There are no spoilers in this post.
I feel a bit like Harry after the Second Task. Apparently, I’ve got a “saving-people thing.” When I learned early yesterday morning that Deathly Hallows had been leaked, I could have “gone dark,” as they say. I could have immediately disabled all comments, all news updates, and avoided all HP discussion, except for my own posts, until this weekend.
But I wanted to make sure you all knew what was going on, whether the leak was real and, if possible, salvage this last week of discussion before Deathly Hallows. You all, of course, didn’t need me to do this. You’re smart enough to decide what to do as far as spoilers go, and everyone would have survived one week without SoG discussion.
But I plunged ahead, and now, after two years of waiting, I’ve been spoiled just 5 days before the release. It’s maddening. You see, I don’t even read chapter titles – not even when I’m reading the books! I’ve always glazed right over each chapter title without looking at it and moved right into the text. I hate spoilers; I hate knowing what’s going to happen. And now, if the leak is real, I know about some deaths (I won’t tell you how many, nor will I give names – no worries), and I know about some chapter titles. I’m really upset.
Are They Real?
They certainly appear so. The fact that the spoilers are not more widespread (no Main Stream Media coverage as of yet), and to some extent are actually diminishing (some news reports seem to have disappeared after being posted, strangely) says to me that the long arm of Scholastic has reached into this issue and is doing everything it can to squelch it. Last time there was a supposed spoiler (the hacker, “Gabriel”), it was all over the news – probably because it was so ludicrous.
On the other hand, there does seem to be a page discrepancy. An SoG commenter sent me an E-Owl saying that the final page of the scanned copy does not equal the number of stated pages for Deathly Hallows: The scanned copy ends on page 739, while the press release back on March 20 stated that the book was 784 pages long. So perhaps there’s hope. And I’m still baffled at the idea that librarians are allowed to open the book early to catalogue it. This makes no sense. Can someone confirm it?
If it’s a fake, it’s the most elaborate fake in history, and it’s been done by someone who has way, way too much time on their hands. That said, it’s odd that someone would go to such great lengths, to such incredible detail (in fact, writing their own 739-page book!) to fake a copy and miss the important detail of getting the page number correct.
The sad thing is, this will make it incredibly difficult for people to avoid spoilers. It’ll have quite a damaging effect, it would seem, on pre-release parties this Friday night. If folks already know the ending, why not get the better discount on Amazon? And if you don’t want to be spoiled, but you pre-ordered your copy from B&N or Borders, how can you be sure you won’t run into someone in line who’s talking about the ending? I’m going to have my iPod blaring in my ears standing in line at the all-night grocery store down the street where I’ll be getting my copy. If I ever had any thought of going to one of the release parties (and I did), it’s over.
“Thicker Than a Concussed Troll”
That’s how I’d describe everyone involved in the leak, as well as anyone who perpetuates the information. There are at least two reasons I say this:
(1) If you love Rowling’s work, why not let the series finish on her terms? It is the height of selfishness to leak this information, not only for the sake of other readers who want to wait, but out of respect for Rowling herself. One wonders if things like this leak are not the extreme result of the postmodern, post-structuralist attitude toward the author: that she is irrelevant.
(2) You’ve got to be crazy if you don’t think Scholastic is coming after you. I wouldn’t want to be you. Especially when they smack the $200,000 fine on you for violating the legal agreement between Scholastic and libraries.
I repeat my warning from yesterday: Avoid media, except for a few trusted sites, this week. Comments here are moderated all week.
Oh, and in case it got lost in the midst of all the leak discussion yesterday: I did actually write a post on Voldemort. And I did make it into the Democrat and Chronicle article.
I’ve opened up comments again and put them on moderation, which means they might take a bit to show up.
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{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
Don’t the library editions of books usually have a different number of pages, and a few other minor differences? I could be completely wrong, but I think I am right.
Ben
I don’t know if we’re talking about the same leak Travis. The one I saw initially only had the chapter titles AND the last four pages. Well the epilogue (and that was all of the epilogue which makes me think it’s a real fake.)
However I have read about another scan and saw the comments from it on a blog sight. I’m not sure if this is the same leak. But this second one does sound legit. If If not then most fans will get a pleasant surprise and find out that it’s not.
We shall see. Until then, Travis, just enjoy this time, and my advice, don’t come onto the computer much. Post what you have to but just leave it to that and nothing else. Reading a small portion of the legit spoilers made me more resolute to not even go near another one again.
Travis, I feel so sorry for you. I still hope it is just a stupid hoax, but there is already enough damage done by spoiling this last week, anyway.
