Where is the rest of the series!!!

bill_mchale · 02-13-2012, 11:27 AM

I guess this is just a general rant, but then again, I suspect that many of us have experienced it at one point or another.

I have recently been on a kick of reading that particular downmarket genre fiction known as Space Opera

. So last night I was thinking of starting Stephen Baxter's Xeelee Sequence. So I go to Barnes and Nobles and look it up in the ebook section, only to find that only the last book in the series is available. I checked Amazon out and the same thing is the case.

Now, this has driven me crazy in book stores for years when they have the last book in a series (or a middle book) but not the rest. But at least physical book stores have an excuse...

Ok, here end it the rant.

BTW, does anyone know where I can get the early books in the series legally in the United States (as ebooks)?

Thanks,
Bill

jbcohen · 02-13-2012, 11:35 AM

I have found that in the past many publishers are not going back into their catalog of odler books and translating them to electronic format. They have made it a policy that starting on this date they will publish all their new books in printed and electronic formats but nothing before that data. There is no doubt in my mind that this is what is going on here. I would recommend that you talk to the publisher and ask them what their publishing policy is and if they will be publishing electronic versions of older books.

AnemicOak · 02-13-2012, 11:36 AM

It is frustrating when one can't get the books they're looking for (especially if it's a series and part of it's out there).

That series is old enough [90's] that it's possible the rights don't reside with a publisher (the last one is new enough [2010] that it might be the only one the publisher has the rights to), but with the author himself. Might be worth emailing him to see if he plans to self-pub them or if he doesn't hold the rights he might know if the rights holder has any plans to put them out.

He doesn't have an email address out there, but here's his agent's address (the agent might have a better idea of things anyway)...
christopher@selectricartists.com

QuantumIguana · 02-13-2012, 12:19 PM

I was looking at e-books at the library, and they had books 2 and 3 of a series, but not book one. What good is that to anyone? It's not good for the readers, and it isn't good for the author. If all the books are available, people will check them out more, and thus the libraries will have to buy more.

I'm not inclined to say "The library doesn't have book 1, so I had better buy it," I'm more inclined to read something else instead.

ucfgrad93 · 02-13-2012, 12:55 PM

While I'm not sure it does any good, I always click on the "Tell the Publisher - I'd like to read this book on Kindle." when I come across a book I want to read.

treadlightly · 02-13-2012, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

I was looking at e-books at the library, and they had books 2 and 3 of a series, but not book one. What good is that to anyone? It's not good for the readers, and it isn't good for the author. If all the books are available, people will check them out more, and thus the libraries will have to buy more.

I'm not inclined to say "The library doesn't have book 1, so I had better buy it," I'm more inclined to read something else instead.

I would think publishers would be more than happy to have at least Book 1 for all their series in the library, thus creating sales when people want to continue reading. It seems like a lost opportunity otherwise.

QuantumIguana · 02-13-2012, 01:41 PM

When book 1 isn't in the library, is it because it is unavailable, or because the library hasn't obtained a copy?

taustin · 02-13-2012, 02:04 PM

It's almost always a matter of rights on older works. Rights, and the cost of creating a new version, because older works almost never, ever exist on the publisher's computer any more. So it's got to be scanned and OCRed (and, hopefully, proofed well, but we know how that works out), or just retyped in, and those things cost money. And that assumes they have electronic rights, which they may not agree with the author on the value of.

So it all comes down to money: is the money spent on republishing an old work going to bring in a better return on the investment than the same money spent on a new book. And the answer is all too often, no, it's more profitable to buy rights to a new book, especially compared to a long out of print work by an established author who feels his older works are worth a lot more than a new work by an unknown.

All you can do is try to get hold of the publishers, and the author, and tell both you'd like to see the older stuff reissued as ebooks. If they don't feel it's worth the trouble (or expense), you're out of luck.

treadlightly · 02-13-2012, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

When book 1 isn't in the library, is it because it is unavailable, or because the library hasn't obtained a copy?

For one series I'm interested in, the library only has Book 2. Book 1 is available in Overdrive, so I'm guessing the library didn't "purchase" Book 1. It would make sense for the publisher to give some incentive to the library to have Book 1, as more people would likely start the series, and subsequently buy the newly released Book 3.

