[Aptorian]

The world is full of bad people and other people who are too impatient to wait three months if they know a book is available for free.

[QuickTidal]

Aptorian, on 11 April 2019 - 02:13 PM, said:

The world is full of bad people and other people who are too impatient to wait three months if they know a book is available for free.

I doubt you will find them in a group of devoted fans who helped get the book made on Kickstarter.

[Aptorian]

It's not about the Kickstarters, they'd buy it anyway. It's about people who didn't participate in the Kickstarter having to wait three months. They'll see (hopefully) positive reviews and buzz on the interwebs but won't be able to read the book.

Just doesn't sound like a smart business practice. Unless Sullivan doesn't care about the long tail and reached profitability with the Kickstarter.

[amphibian]

Aptorian, on 11 April 2019 - 03:01 PM, said:

It's not about the Kickstarters, they'd buy it anyway. It's about people who didn't participate in the Kickstarter having to wait three months. They'll see (hopefully) positive reviews and buzz on the interwebs but won't be able to read the book.

Just doesn't sound like a smart business practice. Unless Sullivan doesn't care about the long tail and reached profitability with the Kickstarter.

This is coming off as more you defending the morality of piracy in relation to a non-corporate person trying to get a book published than anything else.

It'd be one thing if this were Disney or Monsanto or one of the Russian oligarch companies. But it's not.

So will you drop this angle?

[polishgenius]

I started reading A Memory Called Empire, by Arkady Martine, a recent SF/Space Opera debut. It is ridiculously entertaining. A politically focused one- a new ambassador arriving at the capital of the space empire, lots of twists and turns- but played with a wink and a smile too.

[QuickTidal]

amphibian, on 11 April 2019 - 04:59 PM, said:

Aptorian, on 11 April 2019 - 03:01 PM, said:

It's not about the Kickstarters, they'd buy it anyway. It's about people who didn't participate in the Kickstarter having to wait three months. They'll see (hopefully) positive reviews and buzz on the interwebs but won't be able to read the book.

Just doesn't sound like a smart business practice. Unless Sullivan doesn't care about the long tail and reached profitability with the Kickstarter.

This is coming off as more you defending the morality of piracy in relation to a non-corporate person trying to get a book published than anything else.

It'd be one thing if this were Disney or Monsanto or one of the Russian oligarch companies. But it's not.

So will you drop this angle?

I'm curious about that too. Not sure why apt went this direction on my rather banal post.

[Aptorian]

I'm not defending piracy, I'm explaining why this will encourage piracy.

People go to great lengths to get immediate satisfaction. Sane reason why staggered movie, video game and music releases are a bad thing unless you have something to win by employing the tactic.

This especially counts for ebooks that are very easy to rip and distribute.

[Obdigore]

I read 'One Word Kill' by Mark Lawrence.

Certainly not as dark as his previous works. I enjoyed it, although I'm not walking away saying 'that was an amazing book', I also read it in about one night, so it is certainly well written and kept me turning pages. I'd happily recommend it to anyone who likes his other books.

PS - There is some sorta-dark shit in it, but its a happier and more innocent place than his earlier stuff.
PPS - I'm happy where the book ended as well. I'm hoping it isn't, and it doesn't seem like it is, a setup for a trilogy.

This post has been edited by Obdigore: 11 April 2019 - 05:33 PM

[Abyss]

I didn't take Apt's post as defending piracy.



...well, maybe high seas piracy...

[QuickTidal]

Obdigore, on 11 April 2019 - 05:32 PM, said:

I read 'One Word Kill' by Mark Lawrence.

PPS - I'm happy where the book ended as well. I'm hoping it isn't, and it doesn't seem like it is, a setup for a trilogy.

I have bad news then...

LIMITED WISH

and

DISPEL ILLUSION

[Macros]

I'm gonna side with Apt on this one. Not defending piracy, but questioning the business sense. Three months is a long time, I get the wanting to reward the kick starters. But people are not good, and will steal it if they can't get it. Apt is simply laying out the facts of today's world, as much as it will disappoint us this act will probably really hurt sales if a good buzz comes off the early readers

[Salt-Man Z]

Obdigore, on 11 April 2019 - 05:32 PM, said:

I read 'One Word Kill' by Mark Lawrence. ... I'm hoping it isn't, and it doesn't seem like it is, a setup for a trilogy.

The second book in the series will be published at the end of May, so...

[Aptorian]

Macros, on 11 April 2019 - 07:08 PM, said:

I'm gonna side with Apt on this one. Not defending piracy, but questioning the business sense. Three months is a long time, I get the wanting to reward the kick starters. But people are not good, and will steal it if they can't get it. Apt is simply laying out the facts of today's world, as much as it will disappoint us this act will probably really hurt sales if a good buzz comes off the early readers

A three day weekend or a week of early access could be reasonable but three months is absurd.

The backer reward should simply be that the book the fans wanted to be written was completed and they get to read it.

[Abyss]

Aptorian, on 11 April 2019 - 07:25 PM, said:

Macros, on 11 April 2019 - 07:08 PM, said:

I'm gonna side with Apt on this one. Not defending piracy, but questioning the business sense. Three months is a long time, I get the wanting to reward the kick starters. But people are not good, and will steal it if they can't get it. Apt is simply laying out the facts of today's world, as much as it will disappoint us this act will probably really hurt sales if a good buzz comes off the early readers

A three day weekend or a week of early access could be reasonable but three months is absurd.

