Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site lzwi.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!lzwi!psc From: psc@lzwi.UUCP (Paul S. R. Chisholm) Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers Subject: Re: The concept of spoilers (really, literary suspense) Message-ID: <184@lzwi.UUCP> Date: Tue, 25-Jun-85 14:13:15 EDT Article-I.D.: lzwi.184 Posted: Tue Jun 25 14:13:15 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 26-Jun-85 07:27:29 EDT References: <2310@topaz.ARPA> Organization: AT&T-IS Enhanced Network Services Lines: 52 < I can use my magic to change the color to red -- but I don't do windows. > In article <2310@topaz.ARPA>, moreau%speedy.DEC@decwrl.ARPA writes: > To me, knowing every line of a book, every plot twist, knowing who lives, > who dies, which people manage to get together (if anyone manages to), is > the only way that I can enjoy it. Otherwise the nervous tension of simply > *NOT KNOWING* what is going to happen seriously detracts from any pleasure > that I might have gotten out of it. > In > fiction you never know if the next paragraph will not have the aliens landing > and blowing away ever character you know about so far. . . . > the tension of watching (waiting) for that almost ruins my enjoyment of any > book the first time through. [ FlameThrower setTemp: low. ] Y'know, I always like tension, suspense, and surprise in books. This can work either way: not knowing what's going to happen (e.g., will the aliens land and blow away every character you know about so far, which make for the suspense in the first hundred pages of Niven and Pournelle's FOOTFALL), or having a pretty good idea what's going to happen, and watching the writer tighten the noose (see Orson Scott Card's ENDER'S GAME). I find I like reading a story a second time more than I like watching it a second time. Thus, given my druthers (and sufficient patience), I watch the movie before I read the book. > For example, I just finished "To Reign In Hell". Excellent job, SKZB. But > the instant that I finished the last page, I flipped back and started with > the first page, to re-read the entire book so I could *ENJOY* it this time. > I do this with almost every book I read (except the ones that I didn't like > for other reasons (such as boredom)). > Ken Moreau [ FlameThrower setTemp: comfyWarm. ] I'm trying to remember the last time I finished a book (for the first time) and immediately turned back to page one and re-read it. DAMIANO? There are darned few books that can get me to do that; the ones that can are terrific. You could argue that you haven't really read a book until you've read it at least twice.* In fact, I suspect some of you will. (*Three times for LORD OF LIGHT. Five? This one was definitely a "let's go to the video tape" and re-read right away book.) (P.S.: Do the aliens land and blow away ever character you know about so far in FOOTFALL? Heh heh heh . . .) -- -Paul S. R. Chisholm The above opinions are my own, {pegasus,vax135}!lzwi!psc not necessarily those of any {mtgzz,ihnp4}!lznv!psc telecommunications company.