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Sus Devil's Lake Guidebook (AI?)

Original Post
Anton Verščaj · · Minneapolis, MN · Joined Oct 2014 · Points: 10

So I was searching for some older guidebooks for Devil's Lake when I came across this freshly published guide from a person named Victor Quinton. Looking at the other books he's selling on Amazon, they all have the same style cover and he's published 22 books since June 1st 2025. I'm getting plenty of red flags for it being AI written, potentially. Maybe I'm out of the loop and Victor has been doing FAs for years and was a secret DLFA member, but I'm curious what the locals and regulars think! You can read a sample from the book on the sale page.

Alan Rubin · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2015 · Points: 10

Either AI or blatant plagiarism--most likely both--22 books in a year!!!. I couldn't locate the sample page, but don't really need to. Having had a guidebook I wrote with considerable effort plagiarized by an on-line 'author', it is a very sensitive subject for me!!!

Burton Lindquist · · Madison, WI · Joined Jan 2002 · Points: 4,406

Not one of the photos on the cover are of anywhere within DLSTP as far as I can tell.  AND... the photos really are awful....  This is a clear scam.  The one photo looks like it might be Jungle Gym Tower after I gave it a better look?

Doug Hemken · · Delta, CO · Joined Oct 2004 · Points: 13,703

The "history" in the sample is pretty bad (look at the Kindle version).  And I had the same thought as Burt about the cover photos.

"In 1970, Swartling and Mayer's early guidebook ...."  Not even close to true.

So many books, all published since 10 June.  And what an odd assortment of subjects.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Midwest
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