When I write a review I try to include warnings when the book contains potentially offensive material. Sex, profanity, and gore in particular. It may make the book 'real' but they are images that are difficult to remove from your head once you've read them. These things make me feel a certain way that I don't like and there are others who are more sensitive than I am. It's fair enough to warn people when material contains this kind of content whether it's movies, games, or books, esp for parents who want a certain control over what their kids are exposed to.
This is what I love! Whenever I write a review on amazon (or SFBC) I make sure to mention if there is any sex, violence, or language. And I really like the SFBC warnings but I've found that what they consider 'violent' and 'explicit' is far above what I consider violent. Case in point:
My brother in law gave me the 'Deeds of Paksinarion' (I think I spelled that wrong) -it's the omnibus- and I didn't mind it until near the end there is this torture scene... descriptive, very, very descriptive and LONG. I think we're talking a full chapter at least. It was one of those moments where you've just invested over 1000 pages and you know something big is gonna happen in the center of the scene you don't want to be reading.
Anyway, after I finished the book I looked it up and SFBC did not have a warning on it. So, with my impressive skills of deduction, I came to the conclusion that I do not have any interest in knowing what's in the books that do have warnings on them.
I also have stopped reading Elizabeth Haydon. Her books have a lot of sex in them, but I kept on reading despite this because I was intrigued. Until I ran across a particularly foul scene in the last book that was out (she's since had another come out that I haven't bought).
And I've learned to avoid fantasy books with demons in them. I don't know why, but when there is a demon it seems as if authors feel that gives them free rein on all things evil and violent. I don't like that so I avoid it.
I guess what I'm saying is that I agree that experience is the best educator. Sometimes I wish that there were ratings like on movies, with a list of reasons why its rated that, in the order of precedence, because it would help me in not picking up garbage. But until that happens, I guess I'll just have to go with experience, reviews and friendly advice to see me through. Well okay, and maybe opening the book before I buy it.