Pirates Plagiarize Amazon Readers' Reviews (For Profit)

Here --for what I believe are the Fair Use purposes of education, scholarship, reportage, critique, commentary and so forth-- are some very small excerpts lifted (without permission) from the Amazon Conditions Of Use Page. http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=footer_cou?ie=UTF8&nodeId=508088


Note: Please see my first Comment on this piece for Amazon's position on pirates who rip off Amazon reviewers' work.


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On February 11th 2011, I wrote to Amazon. (Links are deleted). This is the text of an email I sent, and which was acknowledged with thanks.

Dear Mr Bezos,

I thought Amazon claims to own the copyright of reviews posted on Amazon. If that is the case, why does Amazon tolerate paid (redacted name of File-Hosting-Site) affiliates using Amazon-owned reviews to promote e-book piracy? How does it help your business if you assist those who would illegally divert business away from you by using your own tools?

http://latestgiveawaysXXXredactedsitenameXXX.com/

These people have 82 collections of e-books, usually between 50 to 150 e-books per collection being illegally shared when the e-books are legally sold on Amazon.

If you look at the "complimentary" e-books, you will see that each comes with a review snip. There is no attribution. However, if you then look at Amazon-owned reviews on the Amazon page selling that particular book, you will very soon locate the Amazon review that has been plagiarized.

Maybe Amazon can do something about this abuse.

(I cited some examples from Nora Roberts' books, but the formatting got so messed up that I believe it was a distraction. What you are supposed to see is Rowena Cherry's prose in grey, pirated stuff in light blue, and genuine Amazon reviewers' work in gold.)

And there were more.... I believe that for one day, it looked like this clipping without attribution of Amazon reviews might cease, but it started up again, and three or four times a week, every week, ever since, the same pirate has continued to "sell" subscription-based access to links to where he has "found" e-books on his favorite file-hosting sites. Those sites, incidentally, pay monetary rewards to the uploaders of files that get thousands of downloads (usually around $25 per 1,000 downloads), and/or they pay referral commissions when freeloading members of the public purchase paid services to enable them to download "freebies" faster.

Yesterday, I wrote again. The pirate is --again-- asking "Club Members" to donate via PayPal to help keep the club going, and as an incentive, he is giving "donors" access to links to more illegally hosted ebooks.

One of the many things that arouses my anger about this particular pirate is that he will give away large chunks of an author's or publisher's entire body of work in the same "book mix" for instance 10 Mammoth Books Of....

This is what I wrote:

Dear Beth and Jeff,

It has been over a year (since February 2011) since I first reported to you that the (redactedname) was lifting reviews from Amazon, and publishing them as his own in order to induce readers worldwide to infringe copyrights and avoid purchasing e-books.  He is still at it three and four times a week, every week.

http://freebie(redactedsitename).preview.html

PIRATED WITHOUT ATTRIBUTION

The Mammoth Book of Dracula

I do not consider myself to be a big Horror fan. I have read all of Lovecraft's works, and recently have been enjoying Kim Newman's Anno Dracula series. A comment that Newman posted on this site led me to get this book for his story, "Coppola's Dracula." That was definitely my favorite story in the book, but I was pleasantly surprised that most of the other stories were decent as well. Like almost all anthologies, there are some stories that were not so hot, but there were no absolute clunkers, in my view. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys horror fiction, whether they are a long-time fan, or a relative new-comer like I am.

 GENUINE REVIEW POSTED ON AMAZON

By 

John D Lewallen Jr

I do not consider myself to be a big Horror fan. I have read all of Lovecraft's works, and recently have been enjoying Kim Newman's Anno Dracula series. A comment that Newman posted on this site led me to get this book for his story, "Coppola's Dracula." That was definitely my favorite story in the book, but I was pleasantly surprised that most of the other stories were decent as well. Like almost all anthologies, there are some stories that were not so hot, but there were no absolute clunkers, in my view. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys horror fiction, whether they are a long-time fan, or a relative new-comer like I am.


PIRATED WITHOUT ATTRIBUTION

The Mammoth Book of Historical Crime Fiction

Ever since Sir Arthur Conan Doyle delighted readers with the fictional genius detective, Sherlock Holmes, crime fiction has been plumbed by mystery writers everywhere. This volume of 12 stories spans crime from the Bronze Age to World War II, and will appeal to the current readers of The Mammoth Book of New Sherlock Holmes Adventures and Best British Mysteries.


