Ratings Key

Since I am going to be posting reviews, and since it is convenient to reduce reviews to a single number (I look forward to the day that we have a Metacritic for books), I thought I should clearly state my ratings system. Each book gets a rating from 1 to 10, to be interpreted as follows:

10. This book will change your life. Drop everything you are doing and read it now.
9. Brilliant. A thoroughly enjoyable book that I look forward to returning to, and will give out as a holiday present to friends.
8. Very good. Something about the plot, characterization, or craft makes this book stand out. Worth seeking out.
7. Good. Reasonably strong plot, characterization, or craft sufficient to elevate this book above most of the competition.
6. Decent. Perfectly fine piece of fiction with nothing special to elevate it. OR, its good points are roughly offset by its problems.
5. Not bad. Some good points, some bad points. I struggled to finish it, but finish it I did.
4. Bad. Some redeemable features more than offset by weaknesses of plot, characterization, or craft.
3. Very bad. Weaknesses of plot, characterization, or craft without some redeeming feature. I almost certainly did not finish it.
2. Awful. As in William McGonagall. I almost certainly did not finish it.
1. Not just awful, but pernicious in some way. Possibly plagiarized. If I finished the book, it was only because I was fueled by hate.

When mapping these ratings into a scale of 1 to 5 stars, I simply divide by two and round up or down depending on my mood.

I don't expect to give out many ratings less than four, as I will typically not be drawn to such books (or will filter them out based on negative reviews from others). However, a couple might slip through given my penchant for violently disagreeing with the Amazon and Goodreads cheer-leading crowds (and let's be honest, even the Hugo voters have made some whopping errors over the years).

I am also opposed to grade inflation and am determined not to become the typical Amazon or Goodreads cheerleader. Hence, you will typically not see many 9 or 10 ratings (although, at least initially, I will go out of my way to review some of my most beloved pieces of fiction, and so there may be a temporary spike of 9 or 10 reviews).

In sum, expect a lot of reviews with ratings between 4 and 8, and keep in mind the above before throwing a fit when a book you love receives less than a 10.