258 replies to this topic

[Mikey_C]

Just spotted this:



There's also this.

(In true Amazon style, the customer reviews don't relate to the product actually being advertised.)

Kindle is, of course, Amazon's attempt to digitalise and destroy the book industry via mass piracy in a similar way as to what has happened to music and film. But - are these CPI licensed products? Which texts are they - does anyone know?

I was going to post this in the SK forum - but double-checked and there's tons of REH on Kindle. Seems to be various editions of everything. What's going on?

[deuce]

That has to be THE most definitive rendition of SK that I've ever seen.

[Kane]

I see that cover and the first thing to cross my mind is; "I'm Ahab Kane! And I means to shoot me a white whale."

[amster]

There's also this.

Makes sense to me. Once they became digitized, The Tales of Solomon Kane (aka Abe Lincoln) were no longer Savage.

[rabbits]

well I think Kindle is a fairly open source formatting thing.. and if theres any confusion as to the legality of the tales .. Especially with them being on A Project Gutenberg.. it could have lead to people not knowing if they were in the public domain or not..

On the other hand... I agree entirely that This thing is a scourge and needs to be stopped.. make mine paper.. or else.

[amster]

well I think Kindle is a fairly open source formatting thing.. and if theres any confusion as to the legality of the tales .. Especially with them being on A Project Gutenberg.. it could have lead to people not knowing if they were in the public domain or not..

On the other hand... I agree entirely that This thing is a scourge and needs to be stopped.. make mine paper.. or else.

I don't get why you would need a seperate device like a kindle to read digitized books. It seems like a rip-off to me me. If you prefer to read digitized books, then why not just read them on your laptop?

[rabbits]

Allegedly the Kindle has a screen that makes it look like paper when the white background and black text show through it or something..


it also " Flips pages ".. Its really stupid and is just for those people who like to talk about how Print is Dead..

Eegon said it in Ghostbusters 25 years ago.. Its still not happened.

[Strom]

I had to edit and change the topic to Mikey's cool thread to include new electronic devices because - like it or not - technology isn't waiting to see if print is dead - it's too busy creating new ways to explore adventures in Hyboria, Valusia and Steve Costigan's smoke-filled arenas!

No longer do you need to have a Kindle to download Robert E. Howard stories/books. Now with the Kindle App (free on itunes) you can have Robert E. Howard's stories automatically downloaded to your iphone or ipod touch.

Recently, I purchased an ipod touch and downloaded a few stories (Devil in Iron & Skullface) for less than 2 bucks and in less than one minute I was reading REH on my ipod. Like Mikey mentions, do a search on Robert E. Howard and Kindle on Amazon and you will find almost one hundred different books/stories covering Solomon Kane, El Borak, Bran Mak Morn, Steve Costigan -and others- plus the full Del Rey volumes including The Best of REH volumes 1 & 2. To test it out, I downloaded 'The Horror Stories of REH" for less than $9 and in less than 1 minute I had the entire book. All of Greg Staples art (looks just as freaking awesome digitally - if not cooler!), Rusty's great introduction, the Notes on the Texts - everything! At anytime now, I can read REH's stories. The text is vivid and clear on the screen and Howard's prose just as unique. I found myself slipping away just like when I read Bob's stories late at night, flipping pages of his book, anxious to read more. In today?s world, I find it really hard to find time to read as much as I would prefer and having a few minutes to read REH whenever I can is a real bonus.

This, my friends, is an avenue us hardcore fans of REH need to not only explore (have fun!) but also utilize to promote REH to new fans/old fans/existing fans. The cost is minimal the reward is great. I love books - I have shelves filled with Howard books and I'll always support new print editions of REH but the world is changing and electronic Robert E. Howard is just as powerful, just as vivid, just as inspiring and just as relevant. Why not read/send/gift some electronic Robert E. Howard?

If only Bob could see us now...I would like to think he would yell out each word as he typed his approval from his iphone!

