Category Archives: Reviews

Fantasy, Reviews, Steampunk

THE WRENCH IN THE MACHINE by Bonsart Bokel – a Review

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By INFAMOUS 🦀

Though The Wrench In The Machine is officially Book 1 of the ‘Association of Ishtar’ novel series by visionary Bonsart Bokel, this represents just one small cog (pun intended!) in his enormous worldbuilding machine. To call the author just ‘a writer’ wouldn’t do him any justice. The man has a vision and writing is but one single layer of his vision. We will have Mr Bokel in a Q&A interview soon, where we will be able to take a deeper dive into this vision.

 

When Inspector David Ol’Barrow answers the call to a railway triple murder, he finds himself involved in affairs way above his pay grade, involving secret societies, associations, and individuals of questionable backgrounds. With the unusual company of a strange young girl, Igraine, and three-legged mut, Old Boy, Ol’Barrow must rely on his instincts and intuition to stay ahead of the game…And that’s only the beginning!

So you may ask, is this a Sherlock Holmes-ish type of trope? The answer would be: No. It does have a mystery murder element to it but it’s not that. This is something new, fresh, and innovative that is based on three major components: historical, technological, and supernatural. The author is able to combine those components in ways that we haven’t read before, and the result is a brand new sub-genre with infinite possibilities.

Of course many might label this as ‘steampunk’ since the author is and has been a student and expert of the genre for years. But to call this steampunk would too be inaccurate, though it lays some of its roots in the genre, albeit detaching itself from the clique associated to it.

To me, the Association of Ishtar is where new fiction goes ‘next level’. In a fantasy literature market oversaturated with the same old tired out tropes and cliques, it is rare to find some originality comparable to this.

If there is one single personal irk I had with the novel itself that would be the father/daughter relationship that develops between Ol’Barrow and Igraine. I liked the execution and how this relationship grows organically from beginning to end of the story. You can see how Ol’Barrow goes from annoyed with the girl, to curious, to slightly caring for her, to risking his life for her. But in the end, she really comes off kind of cold, not even reciprocating the love he displays throughout their ordeal. I was expecting her to at least be a little more grateful, but honestly she seemed more excited to have her little doll Arwin back than anything…

To finish on a positive note, I’m glad to say that Wrench In The Machine puts Bonsart Bokel in my list of ‘legendary’ guest authors of the likes of R. V. Mills, M. Lane, and E. Laurence Jr.

Looking forward to reading book 2!

🦀

Interview, Reviews

Your Go-To Site for Discovering Good Reads

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2024 is off to a pretty good start this year, this blog is back to fulfilling its original purpose: spreading the news of good reads still being produced, by authors you might not have ever discovered without Virtual Pulp.

For those who are late to the party, here’s some of the authors we’ve featured here so far just since New Year’s:

 

Adventure:

Milton Lane

Fantasy:

Ernie Laurence, Jr.

Michael R. Schultheiss

Jonathan Shuerguer

Sci-Fi:

Misha Burnett

Robert Kroese

Hans Schantz

Sword & Sorcery:

James Krake

Robert Victor Mills

Eric Waag

It’s no coincidence that these are all indie authors, either. Tradpub fiction sucks, with few exceptions. Sure, there is a lot of indie fiction that stinks just as bad as tradpub. But thanks to Gio and me, it’s now easy for you to find the diamonds in the rough.

Have I missed anybody so far? Don’t worry–the Infamous Gio is a reviewing/interviewing machine, and he’s got a lot more lined up for you. In fact, this very week is already packed with reviews and an interview. (Steampunk fans should feel right at home.)

This is worth remembering:

First of all, nobody pays us to do this. We even buy the books/comics/whatever ourselves. We don’t owe anybody anything.

Secondly, we are honest. We want to find/read good books. We like giving indie authors a signal boost. When we enjoy something, we like sharing our experience, so others can enjoy it, too. But when we think a book is bad, we will let you know we think it’s bad. If it’s good, but misses the mark in one or more aspect, we will say so. It’s nothing personal against the author. We might even be fond of the author as a human being, but we are still going to be honest.

