FREE (Kindle) SAMPLES Scoundrels, Monsters, and Special Circumstances

[arcadata]

Scoundrels, Monsters, and Special Circumstances

had to go to Sony for some info: (turns out it's just a collection of previews) -> crappy publishers

Orbit is pleased to present a selection from each of our upcoming titles for Fall 2010. Inside you'll find everything from king-stealing thieves, to zombie-hunting couples. We have the newest Iain M. Banks novel Surface Detail, Greg Bear's triumphant return to deep space SF with Hull Zero Three, new novels from urban fantasy greats like Lilith Saintcrow and Jennifer Rardin. We're especially pleased to introduce debut author, Rachel Aaron, with her three rip-roaring fantasy adventures in three months.

[koland]

Personally, I'd prefer you just don't post these samples, unless they at least stand-alone (a single short story from a collection, for example).

[arcadata]

Originally Posted by koland

Personally, I'd prefer you just don't post these samples, unless they at least stand-alone (a single short story from a collection, for example).

I didn't know they were samples. If the mods want to delete, it's okay.

[queentess]

Originally Posted by koland

Personally, I'd prefer you just don't post these samples, unless they at least stand-alone (a single short story from a collection, for example).

Yeah, and I'd prefer people not post PDF free ebooks. And others only want to see non-geo-restricted. It's a freebie forum, you take what you can get. Some people may be interested in samples; maybe an author they're looking forward to reading or something?

From the way the post is worded, it sounds like arcadata didn't know it was just a sample until after it was posted. Tricksy publishers and all.

[Dr. Drib]

It clearly states "samples" in the Thread. If it didn't, then I (or another Moderator) would put that word in.

One can choose to download or not download.



Don
(Moderator)

[PG4003]

I just think this is a dirty trick from the publishers, to make you think you're getting something when you're really not. I refuse to download these things, it makes me feel tricked.

[Bikeridr]

Well, lucky me. I don't even have to "refuse downloading" as it is georestricted and I'm not among "the chosen few" who are eligible to download..

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by PG4003

I just think this is a dirty trick from the publishers, to make you think you're getting something when you're really not. I refuse to download these things, it makes me feel tricked.

What on Earth have you got against book samples? They are the eBook equivalent of being able to flip through a book in a bookshop, and allow you to check that it's reasonably formatted, etc. I find the free samples for every book to be one of the most useful features of the Kindle bookstore.

[Lemurion]

I don't like samples, I don't like romance, and I don't like religious books; but other people do.

I'd much rather have things I don't like posted, than not have things I would like posted. So long as it's made clear before I actually select to download the book (which it normally is since the bookstores normally have that information even if the thread body or title doesn't), I have no problems.

[koland]

Originally Posted by HarryT

What on Earth have you got against book samples? They are the eBook equivalent of being able to flip through a book in a bookshop, and allow you to check that it's reasonably formatted, etc. I find the free samples for every book to be one of the most useful features of the Kindle bookstore.

Harry,

I love the free samples and use them freely when considering a new author. However, the separate "sample books" are another thing entirely. They are both a remnant of publishing before the Kindle, when samples didn't exist as something that every ebook had or even before that when samples had to be printed, and a new marketing tool used to game the Amazon bestseller lists, as the "sales" of these sample books (but not the downloaded samples from actual books) count in the number of total sales for the book and the author, which pushes their _real_ book to the top of the bestseller lists when it is released, as it suddenly has thousands of "sales" of the "free preview" version. I strongly suspect it's how Patterson claimed to be the first person to pass a million ebook sales, despite having Kindle sales of a couple hundred thousand less than Stieg Larrsen (who is the first to pass a million on Kindle and did so more honestly, as no "free preview" versions were handed out, although some full content copies of one book were free quite some time ago).

Also, as I predicted when this first started, the marketing copy is now a common giveaway of some publishers and the "first free in series" is being replaced by a markdown of one title to the $3 range, instead.