Ur

6charlong · 08-16-2010, 06:16 PM

This story is probably old hat to most followers of this Forum but as a Kindle newbie I never before had the chance to read Stephen King’s novella that was only released for the Kindle. Until now. With a K3 on order I put the free Kindle app on my iPad, paid my $3 and downloaded Ur. (I’ll have to admit it, forbidden fruit really does taste best.)

I’m a semi-Stephen King fan meaning I’ve enjoyed reading much of King’s work. His prose seems effortless, his characters are realized if not always believable, his story handling is impressive, his plots…well, I should say I’m not a horror fan but I’ve usually found gems hidden in his stories. I was able to read around the magic Kindle in this one but I kept asking myself ‘what is the theme?’ Ur promotes eBooks in general and the Kindle in particular but I don’t think it could be called a sales pitch since the only people who could read it had already bought the item being pitched.

I thought the theme might be that for owners of eBook readers your literature comes to you as if by magic. No driving through traffic to the book store, no parking meters, no waiting in line, you just open the reader up, punch in your read for today and voila!

I’ve been reading eBooks for about ten years now and maybe I’ve just lost the excitement, the magic feeling of an instant download from Amazon. The iPad Kindle app does the same trick although the iPad is too heavy in the hand, as well as on its battery, to make a first rate book reader. Maybe I’ve grown jaded, accustomed to downloading books through a decade of doing it. Anyway, after reading Ur I started wondering if the Kindle still feels magical to others or do you suppose it wears off?

rcuadro · 08-16-2010, 06:28 PM

It never felt magical to me... it was more like the next logical step. I have been using PDA's to read for quite a while. I bought a second hand Sony 505 and loved it! When the K2 was announced I pre ordered it... and now have traded up to the DX.

Morpheus Phreak · 08-17-2010, 08:00 AM

To me I'm still very much in love with my Kindle after over a year of owning one.

I still find people who are absolutely mystified by how it works, especially when I explain that the 'ink' on the screen is all physical particles aligning to produce the image as opposed to the usual liquid, gas, or plasma based technologies.

jhempel24 · 08-18-2010, 02:13 AM

I was able to read it on my Sony (yes I bought it), and the whole theme was it was a horror novel about the eReader, not really a promotional thing...I enjoyed it. I wouldn't call it a horror novel, but the fact that you had a Kindle, with Time Paradox Police, was pretty entertaining.

08-16-2010, 06:16 PM	#1
6charlong friendly lurker Posts: 896 Karma: 2436026 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: US Device: Kindle, nook, Apple and Kobo	Ur This story is probably old hat to most followers of this Forum but as a Kindle newbie I never before had the chance to read Stephen King’s novella that was only released for the Kindle. Until now. With a K3 on order I put the free Kindle app on my iPad, paid my $3 and downloaded Ur. (I’ll have to admit it, forbidden fruit really does taste best.) I’m a semi-Stephen King fan meaning I’ve enjoyed reading much of King’s work. His prose seems effortless, his characters are realized if not always believable, his story handling is impressive, his plots…well, I should say I’m not a horror fan but I’ve usually found gems hidden in his stories. I was able to read around the magic Kindle in this one but I kept asking myself ‘what is the theme?’ Ur promotes eBooks in general and the Kindle in particular but I don’t think it could be called a sales pitch since the only people who could read it had already bought the item being pitched. I thought the theme might be that for owners of eBook readers your literature comes to you as if by magic. No driving through traffic to the book store, no parking meters, no waiting in line, you just open the reader up, punch in your read for today and voila! I’ve been reading eBooks for about ten years now and maybe I’ve just lost the excitement, the magic feeling of an instant download from Amazon. The iPad Kindle app does the same trick although the iPad is too heavy in the hand, as well as on its battery, to make a first rate book reader. Maybe I’ve grown jaded, accustomed to downloading books through a decade of doing it. Anyway, after reading Ur I started wondering if the Kindle still feels magical to others or do you suppose it wears off?

08-16-2010, 06:28 PM	#2
rcuadro Wizard Posts: 1,686 Karma: 874275 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Device: Kindle DX	It never felt magical to me... it was more like the next logical step. I have been using PDA's to read for quite a while. I bought a second hand Sony 505 and loved it! When the K2 was announced I pre ordered it... and now have traded up to the DX.

08-17-2010, 08:00 AM	#3
Morpheus Phreak Wielder of Hammers Posts: 77 Karma: 26342 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Renton, WA Device: Kindle Keyboard & Kindle Fire	To me I'm still very much in love with my Kindle after over a year of owning one. I still find people who are absolutely mystified by how it works, especially when I explain that the 'ink' on the screen is all physical particles aligning to produce the image as opposed to the usual liquid, gas, or plasma based technologies.

08-18-2010, 02:13 AM	#4
jhempel24 Wizard Posts: 2,157 Karma: 7068605 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, B&N Nook Colro	I was able to read it on my Sony (yes I bought it), and the whole theme was it was a horror novel about the eReader, not really a promotional thing...I enjoyed it. I wouldn't call it a horror novel, but the fact that you had a Kindle, with Time Paradox Police, was pretty entertaining.

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