Crime writer faking Amazon Reviews

[JoHunt]

Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg

-- Only allow reviews by reviewers who have had packages successfully delivered to their name and address

Would successful delivery to my Kindle be acceptable?

Personally, I only read 3-4 star reviews, which gives me enough info to know if the book will be of interest.

I rule out 5 star reviews because of possible shilling and 1-2 star reviews because of possible negativity towards the author or disagreement with the author's POV.

[Namekuseijin]

Originally Posted by odiakkoh

I guess I'm a bit naive but I didn't realize authors had rivalries.

they are all fighting for shelf space and your money

good old authors would write satyrical poems about their foes rather than fake reviews like an amateur.

This reminded me of William Blake:


A Poison Tree


I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I watered it in fears,
Night and morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine.
And he knew that it was mine,

And into my garden stole
When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

[Rich_D]

I rarely read user reviews and never let them be the basis of my purchase. Typically, if I hear of or am recommended a book by a new author I check it out at the library first. If I like it, I'll continue getting their books from the library. If I really like it, I'll start buying their books.

[elemenoP]

Originally Posted by odiakkoh

I guess I'm a bit naive but I didn't realize authors had rivalries. I wonder who the "rivals" of my favorite authors are.

Oh they certainly do. When Amazon started reviews, most of them were anonymous (which was a smart thing to do, since I think people were a lot less comfortable putting their name "out there" at the time...). Once there was a glitch where Amazon accidentally put usernames to anonymous reviews. It revealed a lot of author shilling and rivalries. Read and enjoy:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/14/us...ted=all&src=pm

Nowadays, some say that Amazon should require names and/or require users to buy the product before they review. Both of these things would mean fewer reviews on Amazon, so instead Amazon chooses to tag reviews where people use their real name, and reviews where people have bought the product. You can look for those tags and decide for yourself if those reviews are worth more to you.

eP

[Apache]

I only consider reviews from people I know, respect or are readers. That makes MR one of my best reference points.
I have found so many books and authors I would have missed out on years ago. A sincere thank you to all here.
Apache

[odiakkoh]

I see reading as such a personal thing, just because someone didn't like it doesn't mean I would and just because everyone loves it doesn't mean I'll like it. I also don't see it as competition unless you have similar writing styles. If I see 2 different books I'm interested in I would just get both lol. Apples and oranges.

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by joehunt

Would successful delivery to my Kindle be acceptable?

There seem to be a number of living authors named Joe Hunt or Joseph Hunt. Does this give reasonable proof that you are a particular Joe Hunt, so people could make sure you aren't part of a mutual admiration society? That's my issue.

Originally Posted by Apache

I only consider reviews from people I know, respect or are readers. That makes MR one of my best reference points.

I too have read a books by on recommendations seen in MR. That could mean I'm not following my own guidance. Then, they were almost all free books (and I think the one or two I bought were not by living authors).

[DiapDealer]

I've never understood why anyone would think an online retailer's in-house product review system needs to be held to any sort of lofty ideal in the first place (or loftier than the next online retailer's in-house product review system, anyway).

If people are really being tricked into buying books they know nothing about based on nothing other than great reviews on Amazon ... I have some gold-plated audio cables I'd like to show them.

We're buying books here, not picking out a cardiac surgeon.