Thank you again for caring so much for us. I love you for your saving-people thing!
I need to step away from the computer… I’m so sorry for you, I was lying in bed this morning thinking what a risk it was to allow discussion on your blog, certain that some fool would make a comment trying to be a know-it-all, and poof, you would know the ending.
I’ve enjoyed lurking and reading your reviews, comments, etc., and I do look forward to reading what you have to say after I’ve read the book when it’s properly released. Unfortunately, libraries are institutions (wonderful institutions, don’t get me wrong), and institutions tend to remove people from feeling responsible for their actions. I am shocked that Scholastic took such a risk – could librarians not stay up late (like booksellers) and catalogue the books overnight? Or come in early before opening and process then? It’s not like they would be dealing with thousands or even hundreds of copies. We’re talking about probably 25 at my county library. 25-50 books in a once in a lifetime release….
While I do not know know the details of cataloging, it makes sense to me. It has to do with the nature of the library – they’re handing them out to lots of different people and they want the books back so they can give them to the next person. This requires that every book be given a barcode, a serial number, a RFID tag whatever the library uses and then have that corresponding identification recorded in the library computer system. Some libraries have hundreds of books to tag for their system. They’re not like a bookstore who can just split open the boxes and start selling them once the barcode is in the system. From the articles I’ve glanced at recently, many of the libraries have a limited number of people who actually interact with the book and lock them up to diminish temptation for the others. Its not a perfect system I’m sure, but I think its better that the people who want to borrow the book rather than buy it be given the opportunity on July 21 like everyone else.
We’re grateful for your efforts, but I’m sure none of us would ask you to continue with them. The final book is very precious (in an entirely non-Smeagol way) to most fans at the moment, and wish these criminals could be tracked down faster. Even so, I guess this was inevitable.
So “Gabriel” was fake? I thought his claims were a bit too ridiculous. Is the invalidity confirmed for at least that specific hacker’s revelations? If so, I’m quite comforted. I doubt that his “revelations” would have been posted on news websites so freely if they were genuine.
Thank you so much for your monitoring of the comments here at SoG. (Three/Four more days!)
Travis,
Thanks so much for trying to keep us safe from the spoilers. And I am sorry that you saw them. Is it supposedly the Scholastic version that’s been leaked or is it Bloomsbury? They have a shorter page count, I think.
If it’s Scholastic, then that is quite a page difference. If it turns out to be a fake, then does Scholastic still go after them? I would hope so. Even if it is a fake, the nitwit is spoiling what should be so much fun for the rest of us.
And I was quite happy that Rowling didn’t release anything this time. No chapter titles from her or snippets of the text. This is just maddening.
I have my copy reserved at Barnes and Noble, but now I’m wondering if I should check my grocery store to see if they’ll have copies and just go over there.
Whatever I end up doing, I will go into the store with my mp3 player blaring in my ears as well, and I’m going to have to read the clerks lips, because I’m not turning it off till I’m in my car.
Pat
I’m almost waiting to be spoiled. My wife and I will pick up one copy due to limited funds, and I’ll wait until she finishes before I pick up the book to truly dig into it (and given that we’re so close to start of the Fall semester, I’m not real sure when I’ll have the time to really devote myself to the book…alas…). I’m sure I’ll run across an important plot detail or two before I finish.
I’m suprised it took this long for something like this to come out. But, let us not all lose hope. It’s not like it would be all that hard to fake some pages from a book, and there are plenty of book length pieces of fan fiction out there. So, it’s conceivable to me that someone would go to the trouble of potentially writing something booklength and paying a little money to have it bound. And the cover has been available in high resolution scans for months now.
Judging from what I’ve read about the supposed quality of this “book” and the nature of the pictures, it’s still very possible this could be a fake–more elaborate than most, but still a fake.
Travis, thank you for your concern and you have my sympathies. But next time, just find a link reporting to be the leak and tell us “Don’t go here…”!
Travis, I likewise was possibly spoiled by scans someone posted on a Facebook group. There was chapter titles and the scans of the epilogue, which, IMHO, was way too short anyways. I would be disappointed if that was the true epilogue. Though if it makes you feel better, someone also posted a scan of how easy it would be to fake it on Photoshop or even Microsoft Word just by downloading some fonts. I’ve also seen some very good imitations of Mary Grand Pre’s work, so let’s keep our fingers crossed!
The recent leak, that is apparently the book, has gotten a very positive response…
Unless it’s an elaborate scheme by Scholastic, it’s the real deal. I can’t imagine why Scholastic would be seeking a subpoena to go after the sneak if it wasn’t a real copy.
