Dealing Badly With Bad Reviews

[Bramblethorn]

I've seen a few "you fools are too stupid to appreciate my masterpiece" responses to bad reviews, but this one is superlative:

https://www.scifiandscary.com/this-is-not-a-review-of-hells-shadows/

My favourite part:

“And please note this – both novels were read by an entire Barnes & Noble store management team and were deemed so good by the two assistant store managers and the store manager that they were ordered and shelved right next to the works of Mr. [Stephen] King himself.”

I don’t… I don’t know how to break this to you, dear author, but the mostly likely reason you were shelved right next to “Mr. King himself” is that your last name is KLEIN

 

[ElectricBlue]

I've seen a few "you fools are too stupid to appreciate my masterpiece" responses to bad reviews, but this one is superlative:

https://www.scifiandscary.com/this-is-not-a-review-of-hells-shadows/

It's okay though, because Mr Klein took special care to have more female characters than he did male, because his target audience was women. What a considerate fellow, surely on that alone the reviewer should have given him the five? I like the way, too, that after forty years in the sea of life, and another fifteen years writing self-acclaimed great fiction, that he cites his high school grade results. I must dig out the comment Mrs McKenzie gave me on creative writing in Grade 7. There's hope for me yet .

 

[SimonDoom]

That is fantastic. Obviously, I'm doing things wrong. I need to cow my critics into submission, as Mr. Klein tries to do.

 

[ChloeTzang]

I’m in awe of both the author and the reviewer.

 

[ttvttp]

The best part was the fact that he seems to not be aware of how Barnes And Noble shelves their books.

 

[ChloeTzang]

The best part was the fact that he seems to not be aware of how Barnes And Noble shelves their books.

I love the bit where he says many of my compositions at high school and university won writing competitions. I was just rotflmao over that. I guess this is an illustration of the effects of the nobody loses everybody wins education system. When reality stares him in the face, reality must be wrong. It’s just such a beautiful illustration of our culture and that sense of entitlement. It’s like the I paid to go to college therefore I’m entitled to a degree mindset. I love it, I do. Altho if I was Lilyn I’d be wary of social media mobbing......

 

[CuteSlaveLisa]

An old joke: A wife frantically calls her husband, who is driving to work, on his cellphone...

"Honey, be careful, the radio says that some fool is driving the wrong way on the Interstate."

"Dear, it's worse than that," he replies, " they ALL are."

Love and Kisses

Lisa Ann

 

[SimonDoom]

An old joke: A wife frantically calls her husband, who is driving to work, on his cellphone...

"Honey, be careful, the radio says that some fool is driving the wrong way on the Interstate."

"Dear, it's worse than that," he replies, " they ALL are."

Love and Kisses

Lisa Ann

More than a few threads here give off a whiff of this sort of thing.

 

[Polyacrylate]

My first reaction was to laugh, but then I just felt... I don't know, pity, maybe. Their initial response to him was maybe better than he deserved, but as he escalated, they did too.

I saw a lot of statements in the comments about the author's threatening behavior. While I could have easily missed the threats, I didn't see any threats (did I miss them in the article, or was it in that I didn't read the Twitter feud this apparently devolved to?), merely a jerk with an ego who just had to convince his doubters as to why he is so great.

In the relatively short time I've been active on Lit, I've seen a number of people who ask for feedback, and then take any less-than-perfect response to the mat, point by point. They're not looking for feedback, they're looking for affirmation. And the fact that so many people choose to be assholes to total strangers on the internet in defense of their ego drives me up the wall.

 

[Blind_Justice]

I've seldom seen a case where self-image and reality were further apart. He sure talks a big game, but after looking at the promo blurb of his book (https://www.amazon.com/Hells-Shadows-Dean-Klein-ebook/dp/B006M71RWK), I seriously wondered which asylum he was let out of. He's clearly delusional.

I know first-hand how hard it is to write a good promo sheet. I can not, for the life of me, do it. But for such a fantastic writer and editor, he does a piss-poor job of putting a good foot forward. His sheet makes me imagine badly written Poltergeist fanfic, with a healthy dose of Alone In The Dark, Resident Evil and two or three extra kitchen sinks tossed in.

Oh well. Instead of shitting on another author, as deserving as he might be, I'd better get back to my own work bench and keep wrenching at my latest. I still have five days left in which to construct a story.

