Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading?

[CRussel]

Just in, and barely started: Double Share by Nathan Lowell. This is book four in the Solar Clipper series. Probably YA, but I don't care. Originally done as podcasts, now being converted to eBook and hard copy by Ridan Publishing who are not my favourites. These are "master trader" science fiction books, and quite enjoyable.

On Amazon without DRM, Kobo apparently has DRM on it. If bought directly from Ridan, you save some money and there's no DRM, but you have to wait for them to send you a link to the book, which is a manual process dependent on someone happening to notice that you've bought it.

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Just in, and barely started: Double Share by Nathan Lowell. This is book four in the Solar Clipper series. Probably YA, but I don't care. Originally done as podcasts, now being converted to eBook and hard copy by Ridan Publishing who are not my favourites. These are "master trader" science fiction books, and quite enjoyable.

On Amazon without DRM, Kobo apparently has DRM on it. If bought directly from Ridan, you save some money and there's no DRM, but you have to wait for them to send you a link to the book, which is a manual process dependent on someone happening to notice that you've bought it.

Charlie, you've got me confused. You say that the Amazon version is not DRM infected, but that there is a savings if you buy directly from Ridan (which is also not DRM infected) yet it is priced at $4.95 on both Amazon and Riden (no apparent savings). And it sounds like you bought from Riden, so what is the evidence of no DRM on Amazon's version?

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I am currently reading Star Trek: DTI: Forgotten History by Christopher L. Bennett.

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

That one sounds interesting, Jon. Let us know what you think of it after you finish, and how well it ties in with TOS.

Seems a bit pricey for an author I've not before heard of (but then I've never read a Trek novel, er....isn't that fan fiction? hmmmm....I guess if Amazon sells it it must be legal!!). Perhaps the royalties for the use of Shatner's image on the cover were expensive?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

That one sounds interesting, Jon. Let us know what you think of it after you finish, and how well it ties in with TOS.

Before you read that one, you'll want to read the one comes before the Forgotten History.

STar Trek: DTI Watching the Clock by Christopher L. Bennett

There’s likely no more of a thankless job in the Federation than temporal investigation. While starship explorers get to live the human adventure of traveling to other times and realities, it’s up to the dedicated agents of the Federation Department of Temporal Investigations to deal with the consequences to the timestream that the rest of the Galaxy has to live with day by day. But when history as we know it could be wiped out at any moment by time warriors from the future, misused relics of ancient races, or accident-prone starships, only the most disciplined, obsessive, and unimaginative government employees have what it takes to face the existential uncertainty of it all on a daily basis . . . and still stay sane enough to complete their assignments.

That’s where Agents Lucsly and Dulmur come in—stalwart and unflappable, these men are the Federation’s unsung anchors in a chaotic universe. Together with their colleagues in the DTI—and with the help and sometimes hindrance of Starfleet’s finest—they do what they can to keep the timestream, or at least the paperwork, as neat and orderly as they are. But when a series of escalating temporal incursions threatens to open a new front of the history-spanning Temporal Cold War in the twenty-fourth century, Agents Lucsly and Dulmur will need all their investigative skill and unbending determination to stop those who wish to rewrite the past for their own advantage, and to keep the present and the future from devolving into the kind of chaos they really, really hate.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by alansplace

Seems a bit pricey for an author I've not before heard of (but then I've never read a Trek novel, er....isn't that fan fiction? hmmmm....I guess if Amazon sells it it must be legal!!). Perhaps the royalties for the use of Shatner's image on the cover were expensive?

It is 100% legal. It's an agency book by Simon & Schuster (one of the price fix six) who have the license for Star Trek books.

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It is 100% legal. It's an agency book by Simon & Schuster (one of the price fix six) who have the license for Star Trek books.

I believe that's what I already said.

[TimW]

Originally Posted by alansplace

...what is the evidence of no DRM on Amazon's version?

"Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited" appears on the Amazon description.

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by alansplace

...what is the evidence of no DRM on Amazon's version?

Originally Posted by TimW

"Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited" appears on the Amazon description.