 GENUINE book description POSTED ON AMAZON

Ever since Sir Arthur Conan Doyle delighted readers with the fictional genius detective, Sherlock Holmes, crime fiction has been plumbed by mystery writers everywhere. This volume of 12 stories spans crime from the Bronze Age to World War II, and will appeal to the current readers of The Mammoth Book of New Sherlock Holmes Adventures and Best British Mysteries.

PIRATED WITHOUT ATTRIBUTION

The Mammoth Book of Locked-Room Mysteries and Impossible Crimes

I admire the authors who must have racked their brains to come up with ingenious, incredible, seemingly impossible yet logical solutions to their stories. The reader is challenged to solve it but amateurs like me just dont bother. I prefer to sit back and enjoy the ride.

So THAT'S how they did it!!! 

By K. H. ZAINAL

Format:Paperback

A great collection of 'howdunnit' mysteries. Murder most foul (the fictional kind of course) is made more fun for the reader when the crime was committed in an impossible manner. How did a fresh corpse end up in a coffin which has laid undisturbed for two decades? How did the murderer-thief escape from a 10th floor showroom that was constantly under observation (and with only one exit...guarded, naturally)?

Most of the short stories here were written specifically for this book but there are some great classics as well like "The Silver Curtain", "The Adventure of the Jacobean House" and my personal favourite, "Off the Face of the Earth" by Clayton Rawson.

I admire the authors who must have racked their brains to come up with ingenious, incredible, seemingly impossible yet logical solutions to their stories. The reader is challenged to solve it but amateurs like me just dont bother. I prefer to sit back and enjoy the ride.

As I write this, amazon.com has does not have ready copies of this anthology. Since its a UK published book, I advise potential sleuths to log onto amazon.co.uk. They have more copies of this book than they know what to do with!!

PIRATED WITHOUT ATTRIBUTION

The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance

Yes, the Mammoth Book of Vampire Romances is truly MAMMOTH containing 25 short stories. You'll recognize the names of the most of the 23 well known authors as the writers of your favorite paranormal romance and popular urban fantasy series. Despite the title, only about half of the stories in the book are `romances' though most have some sex, but they do all have vampires and most all have a key element of the story associated with the vampire's bite: bringing a transformation, granting immortality, unlocking or stealing memories, sealing a bond or, with the refusal of the acceptance of its offer, breaking a heart. Together the stories pretty much cover most of the niches of the PNR and UF genres, one little tidbit at a time.

GENUINE REVIEW POSTED ON AMAZON

By 

melindeeloo

Yes, the Mammoth Book of Vampire Romances is truly MAMMOTH containing 25 short stories. You'll recognize the names of the most of the 23 well known authors as the writers of your favorite paranormal romance and popular urban fantasy series. Despite the title, only about half of the stories in the book are `romances' though most have some sex, but they do all have vampires and most all have a key element of the story associated with the vampire's bite: bringing a transformation, granting immortality, unlocking or stealing memories, sealing a bond or, with the refusal of the acceptance of its offer, breaking a heart. Together the stories pretty much cover most of the niches of the PNR and UF genres, one little tidbit at a time.

PIRATED WITHOUT ATTRIBUTION

The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2

I read the first Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance and Parnormal Romance. Loved both of them, when the Vampire Romance 2 came out I figured it would be the same level as the previous two. I was somewhat disapointed in several of the stories. In a short story book I rate each story with a Bad, Soso, Ok or Great. This anathology had fewer greats than the previous ones. I am glad I purchased it due to Carole Nelson Douglas's of Midnight Louie series entry and Larissa Ione of a Gaurdian series. There are several other authors that were great reads but not part of any series that I am reading or know of at this time. This is a good airplane travel book, but so is the series of The Mammoth Book Collection.

GENUINE REVIEW POSTED ON AMAZON

By 

C. Campbell 

I read the first Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance and Parnormal Romance. Loved both of them, when the Vampire Romance 2 came out I figured it would be the same level as the previous two. I was somewhat disapointed in several of the stories. In a short story book I rate each story with a Bad, Soso, Ok or Great. This anathology had fewer greats than the previous ones. I am glad I purchased it due to Carole Nelson Douglas's of Midnight Louie series entry and Larissa Ione of a Gaurdian series. There are several other authors that were great reads but not part of any series that I am reading or know of at this time. This is a good airplane travel book, but so is the series of The Mammoth Book Collection.