 

[SimonDoom]

I've seldom seen a case where self-image and reality were further apart. He sure talks a big game, but after looking at the promo blurb of his book (https://www.amazon.com/Hells-Shadows-Dean-Klein-ebook/dp/B006M71RWK), I seriously wondered which asylum he was let out of. He's clearly delusional.

I know first-hand how hard it is to write a good promo sheet. I can not, for the life of me, do it. But for such a fantastic writer and editor, he does a piss-poor job of putting a good foot forward. His sheet makes me imagine badly written Poltergeist fanfic, with a healthy dose of Alone In The Dark, Resident Evil and two or three extra kitchen sinks tossed in.

Oh well. Instead of shitting on another author, as deserving as he might be, I'd better get back to my own work bench and keep wrenching at my latest. I still have five days left in which to construct a story.

Reading the promo blurb and his other comments made me think of the self-delusion of Ed Wood, the creator and director of the all-time bat-shit crazy awful movie Plan Nine From Outer Space. But I always had the feeling that Wood, at least, had a sense of humor.

 

[CuteSlaveLisa]

Since I only perused and did not read in depth, and have zero desire to, the whole spat...

While every generation both complains about and helps create the generations that follow them. A valid (IMHO) obsevaton about the current generation is that they to thier own detriment grew up in a world that has divorced accomplishment from accolade.

Flip side of that coin is that the world has divorced reality from commentary. Saying something is wrong EVEN WHEN THE PERSON SAYING THAT 'IT IS WRONG,' IS IN POINT OF FACT, WRONG THEMSELVES is NOT threatening. The same way one party to this childish squabble cannot accept criticism BECAUSE "BY GOLLY HIS PROFESSOR GAVE HIM AN 'A'" and therefore his excrement emits no odor... The reviewer, who may very well have been correct in the first place with his review ( I did not and don't want to read the book) IS EQUALLY CHILDISH IN LABELLING THE AUTHOR'S EXTREMLY CHILDISH BEHAVIOR AS THREATENING. He can EQUALLY not deal with criticism of his critique.

If I were thier mother I would (after joining with Lillian Carter and wishing that I had remained a virgin) have made them sit on the stairs (in time out) and made them hold hands until they could make nice with each other.

Love and Kisses

Lisa Ann

 

[ElectricBlue]

Reading the promo blurb and his other comments made me think of the self-delusion of Ed Wood, the creator and director of the all-time bat-shit crazy awful movie Plan Nine From Outer Space. But I always had the feeling that Wood, at least, had a sense of humor.

Anyone who wore cashmere sweaters whilst directing an inflatable octopus in a backlot wading pool is a hero! Here in Oz, Plan 9 used to circulate through the indie cinemas in a double bill with Robot Monster, the one with the guy in a gorilla suit with a diving helmet, coming out of a cave. Pure genius, whoever put those two movies on the same bill. A cinema full of stoned uni students cheering the dudes on - burning hub-caps for flying saucers, shadows that wobble when the cast touched them, what wasn't to like?!

 

[Blind_Justice]

Reading the promo blurb and his other comments made me think of the self-delusion of Ed Wood, the creator and director of the all-time bat-shit crazy awful movie Plan Nine From Outer Space. But I always had the feeling that Wood, at least, had a sense of humor.

Since you bring up movies - I don't know about Mr. Klein, but over the past fifteen years or so, I have noticed movie quality decline quite a bit. So trying to namedrop Hollywood as much as he does is, at least in my book, not a seal of quality. They made not one, but THREE Fifty Shades movies, for fuck's sake!

I love "so bad they're good" movies. Early Peter Jackson (Bad Taste, Meet The Feebles) springs to mind. Need to finally get "Plan 9". I dimly remember an Amiga/Atari ST point'n'click game from the early '90s with giant ants in it. Still intrigued after all this time.

 

[SimonDoom]

Anyone who wore cashmere sweaters whilst directing an inflatable octopus in a backlot wading pool is a hero! Here in Oz, Plan 9 used to circulate through the indie cinemas in a double bill with Robot Monster, the one with the guy in a gorilla suit with a diving helmet, coming out of a cave. Pure genius, whoever put those two movies on the same bill. A cinema full of stoned uni students cheering the dudes on - burning hub-caps for flying saucers, shadows that wobble when the cast touched them, what wasn't to like?!