Yes fair enough.
Has anyone heard of two leaks with one being the one that has 739 pages and the other being the real DH copy?
And Travis, out of curiosity, how did you come across the spoilers?
well, i didn’t read the book, but i (regretfully) read the spoilers. ALL of them. i wish i hadn’t as it ruined a great week of anticipation for me.
i think jkr wrote this at a time when we all need to see good vs evil clearly and when we need to be reminded of how human we are and how wonderful life can be. is this series the greatest set of books ever penned? not a chance. but it is a great story with a fantastic message that runs many, many layers deep. i’ll be glad to let my kids read it in 10 years. yeah, i’m sappy, but as a lit major, i’m allowed to be dramatic and sappy about books. i know what is coming, but that won’t stop me from staying up really late reading it.
To confuse matters even more, here is confirmation from Jo and Bloomsbury, that tells us the leak is a hoax…
MINOR SPOILER ALLERT: The first chapter title and chapter art told to us IF the leak isn’t a Hoax, but apparently it is…
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Final_Potter_book_already_out_on_the_web/articleshow/2210078.cms
Michael and BigDhog, I slightly edited your comments, just to prohibit anyone from even getting an expectant feel based on people who know spoilers.
So Jo and Bloomsbury say it’s a hoax, according to that report. I’ll want to see more reports confirming that, because now we know the page number does match the library version, and Scholastic is in pursuit of the sneak.
And there is now a video? But that doesn’t match up with the leak (copyright etc.) Well the beginning apparently does but not the rest. Which is weird. And many think the leaked one, and not the video of the guys talking about it, is real. Crazy, crazy. I’m on a blog where a lot of people have seen these leaks so I’m in dangerous territory. But I want to know what’s going on. I’m doing my best not to be spoiled. This should be fun.
Thanks Travis for editing that. I realized after that I made the error in not adding the chapter ‘title’.
Michael, be careful, man. That’s exactly how I got spoiled, trying to find out whether or not it was fake, and coming across a post that did not warn of spoilers in its content.
Be careful elsewhere. I was innocently browsing around on a non-Harry Potter site and some jerk posted spoilers at random in a comment that was at the very top of the list so as to catch people off guard. I glanced at it before I knew what it was and am very thoroughly annoyed. The problem is that some people delight in annoying people. The safest bet would be to take evasive action.
I’m starting to like this moderating thing. I don’t like the delay in getting people’s comments up, but this site has gained a tremendous amount of traffic in the past week, and in the past two days, I’ve prevented a tremendous amount of pointless comments and spam from making it online!
I still don’t know if I’m going to try to preserve my ignorance – although I’m leaning towards it more and more – but I’ve got a plan for how to negotiate the actual purchasing of the book – a very high risk time – safely.
I will send my partner, who is totally not into Potter, and who has been sworn to withold any information about spoilers gained while trolling through the Net. The fact that it’s midnight, a time when sane people are thinking of sleep, will not be an issue. Rather, the granting of this favour will undo a few debit points in the relationship.
Funny thing, ignorance. It’s sort of like virginity. Once lost, it can never be regained. I think I’ll try to keep it.
I am new to this website. My son is the person you banned from this site at first. He was first “Ronald Potter” and then changed his name to still stay on the site and made it: “iamfurEus.” I am terribly sorry for his distractions and for any offense he caused anyone. I had no clue he was doing this until now. Please ban him from this site. I do not want him communicating on this anymore for his safety. Thank you.
S.P, done.
Thanks for your ’saving people thing’ Travis!
Out of simple curiousity (I have already pre purchased the book), I downloaded and read the ’snapshot’ book, coming in at 759 printed pages. I will not reveal anything here, however I highly doubt that it is a hoax, the pictures change angle depending upon the image, which brings to mind a shifting camera angle, which I think would be too much trouble to set up just to make a qualified hoax. Indeed, some of the images are shifted so badly as to render the words unreadable for a particular page, which makes me wonder if the camera person was in a bit of a hurry. The book reads like Rowling from beginning to end – I say its the real thing.
The page count is correct. The actual story is in fact 759 pages. However, if you count the table of contents, dedication, copyright, and the blank pages at the beginning and end, it is 784.
Incidentally – the article says it ends on page 739. It only looks like a 3. It’s actually a 5, as you can see if you look at the previous pages.
I’ve never actually commented here before but have been reading your blogs and listening to your podcasts for about 3 months. I just want to say thank you for all the engaging articles you have written and thank you very much for your “saving-people thing”. I despise spoilers, so am very glad that SoG is spoiler free