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"Distrust"? Interesting word choice. Legolas Send a noteboard - 14/11/2013 09:32:35 PM

View original postMight be because I detest rating systems and those seem to be the most visible aspect of the site

True, they're rather primitive as evaluation goes - and since one has complete freedom in how to use the rating system, they are less than helpful in telling you how people feel about a book, anyway. A friend of mine recently gave Oliver Twist a one-star review, so I enquired, and in the end we were in agreement on essentially everything about the book - except I gave it four stars and she gave it one (admittedly, she's Jewish and Fagin did play a role, but even so).

The averages of ratings for books also tend to mystify me, as I've been unable to see any kind of pattern in why some books score higher than others - the ones with high scores are certainly not always the ones you would expect, thinking about what a large group of readers' opinions would likely average out to.

Still, ignoring the ratings, the site is useful in a few regards - a convenient way of maintaing a list of books to read and finding other books that might be of interest, and showing you what your friends are reading so you can pick up the same book or start a conversation on a book you've both read. But the discussion system isn't exactly great for longer discussions involving multiple people, I've no idea how people manage to find their way in the hundreds-of-pages threads that do somehow crop up in the book clubs (when you try to quote an earlier post, it automatically cuts off after a really very short character limit, so you end up quoting manually anyhow).

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To whom do you turn when you want to learn more about new books? - 10/11/2013 06:17:07 AM 1429 Views
This is the only place. - 10/11/2013 04:26:22 PM 1143 Views
Maybe, but I'm a bit skeptical - 11/11/2013 12:14:36 AM 1080 Views
If you want to attract NEW readers, the site needs to be reworked from scratch - 13/11/2013 01:06:41 PM 1013 Views
Preaching to the choir here - 14/11/2013 07:55:56 AM 1160 Views
Re: If you want to attract NEW readers, the site needs to be reworked from scratch - 21/11/2013 09:24:22 PM 1093 Views
That might be swimming upstream against a strong current - 22/11/2013 08:41:15 AM 1055 Views
Quite - 22/11/2013 03:34:50 PM 943 Views
io9 - 10/11/2013 07:32:41 PM 1373 Views
Locus Online also has good lists of upcoming/new SF/F releases - 11/11/2013 12:16:18 AM 1058 Views
The Economist, NYT, and WSJ - 11/11/2013 01:05:36 PM 1019 Views
Very true - 14/11/2013 07:57:14 AM 1062 Views
I'm skeptical of the Economist. - 16/11/2013 05:02:47 PM 1018 Views
Which books were those? - 19/11/2013 03:19:59 PM 1022 Views
There were at least four or five bad reviews. - 30/11/2013 05:41:45 PM 1031 Views
I remember reading that book. I don't recall being impressed by it. *NM* - 05/12/2013 03:37:59 PM 556 Views
I've essentially stopped reading - 11/11/2013 12:36:51 AM 1186 Views
I don't think very highly of the discussions on r/fantasy - 11/11/2013 08:25:54 AM 1213 Views
I've never even been to r/fantasy - 11/11/2013 08:31:11 AM 1040 Views
I'd say this place is still the most influential for me. - 11/11/2013 10:29:19 AM 1033 Views
For some odd reason, I distrust Goodreads - 14/11/2013 07:58:29 AM 1160 Views
"Distrust"? Interesting word choice. - 14/11/2013 09:32:35 PM 1141 Views
Call me old fashioned... - 11/11/2013 02:47:37 PM 993 Views
Old fashioned! - 14/11/2013 07:59:43 AM 1031 Views
I second that suggestion. - 14/11/2013 09:35:51 PM 953 Views
Re: I second that suggestion. - 16/11/2013 02:10:10 AM 859 Views
Here mostly, Goodreads, io9 - 11/11/2013 09:40:41 PM 1183 Views
Interesting - 14/11/2013 08:01:05 AM 982 Views
Typically new is "New to me" - 14/11/2013 08:36:09 AM 1315 Views
Ah, I understand a bit more now. Thanks. - 22/11/2013 08:50:26 AM 982 Views
Here mostly too. And bookshops over here. - 12/11/2013 06:54:05 PM 986 Views
I have list of things to read longer than I have time to read - 13/11/2013 05:39:59 PM 965 Views
So true - 14/11/2013 08:03:16 AM 992 Views
here, mostly, but i also have less time to read (sort of) and a lot to read... - 19/11/2013 03:49:15 PM 925 Views
Quick, cozy comfort zone reads, more or less? - 22/11/2013 08:52:37 AM 854 Views
It depends on what is happening at the time - 30/11/2013 12:15:55 AM 824 Views
I don't really care to learn about new books. - 21/11/2013 08:58:44 PM 980 Views
I'm all BELE - 29/11/2013 07:12:03 PM 931 Views
Book recommendations can come from the oddest places... - 07/12/2013 04:36:26 AM 945 Views

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