Kevin, how does a bad book exactly hurt you (or anybody)? As to the star system, it never had much to do with quality. It's pure commerce.
I am puzzled by your rant about how bad most books are... hasn't it always been so? Pick up the bestsellers of yesteryear and try to read them... I mean bestsellers, not obscure books. Most of them suck, to the point of being unreadable. Then pick up Franz Kafka, who hardly sold anything, and you tell me about literary stardom.
I think you are overlooking the sheer randomness of "success". In any case, this list is not about success but about quality. And if that sounds pompous, so be it. Of course, quality and success can go together -- that's the happy ending. But there isn't always a happy ending.
Best,
mrt
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