Nathan Key

This morning when I was skimming through some Amazon book reviews of Frank Viola's Pagan Christianity, I realized something interesting about myself- I naturally gravitate toward 1 Star Reviews. Perhaps it's because these reviews are often more spicy, contrary, and provocative than any of the other reviews out there, but moreover it's because readers who really hate a book, and still find time to leave feedback for the rest of us detailing why, are generally a good source of information about whether or not the book is going to resonate with me personally.

You see, single star reviewers- unless they resort to one sentence write-offs like, "I hated this book, don't buy it."- are sometimes the most detailed of all reviewers. In an attempt to debunk the content or prove why the book is a waste of time, they etch out a rebuttal based on their own research or their own opinion. And in doing so, they give a focused summary of the content with a running commentary that usually reveals the bias of the reviewer. Reading about the content of the book under the lens of a clearly stated bias is a great way to get a good understanding of the material without getting sucked into the worldview of the author.

So, as long as you read each review and ask yourself "Does reviewer sound like he's on the same page as me when it comes to style preference, orthodoxy, and interests?" These negative reviews often make a lot more sense and are a lot more useful than the 5 Star Fanboy Reviews that often make up the majority of each book's review section.

I've even come up with a little catch-phrase that I like to throw around whenever I'm looking at reviews: Skip to the Naysayers!

When I Skipped to the Naysayers, I discovered out how controversial The Shack was, and I actually decided to read it. Prior to this, I had no interest in it at all.

When I Skipped to the Naysayers, I found a wonderful a stroke of irony surrounding the critics of Jesus Wants to Save Christians (who are probably the intended audience of Rob Bell's book); they are so wrapped up in Americanized Christianity that they fail to understand the content and will also fail to be "saved" by the message.

When I Skipped to the Naysayers, I realized that the only people who hated the movie Hotel Rwanda were a racist who was disappointed with the minimal levels of carnage and violence simply because he hated Africa- and this other guy who wanted the R-Rated gore-fest so that Westerners would realize how bad it really was over there.

What it really comes down to is that single star reviews, when they are the minority view, give me a better idea of what's to love & hate about a book (or movie) before I buy it.

And besides, I love the controversy:
I love to see contrary opinions and whether or not they hold water.

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