Note: This post contains spoilers for “Game of Thrones.”

I’ve made no bones about my adoration of the HBO series “Game of Thrones” here on the blog. I know I’m not the only one; after all, the series has averaged 2.5 million viewers since it premiered back in April. That said, my nascent obsession has created a little problem for a re-emerging bookworm like me: As I wrote on Twitter a few weeks ago, I’ve been torn between watching the television series completely unspoiled and devouring the “A Song of Ice and Fire” book series wholesale. (“Game of Thrones” is the first book in that series.) On one hand, there’s the sheer pleasure of seeing the books’ events — and unbelievable twists — play out on television. Then again, remaining unsullied means reading show recaps and book reviews with an eye out for spoilers. I’ve already been burned; the first line of a book review I found while researching this read, “King Robert Baratheon has been murdered.” Thanks, New York Times!  To make matters worse, a commenter on Gawker casually revealed a spoiler about one of the Stark children that pretty much broke me. Granted, it’s from one of the later books, but … really, dude? (Please don’t confirm it, book readers! I genuinely don’t want to know.)

Now that the TV series is on hiatus until next spring and the fifth volume of “A Song of Ice of Ice and Fire” has finally come out to rapturous reviews, the spoiler faucet has gone from a steady trickle to a veritable shower. The Internet community at large has been applauded for keeping the “Ned Stark buys it” twist from getting out — and deservedly so — but they’ve played fast and loose with others since. Hence the rather self-defeating practice of covering my eyes while reading recaps. Maybe because they know how hard fans of “Game of Thrones” are already jonesing for the next season, the media’s jumping on the spoiler bandwagon as well. You can imagine how this helps my little dilemma.

OK, OK: I know that articles touting potentially important characters for Season 2 aren’t trying to ruin my enjoyment of the series — and they give fair warning about spoilers to boot — but I can’t help thinking that I know too much already because I read them. Stannis is scheming against his brother for the crown? Theon Grayjoy has a sister? Renly marries a woman?! I’m sure I would’ve learned all about this stuff before the new season premieres, but all of this frustration and extremely careful reading make it clear that I have a choice to make: Either I have to endure the next year completely unspoiled — no magazine articles, no blog posts, no nothing — or break down, read the entire series and sully the experience of watching the TV series unfold. If there’s a middle ground, I’d love to know about it; otherwise, I may end up hitting up that new coworker of mine for book scoop. That could be a long conversation. Help!