Comments on: The Review Remains the Same http://blog.booklistonline.com/2006/08/08/the-review-remains-the-same/ Behind the Book Reviews--The Official Blog of Booklist Online Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:41:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Likely Stories » Blog Archive » The Trouble with Short Stories http://blog.booklistonline.com/2006/08/08/the-review-remains-the-same/#comment-242 Likely Stories » Blog Archive » The Trouble with Short Stories Thu, 31 Aug 2006 16:25:56 +0000 http://blog.booklistonline.com/2006/08/08/the-review-remains-the-same/#comment-242 [...] At any rate, Swierczynski’s third book is great. I felt a bit as if I was rewriting my review of The Wheel Man, because both books share many of the same qualities. But, as I wrote in my last post, Swierczynski does up the ante with a more inventive plot this time around. [...] […] At any rate, Swierczynski’s third book is great. I felt a bit as if I was rewriting my review of The Wheel Man, because both books share many of the same qualities. But, as I wrote in my last post, Swierczynski does up the ante with a more inventive plot this time around. […]

]]> By: Likely Stories » Blog Archive » Review Templates http://blog.booklistonline.com/2006/08/08/the-review-remains-the-same/#comment-237 Likely Stories » Blog Archive » Review Templates Tue, 22 Aug 2006 21:00:14 +0000 http://blog.booklistonline.com/2006/08/08/the-review-remains-the-same/#comment-237 [...] Something I’d meant to add yesterday was that, even though every book is different, the similarities in the way I frame some of the reviews can almost make it feel like I’ve unconsciously created templates for them. There’s the First-Novelist-Shows-Promise template and its twin, Promising-Novelist-Can’t-Deliver-in-Sophomore-Effort. There’s also Usually-Good-Novelist-Isn’t-Quite-So-Good-This-Time. Then there’s Great-Novelist-Is-Great-Once-Again-Making-Us-All-Feel-Somewhat-Inferior. [...] […] Something I’d meant to add yesterday was that, even though every book is different, the similarities in the way I frame some of the reviews can almost make it feel like I’ve unconsciously created templates for them. There’s the First-Novelist-Shows-Promise template and its twin, Promising-Novelist-Can’t-Deliver-in-Sophomore-Effort. There’s also Usually-Good-Novelist-Isn’t-Quite-So-Good-This-Time. Then there’s Great-Novelist-Is-Great-Once-Again-Making-Us-All-Feel-Somewhat-Inferior. […]

]]> By: Likely Stories » Blog Archive » Review Templates http://blog.booklistonline.com/2006/08/08/the-review-remains-the-same/#comment-185 Likely Stories » Blog Archive » Review Templates Fri, 18 Aug 2006 17:39:30 +0000 http://blog.booklistonline.com/2006/08/08/the-review-remains-the-same/#comment-185 [...] « The Review Remains the Same Unbound Galleys Revisited » [...] […] « The Review Remains the Same Unbound Galleys Revisited » […]

]]> By: Brad Hooper http://blog.booklistonline.com/2006/08/08/the-review-remains-the-same/#comment-175 Brad Hooper Sat, 12 Aug 2006 00:00:00 +0000 http://blog.booklistonline.com/2006/08/08/the-review-remains-the-same/#comment-175 Hey, I'm your editor. Let's be honest here. Sometimes it's taken you 180 words to say a lot. Hey, I’m your editor. Let’s be honest here. Sometimes it’s taken you 180 words to say a lot.

]]> By: Cindy Dobrez http://blog.booklistonline.com/2006/08/08/the-review-remains-the-same/#comment-176 Cindy Dobrez Sat, 12 Aug 2006 00:00:00 +0000 http://blog.booklistonline.com/2006/08/08/the-review-remains-the-same/#comment-176 We're all going to want a blog space to add an extra 500 words to our 175 word limit at this rate-as long as it doesn't come with a wakeful newborn! Sorry, Brad, but I was really hoping that the posted comment would be Bill's funny story that Keir hinted at... We’re all going to want a blog space to add an extra 500 words to our 175 word limit at this rate-as long as it doesn’t come with a wakeful newborn! Sorry, Brad, but I was really hoping that the posted comment would be Bill’s funny story that Keir hinted at…

]]> By: Keir http://blog.booklistonline.com/2006/08/08/the-review-remains-the-same/#comment-177 Keir Sat, 12 Aug 2006 00:00:00 +0000 http://blog.booklistonline.com/2006/08/08/the-review-remains-the-same/#comment-177 Bill's probably thinking, <em>What story?</em> <br /><br />(Admit it, Brad, those 180-word reviews are 2.857% better!)<br /><br /> Bill’s probably thinking, What story?