Speaking for myself, I’ve got empathy out the wazoo for my fellow indie authors. I know the odds stacked against them and the petty, unfair, and even diabolical crap most of them have to wade through just to make a sale. I’m very pleased when an indie has put together a masterpiece. But if it ain’t a masterpiece, I’m not gonna try to convince people it is.

At the same time, we won’t get butthurt if you disagree with us over the quality of a book. We’re not gonna  unfriend you, block, mute, or cancel you because we have different opinions. (We might debate with you, because that can be healthy and stimulating.)

We’re not gonna engage in shady behavior to steal somebody’s traffic, or reduce their traffic–even though that has been done to us, by individuals supposedly on our side in the Culture War. We’re not jealous because other blogs also share quality content, or are reviewing indie work. I wish there were more indie reviewers out there working through their towering TBR piles like we are–especially if they’re honest.

How about drama?

I suspect there are some talented creatives out there who identify as #IronAge. From what I know, I fit under that umbrella, too.

I’m sure there are talented creatives associated with #Comicsgate, too.

Unfortunately, it appears there are overly sensitive (or perhaps just drama-addicted) folks on both sides locked in a pissing contest over some petty BS even they probably can’t explain the origin of. I’ve been honing my craft/plying my trade alone, and don’t know that many people from either side yet. IOW I have no dog in this fight. I also believe it’s a silly, counterproductive fight. Same with Eric July vs. Ethan Van Sciver. I’ve got more important items on my to-do list than to take part in all that drama. I’m also annoyed that I have to wade through all that silly drama to find anything that interests me as a reader, a novelist, and an aspiring graphic novelist.

Bottom line: I’m not gonna take anybody’s side in one of these squabbles based on what hashtag they’re associated with.

The Good News:

There’s a lot of quality entertainment being written in the indie-sphere, and we’re gonna help you find it.  (And some of it is mine, so consider looking at my work, too.) We’re also hosting the Infamous Writing Contest, to discover and showcase even more talented writers, whose published work you may be unfamiliar with.

We put out consistent content here, so stop by on the regular and let us know what you think. Consider subscribing to the blog, so you’ll never miss a post. And tell others about us and what we’re doing. We’re trying to grow our Internet footprint, and you can help with that.

 

 

Cyberpunk, Reviews

ECHOES THROUGH DISTANT GLASS (BEYOND CASCADIA): BOOK ONE – a Review

8 Comments

(Author: S. KIRK PIERZCHALA)

Review by INFAMOUS 🦀

Echoes is a very well-written story which, however, could have been trimmed down to half its length and still manage to deliver everything it does. I’ll explain what I mean in a moment.

When a sample of a seemingly new, potentially devastating biological weapon is seized by special agency ITOD, agent Owen McIntyre finds himself involved in the dealings of the most dangerous Colombian cartel led by the Chen family. Deciding to go undercover and befriend the younger of the two Chen brothers (Tomas) in order to gather crucial evidence, Owen finds himself in a roller coaster of struggles; both physical and psychological. 

On the surface this seems a pretty cut and dry cyberpunk trope, if it wasn’t for the infusion of ‘humanity’ the author instilled in it. Though we do have good guys vs villains, we also learn that people in this futuristic world sometimes simply try to deal the cards handed to them the best they can. Owen gets a rude awakening when he discovers the true situation Tomas is in and even develops some sort of ‘friendship’ with the guy.

Will Owen be able to accomplish his mission, or will the Chen family (headed by resourceful and ambitious brother Francisco) keep controlling the world economies from behind the curtains?

As I mentioned earlier, Pierzchala can write some brilliant prose, and she digs deep into the minds of each character to expose their innermost joys, fears, worries, and inner struggles. What I notice though is that this approach can reach a point of diminishing returns by slowing down the pace too much and extending the story beyond what the reader may find engaging. Particularly when it comes to this specific genre, you want a fast-paced, story-driven narrative to keep the audience on the edge.

