Seldom does it occur that one review can make such a difference. Now, of course, if most or all of the reviews of a book result in depressed sales, then maybe that's a bad review, but perhaps in that case one should worry less about bad reviews and worry more about a bad book. So, perhaps the conclusion here is that one can't distinguish purely on the basis of sales figures whether or not a review is bad. One could use all kinds of writing criteria to distinguish good from bad reviews. In this regard, writing reviews is like any other excursion into writing.
Good writing elicits a response, positive or negative, from the reader.
Whether or not you agree with the reviewer is irrelevant. What is important is whether or not the review makes you want to read the book, whether or not it inspires you to see the book from a different perspective, whether or not it makes you want to send an e-mail stating your own views or, even better, write a review of your own stating what your thoughts and feelings are. Agree with us, don't agree with us. Argue, wheedle, cajole, but most of all think about it. Ed's Internet Book Review is copyright 1995-2001, Dr. Edwin V. Bell, II, all rights reserved.