The Science Fiction Megapack: 25 Classic SF Stories [Kindle Edition] ($0.99)

DiapDealer · 06-23-2011, 11:17 AM

The Science Fiction Megapack: 25 Classic Science Fiction Stories [Kindle Edition] for $0.99.

Quote:

Hours of great reading await, with tales from some of the 20th century's most renowned science fiction authors, Here are 25 science fiction stories (plus a bonus short-short):

ARENA, by Frederic Brown
EXPEDITER, by Mack Reynolds
ONE-SHOT, by James Blish
SHAMBLEAU, by C. L. Moore
SHIPWRECK IN THE SKY, by Eando Binder
ZEN, by Jerome Bixby
THE LITTLE BLACK BAG, by C.M. Kornbluth
LANCELOT BIGGS COOKS A PIRATE, by Nelson S. Bond
LIGHTER THAN YOU THINK, by Nelson Bond
THE ISSAHAR ARTIFACTS, by J. F. Bone
THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP, by Ben Bova
YEAR OF THE BIG THAW, by Marion Zimmer Bradley
EARTHMEN BEARING GIFTS, by Fredric Brown
HAPPY ENDING, by Fredric Brown and Mack Reynolds
MONSTERS OF MOYEN, by Arthur J. Burks
ACCIDENTAL DEATH, by Peter Baily
AND ALL THE EARTH A GRAVE, by C. C. MacApp
EGOCENTRIC ORBIT, by John Cory
DEAD RINGER, by Lester del Rey
THE CRYSTAL CRYPT, by Philip K. Dick
THE JUPITER WEAPON, by Charles L. Fontenay
THE MAN WHO HATED MARS, by Randall Garrett
NAVY DAY, by Harry Harrison
THE JUDAS VALLEY, by Robert Silverberg & Randall Garrett
NATIVE SON, by T. D. Hamm
FINAL CALL, by John Gregory Betancourt

rdjack21 · 06-23-2011, 11:44 AM

Same thing on Barnes & Noble

rdjack21 · 06-23-2011, 11:55 AM

It should also be noted that they both have:

The Horror Megapack Kindle & Nook
The Mystery Megapack Kindle & Nook
The Adventure Megapack Kindle & Nook
The Ghost Story Megapack Kindle & Nook
The Western Megapack Kindle & Nook
The Military Megapack Kindle & Nook

All of them are $0.99 as well.

koland · 06-23-2011, 03:11 PM

Presumably all public domain?

HarryT · 06-23-2011, 03:29 PM

Only in the US.

TheLongshot · 06-23-2011, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by koland

Presumably all public domain?

It looks like a lot of these stories are in Gutenberg, so probably not that much of a deal.

HarryT · 06-23-2011, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheLongshot

It looks like a lot of these stories are in Gutenberg, so probably not that much of a deal.

Depends how much you value your time. How long would it take you to individually locate these stories on PG and download them? Is is worth paying 99c to save that time? For many people, the answer is "yes".

DiapDealer · 06-23-2011, 04:13 PM

I see the names of a few authors (at a glance) that are still alive, so I would presume that at least those stories aren't PD. Whether or not some of those living authors have released their stories under a Creative Commons type license... I couldn't say.

"Deal" is in the eye of the purchaser.
*shrugs*

HarryT · 06-23-2011, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I see the names of a few authors (at a glance) that are still alive, so I would presume that at least those stories aren't PD. Whether or not some of those living authors have released their stories under a Creative Commons type license... I couldn't say.

No, these (most, at least - very probably all) are magazine stories. It used to be the case, up until the 1960s, that US copyright had to be renewed, and very often magazine stories didn't get their copyright renewed, and hence fell into the public domain. There are literally hundreds of these stories on PG. They are public domain ONLY in the US - nowhere else.

DiapDealer · 06-23-2011, 04:22 PM

Ack! So many loopholes, nooks, and crannies to copyright. I don't know how anybody can ever be sure that something is truly "Public Domain" without hiring a lawyer.

