Amazon McDune Debate with top 500 reviewer

[D Pope]

Now that's some strong JU JU!
You be carefull how you use that power.

[grandmastercrafter]

Interesting link I just posted at Amazon regarding their rules on payment for reviews, etc... It may be that you've all seen these rules before... nevertheless:

http://www.amazon.com/review/R31WDO77VC ... U8G2TJ21UB" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.amazon.com/gp/community-help ... guidelines" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[grandmastercrafter]

ummmm... I've noticed others posting the full content of their comments in other places, in case Amazon practices with it's deletion button, so here is what I posted for those who don't want to follow the links...

==============================================================================
grandmastercrafter says:
<<LTSpike says:
"do you feel no compunction whatsoever to reveal that you are a member of the KJA Special Forces and may receive various benefits or rewards in exchange for posting your review here?"

So what? Why would he? How is that relevant? Does that somehow invalidate his review? Maybe sometime, you could consider contributing something useful instead of always insulting others. >>
-------------
Actually, it's relevant because it DOES invalidate his review, since receiving a material benefit in order to write a positive review is actually against Amazon rules, as well as being unethical. If you gave me something, in exchange for me writing a good review on your book here, that's considered a BAD THING... (I can't believe that I actually have to explain this to people - what are they teaching the kids these days, eh?)

I'm not surprised you didn't know that. It seems to come as a surprise to those who join the KJA Special Forces... it's kinda what makes them so special.

edit: "receiving a material benefit in order to write a ANY review is actually against Amazon rules, as well as being unethical." - specifically:

What's not allowed
* Sentiments by or on behalf of a person or company with a financial interest in the product or a directly competing product (including reviews by authors, artists, publishers, manufacturers, or third-party merchants selling the product)
* Reviews written for any form of compensation other than a free copy of the product

http://www.amazon.com/gp/community-help ... guidelines" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'd say suck on that, but I'm sure if you're so inclined, you're already sucking it. I am ready to read your apology any time now... I'll wait for you to try to get that taste out of your mouth.
==============================================================================

[grandmastercrafter]

Now that's some strong JU JU!
You be carefull how you use that power.

For good, not evil.

[Sev]

Thought I'd tag this link on the end of this thread, rather than creating a new one, as they sort of cover the same ground. A McDune fan by the name of Solipso is currently attempting to give a critical rebuttal of M -Cult of Strawberry's 1 star review of 'Paul of Dune' - incredible stuff...

[SandChigger]

He's also posting 5-star reviews of the books which are an even more over-the-top cyberfellation of KJA & BoBo than you get from the usual sub-literate preeq, encased in David-James-style walls-o'-text. If a different name wasn't associated with the account, I could have believed it WAS David James. He hadn't read all of the books yet when he first showed up. (It may be a sock-puppet, of course.)

I didn't see anything new in any of the textflood.

[SandRider]

> Despite its status as a classic, I don't think "Dune" is appreciably better than the seven Dune books I've read by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.

> I think the writing style of Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson is a little better than that of Frank Herbert.

> Certainly you should read the two preceding volumes before reading this one. You do not, however, need to read any other Dune books, including "Dune" itself. house corrino review

[Redstar]

What.

[SandChigger]

You almost have to wonder if it's one of us taking the piss...

[Shaitan]

> Despite its status as a classic, I don't think "Dune" is appreciably better than the seven Dune books I've read by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.

> I think the writing style of Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson is a little better than that of Frank Herbert.

> Certainly you should read the two preceding volumes before reading this one. You do not, however, need to read any other Dune books, including "Dune" itself. house corrino review

[merkin muffley]

Well, it's not me. I actually think that's a real KJASF member, trying to earn the secret decoder ring.

[SandRider]

nah, check out all his other reviews ... last year he went thru an amateur historian phase, two years ago he was playing vidya games;
he's of those "verified amazon purchase" junkies; orders a bunch of stuff from amazon and reviews everything ... I think he's being one
hundred percent honest - got it up his ass to read all the books with "Dune" on the cover and is compelled to review them ...

which doesn't mean y'all shouldn't g'head an act like he's a shill ... talk past him too, on his own reviews, like he's not even there;
I'd like to see how that tactic works, how riled up some one could get .... not directing comments @him, but about him, to other
posters in the thread ...

[TheDukester]

Yeah, this guy was fun for a day, but he's not at all worth it.

Everything I need to know about him is encapsulated in the whole "16 books! Reading them all in order!" thing. He's a prime example of the obsessive SF/F completist fanboy; if there were 53 McDunes, he'd read 'em all.

