Reviewing the Reviewers

Posted by Colin Harvey May 1, 2009

Yesterday I wrote how while reviewing Black Static 10 I had a number of thoughts, and changed my mind about not posting a blog. I mentioned three reasons, and only covered one of them.

The second has to do with a wonderful post that I found while writing the review.

Before I post the link to it, I need to remind you about capsule reviews, such as those published by Suite101, and analytical reviews, such as those I write for Strange Horizons. Analytical reviews can run from 750 words upwards, sometimes passing over 2000 words, even approaching the size of a thesis, and are usually written from a first-person point of view.

Capsule reviews run to 300-600 words and are usually, although not always written from a third-person point of view.

Most capsule reviews can do little more than tell you a llittle of the story, and what works and doesn't for the reviewer.

They tend to be the province of the Synopsist, one of many types of reviewers spoofed -- by Peter Tennant, in a review of Thomas Ligotti's My Work Is Not Yet Done that reflects the structure of the story. It's wonderful article that deserves as wide exposure as possible.

Pete does omit out the type of reviewer that I dub The Incomprehensablist (and long-term SF readers will know who I mean) who is prone to using words that exist in no earthly dictionary.

That led to the thought that there is now such a plethora of review sites, that perhaps there's a niche for reviewing the reveiewers. Anyone want to step up?.

As for the last thing that occured to me as I wrote the review, I'll cover that later, as I'm running out of time and space.