Segments like the road trip that Owen and Tomas go on felt like dragging too much, with just a couple of events that never impacted the story in any significant way. A lot of chapters are filled with ordinary tasks as these characters just go through the motion.

In addition to the overall pace I just discussed, it’s also worth mentioning some plot points that felt weak. Example: knowing that you have a spy under your roof and that he’s wired, destroying his wire device won’t help you much since by then his backup most likely already has a location locked on you. You should be running, and quick, not partying!

But I digress…


Echoes Through Distant Glass is an overall interesting ‘cyberpunk/drama’ that suffers from a few pace/plot hiccups. Sometimes it’s tough to find that fine balance in a story that wants to be both character-driven and story-driven. I honestly feel that cutting out a lot of content from the final draft could have turned this into an overall more dynamic narrative. But that’s just my take.

INFAMOUS 🦀

Adventure, Fantasy, Reviews

The Devil out the Wych Elm by Robert Victor Mills – a Review

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Part 3 of a 6-part review series by THE INFAMOUS REVIEWER

 

In the third tale of Man of Swords, we find our hero crucified to a tree and barely alive, before being rescued and restored back to health by a family of fauns. How did Rhoye ever get in this predicament? And why would this local family want to aid a total stranger?

Well you’ll have to read to find out, but my job here really is to analyze the writing from a PCP (prose/characters/plot) standpoint. Objectively and fairly.

The ‘highlight reel’ definitely belongs to the Faun family: father Olnbirch, mother Khirra, and young daughter Zairre. What distinguishes them is their altruism and devotion to live a quiet and peaceful life, never to compromise their beliefs and code of ethics. Zairre particularly has some very special moments. With her innocence, she can melt the most hardened of hearts ( well, almost any). The way these three characters are written is so delightful that we can’t help but feel emotionally invested in their whereabouts.

Trouble starts when a group of greedy miners start harassing our beloved family in order to take their land which supposedly is rich in gold. The family is not willing to leave their land and that’s when things get ‘complicated’ since Rhoye is by now back in almost full health and strength.

This reminded me of a Spaghetti Western film adaptation in a sense. Only that instead of taking place in the Wild West it takes place in the Wandered Lands. It is gripping, exciting…But it could have been executed even better in my opinion and here is why:

Pace: from the time the miners give the family their ultimatum to leave the farm there is a long chunk of time when not much really happens. It’s just Rhoye living with the Faun family and helping them around the farm. This, I felt, was too drawn out: they work the fields, go visit other faun neighbors, go dance at some local harvest festival…

Dialogue: some of the dialogues were redundant and unnecessary. If we witness a particular action scene take place first hand, we don’t need one of the characters to give a thorough account of those events in the first person later, because we already know all about it. This creates unnecessary bloating. 

Overall, The Devil out of Wych Elm remains a solid tale worth reading. Again, the Faun family, their reaction to adversities, their meekness, their willingness to not live by the ‘eye for an eye’ rule, all of that is what makes this so special.

Not the best we’ve seen from Mills, yet highly recommended!

Adventure, Fantasy, Reviews

The Sword and the Sunflower by Mark Bradford – a Review

2 Comments

Review by INFAMOUS 🦀

I truly wanted to like this story, and the author is a standout human being, but unfortunately I have to be objective and report that I could find very little to praise about here.

The story suffers from several issues; from character development, to pacing, to some prosaic choices, and even too frequent and unnecessary line breaks.

Basically the story is about two individuals, Stojan and Anastazja, who (after losing their beloved ones, respectively) find one another and build a father/daughter relationship, while traveling across a dystopian world somewhere in a post-apocalyptic future.

On the surface, the premises sound good and intriguing. However a further look will reveal several weaknesses in how this was executed.

We meet Stojan, a former captain turned assassin who lost his will to live since the death of his daughter 3 years prior. When he takes on a ‘job’ by a so-called Bishop to assassinate a particular individual whom the prophecy has indicated to be a future threat to the Bishop himself, Stojan embarks on a journey that takes a strange turn: he falls in love with Anastazja and can no longer fulfill his task.

