Ben Forkner

We have, my friends, a fungus among us. I welcome all honest reviews, good or bad. Recently, three negative one-star ratings appeared together all at once for the anthology Modern Irish Short Stories. There are no names and no texts to justify these dismissive stars yet Amazon allows them to count in the overall rating of the book. A silent coward with a poison pen hiding in a closet is rewarded with the same recognition as a legitimate reader willing to openly express his or her opinion. I have complained to Amazon multiple times to no effect. Instead I have received the same bland message of concern apparently written by a robot. None of this matters much in today’s bleak world but it rankles to have a book sabotaged by the very company that profits from it. Long live the local bookstore! For the one or two curious souls who read this, thank you! Take care of yourselves and "beware the foul fiend" and all his misbegotten breed.