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Fake reviewers on the attack on Amazon

Reviews are always biased. The trick is to find out the reviewers who share your bias and place more credence in their reviews than others with regards to your specific need, i.e., "will I like this book". That being said, I still like to read reviews written by people I would consider to have crazy, insane biases with little base in reality. :D
 
Occlith said:
I'm always leery of any review for an item that is 5 star and has way too much detail and filled with jargon or a one sentence review saying that the item is great and uses exclamation points.
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A review like that on here from a person with 1 post is a sure-fire sign that the poster is the author or a friend or relative of the author.



Occlith said:
For books reviews it's probably best to just read those by reputable reviewers and word of mouth by actual readers.
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That's why I only listen to beer good and joderu. And sometimes AquaBlue.
 
Well than,

Not much I can say after that post, Will. I understand your point. I read the word disagree and felt the need to rebuttal. Unfortunately I chose the wrong person to challenge. :)

You write very well, my friend. (Thanks for going easy on me)
 
Thanks for the debate, and I look forward to many more in the future. It's all about discussion and sharing ideas - after all how else do we learn and evolve but from exchanging different ideas. Because I disagree doesn't mean I'm right by any means.

I think I feel so strongly about overuse of style and technique analysis in reviewing a text as I believe they can remove emotional layers from a book. For me, that's a huge part of why I read - and curiously I do agree with aspects of your point - we may be biased based on certain experiences, but that's not at all bad I feel. I guess also though, someone could offer a completely different critical and style analysis based upon experiences too, no? That's what I love about literature and its appreciation - there are no wrong answers. Just genuinely passionate readers and debate.

Anyway, catch you around mate :cool:
 
Somehow I find it comforting that the fake reviews are not confined to self-pubbed authors, as one might have been inclined to suspect, but to published authors too. The mud smears broadly. How the mighty do fall!
 
Peder said:
Somehow I find it comforting that the fake reviews are not confined to self-pubbed authors, as one might have been inclined to suspect, but to published authors too. The mud smears broadly. How the mighty do fall!
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All published writers fear being dropped by their publishers so the temptation to push sales must be great for many of them.
 
Conscious Bob said:
All published writers fear being dropped by their publishers so the temptation to push sales must be great for many of them.
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Oh, I can easily believe that, when I look at the torures that an acquaintance of mine is going through trying to get published in the first place. :sad:
 
It looks like it is getting more embarrassing, with the stain spreading to include publisher collusion, but still no condemnation of those loathsome self-pubbers.
 
And another.

Writers and publishers have been paying for reviews for decades. It's a well-known practice. Do people really think that giving a free copy away to a reviewer is not a bribe? Sorry, it is.
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Can't say I entirely agree with that.
 
beer good said:
And another.


Can't say I entirely agree with that.
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I agree with you.

It is more like "attempted bribe," I would say.

I remember a civic official once who was on trial for accepting money in return for favors. His defense was that, yes, he accepted the money but, no, he did not perform the expected favors. I wouldn't exactly call that integrity but, in the case of reviewers, obviously the reviewer's integrity is his shield.

Carry on with your good reviews. :flowers:
 
readsalot said:
even negative reviews might tempt people to pick up a book.
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Aye. The negative reviews and outright hate by many for 50 Shades prompted Peder to read it to see what all the fuss was about. Or at least that's what he wanted us to believe. :whistling:
 
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