Now, I get that Stojan has lost his daughter and he’s still mourning, but every time we introduce a character that has the power and influence of healing the pain of a loss, the new relationship has to feel organic and it has to build up in steps, gradually, to feel believable. This doesn’t happen here. From the moment Stojan sets his eyes on Ana he’s already fallen in love with her as a father with a daughter. It all feels rushed and kind of weird in a way.

Another weird plot choice is the way Ana’s biological father dies in the story. For the sake of avoiding spoilers, I encourage you to read that particular scene for yourself.

The other problem I found was the pace: after the two main characters come together and embark on their trip across these lands, everything feels very slow and tedious. They cross the ocean from a region called Poliska (Poland? Europe?) to another region called Amira (America?), and the most exciting thing that happens is ending up in a Native American colony where they spend a whole year just enjoying the lifestyle of their host. Nothing significant happens, except for perhaps having two of the Indian tribal chiefs arguing over what new tribal name to assign to Ana (I’m totally serious).

When the two protagonists decide to leave the Indian community there’s more hiking, more riding horses across vast lands, and more NOTHING….

Some of the prosaic choices I also found not ideal given this world: in this futuristic world most people are illiterate or barely know how to read, yet their spoken language is very articulate and even more sophisticated than ours is today. It’s almost as if these people somehow went back to speaking Shakespearean English though not even having any books around anymore.

To conclude, it is with sadness that I must admit that the only true highlight of this book and most uplifting moment was when I finally turned to the last page.

If you think I must be exaggerating or being too harsh, by all means buy a copy and read it for yourself. I would love your comments.

 

INFAMOUS 🦀

Historical, Reviews

Codex Babylon by Robert Kroese – a Review

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How could I pass up a novel with time travel, demonic conspiracies, the Knights Templar and their modern day descendent (an organization called GRAIL–see what they did, there?)?

GRAIL has a time machine. They’ve been monitoring demonic activity in the present day and believe the world is at the breaking point because of it. But if they are able to recover a Medieval text on demonology (the eponymous Codex Babylon), they might just be able to turn the spiritual tide against the unseen enemy.

Martin Raines is a unicorn honest attorney who has just won a case that could open big doors in his career. But he is choosing early retirement instead. He doesn’t just want to leave the rat race of law, but the Current Year dystopian madhouse altogether. Neither he, nor the narrator, bother to articulate just what all is wrong with modern society, but he knows things are getting increasingly ugly. He is relocating his family to rural Idaho, where he hopes to protect them from the worst of whatever insanity is yet to come.

The ambiguity of the demonic outbreak was no problem for a reader like me. Whatever the author means by “demonic activity,” it was easy for me to assume he was referring to the Cold Civil War, the culture war, and the spiritual conflict behind them. A normie reader would just chalk it up to a fictional aspect of the world the author built, and read on, giving it no more thought than the existence of monsters in a Larry Correa novel.

GRAIL finds Martin and informs him that his instinctive revulsion to current events and trends isn’t ultimately due to woketardery (or whatever), but instead is a result of a drastic upsurge in an age-old demonic force.  It will soon achieve such power that Martin’s family won’t be safe, even in Idaho. To have a chance at checking the demonic power, GRAIL needs the Codex Babylon. And Martin is their best candidate to send back to get it.

After the obligatory hero’s resistance, Martin finally agrees and is transported back to the Middle East in between crusades.

The Knights Templar, like so many institutions, started out with good intentions, but eventually transformed into something antithetical to their original purpose. Kroese has his main character go back to the point in history when the Templars’ apostacy arguably began.

That, too, was one battle in the demons’ war against the good, beautiful, and true.

What we know about Martin Raines is:

  • He loves his family.
  • He’s fairly well-studied in history.
  • He’s better-than-average at learning languages.
  • When he dreams, he can communicate with GRAIL’s empath (?) back in the 21st Century.

Martin’s quest is a frustrating tour of Medieval Europe and the Middle East, chasing the spoor of anybody who might know where to find the demonology book. There were times when I felt like yelling at some of the characters. (“Go look at the papers on Benedict’s desk, you dolts!” “Don’t trust her, you moron!”) However, if you can accept time travel as a plot device, everything that happens in the story is believable.

