Bob,
There are different recommendation algorithms that are supposed to address these issues. The idea is that they try to hook you up with likeminded individuals -- meaning users who rated the same content similarly to you -- and then find something that they liked but you didn't try yet.
I think it's a good idea IN THEORY... I wonder how well it works in practice.
re: reviewing the topic, the mood the deailedness etc. it's possible to set up a review system to support reviews along different axes
-- I don't personally like the expression, but that's how they call it anyway
I just find that it too cumbersome for anyone to post a review in such a system.
In a brick and mortar book store I can sit down and start reading the book, even read it till the end if I'd like to... can I do the same in an ebook store? Probably not
Even though that would be the best way to convince me to buy it...
how about this wild idea:
I'd pay 1 cent per page to start reading the ebook online
at some point it would be just worhtwile in terms of price and convenience to just buy it and read it on a dedicated device.
at this point my money spent on "browsing" would be credited back to my purchase.
It'd be some sort of micropayment solution.
re: the bar is set high
I know exactly what you mean