[daniel]

are electronic books poised to take over our lives? where i come from, people are obsessed with this possibility and are (amazingly enough) willing to cast aside collections of books acquired over a lifetime. while i personally may be able to ascribe this to a love-hate relationship with the whole concept of "reading culture and leisure time" , with or without a connection to sci-fi and fantasy in my country, i can only say that the possibility of having to use a computer even in whatever time i have for myself and my relaxation drives me nuts. to say nothing of the further diminishing in the cultural and social significance of the term "writer".i.e. if today when a book is a tangible object there are people who think that writing is not something they should part with their money for , EVEN IF THEY DO- god only know what will people say and think when all form of contact with the writer is almost lost. yes, even metaphorically.

so, what do you think? are we about to become outlawed hoarders of paper?

[The Adventurer]

are electronic books poised to take over our lives?

They won't take over mine!

I won't pay for anything unless I get something tangible in return - I love my books, my CD's and my DVD's...I simply don't believe in digital downloads in any form.

I'm sure that these Amazon "Kindle" things (other brands are available I expect) are great for traveling or whatever...but they ain't for me...there is something reasuring about running your eyes across your book/CD/DVD collection and plucking a well loved title from the shelf for reading/listening/watching.

(I'm not a complete ludite BTW, I do have a great MP3 player and enjoy using it, it cost me a bit and sounds very good for "music on the go" but it could never replace my Hi-fi and my CD's)

Great thread BTW.


TA

[amster]

The problem with e-books, from a technological standpoint, is that if the whole thing crashes one day, everything will be lost. Plus, there's the Big Brother angle. If all of your books are downloaded on a kindle, "you're" not really in control of the content. Amazon is, and theoretically, they could change it, censor it, or erase the content.

And on a personal level, I'm not interested in buying a kindle or reading books over a computer monitor or a cell phone. Call me old fashioned, but I like the feel of a good book in my hand, be it a luxury edition like from Wandering Star, or a musty old paperback that I found in a used book store. I'll never part with my book collection. and I'm sure that there's enough people that feel just like me, so I don't think that we have to worry about traditional books ever being banned.

[rabbits]

I will never buy one of these things..


Stupid people have been trying to kill print off for 30 years.. will see how well they like it the first time a Solar flare hits and nukes all the hard drives..

[Sermon Bath]

I like, no love...my Books. I dont mind printing off a short e file to read and its pretty cool to have a few e books on my notebook in case I get stuck somewhere without a book..shudder!

[Alnilam]

I usually read when I'm laying down in bed before I go to sleep or while I'm sitting on the "throne". I don't see an electronic reader being as being practical in either setting. To me there's something very satisfying in a bookshelf full of good books. I don't think I will get the same warm and fuzzy feelings from looking at a flash drive full of 1's and 0's.
I also seem to think that there's a money factor in here somewhere. If it's anything like an ipod music player, you can't share your digital downloads with your friends. No lending your book to anybody. And it costs less to stream data into an electronic book reader than it does to print and ship a paper book.
Personally, I'll never get one, although I'm sure that one day there will be no other choice.

[Strom]

You guys realize that the letters you type for this forum float around in the either and magically appear when Merlin correctly pronounces the spell, right?

Plus, you guys all sound like AARP members! "Why back in my day, I read bark! And then ate it! " I kid cause I care.

I understand being distrustful however outright dismissal is kinda ironic on an internet forum. I'm not sure how a server crash would effect my downloads on my ipod amster - there is no "big brother" watching - no more than when you buy a book with a credit card. Once you download a book it's on your hard drive - if Amazon crashed - my digital library would be fine.

Solar flares destroying hard drives, rabbit? I would ask you to let me know when that happens but I'm guessing Merlin will also be knocked out by the Flare. BTW, Solar -Man of the Atom - was kinda cool back in the Gold Key days. (Gotta keep up my "only comics" rep)

I love e-books and find them extremely convenient and a great value. They don't have to replace books just be another option. With any new technology, I always suggest that people give it a try at a retailer before dismissing it off-hand. Checkout an Apple store and ask them about ebooks - can't hurt and you might be surprised on the options/quality/ease of use. You don't have to buy anything.

It's not just for traveling either but for any situation where you have some time - no need to remember to bring a book or hope you have your backpack/briefcase - you always have it on you.