Codex Babylon is Book One of The Cross-Time Crusade Series. It does arguably stand alone. But the link (cliffhanger) to the next book in the series does seem rather tacked-on. This is a common issue with series fiction. Authors employ different literary tactics to make episodic novels both stand alone and work as an integrated narrative. Sometimes they work better than others.

Another common issue with series fiction is that the first book ends after setting the stage, but often before the story hits its stride. This might be the case here, too. There’s a lot of intriguing ingredients introduced in this book. I may have to read Book Two (paid link) to see what  kind of dish is produced from this recipe.

Action, Fantasy, Reviews

Man of Swords: The Knight Who Would Not Kneel – a Review

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(Part 2 of a 6-part series by the INFAMOUS REVIEWER GIO)

“King Orrefiah was downed, bleeding, while all about him brayed death. On either hand his retinue lay slain, pierced and hacked, their faces trodden to the mud.”

 

After reading Eye and the Dragon, the first of the tales in Man of Swords (paid link), we might have assumed that perhaps this whole collection was going to be less story-driven and more gearing towards the ‘abstract’ and the ‘ethereal’…WRONG.

The Knight Who Would Not Kneel once again brings back the R.V. Mills we experienced in the Isle of the Shrine of the Sick’ning Scarab. Only BETTER, if that were even possible!

Let me explain: this second tale is something that sees more action, more glorious army battles, and more fierce individual combats than we can handle…and yet, that’s not how this tale truly sets itself apart from the rest. 

After saving King Orrefiah’s life on the battlefield, young Rohye–now in his late teens–finds himself reluctantly serving as one of the king’s official knights. He distinguishes himself on the battlefield time and time again against the barbaric hordes that keep threatening the kingdom through pillaging and invasions. However, Rohye frowns upon the extreme military tactics used by the king to completely annihilate the foreign tribes.

Fast-forward a year or so to when the kingdom finally seems to be experiencing a longer lasting period of  peace, but the king, now in poor health and hunted by his conscience, asks Rohye to accompany him on a pilgrimage to a mythical tower where a source of supernatural healing lies hidden.

The synergy between Rohye and King Orrefiah is the apex of this entire story. Rohye is not sure why he’s even willing to aid the ill king, but he can sense that there is a reason that would be revealed in due time. The king in his ill state seeks healing (but truthfully, redemption from his crimes of war he has committed). Combine a rich cast of supporting characters, a superb ‘Shakespearean’ prosaic style and you have a true masterpiece! 

The Knight Who Would Not Kneel should be read by anybody and everybody; it should be adapted to plays, movies, music; and it should be the topic of discussion of every literature roundtable across the globe. 

The fact that the story has so many layers to it would make it a challenge to cover it all in just 1 review. But that’s what makes it so special, it puts the reader in a position to explore and discover over and over again.

New legends in the making. History in the making.

Thank you Mr. Mills!

Action, Adventure, Reviews

Island of the Lost by Milton Lane – a Review

2 Comments

Review by INFAMOUS 🦀

 

When I first decided to review this I was a bit nervous. What made me feel that way was the disclosure found under the book details on Amazon:

 

“Paperback and ebook editions have been revised and updated following customer feedback as of 31 OCT 23.”

 

To me that was an instant red flag as the term ‘revision’ these days can mean anything in a book. What was revised exactly is something I will further discuss with the author in an upcoming Q&A interview, so stay tuned.

By the time I was done reading, however, I knew this was going to enter our 5-star elite club here at VP! This novel absolutely delivers everything you would expect by looking at its cover (fantastic cover, by the way!). All my fears wiped away, Milton Lane absolutely crushed it by bringing back a traditional pulp classic genre that is authentic, respectful of those authors who pioneered the genre, and keeping a fine balance between fantasy trope injected with an acute sense of realism.