PIRATED WITHOUT ATTRIBUTION

 The Mammoth Book of Best New Erotica, Volume 3

How surprised...and delighted...I was to see my favorite writer of erotica in this book.....Mike Kimera....his story is Deserving Ruth....the first story I ever read by him... He creates wonderful images with his words...This book presents a wide range of story selection and a variety of topics.Well done !

GENUINE REVIEW POSTED ON AMAZON

Pleasant surprise !!!! 

By mambolady

Format:Paperback

How surprised...and delighted...I was to see my favorite writer of erotica in this book.....Mike Kimera....his story is Deserving Ruth....the first story I ever read by him... He creates wonderful images with his words...This book presents a wide range of story selection and a variety of topics.Well done !

PIRATED WITHOUT ATTRIBUTION

The Mammoth Book of International Erotica

Most of the stories in this volume are clever, well-written, and fashionably postmodern. But that doesn't make them sexy! Story after story, I kept feeling that many of these authors just plain don't like sex. A few stories are fun and sexy, but these are very rare. The book has sex galore, but very little of it is what I'd call erotic.

GENUINE REVIEW POSTED ON AMAZON

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

Most of the stories in this volume are clever, well-written, and fashionably postmodern. But that doesn't make them sexy! Story after story, I kept feeling that many of these authors just plain don't like sex. A few stories are fun and sexy, but these are very rare. The book has sex galore, but very little of it is what I'd call erotic.

PIRATED WITHOUT ATTRIBUTION

The Mammoth Book of Short Erotic Novels

If you're a fan of kinky sex, bathroom fun, S & M, and humiliating sex, this is YOUR book. Not my idea of "erotic" stories. Little romance offered for my wife, and not much for me either. Found 2 stories interesting, most was not to our liking. Mostly leans toward S & M activities, so if thats ur bag, this is your book.

GENUINE REVIEW POSTED ON AMAZON

put your seat belt on

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

If you're a fan of kinky sex, bathroom fun, S & M, and humiliating sex, this is YOUR book. Not my idea of "erotic" stories. Little romance offered for my wife, and not much for me either. Found 2 stories interesting, most was not to our liking. Mostly leans toward S & M activities, so if thats ur bag, this is your book.

PIRATED WITHOUT ATTRIBUTION

The Mammoth Book of Hot Romance

These 25 unashamedly modern short romances don’t shy away at the bedroom door, from the creme de la creme of contemporary romance writers, including Lilith Saintcrow, Louisa Burton, Susan Sizemore, and more.

GENUINE blurb POSTED ON AMAZON

Book Description

Publication Date: August 23, 2011

These 25 unashamedly modern short romances don't shy away at the bedroom door, from the crème de la crème of contemporary romance writers, including Lilith Saintcrow, Louisa Burton, Anna Windsor, Susan Sizemore, Michelle M. Pillow, Rebecca York, Charlotte Stein, Shiloh Walker, Victoria Janssen, Saskia Walker and Cathy Clamp. This is writing which is more direct, less euphemistic, and frankly accepting of sexuality - fiercely hot stories of flesh and blood and feelings which will entrance and beguile romance readers.

PIRATED WITHOUT ATTRIBUTION

This Mammoth Book includes stories by a number of modern writers who use Verne's stories as a starting point for extrapolations of the future as the Victorians might have expected it to happen. I recommend it highly.

GENUINE REVIEW POSTED ON AMAZON

A great read for steampunk and alternative history fans

By steamduck43

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This Mammoth Book includes stories by a number of modern writers who use Verne's stories as a starting point for extrapolations of the future as the Victorians might have expected it to happen. I recommend it highly.

PIRATED WITHOUT ATTRIBUTION

The Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance

Good pick up and put down book for when life is a little busy. Great selection of authors. Will buy others in this series.

GENUINE REVIEW POSTED ON AMAZON

Good collection February 5, 2011

By J. Cantrell

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Good pick up and put down book for when life is a little busy. Great selection of authors. Will buy others in this series.

PIRATED WITHOUT ATTRIBUTION

The Mammoth Book of Time Travel Romance

This book provided some very frustrating times for me while reading. It had some great stories in it & some not so great stories. I felt like as soon as the story started getting good it was over and I wanted more...on some of them not all of them! A few were very far fetched and I couldnt get a grasp of what they were talking about. Then some of them were very cute and left me looking up those authors for more books by them. It is an easy time passing read if you dont have the time to get into a long book then I suggest this for easy reading.


