re: #132 Charles

Yes, it is … and the LGF-haters have been busy writing reviews, too:

[Link: www.amazon.com…]

Wow. You know, if people don’t like a thing, why do they keep coming around?

Charles, I just realized what all these people remind me of. The hater reviews on your LGF Kindle page remind me of the reviews of a couple of popular authors who changed their style and really upset some of their readers.

Me - I stop reading a writer if he or she stops entertaining or intriguing me or stops making me go “Oh! Interesting!” I might actually post a critical review, but I’ve NEVER gone one star - so far, I’ve not read something bad enough for one star.

The negative reviews are emotional, with little if any content. They are “angry man” reviews. They are not helpful. When I review something, it’s not to emotionally dump or laud it. It’s to tell people what good I got out of it, or why I felt it was not up to scratch, to help them decide whether to read the book or use the product. It’s the difference between saying “it was boring and confusing” and “it was overly plotted and had plot holes,” then giving several concrete examples. The reader might have different criteria, but if I am logical, my review will help even those who don’t agree with me. Basically, I review to help, not to punch someone out.

These upset readers spend their days one starring. They spend a lot of time obsessively dissing the writers in question, giving them one star reviews on everything, starting discussions on Amazon to make snide remarks and snotty comments that sound like junior high cliquetalk.

They are so angry and obsessed that they go back and give one star reviews to the first books - the ones they loved - telling people not to read them or they’ll be sorry! It’s a mental aberration. I find it kind of unsettling. No - a lot unsettling.

There’s got to be a clinical term for this kind of obsessive behavior.