After surviving the mysterious sinking of the ship The Invincible, former Naval Officer Hannibal Harken (a.k.a. The Adventurer) finds himself stranded on an uncharted island with a group of other survivors. Now, facing not only the natural adversities that the island itself poses, but also some not-so-friendly locals, the Adventurer must rely on his skills, intuition, and a few unexpected friends, to survive and get back to civilization.

Pretty simple concept, and yet SO easy to bungle up if the writer doesn’t do his homework. Fortunately in The Island of the Lost (paid link) this is not the case. Far from it!

Lane is able to capture that retro pulp style we got to know in Doc Savage, Solomon Kane, and even The Shadow to an extent. The story moves along nicely beginning to end, the prose is classic 1930s-40s style with rich and witty dialogues. 

The characters are not dull and predictable. In fact, although there are a few good looking female characters featured, our main character does not get involved in a romance, or ‘demand’ a heartfelt kiss from the girl before going on risking his life. Not that there’s anything wrong with romantic tropes, but as an astute writer you also gotta know when this would aid the story or  simply feel too forced while doing nothing to propel the main narrative.

Last thoughts that really bring this review to a positive conclusion: this story is self-contained. It has a 1)beginning,  2)bridge, 3)climax, and 4)conclusion. You don’t have to wait for the next book in the series to find out what happens, yet, at the same time you hope there will be more adventures facing the Adventurer so that we can join him amidst strange lands, strange peoples, and the pursuit of TRUTH!

Adventure, Fantasy, Reviews

Man of Swords: The Eye and the Dragon – a Review

6 Comments

By THE INFAMOUS REVIEWER GIO

 

Note from THE INFAMOUS: this is the first of a 6-part review series that will cover each tale included in Man of Swords by R. V. Mills. I feel that Mills is the most exciting fantasy pulp writer of the last few years and his latest publication deserves a thorough breakdown which would be impossible to achieve in one single review. Hope you guys will tag along for the ride and enjoy this as much as we will!

 

 

“Through spilt milk of stars, whirls of worlds most wondrous, spirals of splendour spinning atop the fingertips of Gods, through void unimagined he raced to straits and reaches never by mortal seen.”

 

If this short tale does not find an initial overwhelmingly warm reception from a majority of readers, I will understand why. Let me explain.

This is the opening short story of Man of Swords (paid link), and it takes us back to a time of a young Rhoye before he was even called as such. This is not a very story-driven tale and that’s why some folks might find it too slow or even downright boring. Not much happens if you’re expecting epic battles, sword fights, or the rescuing of damsels in distress.

Basically this is about young Rohye’s initiation, the quest to find his identity as a man, and for the most part the story will take us into a world between reality and dream (I wonder what Uncle put in that drink they gave Rhoye!). 

Under the watchful eye of the old Shaman, young Rohye goes up the Mountain to sit in a cave where all sorts of lucid dreams will take him through a trippy interdimensional experience. 

Nothing makes sense on the surface but that’s the nature of dreams after all. It’s hard to deny traces of E. A. Poe and H. P. Lovecraft here.

Despite the slow pace, what makes this a must-read is its prosaic style. Mills is a master of the English language and this is a perfect example of it. It is a delight to read the beautiful words that create this world of visions and dreams. You feel transported to a dream world along with the main character and get to experience the ethereal realms young Rohye visits. THAT, my friends, is worth taking the time to read this opening act! 

It’s not always about the well-choreographed fight scenes or the intricate subplots. Sometimes you just gotta let the magic of exquisite prose take you to another realm!



Our series will continue in 2 weeks with part 2 of 6: “The Knight Who Would Not Kneel”


	

	
	




	
	

			
	

				

			Pet Peeves, Politics/Current Events, Reviews
		

			
Reviews Are the New Word-of-Mouth?

		

			 			4 Comments
						

	


		

		
I heard that suggestion recently and have been pondering it since.


Let’s glance at the Current Year literary landscape:


The population in the USA is about 340 million. Despite the growth of our population, the fewer literate people we wind up with. (IOW, recreational reading is a pastime only for a shrinking demographic.) Not trying to imply one is a cause of the other–just pointing out that our customer base is not related to the total number of living bodies within our borders.


