Is it ever okay to condemn a book without even attempting to read it?

[darryl]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The danger comes when you go from "I don't want to read that book" to "nobody else should be allowed to read it either".

If a book breaks the law, which a book containing instructions for child molestation certainly would (in the UK, anyway), the bookseller would be breaking the law in selling it. If a book merely offends you (as some books seem to offend some religious nuts), then that's a perfectly valid reason not to buy it yourself, but no reason at all to think that you have the right to let your morals dictate what other people should or should not be allowed to read.

Well put Harry.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I certainly wouldn't disagree with that. One of my faults is an inability to abandon bad books. I always cling to the (rarely-fulfilled) hope that they'll improve .

I've read too many books I wish I had given up on. Two that come to mind are Outlander and the even worse Battlefield Earth.

[darryl]

Originally Posted by gbm

Sarah Hoyt does true justice to this issue.

https://accordingtohoyt.com/2017/08/10/being-free/

Looks like I should have been reading books and author web sites yesterday for enjoyment instead of happy spending hours reading court filing.*

bernie

*
Lawyers write some of the best fiction in court filings.

I've just read the linked article. Whilst it would be overstating things to say that I am in awe of it, that does convey the idea. It is logically argued and beautifully expressed. If you haven't read it, do so. @gbm, thanks for the link. I'm off to read some Sarah Hoyt.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Blossom

0I know 50 Shades

That is a very poorly written book. The second book is worse and the third the worst of the lot. How they got so popular I just have no idea. One major issue is these books don't even get the BDSM correct. They are somewhat dangerous books.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

That is a very poorly written book. The second book is worse and the third the worst of the lot. How they got so popular I just have no idea. One major issue is these books don't even get the BDSM correct. They are somewhat dangerous books.

Did you read them? I read them for you guys if you remember. I still have flashbacks. My inner goddess was traumatized. There was no way I was going to read the crossfire series after I got to like the third chapter I was like this is 50 Shades just rewritten. No way I'm going through that again. My inner goddess agrees.

Sent from my Nexus 7

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by theducks

Sure it is.
As long as your review only covers that which you did.review:

" I hated the cover because..."
"The book was poorly assembled and fell apart before I got to the 'Title page"
"There were 5 typos/spelling errors in the Prologue. Why continue to read?"

Your last point may not be valid. I've read some backlist books that were full of errors that where not originally in the book because after the books were scanned/OCRed, they weren't proofed. So it's not the author who screwed up, it's publisher for allowing unproofed ORCed eBooks to be sold.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Dinosaur sock monkey love

And here's the offspring.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

And here's the offspring.

Attachment 158394

I needed a good laugh.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Blossom

Did you read them? I read them for you guys if you remember. I still have flashbacks. My inner goddess was traumatized. There was no way I was going to read the crossfire series after I got to like the third chapter I was like this is 50 Shades just rewritten. No way I'm going through that again. My inner goddess agrees.

Sent from my Nexus 7

You have to read this review of the third book. It's so perfect.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/231966862

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by crich70

I needed a good laugh.

Love it.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

And here's the offspring.

Attachment 158394

Here is what I loved.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I wasn't thinking of fake reviews by the author, but of the situation where "fans" of an author will give a book 5-star reviews as soon as it appears on Amazon (or whatever site we're talking about), even before it's released, on the grounds of "any book X writes is going to be great!".

Or the reviews and ratings that appear before even ARC copies are available. Goodreads is the site I notice this the most on -- Harbinger (book 5 in the Elfhome series) for example has 3 5 star and 1 4 star ratings -- one from 2015. The latest from Wen Spencer is that the expected release is sometime in 2018 (August 33rd? ) and the title is still just a working title.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Or the reviews and ratings that appear before even ARC copies are available. Goodreads is the site I notice this the most on -- Harbinger (book 5 in the Elfhome series) for example has 3 5 star and 1 4 star ratings -- one from 2015. The latest from Wen Spencer is that the expected release is sometime in 2018 (August 33rd? ) and the title is still just a working title.

A psychic reading perhaps?

[kacir]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It's also not realistic. You do not get men running around with no shirts looking for women to fall for them.
...
And from what I've heard, I don't want to. But, the men in the romance books are well fit and muscled.

Have you ever visited your local gym?
I am pretty sure there are a few specimens there ;-)

[theducks]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Your last point may not be valid. I've read some backlist books that were full of errors that where not originally in the book because after the books were scanned/OCRed, they weren't proofed. So it's not the author who screwed up, it's publisher for allowing unproofed ORCed eBooks to be sold.

I put up with a lot more , when my wallet remains intact. $2.99 for cr*p editing, is still cr*p.

We are condemning the 'book', the old definition, when the print run was 'the book' (edition).