Plan 9 is beyond insane. I've seen it several times. Bela Lugosi died half way through filming, so they replaced him with an actor who looks a foot taller, and who holds a cape over his face the whole time. If I recall correctly you can see chalk X's on the floor where the characters are supposed to stand. It's great fun. I first saw it at a bad film festival in college, so sounds like my experience was similar.

Not sure if I've seen Robot Monster, but if I did it was a long time ago.

 

[Hypoxia]

Since you bring up movies - I don't know about Mr. Klein, but over the past fifteen years or so, I have noticed movie quality decline quite a bit. So trying to namedrop Hollywood as much as he does is, at least in my book, not a seal of quality.

I've not viewed many films the past fifteen years but IMHO Sturgeon's Law applies to cinema, TV, LIT, and all other entertainments. In the Golden Years of Hollyweird or SciFi or Rock-n-Roll, trash always outran classics 20:1, and that continues. For every Great Balls Afire there were too many River Rats (*) and Schlock Rods (**) and anything by Pat Boone. Each good piece is surrounded by a sea of shit. And not "really good shit".

Meanwhile, some of what's considered "the best" also rate high on "the worst". Conclusion: Everybody loves something else.
_____

(*) River rat, river rat / So ugly and wet
You're awful / But you're my mother-in-law's pet

(**) Schlock rod, schlock rod
I buy all my car part from a mail-order house
And everybody says my car is real mickey-mouse

 

[Blind_Justice]

I've not viewed many films the past fifteen years but IMHO Sturgeon's Law applies to cinema, TV, LIT, and all other entertainments. In the Golden Years of Hollyweird or SciFi or Rock-n-Roll, trash always outran classics 20:1, and that continues. For every Great Balls Afire there were too many River Rats (*) and Schlock Rods (**) and anything by Pat Boone. Each good piece is surrounded by a sea of shit. And not "really good shit".

Meanwhile, some of what's considered "the best" also rate high on "the worst". Conclusion: Everybody loves something else.

I'm not even close to a "movie buff", but taking the simple fact that Hollywood loooooves their remakes at the moment and realizing that besides better visual effects, these remakes don't bring anything worthwhile to the table. Two of my pet peeves are Robocop and Total Recall, which both received relatively recent remakes. The original '80s movies (yes, 1990 for TR, but that's still '80s if you're a pedantic German bean counter like me) sure were more primitive, but the new ones are so diluted, so wishy washy, why bother remake them in the first place if there's nothing which elevates them above the originals? A remake - per definition - should aim to fix the flaws of the original, but all they do is add more flash bang, file away the edges and make the viewer want to go and watch the originals again.

I don't watch deep drama or social commentary - I love my dumb action flicks, preferedly with a healthy dose of dystopia tossed in and even that Hollywood fucks up eight out of ten times. When even disposable entertainment is trash, something is very, very wrong.

John Wick any good?

 

[SimonDoom]

I don't know about Mr. Klein, but over the past fifteen years or so, I have noticed movie quality decline quite a bit. .

I agree movie quality in recent years has been mediocre. In particular, I think the quality of commercial movies has really sunk. I fell asleep during Avengers: Infinity War. The last Star Wars movie was dreadful. It feels to me that nobody knows how to make a good blockbuster anymore. They all pander to schlocky taste.

On the other hand, television has never been better -- especially dramas.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Since I only perused and did not read in depth,

I believe you.

and have zero desire to, the whole spat...

While every generation both complains about and helps create the generations that follow them. A valid (IMHO) obsevaton about the current generation is that they to thier own detriment grew up in a world that has divorced accomplishment from accolade.

"the current generation"?

Klein mentions that he has had forty years of professional writing experience followed by another fifteen writing fiction, adding up to fifty-five. That would seem to imply that he's in his sixties at least, more likely seventies. Roughly your age or a little bit older, if I recall?

But don't let anything as petty as "facts" get in the way of beating on Kids These Days.

The reviewer, who may very well have been correct in the first place with his review ( I did not and don't want to read the book) IS EQUALLY CHILDISH IN LABELLING THE AUTHOR'S EXTREMLY CHILDISH BEHAVIOR AS THREATENING.

Uh... the reviewer is not a "he", and nowhere in the review did *she* describe his behaviour as "threatening". I'm not sure where you got that from.

I'm tempted to make an observation here about the form of entitlement that assumes one's uninformed and badly erroneous opinion is worth sharing, but I've got work to do elsewhere.