    

  • The community of readers is not tight-knit.
    • 

  • In fact, most have never met, and never will.
    • 

  • Since they don’t know each other, discussions don’t take place.
    • 

  • “Word of mouth,” regarding books, is effectively extinct.
    • 

  • The substitute for literate conversation readers are stuck with are:

      

    • Online spaces like Goodreads, where you can make recommendations to strangers.
      • 

    • The product-featuring algorithms of online bookstores.
      • 

    • Online book reviews.
      • 

    

    • 



Can you see how the deck is stacked against indie authors, just from that?


Word-of-mouth would be our secret weapon to level the playing field with our tradpub counterparts…if word-of-mouth had not effectively withered and died since the advent of the World Wide Web. For 95% of literate America, there is no “word-of-mouth.” You can bump into other literate folks on social media or whatever, but when you do, it’s likely they’ve got something else on their mind besides discussing literature.


In my current job, I am fortunate to have some colleagues who have read books, voluntarily, in their life post-college. Occasionally we discuss one, if it comes up somehow in conversation. Our tastes don’t overlap all that much, but this is nice. And rare.


So how do readers find a book that looks interesting?


I’ll tell you how I do it, now that my days of browsing the shelves of brick-and-mortar bookstores  is ancient history: I pay attention to recommendations on social media (which I constantly curate,  keeping SJWs and most NPCs off my feed), and, when it’s time for the Big Based Book Sale, I go shopping there. Recently discovered is the Alchemy for Art Indie Library–also a good place to look.


When I’m intrigued by a book, I’ll click the link, read the blurb on the product page, and click “Read Sample” to get a feel for the prose. Lastly, I’ll peruse some of the reviews–positive and negative.


In the Current Year, that’s usually the extent of the vetting I’m capable of (and boy, is it necessary to vet in the Current Year!).


You may be thinking it’s risky allowing strangers to influence my final decision to take a chance on a book–and you’re right. But a well-written review is usually the closest I can get to word-of-mouth.


And there are dangers beyond the mercurial opinions of strangers who write reviews. I don’t necessarily share their tastes and pet peeves, for instance. Worse are the legions of reviewers who are deliberately disingenuous.


There are at least two demographics behind  drive-by one-star reviews. The first are Thought Cops for the Woketard Hive Mind, out to silence, cancel, or at least destroy sales of any book/author they disapprove of. Time was, their thought-policing often backfired. (If one of them reviewed a book I was already interested in, for instance, and complained that there was no sympathetic homosexual character or macho warrior womyn, that book was as good as sold.)


But now with ‘Zon’s “rating” option, the Hive Mind can sabotage a book’s overall rank without ever revealing the reason they don’t want you to buy it. (‘Zon abets the woke mob in many ways. One is, they sift through the books in their store every so often, and nuke reviews of books by the dissident right, without ever explaining why they did so. With my books, it’s always a five-star review they vaporize. I’ve quit tracking this because it’s too depressing.)


No less reprehensible than this leftist chicanery is similar behavior by who I suspect are fellow authors. I’ve met people like this, so my hypothesis is not entirely speculative: they assume they can build themselves up by tearing others down–unjustly in many cases. They, too, lack the courage to reveal their true motives. But that doesn’t hinder them from chopping down the rank of a book they feel competes too strongly with their own.


This brings to mind another hurdle facing indie authors I will hopefully address in another blog post.


I’m curious what others think:


    

  • Do you pay attention to book rankings?
    • 

  • Do you read customer reviews before making your decision to buy or not?
    • 

  • How much weight do you place on reviews?
    • 

  • Is there some other “word-of-mouth” substitute you trust better?
    • 

  • How is your opinion of an unread (by you) book affected when there’s only a handful of reviews (even if the reviews are all good…even if the book was a bestseller)?
    • 

  • How about when a book has a lot of ratings/reviews but most are negative?
    • 

  • Do you ever ponder the difference between ratings and reviews?
    • 

  • What if all the reviews are four and five stars, but most of the rankings are three stars and lower?
    • 



As always, I am grateful to all the readers who take the time to post honest reviews.