Ebooks from the backlists. My peeve.

[delphidb96]

Okay, I'm admitting it. I *like* Stephen Coonts' books (Flight of the Intruder, Final Flight, Minotaur, etc.) and have read them all in paperback. Most of the new series are available as ebooks, and almost all of the older are available as 'darknet' ebooks. I've got them all - except for the second in the "Saucer" duology, "Saucer: The Conquest". Naturally, that's the one I lost from my dead-tree files and the one I can't find at my local used-book store.

I'm basically switching over, as much as possible, to ebooks. It's my greatest peeve that for so many authors' works, there's always one title that doesn't make it's way into the ebooks catalog! Another of these is the newest release of Lee Child's "Jack Reacher" series. I can get every single one from eReader, BooksOnBoard, Fictionwise and Mobipocket - EXCEPT - "The Visitor", formerly known as "Running Blind". I have purchased all but that one. And, of course, it's not out on 'darknet'... Well, yes it is. But every single copy out there ends at the same line - pages before the end of the book!

AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!

Why, oh why cannot the publishers release all the backlist books as ebooks, rather than 'all-but-one'???

Okay. I feel better now.

Derek

[zelda_pinwheel]

yeah, right there with ya.

[DixieGal]

As I was dusting the bookshelves and sneezing on Saturday, I was thinking it is time to download them and trash the dust collectors. However, they weren't available for download! I think they are all going into the donation box soon, download or not. Paper books seem positively primitive now after half a year of e-books. If my EB-1150 needs dusting, I just swipe my sleeve over it and I'm finished - quite an improvement over an old rag and step stool to reach the higher shelves!

And that's my grumble for the week. Back to being sunshiny!

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by DixieGal

I think they are all going into the donation box soon, download or not. Paper books seem positively primitive now after half a year of e-books.

Yep, that's what I'm doing too. Although I am first putting all mine into LibraryThing.com so I am able to keep track of all the books I have read.

Here's my library so far: http://www.librarything.com/catalog/PilotBob

BOb

[DixieGal]

That's quite a pile of dust collectors you got there also! I feel closer to you better after having seen it, like a window into your soul.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by DixieGal

That's quite a pile of dust collectors you got there also! I feel closer to you better after having seen it, like a window into your soul.

Thanks, I think. Yes, I'm tagging the ones I am keeping as "onshelf". Let me know when you have all yours entered so we can compare our libraries... quite an interesting feature to find people that have similar libs with that web site.

BOb

[RickyMaveety]

I am going to have to check that site out and sign up. It would be great to have a good online catalog.

I need to set up a catalog like that for my CDs and DVDs too. Right now it's all on spreadsheets.

[DixieGal]

I like it! In the past, I've just laid them out and took a photo of the pile for "charitable deductions" on the taxes. My way is faster, but much less organized.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by delphidb96

I'm basically switching over, as much as possible, to ebooks. It's my greatest peeve that for so many authors' works, there's always one title that doesn't make it's way into the ebooks catalog! Another of these is the newest release of Lee Child's "Jack Reacher" series. I can get every single one from eReader, BooksOnBoard, Fictionwise and Mobipocket - EXCEPT - "The Visitor", formerly known as "Running Blind". I have purchased all but that one. And, of course, it's not out on 'darknet'... Well, yes it is. But every single copy out there ends at the same line - pages before the end of the book!

AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!

Why, oh why cannot the publishers release all the backlist books as ebooks, rather than 'all-but-one'???

Okay. I feel better now.

Derek

Totally agree, Derek.

I'm a big Agatha Christie fan. 56 out of her 80 novels have been released as HarperCollins eBooks, including 39 out of the 40 "Hercule Poirot" novels, but inevitably ONE is missing, and not an early one, either. Just seems to be a completely random book near the middle of the series. Very annoying, because, although the Poirot books can, of course, all be read as independent novels, they are also a series, with characters reappearing, and earlier events being referred back to in later books. Reading them "in order" is, therefore, recommended. I'll just have to buy the missing one as a paperback, which is irritating.

The "Miss Marple" series is the same (although a lot shorter, of course). One out of the 13 books is missing, seemingly at random.

[Mindy]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Yep, that's what I'm doing too. Although I am first putting all mine into LibraryThing.com so I am able to keep track of all the books I have read.

Here's my library so far: http://www.librarything.com/catalog/PilotBob

BOb

Damn you! Much to my boyfriend's dismay he came home to find me surrounded by boxes of books carefully cataloguing (sp?) the titles, authors, etc etc into a spreadsheet!
Needless to say it transpires my ex-flatmate nicked off with several of my Robert Jordan's, couple of my Anne McCaffrey's and at least 1 Terry Pratchett (Going Postal) and those are just the ones I'm certain of!
Will work on library thingy at a later point since I'm now covered in dust and stour (another good Scots word for you there) and so am off to join Zelda in her bath (or, more likely, run one of my own).
Damn you I say!!!!!

[tirsales]

He got "Going Postal"?????

[Ralph Sir Edward]

I absolutely agree. Why, oh why don't the publishers want my money??? But if you're falling back on used p-books, try the american bookseller exchange (www.abe.com). It's a nationwide selection rather that just local (Sorry to those across the Pond or the Big Pac, our used booksellers don't tend to be very globally oriented....)

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Mindy

Damn you!

Damn you I say!!!!!

I'm sorry.

BOb

[Alisa]

I'm thinking they likely just look at sales figures to determine priority for releasing ebook editions with no mind to the series or collection aspect of it.

[Patricia]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

I absolutely agree. Why, oh why don't the publishers want my money??? But if you're falling back on used p-books, try the american bookseller exchange (www.abe.com). It's a nationwide selection rather that just local (Sorry to those across the Pond or the Big Pac, our used booksellers don't tend to be very globally oriented....)

Not so, Ralph Sir Edward. I've ordered a lot from Abe's British offshoot, and have bought books from the USA, Canada and France. See:
http://www.abebooks.co.uk/