>>While some of the "minor" criticisms of "Dungeons & Desktops" I've read on Amazon are valid (pictures are too dark, occasional grammatical errors), the criticisms I read sort of scared me after I ordered the book. I half expected to get >>a pile of photocopied leaflets, written by a CRPG-obsessed five-year-old, stapled together! Imagine my surprise when I received a REAL book!

On Reviews:

Here is what I have noticed about reviews and comments for very detailed histories and articles (mostly about video and computer games):

1. Most people who enjoy your work *will not* comment on it. Some will, but not many.
2. Some comments are helpful corrections on facts. These are always useful and welcome.
3. However, most people who do make negative comments do so for a very small subset of reasons:

A. They hold some "inside information" that there is no possible way you could have known (i.e. their uncle invented the Intellivision controller). They blast your work because you did not include that detail, even though there is almost no chance you could have unearthed it otherwise. Oh, and i almost forgot, when you contact them and tell them you would like to interview them because they obviously have an intersting story to tell, they disappear.
B. They have a particular minority bias that they want people to know about, and they use your work and their platform for it. Sometimes this has nothing to do with your work at all.
C. They are closet writers themselves but are not able to produce anything worth while. Instead, they like to "tear down" anyone who takes a shot or is lucky enough to get published.
D. They consider themslves and their peers as "subject matter experts" on something and can't believe that there could possibly be someone out of their realm of influence who could know something they don't know or would have the audacity to try to get something published without their input.
E. They don't like research. Many people feel that research is a waste of time. They would rather just spout off the top of their head. Seeing something that is well researched and detailed scares them because it means if they had to do the same thing they might have to actually do some "work"!

By the way, I have not read ""Dungeons & Desktops" yet (I have read the excepts on GamaSutra and they are GREAT!) because I have asked for it for Xmas this year. I plan a full week of reading about Classic RPGs while drunk on sugar cookies and salted cashews.

By the way, if you think comments from video game fans are bad, you should check out the comments for articles on DZone for programming articles. Humorless, thought-policed worse than wikipedia, and biased towards certain technologies beyond belief...