GENUINE REVIEW POSTED ON AMAZON

Easy Reading February 27, 2010

By A. N. Ross

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book provided some very frustrating times for me while reading. It had some great stories in it & some not so great stories. I felt like as soon as the story started getting good it was over and I wanted more...on some of them not all of them! A few were very far fetched and I couldnt get a grasp of what they were talking about. Then some of them were very cute and left me looking up those authors for more books by them. It is an easy time passing read if you dont have the time to get into a long book then I suggest this for easy reading.

PIRATED WITHOUT ATTRIBUTION

The Mammoth Book of Perfect Crimes and Impossible Mysteries

Sometimes the reader knows the killer, watching to see whether he can beat the investigators  sometimes the story is a whodunit, where everyone is a suspect  and sometimes the crime is such a head-scratcher that one can only turn the pages hoping to figure out what in the world happened. Along the way, the editor calls on such familiar authors as Edward D. Hoch, Bill Pronzini, and J.A. Konrath, while also digging up a healthy assortment of lost classics.

GENUINE REVIEW POSTED ON AMAZON

Locked rooms, impossible crimes, and perfect murders September 22, 2008

By Chris Well

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Editor Mike Ashley has assembled more than 500 pages' worth of short mystery fiction focusing on locked room murders, impossible crimes, and even perfect murders -- ranging from one story originally published as early as 1910 to several that were previously unpublished when the book came out in 2007. Included are 30 audacious murder scenarios: A man alone in a phone booth is somehow stabbed in the back with an icepick; a man alone in a room is shot by a bullet fired over 200 years ago; a man enters a cable-car alone and is dead when it reaches the bottom; a man receives mail in response to letters apparently written by him--after his death; a lion tamer is found strangled in a locked train car; an Indian rope trick performer vanishes at the end of the trick only to be found dead in a nearby lake; three women are found murdered, their bodies seemingly untouched yet with their internal organs removed.

Sometimes the reader knows the killer, watching to see whether he can beat the investigators; sometimes the story is a whodunit, where everyone is a suspect; and sometimes the crime is such a head-scratcher that one can only turn the pages hoping to figure out what in the world happened. Along the way, the editor calls on such familiar authors as Edward D. Hoch, Bill Pronzini, and J.A. Konrath, while also digging up a healthy assortment of lost classics. (Ashley avoids any examples from John Dickson Carr and G.K. Chesterton, two masters of the form, because those authors' stories are often so readily available.)

Some of the stories are great, some are okay, and one or two make you slap your forehead in amazement. Overall, a fine collection for any fan of puzzle mysteries.

PIRATED WITHOUT ATTRIBUTION

The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 21

The introduction was filled with useful information about what was written in 2009 in horror and some dark fantasy. Loved that. The stories were more uneven in quality than I'm used to in this series. The obits were unfortunately informative as well. Always sad to see more people involved in this, or any other, genre go. Overall I found it a worthwhile buy and would recommend it to others.

GENUINE REVIEW POSTED ON AMAZON

By 

Alexandria Bracanovich (FAYETTEVILLE, N

T

The introduction was filled with useful information about what was written in 2009 in horror and some dark fantasy. Loved that. The stories were more uneven in quality than I'm used to in this series. The obits were unfortunately informative as well. Always sad to see more people involved in this, or any other, genre go. Overall I found it a worthwhile buy and would recommend it to others

From another "collection" of so-called freebies which are claimed to be "freely available" on the internet. They are only "freely" available, because they have been illegally "shared" in violation of copyright law and in violation of the rights of the authors.

Moreover, auction site Sellers should be aware that just because an e-book is being illegally published and distributed on the internet does not put it "in the public domain". 

Crystal Gardens

Evangeline Ames has rented a country cottage far from the London streets where she was recently attacked. Fascinated by the paranormal energy of nearby Crystal
Gardens, she finds pleasure in sneaking past the wall to explore the grounds. And when her life is threatened again, she instinctively goes to the gardens for safety.

Lucas Sebastian has never been one to ignore a lady in danger, even if she is trespassing on his property. Quickly disposing of her would-be assassin, he insists they keep the matter private. There are rumors enough already, about treasure buried under his garden, and occult botanical experiments performed by his uncle—who died of mysterious causes. With Evangeline’s skill for detection, and Lucas’s sense of the criminal mind, they soon discover that they have a common enemy. And as the energy emanating from Crystal Gardens intensifies, they realize that to survive they must unearth what has been buried for too long.

