While browsing an online auction website I came across a title that caught my eye - Cyberbooks by Ben Bova. I don't know if it has been mentioned before but seeing as it was written in 1989 I guess that's a predicition he got right, although the format of todays ebooks are a bit different.
Book Review plus cover art
I might just place a bid on the paperback to see how the story turns out...
The blurb on the back is also classic. I think it sums up the current publishing industry nicely.
Quote:
"Now wait a minute," said Ralph Malzone, "You mean..."
"No paper!" Carl exulted. "You don't have to chop down trees and make paper and haul tons of stuff to the printing presses and then haul the printed books to the stores. You move electrons and photons instead of paper. It's cheap and efficient."
Fir a long time Malzone said nothing. Then he sighed a very heavy sigh. "You're saying that a publisher won't need printers, paper, ink, wholesalers, route salesmen, district managers, truck drivers - not even booksellers?"
"The whole thing can be done electronically," Carl enthused.
"Shop for books by TV. Buy them over the phone. Transmit them anywhere on Earth almost instantaneusly, straight to the customer."
Malzone glanced around the shadows of the room uneasily.
In a near whisper he told Carl, "Jesus Christ, kid, you're going to get both of us killed."
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