MobileRead Forums
Register Guidelines E-Books Today's Posts Search

Go Back   MobileRead Forums > E-Book General > Reading Recommendations
Reload this Page What is the best free (public domain) sci-fi book you have read?

Notices

Reply
Page 2 of 4 1 2 34
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 11-02-2011, 04:10 PM   #16
kennyc
The Dank Side of the Moon
kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.kennyc ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
kennyc's Avatar
 
Posts: 35,872
Karma: 118716293
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Denver, CO
Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire
Quote:
Originally Posted by Angst View Post
Cory Doctorow also makes his books available for free download.
SOME of his books.
kennyc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2011, 04:16 PM   #17
Dazrin
Wizard
Dazrin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Dazrin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Dazrin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Dazrin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Dazrin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Dazrin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Dazrin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Dazrin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Dazrin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Dazrin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Dazrin ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Dazrin's Avatar
 
Posts: 2,631
Karma: 73864785
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: PDXish
Device: Kindle Voyage, various Android devices
Quote:
Originally Posted by ebusinesstutor View Post
Two of the best free (public domain) books I have read are:

Philip Wylie - Gladiator
Harry Harrison - DeathWorld

Gladiator is a long time favourite of mine, so I was glad to find it in ebook format. It is the story of a boy who grows to manhood with superhuman strength and invincibility.

This book predates Superman and may have been an influence on Superman's creators. The story has great characters and is very evocative of an era.
Where can you find a (legal) downloadable version of Gladiator? I checked Amazon and they have it for $2, it isn't in Gutenberg or the MR library. Doesn't appear that it is public domain yet.
Dazrin is offline   Reply With Quote
Advert
Old 11-02-2011, 04:25 PM   #18
ekster
Currently without a title
ekster ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ekster ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ekster ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ekster ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ekster ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ekster ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ekster ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ekster ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ekster ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ekster ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ekster ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 203
Karma: 3209914
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Canada, Qc
Device: Kobo Touch
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dazrin View Post
Where can you find a (legal) downloadable version of Gladiator? I checked Amazon and they have it for $2, it isn't in Gutenberg or the MR library. Doesn't appear that it is public domain yet.
Here it is.
http://www.archive.org/details/Gladiator_261
ekster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-02-2011, 06:20 PM   #19
dwig
Wizard
dwig ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dwig ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dwig ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dwig ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dwig ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dwig ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dwig ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dwig ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dwig ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dwig ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dwig ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
dwig's Avatar
 
Posts: 1,613
Karma: 6718479
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Paradise (Key West, FL)
Device: Current:Surface Go & Kindle 3 - Retired: DellV8p, Clie UX50, ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by ekster View Post
Manybooks also has it: http://www.manybooks.net/titles/wyli...gladiator.html
dwig is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2011, 12:47 AM   #20
bill_mchale
Wizard
bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 1,451
Karma: 1550000
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Maryland, USA
Device: Nook Simple Touch, HPC Evo 4G LTE
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apache View Post
Also Uller Uprising. One of my favorites by him.
Apache
I will throw in Space Viking myself. H. Beam Piper's tragic death is responsible for us getting access to these so soon.

--
Bill
bill_mchale is offline   Reply With Quote
Advert
Old 11-03-2011, 02:21 AM   #21
HarryT
eBook Enthusiast
HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.HarryT ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
HarryT's Avatar
 
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
Quote:
Originally Posted by bill_mchale View Post
I will throw in Space Viking myself. H. Beam Piper's tragic death is responsible for us getting access to these so soon.

--
Bill
No it isn't; his death has absolutely nothing to do with it; these are stories from the days when copyright had to be renewed in the US, whose copyright was not renewed. They are ONLY in the public domain in the US - nowhere else. His works will enter the public domain in "life+50" countries in 2015, and in "life+70" countries in 2035.
HarryT is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2011, 02:41 AM   #22
alansplace
Grand Sorcerer
alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
alansplace's Avatar
 
Posts: 5,886
Karma: 464403178
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: 33.9388° N, 117.2716° W
Device: Kindles K-2, K-KB, PW 1 & 2, Voyage, Fire 2, 5 & HD 8, Surface 3, iPad
Cool oops! sorry, a mistake
oops! sorry, a mistake
Last edited by alansplace; 11-03-2011 at 02:43 AM.
alansplace is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2011, 10:57 AM   #23
stonetools
Wizard
stonetools ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.stonetools ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.stonetools ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.stonetools ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.stonetools ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.stonetools ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.stonetools ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.stonetools ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.stonetools ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.stonetools ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.stonetools ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
stonetools's Avatar
 
Posts: 2,016
Karma: 2838487
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Washington, DC
Device: Ipad, IPhone
+1 on Deathworld. Will have to check out Gladiator.

