Over the past few months, I've bought a number of self-published Amazon books for anything from nothing to a couple of pounds. It's a great way of trying out the work of authors who haven't been able to get a publishing deal and some have been very good.
However, I've noticed that there seems to be a trend for truly dreadful ones to have large numbers of five star reviews. On reading these allegedly gripping, enthralling, unputdownable books, many have been so bad that any five star review seems utterly bizarre.
This is really hacking me off. I don't begrudge wasting a couple of quid on crap books and I can understand a few friends and family chucking in generous reviews to help out. I do, though, begrudge wasting several hours of my life reading something bought on the basis of a hundred or more reviews that appear to be little more than organised self-promotion.
I quite like the Amazon review system but it seems to be falling apart for these books. Minor rant over.
However, I've noticed that there seems to be a trend for truly dreadful ones to have large numbers of five star reviews. On reading these allegedly gripping, enthralling, unputdownable books, many have been so bad that any five star review seems utterly bizarre.
This is really hacking me off. I don't begrudge wasting a couple of quid on crap books and I can understand a few friends and family chucking in generous reviews to help out. I do, though, begrudge wasting several hours of my life reading something bought on the basis of a hundred or more reviews that appear to be little more than organised self-promotion.
I quite like the Amazon review system but it seems to be falling apart for these books. Minor rant over.