Can I, as a reader, submit a "Bug Report" for a novel?

Question

I just finished a new release.

I encountered a passage in the book that doesn't quite make sense. Just a single sentence that is out of place. Grammatically it is fine, but in context it doesn't seem like it fits there.

I believe it may be a left-over from when a draft was being revised. The extra detail would have fit in to a slightly different piece of plot than is in the book. It feels like it is a left-over reference to that plot point that was not edited out, when the rest was replaced.

Can I/Should I contact the author/publisher and ask if that section is meant to be there? Perhaps I should post on their forum and ask about it.

If this was software I would file a bug report. Fiction books don't have bug reports. Though I have seen them for nonfiction.

Answer 1

It is always a good idea for readers to provide feedback to the authors. When authors read their work they don't get the same experience as the reader. Most books' authors will have a way for you to contact them about their books. You said it has a forum; you should see if that is an appropriate place for suggestions on the book. If the author has a personal website you can find their contact information there.

Answer 2

Sure, go for it. One of my favorite books has two entire chapters where the name of one of the major characters is misspelled in every single reference. This was fixed in later editions.

If it was intentional, the author may appreciate a chance to explain it. If it was a mistake, the publishing house would probably like a chance to fix it. In either case, be extremely polite.