This is topic The Official "I'm going dark on Harry Potter until Saturday" Thread in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.


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Posted by docmagik (Member # 1131) on :
 
Was wikipediaing some stuff for a mildlyamusing.com post about Harry Potter and came across a spoiler for the last book.

D'oh!

Maybe it was real. Maybe it wasn't. But the internet is starting to get dangerous.

So, sorry folks. I am going Harry Potter dark for the rest of the week. No Harry Potter threads for me, no looking at the "View All Active Topics," no nothing until I've read this book for myself.

Who's with me!?
 

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Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
 
Me too.
I want to read the book with a clear mind.
I'm not even going to look at theories.
 

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Posted by Damien.m (Member # 8462) on :
 
Yup. Tempted but resisting the leaked copy shows that I can make it through.
 

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Posted by Tara (Member # 10030) on :
 
Here here!

I'm not even tempted.
 

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Posted by Nathan2006 (Member # 9387) on :
 
I ruined the ending of the Half-blood prince by clicking on OSC's link to 'THe Great Snape Debate'.

This time, things will be different.

Woo hoo!
 

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Posted by Carrie (Member # 394) on :
 
I'm using my 3000th post to voice my firm commitment to being spoiler-free for this book. It's tough, and it's darn near everywhere I go online, but I believe it'll be worth it.

At least, I hope so.
 

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Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
 
Me too!
 

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Posted by otterk10 (Member # 10463) on :
 
The worst part is that I have to share the book with my sister. That means twice as long in the dark.
 

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Posted by otterk10 (Member # 10463) on :
 
The worst part is that I have to share the book with my sister. That means twice as long in the dark.
 

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Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
 
I wanna know, I wanna know, but I wanna find out for myself.
 

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Posted by Shanna (Member # 7900) on :
 
Its hard to resist but I keep reminding myself it'll be worth it when I have it in my hands and can read it clearly without squinting at a computer screen or skipping illegible pages.

I've been tempted to unplug my internet but mostly I've been okay keeping to a few safe forums and staying away from livejournal (which has had quite a few evil spoiling terrorists milling about.) And I don't open emails from anyone I don't know. So far, so good.
 

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Posted by GaalDornick (Member # 8880) on :
 
I wanted to jokingly post here in big capital letters that some random important character will die and then underneath write "just kidding I haven't read any of the pirated copies" but I'm afraid someone will see it and then immediately look away not wishing to ruin anything else and not realize I was kidding.
 

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Posted by docmagik (Member # 1131) on :
 
Thank you for doing your part to keep this a safe, comfortable place for the Dark Ones, or, as we also known, The Unspoiled.
 

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Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
 
So just what is this Harry Potter? I'm in the dark.
Excuse my manners. Would you like some tea?
 

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Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :
 
I think I'm going dark too. Not that I would be terribly upset to learn the ending. I just want to get there on my own.
 

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Posted by Christine (Member # 8594) on :
 
I did the same thing! Accidentally saw something by someone who may or may not even have read the book that suggested something...won't say what....but big. I know there are lots of fakes running around and lots of people just pretending, but it's bugging me anyway.

I have been planning this coming weekend for months -- ever since the release date was announced. I even have my parents in for the whole weekend to take care of my son. I am not going to let it get ruined by a squinty-eyed pirated (stolen copy of the book.

This weekend I don't expect to come on the internet at all. After Saturday I can't even console myself that the "spoiler" was probably from a fake copy.
 

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Posted by cmc (Member # 9549) on :
 
I'm joining this Club. It's getting so hard to avoid it!!
 

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Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
 
Christine, if you see the spoiler I think you did, it was from the original fake copy that showed up three weeks ago. It was not a scanned book but a text pdf file and is not thought of as even a good fake but as a fanfic.
 

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Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
 
I'm going dark. If anyone spoils it for me, the machetes will come out. I don't understand why people would spoil something like this for themself, and for others. I'm not remotely tempted, and I'm actually rather peeved about it all.
 

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Posted by kojabu (Member # 8042) on :
 
One of my coworkers doesn't know how book 6 ends. Another one said something about how she cried at the end of movie 5 and I said the 6th will probably be just as bad. The other coworker said shhh I don't know what happens, I haven't read it yet. Two years without knowing the end of book 6 is pretty impressive.
 

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Posted by aretee (Member # 1743) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by otterk10:
The worst part is that I have to share the book with my sister. That means twice as long in the dark.

