Warning: Bambi's mother gets shot
A letter I received today from a library patron (I'm hoping she'll ask the library to ban my books -- nothing is better for sales) ... :)
Since I wrote you, I've devoured another 10 or so of your novels. I'm on Frameshift, and I've been traumatised by Chapter 1 (nazi concentration camp...). You should really preface it with a disclaimer, "dear loyal readers, the following is graphic, but trust me it's not gratuitous, there is a point..." It's only because you've gained my trust in your other novels that I'm going to read the rest of this one. For that matter, I didn't much like the rape scene in the beginning of Hominids either. And in Rollback, why did Hubby have to cheat on Sarah?My reply:
If you could please reassure me that there is a point to the graphic depiction of events in the concentration camp, I would be extremely grateful.
There is nothing gratuitous in any of my books, in the opinion of myself and of my editors -- gratuitous material (were I ever to try to include any, which I honestly don't think I ever have) would not make it through the editorial process.
Hominids won the Hugo Award for best science-fiction novel of the year; Rollback was nominated for that same award, and received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal, denoting a book of exceptional merit; Frameshift was also a Hugo finalist and won Japan's top SF award, the Seiun, in the category of best foreign novel. Those things were because of their content, not despite it, you know. :)
As for a disclaimer, here's one: "Warning: This is a book. Open at your own risk."
The Robert J. Sawyer Web Site
4 Comments:
was that a rollback spoiler? i haven't read it yet. :(
sigh.
maybe we need a disclaimer for the internet: "warning: you will learn things you don't want to know out here."
i think that one also applies to life.
Realistically, in discussions of any author's work, anything that begins, "In [insert title or book you haven't yet read] ..." has to serve as a sufficient spoiler warning." Otherwise, we're limited to not discussing anything of substance.
Applies to films, too. :) You gotta stop reading after "In The Empire Strikes Back," if you don't want to read, "wasn't it shocking to find out that Darth Vader was Luke's father?" :)
Yeah, but thanks for the Bambi spoiler. Sheesh.
Hi Rob!
Warning: You are about to read a post... ;-)
Love your comeback for the disclaimer! It is so true...
;-) Louis.
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