ROBUST discussion

I just received a lovely review of Mark of the Dragon Queen from 'Dave'. As a fan of Treespeaker, he wasn't as taken with this one - especially not with the dragons - but it's still a great review and I'm really happy with it.

Nice, that.

Congrats.

Ouch...just got a 3 star rating from someone here on Goodreads for the same book. But then I realised she only gave The Book Thief 3 stars, too, so I feel better. :P

Another review, this time five stars! At least I know it's being read! :)
http://www.amazon.com/review/R2GYM09A...

Congrats!

Yeah, Katie!

3 star rating generally means 'I liked the book' here, I wouldn't read too much into that one.
All-five-star ratings are suspect to some readers, it could work to your benefit. It was a shame she didn't at least post a comment, but we must remember ratings are posted for the benefit of readers, not authors.

Thanks, Dave and Sharon. As you said, Sharon, the stars are for the readers and I've given what others think are really good books a low number of stars, so I can't complain.

One "Annieblue" was so outraged by STIEG LARSSON Man, Myth & Mistress that she couldn't wait till she finished the book, admitting she'd read only 60% of it, before sending in a review headlined "Angry". She clearly expected a hagiography, as she tells us by remarks like "I find 'Man Myth and Mistress' picking up on points that the average reader wouldn't be bothered about. They are stories. Fiction. Escapism. A bit of fun. Every one of my friends that has read the books has loved them. I really don't get the problem. It's not what I expected from the book at all..." and she's incandescent about us pointing out that neither author nor characters are feminists as the books' boosters claim.

Yet she fairly gives it three stars on this perfectly good logic: "I gave 3 stars only because it goes from 2 = don't like it to 3 = ok. My absolute comment would be 'Not keen at all'."

This is exactly the same logic that Keith Brooke, a professional writer, editor and critic who doesn't like the tone of the book much, and abhors its treatment of Gabrielsson (Larsson's "widow"), uses to give four stars, that absolute agreement isn't required to recognise a good book that makes its points well, even if you would want to see a different outcome. (Keith weighs in the scales that the book is a useful teaching aid in MFA classes.)

It's the same logic another reviewer uses to give a spiteful two stars.

So, as the author of a critique so controversial that he publishers of its subject tried to suppress the book with threats of lawyers before they read more than the title, I don't think anyone can complain about Annieblue's three star rating. (That's not to agree that her anger is well-found; she clearly didn't understand some of the points made in the book that she objects to. All I'm agreeing to is that her internal logic for giving three stars is sound, and pretty gracious too, considering how pissed off she is.)

Of course, STIEG LARSSON Man, Myth & Mistress is a controversial — some might say abrasive — polemic, whereas Katie's Mark of the Dragon Queen is fiction, intended to be loved by its intended audience. All the same, the logic holds. Anything between three and five is positive rating.

It would be too much to expect that everyone should love all books equally and maximally at five stars. Pretty suspicious too, as Sharon says.

Of course you want all five-stars! But I'm also one of those readers Sharon mentions who starts suspecting manipulation when there are only five-star reviews.

I don't think it's fair to the author to think a book can't earn all five-star reviews. If I were reviewing books, I'd give them all five stars because I wouldn't feel moved to review anything I didn't love.

For me, a better judge of the stars would be to look at the dates on the reviews. If they all came in a bunch, I might be suspicious, though it could be a book club reviewing within a narrow window of time. Then I'd check the reviewer's past reviews to see what was given, star-wise, to other books s/he read. But I don't read reviews prior to reading a book, so the reviews are beside the point to me. I also favor non-fiction and reviews can be influenced by one's politics instead of by the quality of the book. It makes the reviews pointless before reading them, and entertaining afterward.

Everyone feels differently about reviews. I don't give 5 stars unless I feel the book could be a classic, if everything got 5 stars how could I make that distinction. I've just read a really well-written book, great storyline, well-drawn characters, good settings, but enough flaws that it doesn't quite make the 5 stars - to me. But then if one looked at my written reviews they would know this about me and know that 4 stars denotes a really good book.

If I see only 5 stars on a book I am thinking of buying, I will check the 'other reviews from this reviewer'. I cannot tell you how many times the first few I look at have only the one review. I don't bother to check the rest. Fair or not, that's a red flag for me (though I sometimes still buy the book if the subject really interests me).

I used to post reviews but removed them because I was getting down votes, probably because I said so little -- just gave my general impression. I hate reviews that give away the story, so I was avoiding doing that. Thus, it must have looked like I didn't read the book or watch the film. I would be happier with just a like/didn't like button.

There are so many classics I don't care for, I'd never withhold a star because it was saved for what the masses would love. I would go just on how it affected me, and some unloved books have been my favorites over the years. Loved ones, too. As I've said before, my tastes are narrow. I do not care for most of what seems to sell best on Amazon. Books either click with me -- hit some magic button in my brain -- or they don't. If the click doesn't happen fast, I move on. But if the click happens and I then finish the book, there's a reason I did that. I thought it was five-star worthy.

The star system is highly personal, which is another reason not to take them personally.

I just don't see the point of spending my time reviewing books I'd give anything less than four or five stars. Generally, unless a book will merit four or five stars, I'm not likely to read more than ten pages of it, in most cases less than three pages before I decide the writer is "an author" because her mommie said she could be, not because she has any talent.

I don't read 4 and 5 star reviews when looking at purchasing a book. I check out the 1 star reviews first. Usually they are very indicative, at least for me, of whether I will like a book or not.

