Hatchet Job Of The Year

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onesecondglance

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http://www.hatchetjoboftheyear.com/

The Hatchet Job of the Year Award is for the writer of the angriest, funniest, most trenchant book review of the past twelve months. It aims to raise the profile of professional critics and to promote integrity and wit in literary journalism.

I don't know how I'd feel if I were on the receiving end of one of these, but damn, some of them aren't half funny.

Some of them step too far into criticising the author rather than their work for me, but given that some of the books reviewed are memoirs, that line is quite blurred. And all the reviewers at least attempt to offer evidence for their assertions.

What do you think?
 

James D. Macdonald

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Yeah.

A hardcover edition, a bargain hardcover edition, a paperback edition, and a spoken-word edition. Decent sales over the past decade.

So, much as that review may have stung (if the author were foolish enough to have read it), I expect that more people bought it to see if it was that big a train wreck than didn't buy when they otherwise might have because of this review.

When thinking of readers scanning the bookstore shelves don't underestimate the "yeah, I've heard of that one" reaction as a positive sales force.
 

Torgo

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Yeah.

A hardcover edition, a bargain hardcover edition, a paperback edition, and a spoken-word edition. Decent sales over the past decade.

So, much as that review may have stung (if the author were foolish enough to have read it), I expect that more people bought it to see if it was that big a train wreck than didn't buy when they otherwise might have because of this review.

When thinking of readers scanning the bookstore shelves don't underestimate the "yeah, I've heard of that one" reaction as a positive sales force.

No, you're right. I've been looking out for a copy of that for years now.
 

Phaeal

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Yeah, but....unlike on Goodreads, none of those reviews featured GIFs from various TV shows and LOLcats.

:(
 
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Buffysquirrel

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Those gifs really annoy me. Fortunately, I can zap them with my adblocker.
 

Zaffiro

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Ow ow ow ow omigod OW.

I really hope that if the guy started reading that, he got as far as 'it's printed on really nice paper' and decided that would be a good moment to put it down.
 

Phaeal

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Those gifs really annoy me. Fortunately, I can zap them with my adblocker.

Actually, none of the "Hatchet Job" books was likely to get a lot of Goodread GIFs. They were all far, far too serious.

Unless there's an LOLcat that's all "Lit'ry kitteh iz not amused." Or "Lit'ry kitteh can haz cheezburger and plotz?"
 

MumblingSage

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It looks like the receivers of these Hatchet Jobs are well-established and successful by most any standard already. I don't pity them (much).
 

Layla Nahar

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Why give someone an award for being mean?
(I sound like my mother now...)
 

johnhallow

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Great, so now they get awards for ripping our stories a new one, too...

Yeah, but....unlike on Goodreads, none of those reviews featured GIFs from various TV shows and LOLcats.

:(

Half of the reviews on GR are by people desperate to make each other laugh, which completely sucks balls for the folks who want unbiased opinions and any weak-willed authors who succumb to the urge to read their one-star reviews. The GIFs are an extra kick in the teeth :p


I think that explains the distant scream I heard that autumn.
 

thebloodfiend

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Half of the reviews on GR are by people desperate to make each other laugh, which completely sucks balls for the folks who want unbiased opinions and any weak-willed authors who succumb to the urge to read their one-star reviews. The GIFs are an extra kick in the teeth :p
Dude. What's wrong with a laugh? Granted, GIFs get old, but if used right, they are really, quite funny. Appropriate GIF usage is an art.

And there's no such thing as an unbiased opinion. Show me one, and I'll show you a liar.
 

James D. Macdonald

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That review of The Book of Kings was mentioned here three days and twelve hours ago.

Novelrank.com tells me that Amazon sold a copy of The Book of Kings three days and ten hours ago.

Coincidence?
 

S. L. Saboviec

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So, much as that review may have stung (if the author were foolish enough to have read it), I expect that more people bought it to see if it was that big a train wreck than didn't buy when they otherwise might have because of this review.

That was my thought as I read it.

Unfortunately for the author, I was not tempted beyond the initial thought.
 
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