 

[SimonDoom]

I'm not even close to a "movie buff", but taking the simple fact that Hollywood loooooves their remakes at the moment and realizing that besides better visual effects, these remakes don't bring anything worthwhile to the table. Two of my pet peeves are Robocop and Total Recall, which both received relatively recent remakes. The original '80s movies (yes, 1990 for TR, but that's still '80s if you're a pedantic German bean counter like me) sure were more primitive, but the new ones are so diluted, so wishy washy, why bother remake them in the first place if there's nothing which elevates them above the originals? A remake - per definition - should aim to fix the flaws of the original, but all they do is add more flash bang, file away the edges and make the viewer want to go and watch the originals again.

I don't watch deep drama or social commentary - I love my dumb action flicks, preferedly with a healthy dose of dystopia tossed in and even that Hollywood fucks up eight out of ten times. When even disposable entertainment is trash, something is very, very wrong.

John Wick any good?

John Wick 1 and 2 were awesome. Two of my favorite action thrillers of the last decade or so. Keanu Reeves doesn't act, exactly, because he never really does, but he's perfect in the role, just as he was in The Matrix, and Speed. They've got great action sequences and they're stylish in a distinctive way. I'm looking forward to no. 3, which is looking good on Rotten Tomatoes.

I thought the 2009 Star Trek reboot was not bad. It wasn't great but it was better than I expected, and it added some things in its interpretations of the characters. But in general the reboot thing is getting ridiculous. Haven't we had three reboots of Spiderman just in this millennium? Now we have to suffer through "live action" (read "CGI") reboots of all the 1990s Disney cartoons. No thanks.

 

[Etaski]

In the relatively short time I've been active on Lit, I've seen a number of people who ask for feedback, and then take any less-than-perfect response to the mat, point by point. They're not looking for feedback, they're looking for affirmation. And the fact that so many people choose to be assholes to total strangers on the internet in defense of their ego drives me up the wall.

That's my experience in the long-term on Lit, too. In fact, I have a file of emails stored from a gent on Lit who reacted to me very much like this Mr. Klein to this reviewer. I just haven't found the right place or cause to share them yet.

 

[Etaski]

But don't let anything as petty as "facts" get in the way of beating on Kids These Days.

Heh.

 

[ElectricBlue]

That's my experience in the long-term on Lit, too. In fact, I have a file of emails stored from a gent on Lit who reacted to me very much like this Mr. Klein to this reviewer. I just haven't found the right place or cause to share them yet.

Saving it for a rainy day?

 

[Blind_Justice]

John Wick 1 and 2 were awesome. Two of my favorite action thrillers of the last decade or so. Keanu Reeves doesn't act, exactly, because he never really does, but he's perfect in the role, just as he was in The Matrix, and Speed. They've got great action sequences and they're stylish in a distinctive way. I'm looking forward to no. 3, which is looking good on Rotten Tomatoes.

I thought the 2009 Star Trek reboot was not bad. It wasn't great but it was better than I expected, and it added some things in its interpretations of the characters. But in general the reboot thing is getting ridiculous. Haven't we had three reboots of Spiderman just in this millennium? Now we have to suffer through "live action" (read "CGI") reboots of all the 1990s Disney cartoons. No thanks.

I didn't mind the 09 Trek nor the last Spidey reboot (Homecoming). The "Amazing" Spider-Man movies though. Big nope. And I'm with you on the Disney retreads. I'm sure the only reason they get made is to keep those expensive 3D cinemas running.

I am a huge Transformers fan since childhood (and giant robos in general) been collecting new toys since around the first Bay movie came out in 06/07. I nearly got whiplashed watching the second movie, the CGI was too damned fast and convoluted, even at half speed. Can I please have my (mostly) handdrawn 2D animation back?

Hey Bram, sorry for derailing the thread.

 

[Etaski]

Saving it for a rainy day?

Nah. Part of it is that I'd have to wade through the defensive hysteria again when I have other things to do. I swear I had flashbacks of two years ago just looking at Klein's email on the blog.

Mainly, I just question the definition of aggressive/reactive defense being "masculine" when stuff like this is considered "the tough, gotta stand up for myself/protect what's mine!" response (or so the guy believes) compared to a screaming-flailing woman or a territorial chimpanzee doing the same thing.

I've noticed a lot more men becoming what I would call "hysterical" in a conflict or disagreement as I grow older, and I realized it was always like that, I was just told to call it something else. I guess I don't feel like doing that anymore.