(Admit it, Brad, those 180-word reviews are 2.857% better!)

]]> By: Brad Hooper http://blog.booklistonline.com/2006/08/08/the-review-remains-the-same/#comment-178 Brad Hooper Sat, 12 Aug 2006 00:00:00 +0000 http://blog.booklistonline.com/2006/08/08/the-review-remains-the-same/#comment-178 Indeed. (Sorry, Cindy, for intruding again!) Indeed. (Sorry, Cindy, for intruding again!)

]]> By: Bill http://blog.booklistonline.com/2006/08/08/the-review-remains-the-same/#comment-179 Bill Sat, 12 Aug 2006 00:00:00 +0000 http://blog.booklistonline.com/2006/08/08/the-review-remains-the-same/#comment-179 I guess I've been outed. Before I tell my purportedly funny story, let me say that Keir really nails this issue. It's a constantly perplexing one, especially with series titles: You have an overall reading of the series, a sense of where it fits, and you feel a need to restate that so that new readers will know where you're coming from. But, damn, there's only so many ways to say it.<br /><br />Which is the problem I ran into with James Lee Burke, whom I've been reviewing for years and like very much. At some point in the 90s, I reviewed a new Burke novel and felt quite good about my review, thinking I'd really said what needed to be said about Dave Robicheaux. Well, maybe I had, but I'd said exactly the same thing in my previous review of a Robicheaux. I was in a hurry, I guess-didn't have Booklist Online to consult quickly-and didn't check my old reviews before writing the new one. When I did, it was almost identical, right down to the lead, something about Robicheaux fighting a losing battle agaisnt the evils of modernity. In today's world, some Plagiarism Nazi on the Web would have convicted me in 15 minutes of stealing from myself.<br /><br />But did I? I'd completely forgotten what I'd said the first time and simply said it again, proving either that I'm not very imaginative or that I was right in the beginning. Fortunately, I think those reviews predate Booklist Online-at least I couldn't find two in a row with the same lead-and when we add older stuff, I'll be sure to edit.<br /><br />And frankly, Cindy, I think Brad's comment about Keir needing 180 words to say something really good was much funnier than this long-winded ramble. I guess I’ve been outed. Before I tell my purportedly funny story, let me say that Keir really nails this issue. It’s a constantly perplexing one, especially with series titles: You have an overall reading of the series, a sense of where it fits, and you feel a need to restate that so that new readers will know where you’re coming from. But, damn, there’s only so many ways to say it.

Which is the problem I ran into with James Lee Burke, whom I’ve been reviewing for years and like very much. At some point in the 90s, I reviewed a new Burke novel and felt quite good about my review, thinking I’d really said what needed to be said about Dave Robicheaux. Well, maybe I had, but I’d said exactly the same thing in my previous review of a Robicheaux. I was in a hurry, I guess-didn’t have Booklist Online to consult quickly-and didn’t check my old reviews before writing the new one. When I did, it was almost identical, right down to the lead, something about Robicheaux fighting a losing battle agaisnt the evils of modernity. In today’s world, some Plagiarism Nazi on the Web would have convicted me in 15 minutes of stealing from myself.

But did I? I’d completely forgotten what I’d said the first time and simply said it again, proving either that I’m not very imaginative or that I was right in the beginning. Fortunately, I think those reviews predate Booklist Online-at least I couldn’t find two in a row with the same lead-and when we add older stuff, I’ll be sure to edit.

And frankly, Cindy, I think Brad’s comment about Keir needing 180 words to say something really good was much funnier than this long-winded ramble.

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