Book Review: Redshirts by John Scalzi (Guest blogger Jon Metcalf)
So, Jennifer asked me to write a blog/review of a book (obviously the one mentioned in the title) for her site. That brings us to what you’re reading now. Context…you’re probably looking for some of that. Jennifer is my big sister, and I’m her nerdy little brother. She and I have always had a lot in common, especially our love of reading, but our tastes in books could not be further apart. She embraces the classes, literary, and non-fiction genres whereas I am typically only into fantasy, sci-fi, mystery/thriller, leadership (self-help sub genre?), and litRPG.
The Menu: A Culinary-inspired alternative to the 5-star book rating system
We all know that reviews are subjective, and opinions over what constitutes a ‘good’ or ‘bad book’ differ widely. And what exactly does ‘quality’ writing mean? How many books have we, regardless of our individual preferences, missed out on? And to what extent have authors success been curtailed, or bolstered because of idiomatic evaluation? So why then, do readers continue to use an ineffective and potentially deleterious system?