A great book is one that catalyzes coherent thought. The more coherently a book catalyzes thought, the less I want to put it down. If a Book cause me to think in line/order with a coherent system, it shares greatness.
Fantasy, historical fiction and science fiction interest me. When written well, they develop a picture presenting a new perspective to the reader, a perspective that can be investigated and evaluated.
Literature helps us identify our thoughts, our conscious, and our subconscious. Literature aids us in considering our world-view. It gives us data points to compare other would-views. Robert Jordan, Stephen King, Milton, Homer, Tolkien, Lewis, as well as others, present coherent world-views. When done well, a good story clarifies our ordering of systems and assist our ability to analyze our own ideas. Seeing how characters fit into story and interact with each other give us data to sort. Good literature can help us drop incoherent information/static we may have woven into our own world-views.
A writer can have the same effect on the reader through nonfiction, biography, academic text, or informational/self-help books. When a book creates a Eureka!/Aha! moment, I consider it is a Great Book.
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Since I have written this, I have thought about how I rate books. Everything wants a rating. Usually this is a one to five-star scale. I rarely consider anything five-star and I hate to give people a less than average rating, particularly because ratings affect someone’s Living. That compresses my rating options to two. Because, if I rate a book three stars. So, a rating of four star would lack differentiation, it would be like everything else.
After thinking about it I have expanded my options back to four:
- 1 Star – I wish I had not bought this – This is a return, thanks audible!
- 2 Stars – I wish I had not bought this – This is a return, thanks audible!
- 3 Stars – Ok, I got it, I read it, I’m done
- 4 Stars – I am glad I got this – I think I might read it again
- 5 Stars – I have read this book multiple times – yes, of my own free will
If I return a book, I do not feel I should rate it :>