My eyes popped out of their sockets and dropped on the keyboard yesterday when I examined our author's profile on Amazon.com. The two volumes of "Middle-earth seen by the barbarians" had each received a 4-star review. That is pleasant for us but would not be worth mentioning if it wasn't for the name by which the reviewer had signed.
Orson Scott Card. Yes, that Orson Scott Card! The author of "Ender's Game" and "Speaker for the Dead"! I have read more than a dozen of his books, and it is incredible to believe that he would come and read ours. But see for yourself:
The business has indeed changed. Only Amazon has made it possible that authors from abroad might worm their way into the secluded American book market and get reviews by a high-grade US author. No trade-publisher could have arranged for that - or if he could, it wouldn't have been honest. Amazon is facing a lot of criticism from abroad, and some of it may be justified, but they also do many things right, particularly for us Indie authors. And this, seriously, is emphasised too little these days.
I challenge the traditional publishers: Stop complaining about big bad Amazon and start competing! Develop better business models and offer better conditions to authors than they do! We might consider coming elsewhere. But for the time being, Amazon's position on the Indie market is unchallenged.
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