Daithi · 02-13-2012, 03:41 PM

The one that ticks me off is Night World by L.J. Smith. She didn't write the last book to the series, and then the publishers re-released the series and also indicated that Smith was also going to write the last book in the series. I bought all the books only to find out that Smith has now changed her mind and has no plans to ever finish the series.

pidgeon92 · 02-13-2012, 05:40 PM

The Redeemer by Jo Nesbø. I read the previous two books in the series, and I have all of the rest of them. For some reason they even pulled the printed copies in the US. They have an English version in Canada, I'll probably have my husband pick it up when he is there on business next month.

pwalker8 · 02-13-2012, 05:48 PM

There are a couple of authors whom I will never buy another book by because they left a series hanging.

I understand the logistics of not having the earlier books in a series available (rights issues and not in electronic format). On the other hand, they need to understand that unless the series are all stand along books, if they want me to buy any books in the series, they need to have them all available.

AnemicOak · 02-13-2012, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pidgeon92

The Redeemer by Jo Nesbø. I read the previous two books in the series, and I have all of the rest of them. For some reason they even pulled the printed copies in the US. They have an English version in Canada, I'll probably have my husband pick it up when he is there on business next month.

Must be some kind of rights issue. His website does seem to indicate it'll be out sometime in 2012 in the US. It is weird having only book 6 of the series not available (in print or digital).

pidgeon92 · 02-13-2012, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Must be some kind of rights issue. His website does seem to indicate it'll be out sometime in 2012 in the US. It is weird having only book 6 of the series not available (in print or digital).

I think it may have been an issue with the translation. I wish they would translate the first two books in the series as well. The Redbreast is actually the 3rd Harry Hole book.

digiSara · 02-13-2012, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

When book 1 isn't in the library, is it because it is unavailable, or because the library hasn't obtained a copy?

You can search Overdrive's website directly (http://search.overdrive.com/) to see if Overdrive has the book, and if so, which libraries have it.

My library obtained a series, and it was missing Book 7 in an 8 book series! Turns out that Book 7 was owned by a different publisher who hadn't made it available to the Overdrive (even though it was available as an epub in stores).

By the way, my library was very helpful and receptive though when I enquired about this issue - if it had been available, they would have purchased it.

02-13-2012, 11:27 AM	#1
bill_mchale Wizard Posts: 1,451 Karma: 1550000 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Maryland, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch, HPC Evo 4G LTE	Where is the rest of the series!!! I guess this is just a general rant, but then again, I suspect that many of us have experienced it at one point or another. I have recently been on a kick of reading that particular downmarket genre fiction known as Space Opera . So last night I was thinking of starting Stephen Baxter's Xeelee Sequence. So I go to Barnes and Nobles and look it up in the ebook section, only to find that only the last book in the series is available. I checked Amazon out and the same thing is the case. Now, this has driven me crazy in book stores for years when they have the last book in a series (or a middle book) but not the rest. But at least physical book stores have an excuse... Ok, here end it the rant. BTW, does anyone know where I can get the early books in the series legally in the United States (as ebooks)? Thanks, Bill Last edited by bill_mchale; 02-13-2012 at 03:16 PM.

02-13-2012, 11:36 AM	#3
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	It is frustrating when one can't get the books they're looking for (especially if it's a series and part of it's out there). That series is old enough [90's] that it's possible the rights don't reside with a publisher (the last one is new enough [2010] that it might be the only one the publisher has the rights to), but with the author himself. Might be worth emailing him to see if he plans to self-pub them or if he doesn't hold the rights he might know if the rights holder has any plans to put them out. He doesn't have an email address out there, but here's his agent's address (the agent might have a better idea of things anyway)... christopher@selectricartists.com Last edited by AnemicOak; 02-13-2012 at 11:39 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
iPad Delay For The Rest Of The World...	yvanleterrible	Apple Devices	24	04-19-2010 10:21 AM
Unutterably Silly When Will Ricky Maveety Rest?	desertgrandma	Lounge	15	06-04-2009 01:48 PM
Hacks a Thank You to Igor and the rest	Damætas	Amazon Kindle	7	04-14-2009 10:43 PM
For the Rest of us...	NatCh	Sony Reader	19	07-21-2006 04:06 PM
A Librie for the rest of us	Brian	HanLin eBook	19	06-18-2006 02:05 PM