As for lending a book to a friend, if he/she has a electronic reader then you can gift him/her the book for a great value (low as .99 sometimes) - plus, I would contend doing so is supporting your favorite author even more. If he/she doesn't have a reader then you can buy the book and give it to him/her since you were able to save so much by purchasing a e-book (again supporting your favorite author more than just lending one copy)

I realize e-books are not for everyone. But they might be for your nephew or your grandson or your friend's teenager and they may like a Robert E. Howard story or book. And it's a great value. Plus, then your be the cool Uncle or friend. Sweet.

Two similar topics:

Conan on Iphone
REH On Kindle/Iphone/Touch

[amster]

I see your points, Strom, but why should I shell out hundreds for a seperate unit such as a Kindle when digital books could be downloaded straight to a PC, or for portability, a laptop or cell phone. That seems like a waste of money to me (and its not even in color).

[Sermon Bath]

instead of looking forward I sometimes would like to experience the days when people sat around in their homes without tv or radio and read to each other....that would be cool...my own
mother came from that kind of background and she read to my family and it was very very nice. There is something to be said for a family or friends all enjoying a book at the same time by a wood fire during the winter

[mbern45]

The problem with e-books, from a technological standpoint, is that if the whole thing crashes one day, everything will be lost. Plus, there's the Big Brother angle. If all of your books are downloaded on a kindle, "you're" not really in control of the content. Amazon is, and theoretically, they could change it, censor it, or erase the content.

And on a personal level, I'm not interested in buying a kindle or reading books over a computer monitor or a cell phone. Call me old fashioned, but I like the feel of a good book in my hand, be it a luxury edition like from Wandering Star, or a musty old paperback that I found in a used book store. I'll never part with my book collection. and I'm sure that there's enough people that feel just like me, so I don't think that we have to worry about traditional books ever being banned.

I agree with you on this. There is something about being able to pick up a physical book and reading it that you can't get from reading something on your computer.

I find that it tires out my eyes more to read off of a computer screen, plus I can't conveniently take it with me anywhere I go. And although I'm sure some companies are already thinking that this might be a great idea to make a few extra bucks, how soon will those same companies start complaining because everyone is downloading their books instead of buying them.

[The Adventurer]

I find that it tires out my eyes more to read off of a computer screen, plus I can't conveniently take it with me anywhere I go. And although I'm sure some companies are already thinking that this might be a great idea to make a few extra bucks, how soon will those same companies start complaining because everyone is downloading their books instead of buying them.

I read "I am Legend" on my monitor many years ago...it was the first and last book I will ever read via this method (story was great, but my eyes, oh God, they burned!!!).

In fairness though, I believe these kindle things are not like reading from your monitor, they are far easier on the eyes...that said, books are perfect, so I will stick with them.


TA

[daniel]

I find that it tires out my eyes more to read off of a computer screen, plus I can't conveniently take it with me anywhere I go. And although I'm sure some companies are already thinking that this might be a great idea to make a few extra bucks, how soon will those same companies start complaining because everyone is downloading their books instead of buying them.

I read "I am Legend" on my monitor many years ago...it was the first and last book I will ever read via this method (story was great, but my eyes, oh God, they burned!!!).

In fairness though, I believe these kindle things are not like reading from your monitor, they are far easier on the eyes...that said, books are perfect, so I will stick with them.


TA

from what i've read so far on the net(not in english), it is estimated that in the u.s.a. alone at present, there are half a million users of readers,such as sony,kindle,etc. globally, the number may be double, if not triple.

so, what does that mean?

to be honest, there are some pros for such apparatuses:
1: wider availability of books for reading and research.
2: saving on paper.
3: cutting the middle-man on distribution of the books and other aspects of production, hence a larger profit for the author.

the cons however,are:
1: editorship will diminish if not disappear entirely. this would result in a flood of books that are not only mediocre or badly written, but also badly put together technically.
2: i can't remember exactly how, but one of the claims was that the versions of the books put on-line will be subject to indiscriminate change by all willing hands, as in wikipedia.
3: physically uncomfortable.
4: not really something that can be used as to separate "work-time" from "personal-time". when the reader is similar to the computer you work on, if only by virtue of having an e-mail box attached to it, your personal time is on the sure path to violation. in this stress-ridden world, i am best able to enjoy howard with some peace and quiet around me.

there are more cons than pros, both in numbers and significance.