He might be the ultimate expression of the KJA fan: stupid, gullible, obsessive, and unable to think for himself.

[Hunchback Jack]

> Certainly you should read the two preceding volumes before reading this one. You do not, however, need to read any other Dune books, including "Dune" itself. house corrino review

Not to nitpick, but I don't think he's saying that you don't need to read Dune, here. I think he's saying that you don't need to read Dune first in order to enjoy/understand House Corrino. Which is probably true.

Thankfully, you don't need to read House Corrino to enjoy Dune, either.

These quotes highlight the difference between preeqs and OH pretty starkly, I think. The fact that he says that the 7 books by KJA/BH (the Legends books, House books and Paul of Dune, presumably) were written in a better writing style than Dune probably just means he thinks they're easier to read. KJA and BH don't use language in unusual ways, and don't portray anything other than a black/white good/evil world where everything happens right in front of the reader, and where complex problems have simple, neat solutions - usually within the next couple of chapters. Some readers would rather not have to work to enjoy a book, and KJA/BH books are the epitome of an undemanding read.

(I would argue that the KJA/BH books are actually harder to read, as they a apallingly written, repetitive, boring, and infuriating. But maybe that's just me.)

HBJ

[merkin muffley]

(I would argue that the KJA/BH books are actually harder to read, as they a apallingly written, repetitive, boring, and infuriating. But maybe that's just me.)

HBJ

They're exhausting. I've never been able to get through one of them, whereas I remember reading Dune Messiah and CoD in the course of a couple visits to a library.

[Sev]

The idiot has just finished, and reviewed, Jessica's Wind - 5 stars

[SandChigger]

I like how he starts out bemoaning the "injustice" being perpetrated against the books on Amazon.

[TheDukester]

The idiot has just finished, and reviewed, Jessica's Wind - 5 stars

All aboard! Time for some mocking!

[aethereon]

claiming that "Hunters/Sandworms of Dune" was written according to the "Final Dune7 Outline" of
Frank Herbert, that the events described in the prequels were taken from "The Notes" of Frank
Herbert uncovered 10 years after his death in a corner of Brian's garage; continuing, for over ten
years now, to stick to this story despite thousands and thousands of on-line pages of rebuttals,
with quotes from Frank's books and Frank's Own Words, completely dismissing these arguments
and not allowing them to be openly discussed on Official Corporate Dune websites is beyond
despicable, and an insult not only to Frank's fans, but to the literary world as a whole ...

not archiving these alleged "Notes" and "Dune7 Outline" in the Fullerton Archive with Frank's other
notes is an offense to academia ... the paranoid and overzealous behavior of HLP lawyers in the
excessive and wrong-headed "protection" of the Dune "Trademark" is an offense to art itself ...

Thank you.

Following up with the Litany Against Fear:

I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.

This packaged assertion self-suffices. It's a functional stab at the heart of any debate on the topic. These cats aren't just pissing on FH or Dune. They remain defiant to respectfulness, appreciation, and even the notion of reverence "to art itself." Thanks again, Sandrider. Thanks GMC for your exhaustive efforts to revive considerate attention where it belongs.

[Apjak]

(I would argue that the KJA/BH books are actually harder to read, as they a apallingly written, repetitive, boring, and infuriating. But maybe that's just me.)

HBJ

They're exhausting. I've never been able to get through one of them, whereas I remember reading Dune Messiah and CoD in the course of a couple visits to a library.

The difference is that you are a reader, and that preeqs are television watchers. Reading the prequels was like watching bad television. Kids love it cause there's lots of Esplodiations and Lazah Beems and it's written to their level, but you are a grown up and have seen all things that storywise they are riffs on. The originals were so much better, that watching plagiaristic "homage" is painful to you. Reading KJA/BH is hours and hours of watching bad television.

[merkin muffley]

Reading KJA/BH is hours and hours of watching bad television.

Yeah, it felt like that. Interminable.


I just realized, though, I said, "never been able to get through" which is the exact phrasing KJA used in his infamous quote about "critical darlings" Banks and LeGuin. Scary.

[SandChigger]

Eeeew. He's rubbed off on you!


Need a tissue?

[SadisticCynic]

Large amounts of disinfectant would be more appropriate, along with suitable quarantine conditions.

[TheDukester]

Our Latest Idiot has posted his review of CoD. You guys will love it:

http://amzn.to/axF3Xe" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Idiocy on a galactic scale ...

[Sev]

And a 'review' of GEoD is up now as well - Eclipso the Clown.