02-13-2012, 11:35 AM	#2
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,030 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Where am I? Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition and a Samsung S24 Ultra	I have found that in the past many publishers are not going back into their catalog of odler books and translating them to electronic format. They have made it a policy that starting on this date they will publish all their new books in printed and electronic formats but nothing before that data. There is no doubt in my mind that this is what is going on here. I would recommend that you talk to the publisher and ask them what their publishing policy is and if they will be publishing electronic versions of older books.

02-13-2012, 12:19 PM	#4
QuantumIguana Philosopher Posts: 2,034 Karma: 18736532 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2 gen, Kindle Fire 1st Gen, Kindle Touch	I was looking at e-books at the library, and they had books 2 and 3 of a series, but not book one. What good is that to anyone? It's not good for the readers, and it isn't good for the author. If all the books are available, people will check them out more, and thus the libraries will have to buy more. I'm not inclined to say "The library doesn't have book 1, so I had better buy it," I'm more inclined to read something else instead.

02-13-2012, 12:55 PM	#5
ucfgrad93 Wizard Posts: 2,370 Karma: 9026681 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Colorado Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2nd Gen	While I'm not sure it does any good, I always click on the "Tell the Publisher - I'd like to read this book on Kindle." when I come across a book I want to read.

02-13-2012, 01:41 PM	#7
QuantumIguana Philosopher Posts: 2,034 Karma: 18736532 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2 gen, Kindle Fire 1st Gen, Kindle Touch	When book 1 isn't in the library, is it because it is unavailable, or because the library hasn't obtained a copy?

02-13-2012, 02:04 PM	#8
taustin Wizard Posts: 1,358 Karma: 5766642 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Nook	It's almost always a matter of rights on older works. Rights, and the cost of creating a new version, because older works almost never, ever exist on the publisher's computer any more. So it's got to be scanned and OCRed (and, hopefully, proofed well, but we know how that works out), or just retyped in, and those things cost money. And that assumes they have electronic rights, which they may not agree with the author on the value of. So it all comes down to money: is the money spent on republishing an old work going to bring in a better return on the investment than the same money spent on a new book. And the answer is all too often, no, it's more profitable to buy rights to a new book, especially compared to a long out of print work by an established author who feels his older works are worth a lot more than a new work by an unknown. All you can do is try to get hold of the publishers, and the author, and tell both you'd like to see the older stuff reissued as ebooks. If they don't feel it's worth the trouble (or expense), you're out of luck.

02-13-2012, 03:41 PM	#10
Daithi Publishers are evil! Posts: 2,418 Karma: 36205264 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Rhode Island Device: Various Kindles	The one that ticks me off is Night World by L.J. Smith. She didn't write the last book to the series, and then the publishers re-released the series and also indicated that Smith was also going to write the last book in the series. I bought all the books only to find out that Smith has now changed her mind and has no plans to ever finish the series.

02-13-2012, 05:40 PM	#11
pidgeon92 Wizard Posts: 3,144 Karma: 8426142 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Chicago, IL Device: Kindle PW2, Kindle Voyage, Kindle DXG, Boox M90, Kobo Aura HD	The Redeemer by Jo Nesbø. I read the previous two books in the series, and I have all of the rest of them. For some reason they even pulled the printed copies in the US. They have an English version in Canada, I'll probably have my husband pick it up when he is there on business next month.

02-13-2012, 05:48 PM	#12
pwalker8 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,196 Karma: 70314280 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Device: iPad Pro, iPad mini, Kobo Aura, Amazon paperwhite, Sony PRS-T2	There are a couple of authors whom I will never buy another book by because they left a series hanging. I understand the logistics of not having the earlier books in a series available (rights issues and not in electronic format). On the other hand, they need to understand that unless the series are all stand along books, if they want me to buy any books in the series, they need to have them all available.

Advert

Advert