was gorgeous, as were the bleak landscape shots throughout. Sissy and Martin (in what I consider his best role ever, even better than Apocalypse Now) were perfect in their roles, and the narration was poetic. So, yeah, I'll probably give this new one a shot.

Yeah, you will enjoy the middle of the film I am certain. It was beautifully done and Brad Pitt was Oscar-material good...

This quote from Robert Horton's review nicely encapsulates the experience: ...Yes, well, the answer to that question will determine whether you find Malick's film a profound exploration of existence or crazy-ambitious failure full of beautiful things...

I've been into horror for many years. Not just books but movies as well. At first it was occult but in my teens my friend Stephane Mezsaros turned me into real slasher films like Nightmare on Elm Street & the Evil Dead and Halloween. With that in mind I recently saw the Rob Zombie remake of Halloween and I like the first part, getting to the heart of how Mike Myers grew up. The child actor they chose is great and is chillingly creepy in a hitler youth creepiness. The rest of the film was regular slasher fare and was pretty lame actually.

Rob Zombie?

Gee, why not go all the way? Here, let me help out, invoice for consulting fee in the post:

Repow Ghenerique

(pronounced Ripoff Generic.)

Hollywood is gettng like all these tribute bands who aren't a patch on the original. What next, remakes of remakes?

A Wiccan, a vet, and a haunted bike: I review K.A. Jordan's Swallow The Moon

http://bit.ly/vqKSDb

Great review, J.a.

Ditto for K.A., LOL.

You da Man, J.A!

K.A.,

As a point of market data, you might want to take a look at the comment left by J.R. Tomlin on the review. Make of that what you will.