Avoiding potential book spoilers (and failing)

[Walda]

Yes, a show spoilers thread in the book subforums, or a 'for the book' thread in the show forum would probably be a good idea, and would go some way to protect the main forum from accidental spoilers (I know the consequences are dire, but it is really easy when everyone is so used to making comparisons between the show and the books up until now, and of course what the show implies about the books is going to be really interesting for book readers that watch the show)

[Dya of Oldstones]

2 hours ago, Walda said:

Yes, a show spoilers thread in the book subforums, or a 'for the book' thread in the show forum would probably be a good idea, and would go some way to protect the main forum from accidental spoilers (I know the consequences are dire, but it is really easy when everyone is so used to making comparisons between the show and the books up until now, and of course what the show implies about the books is going to be really interesting for book readers that watch the show)

Maybe even a child forum under the book forums for including show spoilers or vice versa in the show forums. For me personally, I'm not even watching the show this season and could care less about being spoiled, but I know some people would want to go between the two mediums and tease out speculations. I'm just hoping whatever happens is in a way that the mods don't have to work overtime to police threads for spoilers.

[WolfClaw]

On 4/5/2016 at 11:23 AM, mormont said:

[mod] Folks, to be clear:

No show spoilers of any sort should be posted anywhere in the book forum, and particularly not in a thread titled 'avoiding potential book spoilers'.

Nothing. Zero. None at all. Not so much as an episode title, a summary or a hint.

Critique of the show should also be avoided. This thread is about avoiding potential book spoilers, nothing else. [/mod]

 

I find it strange that there is a request/ warning from the moderators not to be any spoilers from the TV show to the book forum, when there is no such request/ warning to the TV forum (none that I have seen) and there were many threads with spoilers from the books in the previous seasons. Is it not a bit like the moderators have double standards on that matter? This is just an observation nothing more.

 

Anyway back to the matter at hand. I suppose you can try to avoid spoilers, but considering that the TV show will be go ahead from the books and it will finish long before the last book is published, it will be very hard if not impossible. I agree with many that say that the TV show is taking a different path from the books, but I do not necessarily find that as a bad thing. We must never forget that these are two different mediums and what works for the one does not mean that it works for the other. Of course that is not an absolute.

 

As a fun of both books and TV show, my excitement was not lessen when I saw it on TV screen. Of course, there are some things that I would have like to have taken a different path in the TV show, but there are others that I found that they work better the way the writers of the TV show represent them than George R. R. Martin (I know, I am a heretic but that is the way I feel).

[Protagoras]

9 minutes ago, WolfClaw said:

 

I find it strange that there is a request/ warning from the moderators not to be any spoilers from the TV show to the book forum, when there is no such request/ warning to the TV forum (none that I have seen) and there were many threads with spoilers from the books in the previous seasons. Is it not a bit like the moderators have double standards on that matter?

Excellent observation

[Iris Purpurea]

12 hours ago, Walda said:

Just the specificity of a visual image can distort a book readers impression.

This is so true, I've only seen the first two seasons of GoT and although I've got my own mental image of most of the characters, and some faces I've seen on the show have already faded, I can't help seeing the actor that plays Jon whenever I read his chapters,  I just don't like the actor and he made me dislike Jon as a character which isn't fair because I guess he's a good character but I just can't shake the show influence. 

So far I've managed to avoid any new spoilers but I do live under a rock at the moment hehe

(I do like looking at the fan art though and comparing it to what I have in my minds eye, it usually doesn't match up but it doesn't affect much either)

[Nymeria_Snow]

On 5/10/2016 at 0:06 PM, Walda said:

A  good image can take less than a second to absorb, and can got a long way to over-writing the impressions a text-based description. Then, re-reading the books in an attempt to erase the unhelpful and inaccurate images, actually helps reinforce and recall them. The brain will always prefer to snatch a whole concrete image it had tucked away earlier, than decode a text and rebuild composite images, and will fill in the blank bits that GRRM carefully left in, with whatever it has got.

This is a really excellent post, thanks for taking the time to write it.

In regards to tv show spoilers guys, I'd want as little as possible on this thread for the whole reason I started it, especially the last couple of seasons! I was keen to keep this as a thread to see whether book readers are watching the show or not, the difficulties of avoiding spoilers and an overall discussion on attitudes to the changes or lack thereof. 

For those watching the show, not minding spoilers and wanting to compare with the books though, you're right- there should be a thread or option. I'm sure it would be helpful for many of you.