Will I mind if a favorite Author reviewed a friends book. No I’ll be glad to read her review. If she liked the book I may give it a try, but the review isn’t going to make me buy it.

I’m first going to read the summary about the book. If it has chapters offered. I’ll read them to see if I like how the Author writes. Might be a wonderful book but I can’t handle the way they write. On the other hand might be a crappy story but their style and wording just clicks for me. I’ll probably read it anyway.

I think its to each their own. However. One friend of mine likes all the same books as me all the time. If she says its good and I’ll like it. I’m not going to research the book I’ll just buy it. Same with her.

As a Consumer. I would rather a review that mentions the name of the book, the Author, if it was Funny, Sexy, Witty, Sassy Characters. Etc.. I hate when people give details in a review. Like, I wont tell you who she chooses in the end. That just ruined a book for me. Tells me there is conflict and in the end she has to choose. As a reader. I want it to build up to finding out. I want to wonder the entire book what is going to happen. Truthfully I probably wont even read the review unless maybe its on a monthly letter or update from a favorite Author. Other then that. I say Review away! Lol

Like a lot of things, I think it depends. I know some authors who invest a lot of time and energy and money into the con scene, and others who never go at all. In my case, I’m probably somewhere in the middle, doing mostly 3-5 local cons each year.

But you’re right, and conventions are also where I’ve gotten to know a fair number of my fellow authors. That and the internet, which has also become a much more significant networking tool over the past decade. (It makes me feel old that my daughter will never remember a time without e-mail.)

Any guesses why the difference in the con scene between Europe and the U.S.?

Back to the point: Jim, don’t you think part of the reason is the very strong SFF Con scene in the US? I’ve been reading lots of blog posts by various SFnal authors and they seem to spend a lot of their time on the road to various cons.
(This is a rather strange phenomenon – I’m not sure whether I need to envy it – when observed from mainland Europe, where such cons are rare and usually very small)
If you all go to these cons as part of the “marketing” effort for your work, it’s only natural you would get to know each other.

That said, networking is the (or rather, one) key to success in virtually any economical sector…

To me, a reccomendation says “Hey, can you please take about 30 seconds to check this out and see if YOU think its really cool TOO?”

It’s like getting to know your author, sure sometimes you find yourself thinking “REALLY? we’re talking about GARDENING? I did not see that coming from your Star Wars novel.” (not that there is anything *wrong* with gardening, I’m just surprised…) and other times you stumble across your new favoritest thing ever. At the end, I may not care a bit for whatever was recc’d, but I now know a little bit more about that author (for good or for bad).

Also, a lack of integrity about recc’ing becomes pretty obvious after time.

I think part of it is that I just don’t like networking. But you’re right, at least to a certain extent, it’s part of life. I think sometimes it’s more obvious in smaller circles, though.

@Otter – I think that’s part of what makes a good review, regardless of who’s doing the reviewing. Writing a review is harder than it looks. I’m still not good enough that I’d be willing to do it as a paying gig. And it definitely helps to learn which reviewers/bloggers seem to match your taste. (Or in some cases, that if a certain reviewer pans a book or a show, that there’s a good chance you’d like it )