Comments on: Liar & Spoilers

By: New Book Day! « Gentle Wit

New Book Day! « Gentle Wit — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:39:00 +0000

[...] Liar is about, obviously, a pathological liar. In fact, said liar is the narrator of the story, which is exactly the reason for my intense curiosity over the book — and also why I’ve tried to stay away from every mention of the book for fear of spoilers. I have only read one other book by this lovely author, the very amusing and wonderful How to Ditch Your Fairy, which was also a very enticing, unique, and absolutely hilarious book. She’s a very easy author to read and I found her style drew me in within the first few pages. Oh, and for those not in the know, she’s married to the fantastic authorScott Westerfeld. Go buy his books, they are also very, very good. (I’m very eager to get Leviathan, which comes out next week.) Anyhoo, Liar has tons and tons of reviews all over the Internet if you aren’t like me and want more information about it before cracking the cover. Though, I do warn you that I’ve stayed away specifically because there have been some inadvertant spoilers mixed in with some of those reviews and I’m told the book is way more interesting read minus the spoilers. (This taken straight from the author’s own text.) [...]

By: Justine

Justine — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 08:37:54 +0000

Emma: You has won the prize for Australia. Email me.

By: Emma

Emma — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 08:17:07 +0000

Liar in Australia!!!

In Canberra, in fact. On the “Borders Recommends” shelf in YA. (Prominently displayed at eye level no less!)

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CW_eL59v4iI/SriGgkbY1OI/AAAAAAAAAAM/P-BjYZGvpM8/s1600-h/image-upload-194-797460.jpg

(Yes, I realise the hidden face thing doesn’t work nearly so well with the Oz cover).

By: Tim Pratt

Tim Pratt — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 05:15:20 +0000

In this context, whiplash is a good thing! In the sense that whiplash is, um, sudden and surprising and moves your brain around in ways you weren’t expecting. Like that.

By: Amber

Amber — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:36:44 +0000

Thanks for the warning. I usually like to read reviews and all spoilers but I won’t for this book.

By: Justine

Justine — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:02:24 +0000

Zetta: What a wonderful review. Thank you.

By: Zetta Elliott

Zetta Elliott — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:40:52 +0000

Many, many apologies for not following your plea for discretion; I’ve revised my review.

By: Justine

Justine — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:17:35 +0000

Tim: Thank you! Um, I think. Whiplash is not a good thing, is it?

wandering-dream: I am sorry for your suffering.

E. Kristin Anderson: And that’s why it’s wrong to separate YA by genre! How will the mystery readers find my book?

Thank you for being so non-spoilery!

Matt Cheney: Oh, I know. I just like to tease. And I have to point out that all the spoily reviews have been very careful about giving spoiler warnings.

By: Matt Cheney

Matt Cheney — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:02:47 +0000

We do have a different tolerance for knowing plot information beforehand, but, despite what my old and perhaps unnecessarily provocative statements were, it would really take a lot for me to deliberately violate a writer’s plea for reviewers and bloggers to not reveal too much (without a warning to unsuspecting readers, at least). To do otherwise would be obnoxious. I’m excited to read Liar, and promise to do my best to avoid any spoilerage if I talk about it in any venue where potential readers might stop by!

By: E. Kristin Anderson

E. Kristin Anderson — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:45:36 +0000

I so so so agree with you, Justine! I found that even deciding where to shelve the book in our store was agonizing (we ultimately decided it would live with the rest of your books, just so that they could be a happy family).

Handselling it is going to be a bitch without giving too much away, but I’m confident I can do it. Here’s hoping other booksellers find a way, too!

Honestly, I will NEVER understand people who actively seek out spoilers. I am immediately disinterested in a book/movie/tv show if I already know what’s going to happen. Who knows why people don’t want to be surprised?

By: wandering-dreamer

wandering-dreamer — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:22:23 +0000

Grr, I really want to read Liar now but I probably won’t have a chance until, er, whenever I get home and start stalking out the local B&N. Curse you small towns with no bookstores! And no real public libraries either (my college library hasn’t quite grasped that beginning children’s chapter books and full on YA shouldn’t be in the same section…).

By: Tim Pratt

Tim Pratt — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:05:46 +0000

I’m one of those people who isn’t bothered by spoilers and sometimes seeks them out… but, yeah, Liar is much better unspoiled, I must admit. A real whiplash-inducing reading experience.

By: Justine

Justine — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:24:53 +0000

Gili: Give your copy to all your friends. Then you can all discuss it not in code. Make them read it!

Once the book is officially out I’ll be creating a spoiler thread here.

By: Gili

Gili — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:19:05 +0000

I enjoyed LIAR very much, and also respected it as a masterful piece of work. But I must say it has been hard keeping quiet about the book when I can’t wait to discuss people’s responses to it. Namely, I wonder if some people will not be turned off by that… thing of not quite knowing where you stand even very late into the book. Hard discussing a book entirely in code.