Reviewing a Review

by Bert Carson This is not a review of Harlan Coben's novel, Six Years. This is me sharing a good laugh with you and maybe making a tiny observation.  Before I get to the observation, let me say that until a few minutes ago, I had never heard of Harlan  Coben.  I found him because I wanted to try Whispersync for voice and it's only available on some titles.  "Some," does not include me or other indie writers. Since I'd never heard of Mr. Coben, I decided to take a look at a few of the 1,060 reviews this particular book has gathered.  I read only one.  It, and the comments it has drawn, made me laugh so hard, I didn't think it would be safe to read another until I was sure that my system had fully recovered.   After I dried my eyes and caught my breath, I was about to go back to my search when I thought about you, and I figured you'd like a good laugh.  So, grab a couple of tissues, find a place to sit where you won't disturb someone you care about, then enjoy this beautifully written one-star review of a book I'll never read. ************************* 48 of 55 people found the following review helpful  Definitely not his best, March 21, 2013 By  jedimasterqg "max" Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?) This review is from: Six Years (Hardcover) I have been a Coben fan for a long time. I started out with the Bolitar series and moved on to the stand-alones. I have thoroughly enjoyed each book. However, this one gave me the urge to reach through my Kindle and slap Jake across the face and say "Snap out of it!'. The book is based on a man's obsession of a woman he briefly knew. In order to find her , he puts others in danger, is suspended from his job, all the while thinking only of finding Natalie. This reads like a Nicholas Sparks book gone bad. Initial post: Mar 22, 2013 6:37:41 PM PDT Ms. Nancy L. Barth says: I agree. In reply to an earlier post on Mar 24, 2013 11:56:51 PM PDT book worm says: I totally disagree with this review. As with all novels you must suspend disbelief to some extent (and it this case a lot) but there was a lot of action and I wanted to keep reading. Of course the outcome was very predictable but I enjoyed seeing how Coben would get there. Coben is a master at what he does and I keep buying his books. For those readers who do not wish to pay the price of a Kindle download I feel sorry for you. You will miss a lot of good books. Posted on Mar 27, 2013 11:55:29 AM PDT Rene says: I completely agree. I am 'speed reading' through it. I find it incredibly boring. Makes me appreciate the likes of Robert Crais and Robert Parker. This was a waste of money. In reply to an earlier post on Mar 27, 2013 12:03:05 PM PDT book worm says: Your problem is "speed reading". Slow down and enjoy. Posted on Apr 1, 2013 9:19:39 AM PDT Goldfish says: I agree completely .....I usually really enjoy Coben, but not so much this time. In reply to an earlier post on Apr 2, 2013 12:15:54 PM PDT subrosa says: When my husband started reading this book I kept asking him if he was enjoying it. He kept saying, "This is stupid". When I read it I had to agree. Jake is a love sick wimp. About page 300 it picked up a bit but I was sorry I had wasted my time. Should be classified as a Romance novel. "The dirt road was not as well paved here" Well, duh, dirt roads are not paved at all. I guess I should read faster and perhaps I wouldn't notice those errors. In reply to an earlier post on Apr 8, 2013 9:12:03 PM PDT April McBride says: @ subrosa; The dirt road wasn't paved?? too funny :) Posted on Apr 9, 2013 2:08:27 PM PDT Idrow says: I also like how he gets his wallet stolen and he has all his credit/atm cards the next day. He must have also gotten a less than 24 hour turn around on replacing his driver's license because you can't rent a car without one. This was a poorly written book to be sure. Posted on Apr 25, 2013 7:56:17 AM PDT Johnnie M. Hopson says: I have not finished this book yet but...I think Jake is a fool. It is hard to continue to care for him. All for Natalie one track, ugggggggggg. In reply to an earlier post on Apr 25, 2013 8:04:22 AM PDT Ms. Nancy L. Barth says: I agree. He's obsessed and he doesn't care who gets hurt.

Betsy Black says:

I am struggling with this book after reading about a third of it so stopped to read some reviews and comments. This review helps me decide to stop reading! This is my first Harlan Coben, and I cannot continue. Someone please recommend another stand-alone to try before I bail on this author. I love audio books and was enjoying Scott Brick's narrator but not the story.

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Posted on Apr 28, 2013 7:38:28 PM PDT

Andrea says:

You hit the nail on the head. I too have been a harlan coben fan for many years but this book was so annoying I thought I was reading a bad romance novel.

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I promised a few observations, but after rereading the review and all the comments I'll only make one:  It is refreshing to know that humor is still alive.  And, one final note, thanks to Rene (see the third comment) I've discovered Robert Crais - if she puts him in the same league as Robert B. Parker that's good enough for me.