Genre Specific Review Groups discussion

Space Opera Review Group (Now Closed)

In joining this review group you will have agreed to review the novels assigned to you on a two month schedule. Once the sign up phase is over then the review stage begins with a schedule of assignments set by the moderator. Participants must keep the commitment to fellow authors in mind and post their reviews on time. If this becomes difficult then reviewers should keep both the moderator and the author informed about the circumstances.

This is the Space Opera peer review group which will include all types of novels classified as sci-fi wars or space opera. As with other review groups, you will be expected to read and give an honest review of the book assigned to you. Assignments will be made after the group sign-up has filled.

Participants are expected to post reviews to Goodreads and to Amazons US & UK at the same star level. This makes having accounts with both Goodreads and Amazon a requirement. Posting a review to other sites such as Barnes & Noble, Google Books etc should be by arrangement with the author.

This topic will be updated with the list of authors as they sign up with their names and Goodreads links to authors and their books. First come; first served. This is an authors only peer review group.

THE AUTHORS AND BOOKS ARE:

1. R. Leib https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... and The Negative's Tale https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
2. David Tucker https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... and The Battle Within https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
3. E.M. Swift-Hook https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... and Trust a Few https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
4. Shuchismita https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... and Niharika https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
5. K.T. Munson https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... and Unfathomable Chance https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
6. Jeffrey J. Smith https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... and Perfect Timing https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
7. Darren Beyer https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... and Casimir Bridgehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

N.B. This is not the list of assignments. Links and Review Schedule to follow when I know more about previous reviews within this proposed group.

Please add The Negative's Tale by R. Leib

please add Genesis - The Battle Within by David Tucker

I'm in with Trust a Few by E.M. Swift-Hook

Please add Niharika by Shuchismita

Please add Unfathomable Chance.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Jeffery J. Smith, author of Perfect Timing.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Ready!

David wrote: "please add Genesis - The Battle Within by David Tucker"

David and others, I need both your author and book links on Goodreads. Thanks.
Plus, please note (the old hands amongst you will know already) that as this is group does not permit reciprocal reviewing, you need to let me know ASAP if you have reviewed, or been reviewed by, anyone in the author list before. Thanks again.

Any chance you can squeeze Perax Frontier by Alistair Potter into the mix?

Cheers, Alistair

If there's room, my conflicts would be;

Reviewed;
E.M Swift Hook - Trust a Few

Reviewed by;
R. Leib, - Perax Frontier
K.T. Munson - Perax Frontier

I'd like to add Casimir Bridge by Darren Beyer

I do have another book for Alistair if needed :)

I have conflicts from prior review groups with K.T. and Alistair.

R.

Have Reviewed:
R. Leib and The Negative's Tale
Alistair and Perax Frontier

Reviewed by:
E.M. Swift-Hook and Trust a Few

I could potentially provide another book to E.M. - but they wouldn't be sci-fi's like Unfathomable Chance.

Looking forward to this group!
-K.T.

THE ORDER OF REVIEW IS AS FOLLOWS:

Update:
Here is the Schedule of Review Assignments.

Review Assignments will: Start on 18 September and End 18 November 2017

Round One:
runs from 18 September to 18 October 2017

1. Jeffrey J. Smith reviews R. Leib
2. Darren Beyer reviews David Tucker
3. David Tucker reviews E.M. Swift-Hook
4. E.M. Swift-Hook reviews Shuchismita
5. Shuchismita reviews K.T. Munson
6. K.T. Munson reviews Jeffrey J. Smith
7. R. Leib reviews Darren Beyer

Round Two:
runs from 18 October to 18 November 2017

1. Shuchismits reviews R. Leib
2. K.T. reviews David
3. R. Leib reviews E.M.
4. David reviews Shuchismita
5. Darren reviews K.T.
6. E.M. reviews Jeffrey
7. Jeffrey reviews Darren

NOTES: Contact the authors you are scheduled to review (Links above in message 1) to arrange to receive a review copy of their work. I strongly suggest that you do not exchange email addresses through this topic stream but use the GR direct message system, to avoid scammers and co.

If you are all OK with this (and cannot see a conflict) then let the Reviewing commence!
Please post to this topic, both when you receive review copies and when you post the reviews. If you are going to be late with your review, either post to this topic as soon as possible or message the author and the moderator directly.

A polite “Thank you, Reviewer name” from the author is a pleasant way of acknowledging a review and all that is expected. I hope we all agree that it is not seemly or very professional to publicly engage in unpleasant banter or rant about one’s review.

Your moderator is G.J. Griffiths
Thank you.
PS Jeffrey you need to register as Goodreads author to proceed.

Looks good to me - I shall be purchasing both my reads so no need for Shuchismita or Jeffrey to do anything. Just waiting to hear this is the final list...

I have purchased a copy of Casimir Bridge.

Hi, G.J. I thought I had registered as a GoodReads author. Does this link indicate I did or did not?
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Thanks.