GENUINE REVIEW

Book Description

Publication Date: April 24, 2012

Evangeline Ames has rented a country cottage far from the London streets where she was recently attacked. Fascinated by the paranormal energy of nearby Crystal
Gardens, she finds pleasure in sneaking past the wall to explore the grounds. And when her life is threatened again, she instinctively goes to the gardens for safety.

Lucas Sebastian has never been one to ignore a lady in danger, even if she is trespassing on his property. Quickly disposing of her would-be assassin, he insists they keep the matter private. There are rumors enough already, about treasure buried under his garden, and occult botanical experiments performed by his uncle—who died of mysterious causes. With Evangeline’s skill for detection, and Lucas’s sense of the criminal mind, they soon discover that they have a common enemy. And as the energy emanating from Crystal Gardens intensifies, they realize that to survive they must unearth what has been buried for too long.

Also, it's not just the anthologies and superstars who are being ripped off. This pirate and his "Club Members" rip off entire series by mid-list authors. There is something very wrong with the DOJ, the mindset on the internet, the protections for authors offered by the DMCA, and the entire discussion about copyright in which the media almost never mentions ebooks.

If you would like to purchase the following books, please check the author's own website, not Amazon.

Mischief in Mudbug

This is an engaging sequel, but the TROUBLE IN MUDBUG is that several key support characters (especially Helena) cannot stand alone without having read the previous book. Still Sabine's search for blood relatives takes a serious health turn that makes for a serious story line while her mutually shared feelings with Beau adds a naked romantic element to the recipe. The suspense subplot adds tension, but also takes a back seat to the health crisis and the attraction as Jana DeLeon cooks an interesting spin in Mudbug.

 

GENUINE REVIEW 
engaging sequel October 3, 2009

By Harriet Klausner #1 HALL OF FAME

Format:Mass Market Paperback

After Helena the ghost makes a disturbing appearance during a client's visit, Mudbug psychic Sabine LeVeche learns from Dr. Breaux that her biopsy test affirms she suffers from acute myeloid leukemia; a type that with treatment most people go into remission especially if the person receives a bone marrow transplant from a close relative.

However, Sabine has a minor problem with the bone marrow therapy; she needs a relative, but knows of none in spite of her efforts to find kin. Private investigator Beau Villeneuve, her BFF Maryse and Helena help the stunned twenty-eight years old woman. However, their efforts are sidetracked by someone trying to kill Sabine and her attraction to Beau who feels the same way about her.

This is an engaging sequel, but the TROUBLE IN MUDBUG is that several key support characters (especially Helena) cannot stand alone without having read the previous book. Still Sabine's search for blood relatives takes a serious health turn that makes for a serious story line while her mutually shared feelings with Beau adds a naked romantic element to the recipe. The suspense subplot adds tension, but also takes a back seat to the health crisis and the attraction as Jana DeLeon cooks an interesting spin in Mudbug.

Harriet Klausner

Trouble in Mudbug

I really liked this little book. It has a neat idea for the characters - the dead mother in law (Ghost-in-Law) is a riot and her relationship with Maryse is not only funny, but the interaction between the two is real. Conversations you can believe and dialogue that real people would use everyday. Gotta love Luc, the love interest here, he's hot, romantic and still sensible and the kind of guy you can picture meeting in real life. The storyline was more interesting than the romance (which was pretty decent too) and I will definately keep an eye out for the next book in this series.


GENUINE REVIEW

 Fun Book with Great idea,

By 

Dogs & Horses "Spanish Norman Horses"

This review is from: Trouble in Mudbug (Mass Market Paperback)

I really liked this little book. It has a neat idea for the characters - the dead mother in law (Ghost-in-Law) is a riot and her relationship with Maryse is not only funny, but the interaction between the two is real. Conversations you can believe and dialogue that real people would use everyday. Gotta love Luc, the love interest here, he's hot, romantic and still sensible and the kind of guy you can picture meeting in real life. The storyline was more interesting than the romance (which was pretty decent too) and I will definately keep an eye out for the next book in this series. 

PS

The copyrighted images  were not lifted from Amazon... at least, not by me. They are being shared on Picasa which is a site owned by Google, and are also reproduced on the websites run by the pirates.