tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3321335108664734096.post5264502454715734295..comments2023-12-10T17:37:06.526+00:00Comments on Rob Sanders Speculative Fiction: Difficult To Put DownROB SANDERShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15361589776704139759noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3321335108664734096.post-89532935066871757852012-06-25T11:56:51.475+01:002012-06-25T11:56:51.475+01:00Hi Graeme! Cheers for throwing in. I see what you ...Hi Graeme! Cheers for throwing in. I see what you mean about the Battles element. Guess it's just an extra challenge for the series writers : ) <br /><br />In respect to the reviewing thing, I suppose I was really referencing the kinds of Amazon reviews (for example) that Black Library writers routinely get. Stuff like 'That's not the way I would have handled it - One star' or 'I much prefer the way [insert Dan Abnett, Aaron Dembski-Bowden or another BL writer's name here] did this - One star'. That's not reviewing. That's closer to trolling. To be fair, I'm going to advocate the opposite also. I'd say that reviewers shouldn't give authors five star reviews simply because they like them personally (they should be their friend - not their reviewer) or because any book about a particular faction or piece of background would automatically generate a five star review regardless of the genius or shortcomings of the book. Reviewing is a serious matter. It can advance or damage the fortunes of an author, series, publisher and genre. That is why I've always said on here that I really appreciate the time that people like your good self put into reviews. Like other great sites I've highlighted here, Graeme's Fantasy Book Review always presents substantial, thoughtful reviews with a range of insights and a comments section for people to agree/disagree. This is great because real reviewers understand that they are writers too and get judged by their readership on their ability to carry out their important role. <br /><br />No problem about the link, Graeme. : ) I've had you down on my list of worthy places of note on the internet ('The Scene') for a long time. In respect to the next book - shhhhhh. Top secret. As is the next and the next, come to think about it. Exciting times. ; )<br /><br />Hope you are well. <br /><br />Cheers<br /><br />RobROB SANDERShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15361589776704139759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3321335108664734096.post-37246378980086542142012-06-25T11:06:53.834+01:002012-06-25T11:06:53.834+01:00Thanks for the link Rob! :o)
The issue I have wit...Thanks for the link Rob! :o)<br /><br />The issue I have with the Space Marines Battles books, in general, is that a battle doesn't often make for a great plot. It can't really; there's a battle, one side wins and the other side loses. Here, the Space Marines will always win because they're Space Marines.<br /><br />I've got no problem with a move away from that, into politics or whatever, but (for me) it's got to be about and advance the plot. I wasn't so sure that the Feast of Blades did that but (having read the prologue) I knew that the 'main event' would. And it did :o) I loved what was done with the citizens of Certus Minor and it was also cool to see where Zachariah Kersh ended up ultimately. Hope that clears things up a little bit? ;o)<br /><br />Rob - When's the next book?Graeme Floryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15411505049326440010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3321335108664734096.post-12621131627529431002012-06-24T23:25:40.011+01:002012-06-24T23:25:40.011+01:00I follow that blog and have done for a while, he&#...I follow that blog and have done for a while, he's read a lot of BL books and i usually agree with his reviews up to a point but it's more useful to bring new books and writers to my attention. I'll be getting your SM battles book and Sarah Caukwells(sp) also soon as the to read pile diminishes enough based on his reviews. I got Redemption Corps based on Graeme's review cuz some ellements he didn't like appealed to me. Excellent read btw.<br />BlitzBlitzspearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01424592714649408365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3321335108664734096.post-22923192045619880772012-06-24T21:00:37.699+01:002012-06-24T21:00:37.699+01:00I see where you're coming from. I try to be fa...I see where you're coming from. I try to be fair with reviews and reviewers. Lots of people like my work but you can't please all of the people all of the time. That said, I have had reviews where reviewers will say that I write really well and the characters/story was very good, but because they would have chosen to handle something a different way, their estimation of me has to suffer. I much prefer reviews that qualify their judgements, are fair and recognise that the reviewer's opinion is one among many. The reviewer's opinion is of interest - but it is not necessarily representative.ROB SANDERShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15361589776704139759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3321335108664734096.post-17209048516140411552012-06-24T20:17:07.383+01:002012-06-24T20:17:07.383+01:00Skim reading this review (while paying close atten...Skim reading this review (while paying close attention to some bits of it) i can't help but think this reviewer feels a need to find fault but struggles to. It's a little contradictory. He dislikes the fact that many writers will make the war the central plot of the book, more or less focusing on the war for the entirety, then moans that when you move away from that and throw in some politics or faction background, thats no good and he wants to be back into the war stuff again... Confused?colleague :)noreply@blogger.com