|
E-by-gum
(and sci-fi & fantasy 'E' at that)
Here's a question
for you. Ever heard of e-books? No? Think of a Sony Walkman for
books. You can either buy a hardware reader to read e-novels while
you roam, or you can download a software-based virtual reader for
your PC 100% free.

Think of the
fun you can have at work as it looks like you're nose to the grindstone,
when actually, all you are doing is reading the latest William Gibson
potboiler on your PC!
As Dilbert
might say, another great anti-productivity toy you have got to get.
In our book (excuse the pun), one of the main advantages of this
format of novel is you can download 1000s of out of copyright books
for free over the internet.
Everything
from HG Wells to the John Carter of Mars series (that's E. Rice
Burroughs, for you newbie SF fan-types, as in Tarzan). You will
also find hundreds of 50% Novels by the likes of Avon and other
big SF publishers, which are just that.
Try the first
half of the book for free. Only buy the second half if you are getting
into the story. Kind of like a book-based test drive.
These puppies
are going down a storm in the USA and it looks like another Pokemon-size
trend is forming a wave which is going to do to the traditional
book publishing industry what internet-based MPEG music recordings
are doing to the music industry.
For those that
don't know what MPEG music is doing to the music corporations, think
of Kim Bassinger flat up against the wall in Nine & a Half Weeks
. Yep, Sony, EMI and their ilk are getting well and truly shagged.
Now, many would-be
(plus a horde of used-to-be downsized) science fiction & fantasy
authors are rubbing their hands with glee at the thought of the
lazy, stupid, conservative, snooty tweed-clad shagwits in the dusty
book publishing trade finally getting the mother of all twattings
that they so richly deserve.
Your next question
is how the heck can you get it … well, just try below:
Here's
where you can go to get some free e-book reader software for
your PC (there's a beta for Apple Mac users)
Here's
where you can go for lots of fantastic free novels (and a few
paid ones) when you've got the software.
And if you've
got a book inside you which you want to see the light of day, here's
where you go to publish it.
Is this going
to make trouble for the book publishing trade? We think so.
If e-books don't do it for you, you can check our ..
Latest
Science Fiction Books
FREE SF
MAGAZINE
Sign up for
the Crowsnest SF e-magazine - full of funny reports and gossip.
Be the first to find out about hot sci-fi opportunities & news
- from Star Wars to Episode II
more
on the magazine...
CHAT
ABOUT THIS STORY
NEWS
ARCHIVE
|