Claudine wrote: "I don't read 4 and 5 star reviews when looking at purchasing a book. I check out the 1 star reviews first. Usually they are very indicative, at least for me, of whether I will like a book or not."

Same here. Also; pure five star books are often the result of friends, family and colleagues leaving remarks and stars. There is nothing wrong with that, especially when a book is first out and available. However if I see a book has only five star reviews after being two years on Amazon I become suspicious. If I click on all the reviewers and they have collectively only ever commented on this one book, then my suspicious are on their way to confirmation.

In light of this I would be very pleased if one of you dropped by my book on Amazon and gave it a four star review :/

I just received a five star review for Mark of the Dragon Queen, all the more satisfying because it's written by a member of my target audience - a teenager. Unfortunately she's dropped some huge spoilers, but that can't be helped now.

http://www.amazon.com/review/R2G60HX5...

She didn't like the ending, saying it was sad and incomplete. Hopefully that means she'd like a sequel?

I hate reading reviews because of that very thing: she essentially told your story. Grrr. But those five stars are nice.

I hope she put a disclaimer before the spoilers. I see lots of reviewers doing the same thing without a warning. Another reason why I try not to divilge much of the plot and stick with my impressions only.

Great to get the good review, sorry to hear about the spoilers.

I think I'm going to cry! :)

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/8...

Ooh, nice. And those are good people with decent taste that one likes spending time with.

And just when I thought things couldn't get any better - they got even better -

http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/8...

I wonder if they'll let me (try to) answer the questions?

I told you, those are good people with excellent taste. I always include them in book launches.

It's a board where writer involvement is definitely encouraged but if it were me I would neither offer to help with setting the questions, nor answer them; reason: it's reader involvement and you don't want to do the slightest thing to reduce it. There are many other ways in which you can be present and supportive.

I was joking, Andre! :(

You don't want to crack jokes like that. Polite people might invite you to take part in the quiz. You'd look a right berk if you can't answer any of the questions about your own book.

This is all so surreal, Andre, I'm beginning to wonder if it was really me who wrote the book!

It takes a few years in the business to reach an understanding that what the writer intends to say, or believes she said, and what the reader reads, are usually not the same thing. Anyone who claims to be comfortable with that feeling is either a liar or certifiable, though psychopaths do well at ignoring the apprehension attendant upon the dichotomy of comprehension.

Wonderful news, Katie. Your 'friends and family' are certainly supporting you!

Just keep on truckin'... (and writing!)

BTW,

Katie stopped by my blog to talk about where she gets her ideas:

www.riftwatcher.blogspot.com/2012/05/...

Ooh, that's an excellent piece. I like the image of Katie sitting in library, recovering books just for something to do, listening to a musical on her earphones, getting an idea. It's so difficult to explain the pure randomnes of an idea arriving, but the anecdote makes it quite clear that the best ideas arrive at a blank mind, tangentially, and are not sought after.

Andre Jute wrote: "Ooh, that's an excellent piece. I like the image of Katie sitting in library, recovering books just for something to do, listening to a musical on her earphones, getting an idea. It's so difficult ..."

Yep, that's why I write good stories, because I frequently have a blank mind! :)

Unlike me, at least you have a mind.

Maya Lantz on The Dragon's Inkpot just gave Mark of the Dragon Queen 5 stars! Well, 5 Dragon's Inkpots actually.

"Mark of the Dragon Queen is a highly riveting and original novel."

Sigh. I needed that! :P

Good for you!!

Katie wrote: "Maya Lantz on The Dragon's Inkpot just gave Mark of the Dragon Queen 5 stars! Well, 5 Dragon's Inkpots actually."

Imagine rapping a dragon across the knuckles for having inkspots on its fingers

Yeah, Katie! Hope that helps your sales!

Finally found time to review Mark of the Dragon Queen on Amazon:

http://amzn.to/MEeTTg

Also posted here on Goodreads...

I really enjoyed the book and am thrilled to know such a talent. Katie, you have nothing to worry about. Your star will continue to shine brighter and brighter in a long career, I am certain.

Oh, Thank you, Sharon! That's a great review! I really appreciate it.

Suitable tweet at http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/9...

Thanks Andre. I was about to tweet about the review earlier but when I went there discovered it had been picked up by GR. Didn't even know I had set up a feed from there, grin.

Later I will tweet again to catch the downunder crowd.

Congrats.

Congratulations, Katie!

It's a very short review, but it says all the right things!

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

It doesn't get much better than that!

Great stuff, Katie.

Fabulous, Katie! Who wouldn't want to buy the book after that?

'Tis funny, I have a couple of reviews I plan to do in the next few weeks. One I know I will post to Amazon, the other likely only on GR. For the GR one I only wanted to say a sentence or two, this review gives me a couple of good ideas on the approach - and perhaps if I can get it right I will still post on the Zon...

I like short, snappy reviews.

K.A. wrote: "I like short, snappy reviews."

So do I, as long as they're in my favour!

I just spent some time worrying that I'd lost a review of this book. I used to have 15, now I have 14. Then I realised that the one that vanished was a 3-star that expressed great disappointment in the lack of emotion in the book...despite others commenting on the 'emotional rollercoaster'. Needless to say, I'm not going to complain! In this event, it's a case of 'you lose some, you win some'.

Maybe it is someone who wanted to spite you personally for some long ago schoolyard slight, who has now found Jesus and therefore withdrawn the review.

There's a story in it. "Mission Fields of Astabula".