Checked for that, didn't see it which was why I asked. Just checked again, now it's there, guess my sanity's in question!

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by alansplace

Checked for that, didn't see it which was why I asked. Just checked again, now it's there, guess my sanity's in question!

And if you go to the Ridan site, there's a button on the left side with:

eBook: $4.95
Save 20% only $3.99
<Add to Cart>

Their standard deal is 20% on all eBooks bought direct from them. But I'll never do it again. Last time I bought from them directly, they were on vacation or something, and didn't bother to send me the book for several days, and then only when I complained! With a very cavalier attitude so I decided to just buy from Amazon.

Frankly, I've been very UNimpressed with Ridan. And I notice Nathan Lowell is doing his new series as pure self-published since he's had so many problems with Ridan.

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by CRussel

And if you go to the Ridan site, there's a button on the left side with:

eBook: $4.95
Save 20% only $3.99
<Add to Cart>

Their standard deal is 20% on all eBooks bought direct from them. But I'll never do it again. Last time I bought from them directly, they were on vacation or something, and didn't bother to send me the book for several days, and then only when I complained! With a very cavalier attitude so I decided to just buy from Amazon.

Frankly, I've been very UNimpressed with Ridan. And I notice Nathan Lowell is doing his new series as pure self-published since he's had so many problems with Ridan.

Yikes! I didn't read very thoroughly did I, either at Ridan or Amazon? Guess I'll go back to bed (or watch TV) and try again tomorrow!

[dreams]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I got this as a Tor freebie a long time ago. It starts out well, but I thought it devolved into an utter mess toward the very end.

Thanks, maybe I will keep it on hold for a while longer. It never really kept me wanting to come back to read.

Originally Posted by CRussel

Just in, and barely started: Double Share by Nathan Lowell. This is book four in the Solar Clipper series. Probably YA, but I don't care. Originally done as podcasts, <snip>

I have the podcasts and remember enjoying the story. I still have to finish the series, as I had started to listen to shorter books in between and didn't get back to these. Thanks for the reminder.

[Stitchawl]

I'm trying the second book in Robert Parker's 'Appaloosa' series... (I did read the first that lays groundwork on the characters) It's rather like a horsey version of Spenser with 'Virgil Cole' and 'Everett Hicks' instead of Hawk and Spenser. Hicks is a West Point grad, who makes his living with his shotgun while Cole is the quintessential 'lawman' who shoots faster and straighter than any man... so far.
Even the dialog is Spenserian-turned-Cowboy; instead of "that is certainly the only option I can foresee' we get 'Yup, fer sure... have to kill 'em.'
No sentence of dialog is more than seven words long...

Spenser was great. Jesse Stone was pretty good. Sonny Randall was fair. I'm afraid that Cole and Hicks just don't make the grade.


Stitchawl

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Before you read that one, you'll want to read the one comes before the Forgotten History.

STar Trek: DTI Watching the Clock by Christopher L. Bennett

Thanks, Jon. I'll check it out.

[tecweston]

Just Finished:

- A Monstrous Regiment of Women (Mary Russell #2) by Laurie R. King - really enjoyed this book. However, there was one seemingly supernatural occurrence in the book that I was waiting until the end to be explained, and it wasn't. Which is to say, it was hastily explained away at the end as being genuinely supernatural, which is no explanation at all. And given that it had no bearing on the main story, it could have been removed from the story and would make no difference. Kind of a head-scratcher but it didn't ruin the story.

Currently Reading:

- Skeleton Crew by Stephen King (35%)

- The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Star of India by Carole Buggé (0%)

- Moby-Dick, or The Whale by Herman Melville (28%) [on hold]

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by alansplace

Finished my first Robert B Parker book, Night Passage and it certainly didn't disappoint! In fact I added the TV movie to the top of my Netflix queue so I can see it again.

Now I'm going back to Dana Stabenow's Kate Shugak series to read Breakup, $4.99.

I finished reading Breakup. What a fantastically fun read! I completely agree with Charlie on this one. Now I'm going to try the first Kate Martinelli book, A Grave Talent by Laurie R. King.