HOW WAS THIS REVIEW SCORED?
Any novel, anthology, short story, gamebook, interactive fiction, or video game reviewed by A.E. Jackson is scored with ravens. Not stars. That might fly if this were a run-of-the-mill review blog…
The focus here is Uncanny Speculative Fiction, Horror, Thriller & Suspense, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Short Story, Gamebooks, Interactive Fiction, Action & Adventure, Coming of Age, African American Fiction, African Fiction, Anthologies, Classics, Literary Fiction, Poetry, Inspirational, Nature, Writing & Publishing, Religion & Spirituality, and Technology.
Most often the reading is done by listening to an audiobook. Otherwise, I enjoy the fast progress through a piece delivered in digital format. Of course, there is no replacement for the feel and scent of paper. Most days you’ll find me curled up on the couch with a cup of coffee, one of my pets, and a good book.
The reviews exist on A.E. Jackson first. The complete reviews are shared in Trusted Book Reviews - a Medium publication. Reviews are also found on TheStoryGraph, Amazon Reviews, Reedsy Discovery, and Goodreads. Most of the works get a mini-review posted on popular social media platforms.
Every work is read in full unless a DNF is justified. (* DNF - Did Not Finish) Notes are taken while reading novels on elements of story structure and plot, character development, point-of-view, writing craft, grammar and editing, overall reader experience, and emotional reaction to the story. When reading gamebooks and interactive fiction - in addition to those criteria - elements of adventure quality, meaningful choices, game system mechanics, interactivity, and art or graphics are evaluated.
The raven rating is a quick summary of this reviewer’s opinion. The rating score is there to help readers identify writing styles, genres, and authors they might enjoy.
So, how does A.E. Jackson reach the review score and award ravens?
5 RAVENS
You’ve gotta read this book… in one sitting! 5 Raven rated books are difficult to achieve and identify a rare talent in the writing world. Once these works are discovered they soar to the top of bestseller lists. These works are given a special display on bookshelves.
These novels contain worlds readers want to escape to, characters one can’t stop thinking about, and such incredible conflicts that none can foresee the outcome. Readers are sad when the story ends. They long for more, and reread the work several times waiting for the next installment.
No book is perfect, but these works have readers and reviewers singing their praises. Everyone agrees - these works stand apart from all the rest.
4 RAVENS
Now that’s a great story! 4 Raven ratings are granted to books readers can enjoy, from beginning to end - this is an exceptional read.
These works might not rise to the very top of one’s favorite book list. When asked for a recommendation, however, readers can’t go wrong with these books. All the elements are there! The novel meets all the essential criteria of good fiction, and maybe even fine literature. There are even parts of the work that would thrill readers (deep point of view, a unique or engaging character, an unforeseen plot twist).
A 4 Raven rating is reserved for superior books that are missing those few special gems that would otherwise elevate them to the highest 5 Raven rating.
3 RAVENS
The 3 Raven review is for writings wasting away on shelves, sitting idle, and going nowhere. They leave readers feeling neutral during and after the reading. A little underwhelmed would best sum up the feeling which awaits readers on the last page. Ho hum? Toss it a 3 Raven review.
These books can be enjoyed but don’t leave readers with that “WOW!” feeling at the end. There are lots of aspects to like in these books, but a few elements were still troubling and hard to overlook. The characters were basic, the storyline simplistic, and the ending - well, obvious.
These novels lack a distinct personality, but could still fill the void while waiting for a bus or plane. These 3 Raven rated books are appreciated, but should not be glorified.
2 RAVENS
The 2 Raven rating is given to works that don’t merit a reread. There is some doubt the book should even remain on your bookshelf or in your house. Burn pile? No, not quite. But toss it in the yard sale bin for sure.
Still - these books aren’t full of utter nonsense. The 2 Raven rating covers a multitude of sins. This rating allows for books that ride the fence between good and bad. Nothing stands out in favor, or to the detriment, of these works.
The story can be appreciated, and there are enjoyable snippets throughout. Overall the books lack their own strong personality and coherent storyline.
1 RAVEN
The 1 Raven rating is given to books that should not be granted any space on your bookshelf. These works could put a hyperactive bibliophile to sleep. The books are just terrible and others need to know about them, as a warning against picking up works that will waste their time.
The novel may lack story structure, could contain boring characters, or be packed with grammatical errors. These books might be offensive - even to fiction readers who can stomach cursing, excessive gore, and offensive ideology. No matter the specifics on the long list of problems, no one would deny that this work is bad - very, very, bad!