The backer reward should simply be that the book the fans wanted to be written was completed and they get to read it.

A .pdf of a signed cover sheet, or deleted scene, or outline notes, or a preview of another book, or something.

Otherwise i agree, releasing it into the wild early is just asking to lose that many sales.

...then again, maybe 'that many' isn't that many. Maybe they figure anyone who was going to legit buy it won't change their mind and the pirates gonna pirate whatever/whenever.

[End of Disc One]

Regarding the new Michael Sullivan book, it's not like it's The Winds of Winter or Doors of Stone where thousands of people will be doing whatever they can to read it ASAP. I don't think it's that big of a deal. Also Sullivan seems like a guy who is content with his success...he seems to care more about having freedom over his property and how it's distributed, than how much money he brings in.

I backed the project too but I'll be waiting until I get the hardcover (which was the purpose of the Kickstarter project.) Not sure when that will be printed and mailed out.

This post has been edited by End of Disc One: 11 April 2019 - 08:22 PM

[Mentalist]

Finished the second "Willful Child" book. It made me chuckle multiple times.

No commute tomorrow, but next week I got a long ride on a work trip (5 hours each way). Still working through the my owned books, I think I'll take "Ècko Rising" by Danie Ware with me. In case it turns out to be totally terrible, I'll also toss "Foxglove Summer" into my bag.

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

polishgenius, on 11 April 2019 - 05:01 PM, said:

I started reading A Memory Called Empire, by Arkady Martine, a recent SF/Space Opera debut. It is ridiculously entertaining. A politically focused one- a new ambassador arriving at the capital of the space empire, lots of twists and turns- but played with a wink and a smile too.

This sounds awesome! Purchased.

My recent reads:
Sullivan's Age of Myth, Age of Swords, and Age of War. (Related: I checked the most comprehensive ebook private torrent tracker of which I am a member. As of now, Age of Legend is not available on it. If it were, I would pirate it to read now — then buy the paperback to add next to the rest of his books on my shelf.)

Still making my way through King's The Stand.

[Obdigore]

Salt-Man Z, on 11 April 2019 - 07:13 PM, said:

Obdigore, on 11 April 2019 - 05:32 PM, said:

I read 'One Word Kill' by Mark Lawrence. ... I'm hoping it isn't, and it doesn't seem like it is, a setup for a trilogy.

The second book in the series will be published at the end of May, so...

Really? I thought I read this on amazon pre-release, and its One Word Kill thats being published at the end of May?

[Zeto Demerzel]

Recent reads:
Broken Earth 2 - The Obelisk Gate (N K Jemisin) - wow, nice. More utter strangeness, more mysteries, and an exciting plot that goes interesting places.
Corax (Horus Heresy #40) - had already read everything there except one short and one novella. A bit of a mixed bag but the final novella, Weregeld, kicked ass.
River of Stars (G G Kay) - enjoyed it as much as any of Kay's other works that I've read.


In progress:
Greatcoats 1 - Traitor's Blade (Sebastien De Castell) - fun read but the middle third's sagging in the absence of Brasti and Kest.
Lankhmar 6 - Swords and Ice Magic (Fritz Leiber) - this one is proving to be a clunker. Doesn't have any of the charm or sense of adventure of previous compilations.

[Abyss]

Briar King, on 12 April 2019 - 04:40 AM, said:

Speaking of novellas how the hell exactly am I supposed to add this to my "completed" list for 2019? Just give it a .5 or add it as a full completed book?

I've always treated novellas as 'full books'. They just happen to be shorter, but when a 350 pg Dresden gets the same status as a 1000 Malazan, why quibble?

Obdigore, on 12 April 2019 - 12:21 PM, said:

Salt-Man Z, on 11 April 2019 - 07:13 PM, said:

Obdigore, on 11 April 2019 - 05:32 PM, said:

I read 'One Word Kill' by Mark Lawrence. ... I'm hoping it isn't, and it doesn't seem like it is, a setup for a trilogy.

The second book in the series will be published at the end of May, so...

Really? I thought I read this on amazon pre-release, and its One Word Kill thats being published at the end of May?

There seems to be a multiplicity of promos, pre-releases, and special thingies related to these books.

Zeto Demerzel, on 12 April 2019 - 01:21 PM, said:

Recent reads:
Broken Earth 2 - The Obelisk Gate (N K Jemisin) - wow, nice. More utter strangeness, more mysteries, and an exciting plot that goes interesting places.

VERY much so. Enjoy!

Quote

River of Stars (G G Kay) - enjoyed it as much as any of Kay's other works that I've read.

Which reminds me i have a single free kobo earbok credit and unlike audible, they have UNDER HEAVEN.

Quote

Lankhmar 6 - Swords and Ice Magic (Fritz Leiber) - this one is proving to be a clunker. Doesn't have any of the charm or sense of adventure of previous compilations.

Agreed, Leiber's later Fafnir & Mouser stuff feels a bit like he was phoning it in by then.
A lot of the 'spirit' of the earlier stuff was lost to fairly base fantasy stuff. Less clever, more 'oo a bad thing, come my friend let us stab it muchly!'.



Nine chapters in, TIAMAT'S WRATH is utterly living up to my expectations.