has anyone been able to find any Jack Vance books in any of the ebook formats?

when you find out, let me know. I'd buy EVERYTHING that would be available.

isn't his books old enough to be on the public domain?

http://www.ebookmall.com/ebooks-authors/jack-vance-ebooks.htm

http://www.electricstory.com/authors/author.aspx?authorid=3

https://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/JackVanceeBooks.htm

http://ebooks.palm.com/product/detail/11981?book=The_Dragon_Masters

I think he was writing in the late '60's early '70's -- is that right?

If so, it's nowhere close to being PD -- that cut-off is some time in the '30's, I think. :shrug:

Didn't know that... always seemed to me like a 40's kind of author, don't know why.

Didn't know that... always seemed to me like a 40's kind of author, don't know why.


Actually Jack Vance has been writting since the fifities, until 2005-6 when at the age of ~90 and almost blind still wrote a novel Lurulu the continuation of his Ports of Call (early 00's).

I have read and enjoyed quite a lot of his books, especially his Gaean Reach ones (Demon Kings, Cadwal Chronicles, Night Lamp, Alastor and several others) and because of his baroque and leisurely style he is one of the SF authors that does not date easily.

isn't his books old enough to be on the public domain?

Nope. 95 years past first publish or 70 years past author's death. See the Wikipedia entry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright).

So anything published before 1923 is definately in the public domain. Because of the law changes over time, things created after that are may be in the public domain (it depends on whether they renewed their copyright). Starting in the 1950's (I think), it becomes more difficult to know if it's in the public domain or not.

Note that all works created by the U.S. gov't are supposed to be public domain upon their creation.

Thanks, rlauzon, I was hoping you'd come along with the particulars (I can never seem to get them straight in my head).

Allow me to add my thanks too...

As of today, the Vance family owns and operates jackvance.com, a website dedicated to Jack Vance. You'll find an extensive biography, photos and: ebooks. Currently there are 17 titles available, but in the coming months this number will grow to over 70: all of Jack Vance's work (SF, Fantasy and Mystery) based on the latest/greatest texts from the Vance Integral Edition archive.

Now that's excellent news; I always loved Vance's work, but have probably only read seven or eight books in all. It'd be nice to multiply that by two or three.

Didn't know that... always seemed to me like a 40's kind of author, don't know why.

Mainly because he was immortalized in D&D, which was a 70's/80's phenomenon :) (The original Dungeon Master's Guide, and most of the spellcasting system of the game.)

At first glance it looks like an excellent site - DRM free, committed to quality, mobi and ePub. But all the books I tried to buy are not available in Australia.

Is Australia covered by the SFGateway versions?

Is Australia covered by the SFGateway versions?

I'm not sure. But that's really not my point. Unless one has been there it may be hard to understand just how irritating it is to repeatedly go to sites and be told one is not allowed to buy.

I'm not sure. But that's really not my point. Unless one has been there it may be hard to understand just how irritating it is to repeatedly go to sites and be told one is not allowed to buy.That's the trouble with rights, especially for a writer who was written so much over such a long time: rights are spread over different publishers.

Gollancz (SFGateway) has exclusive rights for digital distribution in the UK and Australia for the next 3 years, with the exception of the mysteries (which are exclusively available worldwide from Spatterlight Press - which is owned by John Vance). If you absolutely want the Spatterlight Press versions, find someone outside UK or Australia to buy the books for you. Since they're DRM-free anyone can buy the books and send them to you by mail.

when you find out, let me know. I'd buy EVERYTHING that would be available.

Go to Kobo. You'll find a lot of them. Not all, mind you, but those which have been published by the SF Gateway.
Amazon should have the same ones.
Pity they cannot be bought using the usual Kobo discounts.
I am seriously thinking about them too.....

Go to Kobo. You'll find a lot of them. Not all, mind you, but those which have been published by the SF Gateway.
Amazon should have the same ones.With the exception of all mysteries and with DRM. Spatterlight Press editions are DRM-free and are imho better formatted.