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quote:

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Originally posted by aretee:

quote:

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Originally posted by otterk10:
The worst part is that I have to share the book with my sister. That means twice as long in the dark.

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WHY?? Go buy your own book! Don't share. You'll probably read it more than once...

We will have three in our house; one for me and each of my step-daughters.

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We're sharing but reading it out loud. We did this with 5 and 6 and it was very nice. Actually, DH reads a lot of books to me since I'm legally blind but I know of other families who have read the HP books aloud without any visual difficulties -- even taking turns as the reader. It makes it into a family thing.

Come to think of it...I just remembered that Orson Scott Card did this with his family. I happened to be at his boot camp just after book 5 came out and he mentioned reading it aloud to his family. Just an interesting tidbit.
 

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Posted by Javert Hugo (Member # 3980) on :
 
I agree. I am looking only at Buffy sites until then. The general information sites are way too dangerous.
 

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Posted by Christine (Member # 8594) on :
 
JK Rowling releasd this statement:

quote:

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We are almost there! As launch night looms, let's all, please, ignore the misinformation popping up on the web and in the press on the plot of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I'd like to ask everyone who calls themselves a Potter fan to help preserve the secrecy of the plot for all those who are looking forward to reading the book at the same time on publication day. In a very short time you will know EVERYTHING!

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quote:

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Originally posted by Christine:
JK Rowling releasd this statement:

quote:

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We are almost there! As launch night looms, let's all, please, ignore the misinformation popping up on the web and in the press on the plot of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I'd like to ask everyone who calls themselves a Potter fan to help preserve the secrecy of the plot for all those who are looking forward to reading the book at the same time on publication day. In a very short time you will know EVERYTHING!

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This creature has evolved beyond even Rowling's ability to control it. She'd do well to go lay down, turn on the news for reports of Potter-mania, and occasionally check her mail box for yet another big check.
 

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Posted by kojabu (Member # 8042) on :
 
I have to share my book too, but since I'm the one actually buying it, I'm claiming it first.

Earlier that night, Harry and the Potters and Draco and the Malfoys are doing a show in Harvard Yard. If you're in Boston, it starts at 7.
 

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Posted by Nathan2006 (Member # 9387) on :
 
I too, will share my pre-ordered copy. But, my sister will have to wait. Muhuhaha!!!

Actually, in anticipation, my sister went out and actually bought the first three HP books (We've only read them from the library before now). So, I, of course, had to buy the latest three, and I've preordered the seventh, which means I win, and I get to take the series with me to college. Woo hoo. (I mean, you can't break up a series, and who would want to keep just the first three books?)
 

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Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
 
I would. hehe. I think you're going to have to fight for those.

I'm not taking special pains to go dark, as I trust my friends list on Livejournal, and you guys are awesome about spoilers. I haven't gone looking, though, as I know something would probably pop up and piss me off.

But, good luck to you all. I think we can manage to stay spoiler free for another few days.
 

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Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 
I'll be sharing my copy too. But it shouldn't be a problem, given the conversation I had with my daughter this morning. I pointed out that I was getting the copy first, and that since she is going to camp on Wednesday, might not get to read it before she leaves. She

• hadn't known it was coming out this weekend
• doesn't see what the big deal is
• and thinks her mom is a bit tetched.

quote:

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it'll all be over soon, and after that the only thing to look forward to is how badly the last two books will be adapted to film

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Or, you could read books by other authors.
 

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Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by pooka:
Wow, I don't know when I've ever seen Hatrack so dead. Only 20 threads are fresher than noon today. It's like everyone is either reading the bootleg or holed up afraid of spoilers.

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quote:

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Originally posted by pooka:
Wow, I don't know when I've ever seen Hatrack so dead. Only 20 threads are fresher than noon today. It's like everyone is either reading the bootleg or holed up afraid of spoilers. Well, I'm not going to seek out spoilers, but I'm not going to let them stop me from living my life either.

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Why would you assume this has anything to do with the upcoming HP release?

Or maybe, it does. Honestly, it's the biggest thing on my mind right now and we've pretty much exhausted discussing it so I don't have a whole lot else to say. Definitely not hiding, though.

quote:

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But does anyone else have a sort of, dread attached to their anticipation? Not dread that the book will be bad, or that they will be let down, but that after this book....that's it? I almost don't want to read it, to keep the magic alive, to keep the anticipation alive, to keep the story going, but I have to read it. Maybe that's just part of the magic that Rowling has created, that I wish the last book was 10,000 pages long, that it'd take me a year to read, but I know it'll all be over soon, and after that the only thing to look forward to is how badly the last two books will be adapted to film, and to wait for the inevitable tacky Harry Potter onstage musical. Dancing and singing Dementors isn't exactly a comforting thought at this point though.

