What is the best free (public domain) sci-fi book you have read? - Page 4

alansplace · 11-09-2011, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VicLavigne

The golden age of SF has not quite made it into PD, with the exception of a few books and stories. Harry Harrison has a few books that can be found, Clifford Simak also has a few stories. The most famous author that has something for free is probably Isaac Asimov, whose story "Youth" is available as a free download (I've got it but havent read it yet).

I'd really like to see Arthur Clarke and Heinlein released to PD, but under current laws its not gonna happen. At least Heinlein has some books released by the publisher as ebooks, Arthur C. Clarke has nothing released as such.

Vic

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

That's not so. In the UK, at least, pretty much all his books are available as eBooks, published by Gollancz.

i get 47 books in kindle format at the usa amazon web site

HistoryWes · 11-09-2011, 01:41 PM

There are a lot of great ones. I still have to go with Burrough's Mars series, though I have a soft spot for his Carson of Venus books too.

VicLavigne · 11-09-2011, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alansplace

i get 47 books in kindle format at the usa amazon web site

I stand partially corrected. When I look at the amazon (USA) site, I do see a couple titles by Arthur C. Clarke. None of his classics though with the exception of The Fountains of Paradise. I've been waiting for the Space Oddyssey series, Childhood's End, Rendezvous with Rama, and his collected short stories.

Vic

sabredog · 11-09-2011, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HistoryWes

There are a lot of great ones. I still have to go with Burrough's Mars series, though I have a soft spot for his Carson of Venus books too.

If you liked ERB's venus series then you might want to try;

Otis Adelbert Kline's Venus series.

Similar in style and setting. A nice light read.

You can get an omnibus created by HarryT by following the link below.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21236

HarryT · 11-10-2011, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VicLavigne

I stand partially corrected. When I look at the amazon (USA) site, I do see a couple titles by Arthur C. Clarke. None of his classics though with the exception of The Fountains of Paradise. I've been waiting for the Space Oddyssey series, Childhood's End, Rendezvous with Rama, and his collected short stories.

Vic

All of those are available in the UK.

1611mac · 11-10-2011, 05:25 PM

As the OP I want to thank everyone for their comments... my reading list has grown as a result of your comments.... Thank you for posting..

Dimwit · 11-13-2011, 12:19 AM

For a very good series that's all free try Bruce Bretthauer's Family Saga. Do a Google for him. Any of his stories are good.

Dimwit · 11-13-2011, 12:20 AM

For another try Fel. Usually far more fantasy with a furry twist but his Subjugation series is very well done.

DoctorOhh · 11-14-2011, 02:31 AM

First thanks to all. A couple of very interesting books ended up on my TBR list.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alansplace

i bought the kindle version from amazon back in the summer of 2009 and [re]read it immediately. i didn't notice any problems other than it was a topaz file

As a topaz file read on the Kindle or any Kindle App you will see roughly an exact duplicate of the book they scanned it from.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alansplace

yikes, that's awful, perhaps you could buy the kindle one and using calibre and apprentice alf, get it converted to your format of choice

Converting as you suggest will convert the underlying (unproofed) OCR of the Topaz file (used for search and dictionary lookup) which is not perfectly related to the book you read on the Kindle. The OCR may be very good but it has not been proofread for errors. So the conversion may be as error filled as the Tor version referenced earlier by WillAdams.

Of course any new android based ereader that can be rooted most likely could use the Kindle App to read the perfect Topaz version.

BenG · 11-14-2011, 07:35 AM

I just want to point out that some of the classic stories at Gutenburg like E.E. "Doc" Smith's Triplanetary and Skylark are early magazine versions of stories that were later reworked for paperback publication.

HarryT · 11-14-2011, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenG

I just want to point out that some of the classic stories at Gutenburg like E.E. "Doc" Smith's Triplanetary and Skylark are early magazine versions of stories that were later reworked for paperback publication.

Yes, I said pretty much the same thing earlier in the thread - eg post #34.

BenG · 11-14-2011, 10:52 AM

Oops, I thought I had read the whole thread but it looks like I skipped a page.

Of course this doesn't mean that the magazine versions aren't worth reading.

There can be some changes though. The magazine version of Triplanetary was reworked to be a prequel to Smith's Lensman series.

alansplace · 11-14-2011, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwanthny

As a topaz file read on the Kindle or any Kindle App you will see roughly an exact duplicate of the book they scanned it from.

Converting as you suggest will convert the underlying (unproofed) OCR of the Topaz file (used for search and dictionary lookup) which is not perfectly related to the book you read on the Kindle. The OCR may be very good but it has not been proofread for errors. So the conversion may be as error filled as the Tor version referenced earlier by WillAdams.

Of course any new android based ereader that can be rooted most likely could use the Kindle App to read the perfect Topaz version.

actually i read it later (again, yes i like it) as a converted mobi and it seemed to me it had converted just fine (had none of the problems i've seen in a pdf conversion). maybe i was just lucky, but the topaz version of glory road also (imho) converted just fine

DoctorOhh · 11-14-2011, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alansplace

actually i read it later (again, yes i like it) as a converted mobi and it seemed to me it had converted just fine (had none of the problems i've seen in a pdf conversion). maybe i was just lucky, but the topaz version of glory road also (imho) converted just fine

Most of the time I have seen very good conversions from the underlying OCR and have bought topaz versions and converted them as you suggested. But since the OCR is not proofread you never know what you are going to get until you try it.

seajewel · 11-15-2011, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penforhire

Nobody mentioned Peter Watts yet. I put his Maelstrom right up there among my favorite freebies. That Rifter trilogy was entertaining and disturbing. His also-free Blindsight was a more difficult read for me, yet still good.

I was just about to come here and post about Watts. I loved the Rifters Trilogy, and I appreciate Peter Watts' philosophy about his books. They are all available from his website.

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11-09-2011, 01:41 PM	#47
HistoryWes Teacher/Novelist Posts: 632 Karma: 2274466 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Nevada Device: Nook STR, iPad	There are a lot of great ones. I still have to go with Burrough's Mars series, though I have a soft spot for his Carson of Venus books too.

11-10-2011, 05:25 PM	#51
1611mac eWanderer Posts: 523 Karma: 1441998 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: NC, USA Device: iMac,iPad3,iPhone5-Kindle Fire,Touch,PaperWhite	As the OP I want to thank everyone for their comments... my reading list has grown as a result of your comments.... Thank you for posting..

11-13-2011, 12:19 AM	#52
Dimwit Connoisseur Posts: 60 Karma: 12652 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: Kobo	For a very good series that's all free try Bruce Bretthauer's Family Saga. Do a Google for him. Any of his stories are good.

11-13-2011, 12:20 AM	#53
Dimwit Connoisseur Posts: 60 Karma: 12652 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: Kobo	For another try Fel. Usually far more fantasy with a furry twist but his Subjugation series is very well done.

11-14-2011, 07:35 AM	#55
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,730 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	I just want to point out that some of the classic stories at Gutenburg like E.E. "Doc" Smith's Triplanetary and Skylark are early magazine versions of stories that were later reworked for paperback publication.

11-14-2011, 10:52 AM	#57
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,730 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	Oops, I thought I had read the whole thread but it looks like I skipped a page. Of course this doesn't mean that the magazine versions aren't worth reading. There can be some changes though. The magazine version of Triplanetary was reworked to be a prequel to Smith's Lensman series.