Raker Reads

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Who are you?

A.  My name is Dorian Raker. I'm a novelist, a fencer, an aviator, a guitarist, a veteran, a farmer, a husband and a father of two. Between all of that, I'm an avid reader and an interested audience for the next great masterpiece. Yours!

Q. What is this all about?

A. It really couldn't be simpler. 

I'm not selling anything, and you're not required to buy. Just send me a link to your story and let me have  a look. No matter how unpolished the gem, I'll have a read through. Then, depending on your preference, I'll write up a review either on this book or directly to your personal message inbox. No fuss, no muss.

Q. Are you like, a crazy person?

A.  I am certain they will say so.

Q. Why are you doing this? Have you read some of this stuff?

A. Well, strangely reticent internet person, I've got a love of stories. I've read some terrible books in my time. And I've had to pay for them. This way, I get stories for free and all it costs me is a little time and some work behind the keyboard. At the worst, I'll tap out after a couple of chapters and tell you where you lost me. That might be helpful to know! At best, I'll chew through your entire story and tell you exactly what I thought in as exacting detail as you'd like.

Q. Okay. I'll bite. What do you like to read?

A.  Hey! Look at you coming around! I prefer Fantasy and Science Fiction first and foremost. So, your High Fantasy epic, your Sword and Sorcery adventure, your deep Dark Fantasy tome, throw them my way. If you've got a sprawling Space Opera, I'll chew it over. Robots and alternate timelines and dinosaurs and all of that grab bag of "Things Man Was Not Meant to Know but does anyway and now it's all gone pear-shaped?" Gimme. I'm also an avid student of history and nothing makes my day quite like a fresh take on an old story. If you're a Historical Fiction writer, I'll take all of that too, please and thank you.

Stories need not be complete for me to tackle a review. I'll gladly peruse a serial that is still ongoing, and critique what I see. 

Now, I will not be reading anything FanFiction. That's my redline. I can't do it. I won't do it. I am sorry. I know it is your baby, but I can't. Don't ask. Please. I beg of you. Otherwise, fire away.

Q. How quickly do you usually get through a review?

A. I've got two novels that I'm writing currently, but I'm aiming at getting a novel finished per week. I'm banking on getting reviews up on Sundays. Good plan? Great plan.

Q. How do I get my story reviewed?

A. Great question! Shoot me a PM if you please. I'll take a quick look over the book and then let you know you've been added to the queue.

That all? Okay. We'll cut it there for now. Thanks for giving me a peruse and we'll see you for the first review!