The value of a thing is what that thing will bring. -Legal Maxim
I do not believe they've run out of surprises.
Never be embarrassed or ashamed by anything you choose to write.
And every friend I've got has been writing Mars stories. It was pretty clear I'd never catch up.
One mark of a good officer, he remembered, was the ability to make quick decisions. If they happen to be right, so much the better.
The reader has certain rights. He bought your story. Think of this as an implicit contract. He's entitled to be entertained, instructed, amused; maybe all three. If he quits in the middle, or puts the book down feeling his time has been wasted, you're in violation.