Hi Jeffery,

You must not have linked your account with your author account. I can't message you through there to give you my information so you can send me a mobi copy via email. Once you have it set up, can you please PM me so I can give you my email and I can get a copy?

Many thanks,
K.T.

Jeffery wrote: "Hi, G.J. I thought I had registered as a GoodReads author. Does this link indicate I did or did not?
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Thanks."

Hi Jeffrey. It's a while since I did this but I think you have to "claim your profile page" under the Goodreads Author Program and then you will have the other facilities available such as messaging directly other authors etc. I have copied the gist from the page below and included the link also. I hope that helps :-)

GIST:
Claim Your Profile Today
Follow these steps to apply for the Author Program:
Sign in or create an account, and then search for your most popular book via ISBN, ASIN, or title.
On the book, click on your author name. Scroll to the bottom of your author profile page.
Click “Is this you? Let us know!” to complete and submit the application.

We will send you an email when you’re approved within 2 business days. Your login and password will stay the same.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/program

Alistair wrote: "If there's room, my conflicts would be;

Reviewed;
E.M Swift Hook - Trust a Few

Reviewed by;
R. Leib, - Perax Frontier
K.T. Munson - Perax Frontier"

Hi Alistair. I'm waiting to confirm & adjust the group because of conflicts but it looks as though you may have to wait till "next time". :-(
Graham

Hi Alistair. I'm waiting to confirm & adjust the group because of conflicts but it looks as though you may have to wait till "next time". :-(
Hi G.J. No problem - next time it is. Cheers, Alistair.

Whoops here they be!

David J. Tucker

Hi, K.T., and G.J. In the past, others have sent and I've received direct messages. How that facility got lost is beyond me. I'll try those steps.

Hi, K.T. and G.J. Here's another link.
https://www.goodreads.com/author/dash...
I hope it's what was asked for. Best,

To arrange to send a review copy of one's work, how is that done?

Does the author send a mobi copy?

If so, does anyone know a safe site for downloading a converter from PDF or whatever to mobi?

Is Doxillion safe?

Is there an alternative to mobi?

An alternative to Doxillin?

Thanks.

Is this the process for getting a copy of your work to your reviewer?

1, At Amazon or Smashwords or B&N, the author buys an e-copy.

2, That copy automatically is a mobi copy.

3, That copy can be sent by the author to reviewers repeatedly.

Is that what y'all do?

Jeffery wrote: "Is this the process for getting a copy of your work to your reviewer?...."

You can download a mobi from Amazon once you have published it there. You then contact the authors who will be reviewing you through their author page (you get 'message' option on a drop-down menu on the little down arrow under their profile pic ) and ask for their email.

Or you can convert to any format using Calibre (a free conversion program) if your review does not accept mobis.

Often, if the books are not too expensive, the reviewer may decide to buy your book so you can have a 'verified purchase' review, which is much more valuable on Amazon than a non-purchase review.

Thanks, E.M. Does "once you have published it there" = for sale there? It's been there a half year. While there, I see nothing that says "download a mobi". Do you mean, buy a Kindle version?

Jeffery wrote: "Thanks, E.M. Does "once you have published it there" = for sale there? It's been there a half year. While there, I see nothing that says "download a mobi". Do you mean, buy a Kindle version?"

Goto your KDP page (assuming you self-publish)
Goto the 'Bookshelf'
Click on the ... beside where it says 'Promote and Advertise'
Click on 'Edi eBook Content'
Scroll down to Kindle eBook Preview
Click the link that says: Preview on your computer
Click the link that says MOBI
That will download a mobi copy to your computer which you can then share as you wish.

Hope this helps. But if you do not self-publish, Calibre maybe a good way to go :)

Thanks, E.M. OK, so, I've downloaded Calibre, read their guide, answered all its questions about my book, tried to email it to my reviewer, but it says my attempt failed. I assume because Calibre needs to have my book loaded within it? It just can't find that file within my own computer. Anyone know how to put their novel inside Calibre?

Jeffery wrote: "Thanks, E.M. OK, so, I've downloaded Calibre, read their guide, answered all its questions about my book, tried to email it to my reviewer, but it says my attempt failed. I assume because Calibre n..."

Calibre is pretty straightforward once you have the hang of it. But it is easier simply to download your own book from the Zon if you can. But here is how to convert a book with Calibre:

Open Calibre.
Click 'Add Books' - Top Left
Select the file of your book from the window that opens.
When it has loaded, Click on 'Convert Book' which is two or three in the top menu.
New screen opens.
Top Left it will be set to the format of the document you just loaded.
Set the drop-down Top Right to the format you want to produce.
THEN fill in any details about your book on the right.
Hit OK - bottom right.
When the process is done you can find the finished file in 'Calibre Library'.

Hope this helps.

Bottom right there is no "OK". Only "Job Done = 0%". Yet under jobs it showed the conversion complete!

