There's nothing wrong with a well-written hatchet job, argues Barbara Julian. The real problem is a lack of independent minds when it comes to reviewing and judging. The "hatchet job" and the paid promotional puff job are extremes that have called the whole book information process into question, but the information that comes from viewing, pre-viewing and re-viewing books is still helpful to readers, booksellers and librarians alike.
The question about book reviewing in the future was raised by writer/reviewer Lee Siegel in a New Yorker article ("Burying the Hatchet," 26 September 2013), where he expresses revulsion particularly against negative book reviewing.