Glad to see I'm not the only one that hates the idea. The Authors Guild is with me. Guild President Scott Turow made the following statement...
"Amazon’s acquisition of Goodreads is a textbook example of how modern Internet monopolies can be built … The key is to eliminate or absorb competitors before they pose a serious threat. With its 16 million subscribers, Goodreads could easily have become a competing on-line bookseller, or played a role in directing buyers to a site other than Amazon. Instead, Amazon has scuttled that potential and also squelched what was fast becoming the go-to venue for on-line reviews, attracting far more attention than Amazon for those seeking independent assessment and discussion of books. As those in advertising have long known, the key to driving sales is controlling information."
That's why he's a best selling author, and I'm not. I couldn't put my objections into words the way Mr. Turow was so succinctly able to do.