E.M. wrote: "Jeffery wrote: "Thanks, E.M. OK, so, I've downloaded Calibre, read their guide, answered all its questions about my book, tried to email it to my reviewer, but it says my attempt failed. I assume b..."

Wow! You are being incredibly helpful here E.M. and not only to Jeffrey but saving me a lot of time also. So a Big Thanks!
(Have you thought of being a moderator?).

Jeffrey, It is expected in this group that you have a book published on Amazon and as you have then I think you will find it far simpler to download a preview kindle/mobi copy from your KDP site as E.M. suggests above in message 30. Otherwise attach a PDF copy to an email sent to your assigned reviewer. If you are unable to cope with the tech details required I need to know so that one of the 'disappointed authors' like Alistair Potter or Geetha Stachowiak can take your place this time round.
Thanks.

G.J. wrote: "Wow! You are being incredibly helpful here E.M. and not only to Jeffrey but saving me a lot of time also. So a Big Thanks!
(Have you thought of being a moderator?)."

Bad habit of mine to offer any help where I can - hope I was not overstepping.

I already Mod in the Review Group, which keeps me pretty busy, but if ever you run short of people here to do that task do let me know.

G.J. wrote: "If you are unable to cope with the tech details required I need to know so that one of the 'disappointed authors' like Alistair Potter or Geetha Stachowiak can take your place this time round.."

Along with a "hard-tech" solution of mobi-mailing, is a "soft-tech" solution, one of cooperation, OK? I.e., the reviewer in question buys a copy of mine, I buy a copy of "hers"?

I have both of my books! Thanks to everyone that helped!

-K.T.

Jeffery wrote: "G.J. wrote: "If you are unable to cope with the tech details required I need to know so that one of the 'disappointed authors' like Alistair Potter or Geetha Stachowiak can take your place this tim..."

That has to be a private arrangement, Jeffrey. There is no expectation to buy each other's book. Sometimes freebies of books are available which obviously works and then the review is considered as a Verified Purchase by Amazon. There is a lot of helpful information at:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Just in case you have not read the Rules and Tools section already.

Thanks, G.J.

At this point, I've sent and received books.

Great! Thanks E.M. for offering to purchase the book.

My reviews - both were books I would not normally have picked up, so thanks for the opportunity to read them :)

Niharika
Goodreads
Zon UK
Zon US

Perfect Timing
Goodreads
Zon UK
Zon US

E.M. wrote: "My reviews - both were books I would not normally have picked up, so thanks for the opportunity to read them :)

Niharika
Goodreads
Zon UK
Zon US

Perfect Timing
Goo..."

Niharika does not sound very much like a Space Opera - or am I mistaken?
G.J.

G.J. wrote: "Niharika does not sound very much like a Space Opera - or am I mistaken?"

To be honest I would not categorise either of them as space opera. Space opera, by definition, is set in, well - space - and both these are set on earth with no sign of any space travel going on.

E.M. wrote: "G.J. wrote: "Niharika does not sound very much like a Space Opera - or am I mistaken?"

To be honest I would not categorise either of them as space opera. Space opera, by definition, is set in, wel..."

Having now read (too late of course!) the blurb and reviews for each of these books I agree with you E.M. I must apologise to the other authors in the group for including Niharika and Perfect Timing in the final set of books to be reviewed. They are obviously not in the Space Opera genre, and the writers of which I'd hoped would benefit from this review group.

As moderators we have to rely upon the contributors in a peer review group to be honest and objective at all stages - including the correct submissions. Luckily that is usually the case but I have learned a little more from this. If I had known more then I would have asked the other authors, during the original sign-up stage, if they could accept either of these two books. As it is, a couple of authors who had their submissions turned down were unable to join in this round of reviews. Apologies again to R. Leib, David, K.T., Darren, E.M. and the unlucky authors who missed out this time.

G.J.Griffiths

If there’s ever a ‘next time’ in the space opera review group, I’ll offer up GAMMA (Book 1). I had been on the fence about which group (Speculative Fiction or Space Opera) to sign up with. Ultimately, I went with spec fic because most (95%-ish) of GAMMA takes place on a manmade island on Earth, and I was worried about being misleading. The ‘elsewhere-ness’—and the war between Earth and ‘elsewhere’—doesn’t take place until Book 2, DOMUM, which is due for publishing in early 2018.

I just posted a new request for a space opera round having completed my commitment here :)

E.M. wrote: "G.J. wrote: "Niharika does not sound very much like a Space Opera - or am I mistaken?"

To be honest I would not categorise either of them as space opera. Space opera, by definition, is set in, wel..."

Participants should be aware that In previous groups, books submitted for review that did not fit their groups' genre have received lower ratings due to the mismatch.

My review of Casimir Bridge has been posted to Goodreads and Amazon at these addresses:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1QQ3PY...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R66YU...

I have purchased a copy of Trust a Few.

For the first round, the author and I have agreed to keep his review off of Goodreads and Amazon.

Update 10.10.2017: He'd like me to post the review.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-re...
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/customer-...

On to round two!