Favor to ask about posting spoilers

[DaveR]

Just stumbled into the "Canon Characters Killed in Books SPOILERS!!!!" thread, and saw the first post. I haven't read Singular Destiny yet, and as soon as I saw what book it was about, I quickly got out of it, so I have no idea if I've seen anything "spoilery" (to coin a phrase) or not.

Can I ask a favor, though? For anybody who's going to put "SPOILERS" in the title of a thread and then proceed to spoil a current book, could you please put what book you're spoiling in the title? If it had been a spoiler for Destiny, I could have jumped right in as I've read that trilogy, but it would have been nice to know that it was spoiling Destiny ahead of time.

So far, I've managed to avoid all of the review threads until I've read the book, and it's made for some interesting reading after I'm done. But in some other random thread, it would be nice to be alerted beforehand.

Sadly, Singular Destiny hasn't made it up here to Vancouver yet, but I'll be snapping it up as soon as it does.

 

[Marie1]

I agree... but in that case, the thread is about all of Trek Lit, so in that case someone doesn't like spoilers, or doesn't want to know who dies, it'd be best to steer clear of that kind of thread, since its a "multi-purpose" thread that, as it did warn, had spoilers.

 

[DaveR]

I agree... but in that case, the thread is about all of Trek Lit, so in that case someone doesn't like spoilers, or doesn't want to know who dies, it'd be best to steer clear of that kind of thread, since its a "multi-purpose" thread that, as it did warn, had spoilers.

Except for the fact that it may not be common knowledge that a canon character dies in a new book. For all we know, it could be yet another Janeway thread.

Dave

 

[Trent Roman]

Something like: (SPOILERS up to Singular Destiny).

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[JD]

Yeah, that was me. I apologize, I figured that putting up spoilers would be enough to keep anyone afraid of spoilers away. If a mod or someone can change the title please do.

 

[DaveR]

Yeah, that was me. I apologize, I figured that putting up spoilers would be enough to keep anyone afraid of spoilers away. If a mod or someone can change the title please do.

Hey JD, no worries. You were just the recent example that prompted the post. It's been an annoyance on many message boards for a long time.

Dave

 

[Marie1]

Something like: (SPOILERS up to Singular Destiny).

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

Ahh... yes, that'd do it.

I guess it'd be hard to look at when the thread was posted to deduce how many novels were affected by spoilers since there is such a big difference in when we get them in all the parts in the world.

 

[Trent Roman]

Something like: (SPOILERS up to Singular Destiny).

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

Ahh... yes, that'd do it.

I guess it'd be hard to look at when the thread was posted to deduce how many novels were affected by spoilers since there is such a big difference in when we get them in all the parts in the world.

That kind of spoiler warning would be predicated on the idea that readers are familiar with the publication schedule... i.e., that they know Singular Destiny comes *after* the Destiny trilogy, etc. Perfection is elusive as always.

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[Marie1]

Hmmm, true too. But I still say thats generous, and you're on the right track. If a thread is about, say the deaths of characters in books, or some other spoiler for Trek Lit at large, then those who aren't up-to-date and who don't like spoilers would want to at least assume there could be spoilers there. An "at risk" sort of thing. I know I got a spoiler I didn't want for one of the Lost Era books. But I can't really complain, I knew there were spoilers, I knew what kind, and I knew that it could be any book.

 

[DaveR]

Hmmm, true too. But I still say thats generous, and you're on the right track. If a thread is about, say the deaths of characters in books, or some other spoiler for Trek Lit at large, then those who aren't up-to-date and who don't like spoilers would want to at least assume there could be spoilers there. An "at risk" sort of thing. I know I got a spoiler I didn't want for one of the Lost Era books. But I can't really complain, I knew there were spoilers, I knew what kind, and I knew that it could be any book.

I quite agree, and I wouldn't expect anything for more than the newest books (say, 6 months?). If I get spoiled on an old book, that's my problem.

Dave

 

[Smiley]

The trouble with labelling it as "Spoilers up to Book XYZ" is that it reveals that the subject being discussed probably happened in that book. There really is no great way of completely avoiding spoilers but to avoid the boards.

 

[JWolf]

When asking a question like "which book did so and so die" could be titled something like "major spoiler question" as the topic. I know I would have been pissed had I seen the topic before reading the book in question. And that really was totally unfair. If I was a moderator, I would have changed the topic as soon as I read it to avoid soiling things for who knows how many people.

 

[Marie1]

That is something that puzzles me- why people put something that is an obvious spoiler in the title...

Just put the book, and "major spoilers" and put the actual spoiler in the post... yikes!

 

[JWolf]

And some people justify giving away spoilers with "Oh you should have already read that since it's an old book". That is a bunch of BS. Not everyone has read every Trek book and spoiling just because someone thinks everyone should have already read it is wrong as well. There are spoiler codes for such things. Use them.

 

[DimesDan]

And some people justify giving away spoilers with "Oh you should have already read that since it's an old book". That is a bunch of BS. Not everyone has read every Trek book and spoiling just because someone thinks everyone should have already read it is wrong as well. There are spoiler codes for such things. Use them.

But how old is old? Is it safe to comment on a book five years? ten years? or even further ago or when ever discussing any book ever we should but spoiler code? Too someone never seen the films, would saying that Spock in Wrath of Kahn died and came back in Search for Spock count as a spoiler or a vallied plot point?

 

[William Leisner]

And some people justify giving away spoilers with "Oh you should have already read that since it's an old book". That is a bunch of BS. Not everyone has read every Trek book and spoiling just because someone thinks everyone should have already read it is wrong as well. There are spoiler codes for such things. Use them.

I disagree. If you chose to come onto a discussion board for Trek books, you need to expect to find discussion of Trek books there. And it's fucking ridiculous for any one fan to expect the entire rest of the world to actively protect them for an indefinite period of time from learning that Kirk survives to the end of Mission to Horatius. (And the fact that some idiots really will consider that a "spoiler" is another rant by itself.)

It's called self-responsibility: use it.

 

[DimesDan]

And some people justify giving away spoilers with "Oh you should have already read that since it's an old book". That is a bunch of BS. Not everyone has read every Trek book and spoiling just because someone thinks everyone should have already read it is wrong as well. There are spoiler codes for such things. Use them.

I disagree. If you chose to come onto a discussion board for Trek books, you need to expect to find discussion of Trek books there. And it's fucking ridiculous for any one fan to expect the entire rest of the world to actively protect them for an indefinite period of time from learning that Kirk survives to the end of Mission to Horatius. (And the fact that some idiots really will consider that a "spoiler" is another rant by itself.)

It's called self-responsibility: use it.

I whole heartedly agree with that.

Putting it another way, it's like using a condom.