I wonder, when will the early Asimov, Clarke, and Heinlien stuff reach the PD?
stonetools is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2011, 12:07 PM   #24
Penforhire
Wizard
Penforhire ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Penforhire ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Penforhire ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Penforhire ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Penforhire ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Penforhire ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Penforhire ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Penforhire ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Penforhire ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Penforhire ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Penforhire ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 2,230
Karma: 7145404
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Southern California
Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+
Nobody mentioned Peter Watts yet. I put his Maelstrom right up there among my favorite freebies. That Rifter trilogy was entertaining and disturbing. His also-free Blindsight was a more difficult read for me, yet still good.
Penforhire is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2011, 01:40 PM   #25
bill_mchale
Wizard
bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.bill_mchale ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 1,451
Karma: 1550000
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Maryland, USA
Device: Nook Simple Touch, HPC Evo 4G LTE
Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT View Post
No it isn't; his death has absolutely nothing to do with it; these are stories from the days when copyright had to be renewed in the US, whose copyright was not renewed. They are ONLY in the public domain in the US - nowhere else. His works will enter the public domain in "life+50" countries in 2015, and in "life+70" countries in 2035.
And you think he would have let the copyright on those stories lapse if he had been alive?

I am sorry they are not in the public domain where you are; but they are where I am. And please don't treat people like slow witted children just because you don't understand the full thread of their thoughts.

--
Bill
bill_mchale is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2011, 01:44 PM   #26
WillAdams
Wizard
WillAdams ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.WillAdams ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.WillAdams ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.WillAdams ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.WillAdams ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.WillAdams ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.WillAdams ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.WillAdams ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.WillAdams ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.WillAdams ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.WillAdams ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
WillAdams's Avatar
 
Posts: 1,234
Karma: 3350652
Join Date: Feb 2008
Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12
H. Beam Piper's _Little Fuzzy_
WillAdams is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2011, 01:55 PM   #27
alansplace
Grand Sorcerer
alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.alansplace ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
alansplace's Avatar
 
Posts: 5,886
Karma: 464403178
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: 33.9388° N, 117.2716° W
Device: Kindles K-2, K-KB, PW 1 & 2, Voyage, Fire 2, 5 & HD 8, Surface 3, iPad
Cool ditto...
Quote:
Originally Posted by WillAdams View Post
H. Beam Piper's _Little Fuzzy_
alansplace is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2011, 01:56 PM   #28
1611mac
eWanderer
1611mac ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.1611mac ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.1611mac ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.1611mac ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.1611mac ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.1611mac ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.1611mac ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.1611mac ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.1611mac ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.1611mac ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.1611mac ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 523
Karma: 1441998
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: NC, USA
Device: iMac,iPad3,iPhone5-Kindle Fire,Touch,PaperWhite
Quote:
Originally Posted by stonetools View Post
+1 on Deathworld. Will have to check out Gladiator.

I wonder, when will the early Asimov, Clarke, and Heinlien stuff reach the PD?
Or at least reasonably priced. On Amazon one of Heinlein earliest books Space Cadet (1948) is $9.99. I can't force myself to pay that... Especially in light of the cost of a used paperback. Rather than pay $9.99 for an early Heinlein I'll "force" myself to discover other writers such as mentioned in this thread.

Discovery is fun...

.

.
1611mac is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2011, 02:08 PM   #29
wallcraft
reader
wallcraft ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.wallcraft ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.wallcraft ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.wallcraft ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.wallcraft ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.wallcraft ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.wallcraft ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.wallcraft ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.wallcraft ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.wallcraft ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.wallcraft ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
wallcraft's Avatar
 
Posts: 6,975
Karma: 5183568
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Mississippi, USA
Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1611mac View Post
Or at least reasonably priced. On Amazon one of Heinlein earliest books Space Cadet (1948) is $9.99.
Many of Heinlein's books are available for about $6 each on Baen Webscriptions.
wallcraft is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2011, 05:37 PM   #30
Todd Young
Addict
Todd Young ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Todd Young ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Todd Young ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Todd Young ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Todd Young ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Todd Young ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Todd Young ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Todd Young ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Todd Young ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Todd Young ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Todd Young ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Todd Young's Avatar
 
Posts: 243
Karma: 1004164
Join Date: May 2011
Device: Kindle 2
Flatland by E. A. Abbott is my personal preference. Written in 1884, it's about a world that is two dimensional, where all the characters are squares or triangles or trapezoids and so on. It's surprisingly funny.
Todd Young is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply
Page 2 of 4 1 2 34

« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
can i publish a public domain book and make money out if it? granturissimus Amazon Kindle 14 10-31-2011 05:27 PM
Free, original & pretty book covers for texts in the public domain Algiedi General Discussions 15 05-14-2011 06:10 AM
Over 11,000 free Public Domain eBooks! mediax Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links) 2 08-16-2010 09:04 AM
Is there anywhere to download a large collection of free public domain ebooks? jusmee Astak EZReader 20 02-21-2010 07:24 PM
Link to 85 free non-public domain book at Amazon rcuadro Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links) 6 11-24-2009 11:46 AM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:35 AM.

Contact Us - FAQ - Guidelines - Privacy - Top

MobileRead.com is a privately owned, operated and funded community.