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Yeah, I understand what you mean by this. I sometimes wish I hadn't read all the other books so I could enjoy them fresh again. I've re-read them each more than once but it doesn't feel the same. Oh, I've even found a few new things I missed in the first read through and they are still good, but not the same.

To be honest, though, I'm not just dreading it being over. I *am* dreading the possibility that Rowling did something that I seriously won't like. The only thing I can compare it to is The Chronicles of narnia -- another 7-book series. But as far as I'm concerned, there were only 6. If you haven't read Chronicles of Narnia and don't want the last book spoiled for you, skip to the next paragraph.......................................................................................anyway, the author didn't just kill off a character he destroyed the world. Plus, he did worse than killing off a character to Susan, IMHO. If you've read the book, you know what I mean.

...

...

So anyway, partly because of that experience I do harbor a fear that she may do something totally unforgivable (to me) in the last book. Killing off Harry wouldn't do that -- although I would cry through a box of Kleenex -- something like destroying Hogwarts and revealing the entire wizarding world to the muggles and turning Nevill into a traitor.

We'll see....less than 2 days!!!!
 

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Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
 
I'm going to a release party tomorrow night with Ophelia. Probably not in any sort of costume, though I considered teasing my hair into odd configurations and chewing random scenery as Bellatrix.

Anybody know where I can get a Dark Mark temporary tattoo?
 

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Posted by xtownaga (Member # 7187) on :
 
Ugh I accidentally looked in the spoilers thread (clicked the wrong link) and found out that I'm nowhere near mean enough to post what I read on this thread
 

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Posted by The White Whale (Member # 6594) on :
 
I'm joining you guys here. I was thinking about reading anything I could find on it, but that's kinda like reading the last few pages of a book before it starts. And in my eyes, that's virtually a sin.

I've always wanted to go to one of the Barnes and Noble pre-release extravaganzas, but never had the guts to go alone, and no one I know who would go with me is in town.

However, the gods smiled, and I got an offer to work at Barnes and Noble from 8 pm till 2 am as an additional helper. I don't get paid it real world monies, I just get a $50 gift card to the store.

Now that I have a reason and a purpose, I'm going to totally dork-out on Friday night. But until that night, I'm not going to spare another second of my time listening / reading about the release. (Also, I have to finish re-reading the Half-Blood Prince before Friday night!)

I hope to be able to take pictures, and I'll post them here when I can.
 

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Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Christine:
The only thing I can compare it to is The Chronicles of narnia -- another 7-book series. But as far as I'm concerned, there were only 6.

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quote:

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Originally posted by docmagik:
Lyrhawn, the post I was talking about in the first post was about Warner Bros. making a musical from the Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince.

You can see it at http://www.mildlyamusing.com

Although if you're not familiar with Disney Channel's High School Musical, the post might not be as funny.

And my site is spoiler free. Although we have done posts about what the last word will be and spoilers and other stuff, it's all just jokes.

Okay, there are Half Blood Prince spoilers. But I'm assuming anybody reading this thread has read that.

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Holy crap I was just being sarcastic, I didn't get the reference or know that they were seriously planning a musical. I just figured if they can make LOTR into a musical, they can make ANYTHING into a musical. And I haven't seen High School Musical, just bits and pieces of commercials with it in it whenever I watch Boy Meets World reruns. (Curse you ABC!)

riv and Christine -

Agreed. Generally I read 2-6 whenever I go back to reread the story (and sometimes I'll skip The Silver Chair too. The Last Battle doesn't have any of the fun or magic that the other books have for me, and I think was a serious anti-climatic Narnian clusterfrick if you ask me.
 

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Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
 
Huh? I'm totally lost as to which of the Narnia books is "not it." Though if I had to vote, it would be "The Magician's Nephew." If I were playing one of these things is not like the other , it would be "The Horse and His Boy."
 

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Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
 
That anyone would skip The Silver Chair... And The Last Battle, while considerably less fun than the rest, was still largely responsible for an amazing paradigm shift in my religious world view. So I have a fondness for it.

