Where we at with recommendation algorithms?

Published by marco on

It is sad to think that, not only do the algorithms have a chance of influencing us, but that they are winning. I say this in light of the recommendations I keep seeing that demonstrates the utter vapidity of most of the algorithms we have so far.

I just finished The Last Wish, the first book of The Witcher series of books. These are fantasy novels about a master of sword and magic who travels the world slaying monsters.

They only have Sword of Destiny (a short-story collection that actually precedes The Last Wish) as an audiobook, so I recommended that they buy a version for readers. This popover came up afterwards.

Recommendation from the NYPL

I might like one of these titles? I guess that, for the NYPL, golden-age science fiction—a short story from 1953—is in the same ballpark as fantasy. They probably just call it all sci-fi/fantasy in their big ol’ database. I have no idea what ‘Til the End of Time has to do with either of these books. The NYPL just loves to push its softcore ladyporn. It really, really does.

I found the book on the author’s home page, where she describes it like this,

'Til the End of Time original cover (1987)

“Risking his fife to save the stunning American woman from certain death. Sandor Karpathan felt his rebel’s heart fill with fierce desire, and he knew no power on earth could stop him from possessing her! Alessandra Ballard was dizzyingly beautiful, but it was her courage –and a will as strong as Sandor’s–that bound her to this defiant man of honor. Thrown together in the heat of revolution, they made a reckless escape, only to be captured by the astonishing power of their desire. It was a time of heroes, and no time to fall in love, yet destiny had designs on both their hearts–if only they dared to seize the dream that beckoned…”

I actually like the cover she has on her web site much better. It evokes the time when it was written much better (1987).

Hey, you know what? Maybe the NYPL was right! I really might like these books. You’ve piqued my interest, NYPL. Chapeau!