I was generally supportive of the SFGateway project - it was bringing a lot of books back into print that otherwise wouldn't be available - but I'm much less pleased if they are stopping me getting a cheaper, better (DRM-free) version. The SFG editions are based on the same VIE originals, though, as I understand it.

I was generally supportive of the SFGateway project - it was bringing a lot of books back into print that otherwise wouldn't be available - but I'm much less pleased if they are stopping me getting a cheaper, better (DRM-free) version. The SFG editions are based on the same VIE originals, though, as I understand it.Yes, they are, although during the process of creating the Spatterlight Press editions, several additional corrections were made to the VIE texts. Also, the maps in the Spatterlight Press editions were specifically created for the ebooks, based on the originals from the VIE and the cover art is better imho.

BTW: it's not SFGateway that's stopping you from getting another version though: the Vance estate gave Orion exclusive epublishing rights for the UK and territories and Australia for the next several years. This means that the Spatterlight Press editions won't be available in those countries for that time, but if you're determined there are always ways around that.

If I was on death row and could choose either one last meal of any kind or a Jack Vance book I had never read, though I don't think that is possible, there is no doubt but that I would stay up all night reading.

With the exception of all mysteries and with DRM. Spatterlight Press editions are DRM-free and are imho better formatted.
I had a look, but I believe there are more of them in both Amazon and Kobo. I do not see the Demon Princes series or the Dying Earth or Tschai.
Am I wrong ?

I had a look, but I believe there are more of them in both Amazon and Kobo. I do not see the Demon Princes series or the Dying Earth or Tschai.
Am I wrong ?No, you're right. Right now, there are 17 titles for sale on jackvance.com (11 mysteries, 3 Alastor titles, the first 2 Tschai novels and Emphyrio). All other novels and short stories will appear on jackvance.com in the coming months. Most novels have been converted to ebook format, but there is some additional work to be done before they can be released (like proofreading, cover art, maps). The expectation is that by this summer all of Jack Vance's work will be available on jackvance.com in ebook format. If you follow SpatterlightPrs on twitter you'll be notified as soon as new titles appear.

If I was on death row and could choose either one last meal of any kind or a Jack Vance book I had never read, though I don't think that is possible, there is no doubt but that I would stay up all night reading.Did you also read all of Jack Vance's mysteries? They have always been pretty hard to find.

Did you also read all of Jack Vance's mysteries? They have always been pretty hard to find.

Over time I have collected every Vance book and story I could find. Even some bad ones. Most all of them were sci-fi-fantasy. I don't recall mysteries per se, but I am not typically a mystery reader or writer. I think I have all the sci-fi ones stored down in the basement, including some in the magazines. I loved the old Ace doubles when I was a kid.

Originally I was getting paper back even ordering what was not on the News Stand. Later with the internet, I searched more. Every now and then I do another search just to see if I missed something. I suppose I should go to these sites that are being talked about.

Perhaps I will find another
Iucounu the Laughing Magician
"I am Chun the Unavoidable"

Foreverness has a list of the contents of the VIE, which is about everything Jack Vance ever wrote. All of these will become available on jackvance.com in the coming months as well. You'll find the list here: http://www.integralarchive.org/biblio-1.htm

No, you're right. Right now, there are 17 titles for sale on jackvance.com (11 mysteries, 3 Alastor titles, the first 2 Tschai novels and Emphyrio). All other novels and short stories will appear on jackvance.com in the coming months. Most novels have been converted to ebook format, but there is some additional work to be done before they can be released (like proofreading, cover art, maps). The expectation is that by this summer all of Jack Vance's work will be available on jackvance.com in ebook format. If you follow SpatterlightPrs on twitter you'll be notified as soon as new titles appear.

Thanks. I'll just do it.

For Jack Vance fans, and for casual readers.

The Planet of Adventure series and the Demon Prices series (plus 6 collections of short stories) are now available on the splatterlight press website.

Check it out lest Eia Panice smile in you direction...