Pooka, I'm with you.
 

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Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
 
The Last Battle was just too weird. It didn't feel like the Narnia I'd really loved in LWW, Dawn Treader, Prince Caspian, and even Horse and his Boy.

Silver Chair I still read sometimes, just not every time I reread the series.
 

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Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :
 
Lewis never stated what Susan's fate is.

In letters to concerned fans, he indicated that she is -not- "Doomed to be shut out from Aslan's Country forever"...she has her own choices as to what will happen to her, just like everyone else.

Is lack of closure really "worse than killing off"?

Some stories we aren't told the ending of...but that doesn't automatically mean the worst possible ending is what happens.

The Last Battle is dark, bloody, violent, depressing.

But the coda in Aslan's Country has that beautiful conversation between Aslan and Emeth (and the revelation that the entire city of Tashbaan was in the "real" Narnia, while many Talking Beasts and other Narnians didn't make the cut) that -almost- lets me forgive Lewis for putting readers through the wringer.
 

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Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :
 
Whereas The Silver Chair may be the only one I've re-read without all the others. Of course, I read all the Narnia books back when I didn't understand why people re-read books, because my memory of them was always so detailed and accurate. Now that I'm old, I re-read.

Getting old sucks.
 

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Posted by Brian J. Hill (Member # 5346) on :
 
Posted by Doc:

quote:

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Who's with me!?

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I'm with you Doc! Together, united by the common threads of community, we shall vow to plug our ears and shout NEINER-NEINER-NEINER at the top of our voices whenever the news does a Harry Potter story! We shall avoid all Potter-related websites, lest we accidentally stumble upon the work of a kill-joy hacker maliciously spoiling our fun! We shall stand strong in our blissful ignorance, 'til the long-awaited Holy Saturday shall finally be upon us! Can I get an AMEN!?
 

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Posted by plaid (Member # 2393) on :
 
Gah! I'm visiting in Portland for a bit (leaving today), and while eating pizza I picked up the local indie weekly the Portland Mercury to read... and there right on the cover they've got a book 7 spoiler ("x kills y!")

It's probably their dumb idea of a joke and it's probably not true, but, @#$%^&*, if I had the time I'd look up their office and egg their windows.
 

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Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
 
I would like for JK Rowling to release an annotated version of HP in the future.
I'd bribe her.
I am a nerd for such things.
 

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Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
 
I don't think you'd have much success bribing one of the richest women in the world.
 

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Posted by Christine (Member # 8594) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Puffy Treat:
Lewis never stated what Susan's fate is.

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I never meant to start a whole Narnia discussion! Sounds like we may need to start its own thread, though I should probably re-read the book if I do. It's been at least 12 years!

My problem with Susan wasn't lack of closure, it was that she turned into a jerk and I didn't even feel there was fair warning. Keep in mind that when I read this I was young and did not really "get" all the theology. I suppose if I looked back at it now from a more intellectual/theological perspective, it might make more sense. Nevertheless, I had liked her and I'd rather see characters I like wind up dead than turning their backs on things that are important.
 

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Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by mr_porteiro_head:
I don't think you'd have much success bribing one of the richest women in the world.

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Then she could bribe me for giving her such a spectacular idea that will make her more money.

WHO wouldn't pay for an all in one complete annotated edition of HP complete with all manners of awesome illustrations?
Leather bond!
Of course if it was all in one book none of us would be able to carry it, so they'd have to slight it into volumes.
It would mean more ca$h and who can say no to more ca$h?

Or perhaps such an idea only appeals to me because I am a nerd and I love the Annotated Alice so much.
 

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Posted by GaalDornick (Member # 8880) on :
 
"Of course if it was all in one book none of us would be able to carry it, so they'd have to slight it into volumes."

Isn't how it is now?
 

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Posted by docmagik (Member # 1131) on :
 

quote:

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Or perhaps such an idea only appeals to me because I am a nerd and I love the Annotated Alice so much.

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quote:

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Originally posted by GaalDornick:
"Of course if it was all in one book none of us would be able to carry it, so they'd have to slight it into volumes."

Isn't how it is now?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Puffy Treat:
The Last Battle is dark, bloody, violent, depressing.

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quote:

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Originally posted by docmagik:

quote:

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Or perhaps such an idea only appeals to me because I am a nerd and I love the Annotated Alice so much.

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Maybe the one you need to bribe is Martin Gardner.

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