(Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Paramount Pictures)Last week-end, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was the biggest box office draw in the U.S. grossing over $200 million domestically, since it's opening on June 24 making it the second best opening of any film in the history of filmaking behind The Dark Knight. Of course, to many of its legions of fans that really wasn't a surprise because its predecessor was the 5th most successful film in 2007 eventually grossing more than $700 million worldwide.
But records and box office profits aside, what really makes the sequel to Transformers unique is the fact that it was essentially panned by critics. Even esteemed movie critic, Roger Ebert went so far as to give it one star and advise hapless movie goers to "go into the kitchen, cue up a male choir singing the music of hell, and get a kid to start banging pots and pans together. Then close your eyes and use your imagination."
I love Roger Ebert and even watched Siskel & Ebert every week for several years. Of course, I watched more to see them argue over a movie rather than deciding what movie I was going to watch over the weekend. And I guess, the Transformer franchise's legions of fans felt the same way this past week thus widening the gulf between what reviewers and paying customers actually like. And according to Paramount's exit polls 91% of movie goers felt the sequel was better than the first.
So this brings me to the question: Do book reviews and their critics really carry that much weight when you're making a purchase? Or is it just entertainment? As an author, book reviews whether good or bad is great publicity:)
Weigh in by taking my poll or leaving a comment....
Koko Brown
http://www.kokobrown.net/
http://cocobuttr72.blogspot.com/
13 comments:
First off, let me just say I am a reviewer myself. With that out of the way, the good reviews definitely sway me to buy a book. The bad reviews, not so much. I have read books that have had aweful reviews and when I had gotten done thought, "what? were we reading the same book?" I honestly do feel like everyone's opinion is different. I am more likely to check out a book because of a bad review just because I know from experience, in my eyes, it probably won't be as bad as the negative review it got. I think this was a really good idea to post this question.
val
lastnerve2000@gmail.com
I never read reviews, ever. I've read too many books that had awesome reviews and I detested, and vice versa.
I'll look at books based on the blurb and my final choice is always made after reading the excerpt.
I do read reviews but although a review may sway me from a "maybe" to a "get", it is not usually because of any number of stars or thumbs up or points, but because it has revealed something that makes the book a good fit for me (or clarifies something that was holding me back from buying it).
On more than one occasion, I've seen a "bad" review prefaced with "I don't read this genre/sub-genre, but .." or where the reviewer has missed or mis-interpreted a major (to me) point (which makes me wonder why they bothered to write it up - if a book I don't expect to like surprises me, I'll note it - but if it lives down to my expectation, I wouldn't consider it, as it seems to rude to post "I thought I wouldn't like this and I didn't". That isn't an affirmation of self I need to make. *g*
As there is another danger inherent with reviews, spoilers, I try to sort of squint if I come across one (especially if the book has a mystery theme) accidentally (this is why I sometimes also squint at teasers and have only watched 1 vid/trailer before I read the book).
In general, for me, the appeal of a review is the discussion that arises from a review or from the enjoyment of reading the review itself (I read Elisa Rolle's reviews on books I have already read too, just to see her take on it and so I think I regard her as a fellow-reader, rather than reviewer ... hope that makes sense!).
I make my buying decisions based on the author, the blurb, the publisher (sometimes) and the comments from my friends/flist/fellow-readers (and my mood, the day of the week, impulse ...).
I'm not one to buy books based on reviews. I know what I like.
In fact, until I became an author, I never read a book review.
Now, after a year, and no offense to the reviewers, I read them for entertainment when I'm bored, but also for educational purposes.
For the review sites that allow them to tell what they did not like about the story, I look at the reviews and come away with issues to watch for in my own work.
As for movie ratings, we learned many years ago quite by accident that if they hated a movie, we were going to love it. If they loved it, we'd hate it.
Now, we don't pay attention. We basically see movies with people we know who've never disappointed us.
Koko,
Great post! A book review is only one of the things I evaluate before purchasing a book. I read some reviews for entertainment purposes only but don't let that decide for me. For example, I've read some scathing reviews for movies and books that I ended up loving.
Reviews are subjective, so I take that into account. For me, a negative review of something makes me immediately want to find out what the fuss was about. So oftentimes, it pushes me toward viewing the material anyway.
Michelle Lauren
I'm with Last Nerve if a review is good then I'll take a closer look BUT if the first page doesn't get me. I'm gone. I'm a sucker for voice:)
And just out of spite, I will always go to the author's page and check out the excerpt and I have bought books due to them.
FeyRhi,
I try not to read the ones for bestsellers because at that point it seems like many of the reveiws are like the Pied Piper came to town. And like stating previously, if the first page doesn't hook me, I still won't buy the book.
I will admit, I have a yen for Amazon reader reviews. I skip over the 4/5 star ones, since they are usually written by critique partners, friends or loyal readers who will follow the author to the grave even if the book isn't worth wrapping a piece of used gum around.
However, those 1 & 2 star reviews have made me think twice. Case in point, I went in a read the reviews for the last Twilight book (I was curious and no I haven't read any of the series).
And there was a 1 star review in there by a 17 year-old girl, who wrote a passionate 2/3 page review without spoiling any of the plot.
Her review was better than the book's first opening pages.
H said:
"I don't read this genre/sub-genre, but .." or where the reviewer has missed or mis-interpreted a major (to me) point (which makes me wonder why they bothered to write it up - if a book I don't expect to like surprises me, I'll note it - but if it lives down to my expectation, I wouldn't consider it, as it seems to rude to post "I thought I wouldn't like this and I didn't". That isn't an affirmation of self I need to make."
Yes, yes, yes! I hate that as well. Why even bother if you're going into the piece already with a prejudicial opinion!
I recently judged RWA's RITA this year. And I'm glad they ask our preferences because I knew if given something I couldn't get into, I would be miserable and I wouldn't be able to give the story my entire effort.
Bekki your comment about reading reviews to use with your own writing reminds me of a post by Josh Lanyon, a fellow writer here at Loose-Id, who does the exact same thing. He stated that whenever he receives a bad review he keeps it in mind when writing his next project.
I will read a review if the book's subject intrigues me. A good review will definitely make me more inclined to read the book, and a bad review less likely, but the real value of a review is alerting me to the existence of a book in the first place. That said, any publicity is better than no publicity.
Maggie Anton
www.rashisdaughters.com
I am a spectacle child, and incredibly compulsive at that. First off, in regards to Transformers, I went for the explosions, the metal and the insane action. I knew that I was not going to see "The Grapes of Wrath" or "Gandhi," so the critical reviews meant little to me. Michael Bay knows what his followers want.
When it comes to books, I look for key words on the back cover of the book and a beautiful cover and work from there. I do not read reviews for books I purchase, but I do read reviews for my own works. That to me is more of a crit tool that I use to gauge what my readers thought of my work. I write reviews as well, but mainly, I do it to draw attention to writers, kinda like a shoutout of sorts, not really to influence folks decisions.
Maggie,
Yes, that is one of the boons of reviews. They get your book out there in the public's eye that's why I always jockey for reviews because even though the review might not be that good it will be seen by someone who likes the genre that I write in (whatever that is:P...I think I've written in everything except Sci-Fi).
Mya,
I read all of mine as well:) And I've never disagreed with any of them. Actually they make my writing better:)
Thanks everyone for commenting and taking the poll:)
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