HarryT · 06-23-2011, 04:32 PM

Well, it's pretty easy for most of us - all we have to do is look at the date of the author's death. You folks in the US face unique issues in terms of the complexity of your copyright law.

Ditchleyportrait · 06-23-2011, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Depends how much you value your time. How long would it take you to individually locate these stories on PG and download them? Is is worth paying 99c to save that time? For many people, the answer is "yes".

well you could download one at a time from gutenberg, and downloads straight from the kindle browser are fast effortless and easy.

HarryT · 06-23-2011, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ditchleyportrait

well you could download one at a time from gutenberg, and downloads straight from the kindle browser are fast effortless and easy.

If it takes you 1 minute, though, to locate and download each story, that's 25 minutes of your time gone forever. Some people may place a value higher than 99c on 25 minutes of their time. It's a personal choice.

koland · 06-23-2011, 08:54 PM

I was actually thinking that I would search here first, then perhaps a few other spots, before even trying Gutenberg.

If the collection is well formatted and has a good TOC, it's worth 99 cents .... if the stories themselves are good selections. No idea on that, though, as they are probably just tossed together by someone browsing Gutenberg.

JeremyR · 06-24-2011, 03:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

If it takes you 1 minute, though, to locate and download each story, that's 25 minutes of your time gone forever. Some people may place a value higher than 99c on 25 minutes of their time. It's a personal choice.

Yeah, but on the flip side, it basically floods Amazon (and other ebook sites) with thousands of e-books that are nothing but re-packaged PD material.

I think those sellers should require people who do so to put up a notice that it is PD material that they are selling, and let people make an informed decision.

(Not to mention while it's legal, IMHO it's still tacky to sell stories by living authors and not giving them any money)

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06-23-2011, 11:44 AM	#2
rdjack21 Groupie Posts: 153 Karma: 3241792 Join Date: May 2011 Device: Elocity A7, Nook STR, Galaxy Nexus	Same thing on Barnes & Noble

06-23-2011, 11:55 AM	#3
rdjack21 Groupie Posts: 153 Karma: 3241792 Join Date: May 2011 Device: Elocity A7, Nook STR, Galaxy Nexus	It should also be noted that they both have: The Horror Megapack Kindle & Nook The Mystery Megapack Kindle & Nook The Adventure Megapack Kindle & Nook The Ghost Story Megapack Kindle & Nook The Western Megapack Kindle & Nook The Military Megapack Kindle & Nook All of them are $0.99 as well.

06-23-2011, 03:11 PM	#4
koland Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,560 Karma: 8033155 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN, USA Device: kindle(all), nook, nookcolor, Sony, Kobo, epic, iphone, iPad, pc	Presumably all public domain?

06-23-2011, 03:29 PM	#5
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Only in the US.

06-23-2011, 04:13 PM	#8
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,548 Karma: 193191846 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I see the names of a few authors (at a glance) that are still alive, so I would presume that at least those stories aren't PD. Whether or not some of those living authors have released their stories under a Creative Commons type license... I couldn't say. "Deal" is in the eye of the purchaser. shrugs

06-23-2011, 04:22 PM	#10
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,548 Karma: 193191846 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Ack! So many loopholes, nooks, and crannies to copyright. I don't know how anybody can ever be sure that something is truly "Public Domain" without hiring a lawyer.

06-23-2011, 04:32 PM	#11
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Well, it's pretty easy for most of us - all we have to do is look at the date of the author's death. You folks in the US face unique issues in terms of the complexity of your copyright law.

06-23-2011, 08:54 PM	#14
koland Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,560 Karma: 8033155 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: TN, USA Device: kindle(all), nook, nookcolor, Sony, Kobo, epic, iphone, iPad, pc	I was actually thinking that I would search here first, then perhaps a few other spots, before even trying Gutenberg. If the collection is well formatted and has a good TOC, it's worth 99 cents .... if the stories themselves are good selections. No idea on that, though, as they are probably just tossed together by someone browsing Gutenberg.