"Star Dragon" SF novel for free

TadW · 12-30-2004, 11:13 AM

Author Mike Brotherton has released his sci-fi Star Dragon novel under the Creative Commons License.

The book is available for free download and comes in various formats (including txt and html).

cbarnett · 01-18-2005, 09:18 PM

Thanks for the link!

Craig (back from vacation).

Chaos · 01-19-2005, 10:25 PM

And for the good Plucker users who don't feel like building it themselves, I've done it for you. Output attached as a pdb.

(Minor changes to the html: the link to the creative commons licence was changed to text only, not a hyperlink; added a "cosmetic only" http:// to the text at the bottom, referring the reader to http://www.aavso.org/vstar/vsotm/0600.stm#dn).

cbarnett · 01-19-2005, 10:56 PM

You should send a copy to the author Chaos, he might just stick it up on the site

Craig.

Chaos · 01-20-2005, 12:05 AM

Good idea! I think I'll do that...

Liviu_5 · 03-05-2008, 09:04 AM

Considering that M. Brotherton has a new book out from Tor now (no e-book though for the moment) I thought a good idea to post about this free download that I've just found out today, until a site search showed someone did it several years ago.

The updated direct link is here:

http://www.mikebrotherton.com/?page_id=8

WillAdams · 03-05-2008, 09:47 AM

I'd be curious if anyone considers reading the .pdf version on a Sony PRS-505 --- I made it and am re-reading it now to check for things I was too hurried to fix previously (if one finds anything which could stand improvement, let me know).

I'll probably be using it for a first project for making .pdfs optimized for the Sony.

William

IceHand · 03-05-2008, 03:15 PM

Here's a reformatted Mobipocket version

llasram · 03-05-2008, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillAdams

I'll probably be using it for a first project for making .pdfs optimized for the Sony.

I went down that path for quite a while before finally giving in to LRF-generation. Although the higher-quality typography possible with LaTeX->PDF improves readability, the discernibly lower-quality rendering of PDFs – even Reader-optimized PDFs – makes the LRF a net win. obelix has some analysis of rendering in the various on-Reader file-viewers which demonstrates the differences.

Perhaps the upcoming 505 firmware update will improve PDF rendering enough to bring them in parity, but for the time being I’ve become convinced that LRF is the way to go.

JSWolf · 03-05-2008, 04:41 PM

The major issue with that PDF vs LRF font analysis is that we do not know if the PDF is made for the screen size of the 500/505. If it's not, of cource LRF is going to render the font better. But I think if the PDF size is optimized for the 6" eink screen then I don't think we'll have a difference as the font will not have to be reduced. It's when the PDF is larger and has to be reduced that quality is lost.

llasram · 03-05-2008, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The major issue with that PDF vs LRF font analysis is that we do not know if the PDF is made for the screen size of the 500/505. If it's not, of cource LRF is going to render the font better. But I think if the PDF size is optimized for the 6" eink screen then I don't think we'll have a difference as the font will not have to be reduced. It's when the PDF is larger and has to be reduced that quality is lost.

Oh, no – one can definitely tell the difference. Creating a 88.184mm x 113.854mm PDF renders pixel-perfect size-wise (well, with some minor distortion because the Reader PDF renderer treats the pixels as squares even though they’re rectangles). But as obelix notes in his analysis, the PDF renderer renders “white” – including white page backgrounds – as one shade darker than the lightest the Reader is actually capable of. This plus what appears to be weaker font anti-aliasing vs. LRF results in a significantly more “washed-out” looking page. Having done exclusively PDF generation for several months, I assure you that the contrast disparity is quite noticeable. :-)

JSWolf · 03-05-2008, 05:30 PM

Then I'll stick with LRF for content conversion.

WillAdams · 03-06-2008, 03:56 PM

Thanks llasram! The link was very informative.

That said, it looks like just another set of tradeoffs --- and I'm willing to give up a ``pure'' white for:

- better typography
- richer character set (e.g., ligatures)
- true italics

&c.

Hopefully the next firmware update will improve the .pdf renderer.

William

Hadrien · 03-06-2008, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillAdams

Thanks llasram! The link was very informative.

That said, it looks like just another set of tradeoffs --- and I'm willing to give up a ``pure'' white for:

- better typography
- richer character set (e.g., ligatures)
- true italics

&c.

Hopefully the next firmware update will improve the .pdf renderer.

William

The lack of hyphenation on LRF is the best reason for me to use PDF instead.

Haven't answered to your message about The Book Of Tea yet William, but I will...

I guess we might have a few LaTeX tricks to exchange...

JSWolf · 03-06-2008, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hadrien

The lack of hyphenation on LRF is the best reason for me to use PDF instead.

Haven't answered to your message about The Book Of Tea yet William, but I will...

I guess we might have a few LaTeX tricks to exchange...

Mobipocket/AZW don't have hyphenation support as well.

12-30-2004, 11:13 AM	#1
TadW Uebermensch Posts: 2,583 Karma: 1094606 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Italy Device: Kindle	"Star Dragon" SF novel for free Author Mike Brotherton has released his sci-fi Star Dragon novel under the Creative Commons License. The book is available for free download and comes in various formats (including txt and html).

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
"The Sword and the Dragon" by M.R. Mathias a 700+pg epic fantasy w/100k word preview	M. R. Mathias	Self-Promotions by Authors and Publishers	32	09-21-2010 07:29 AM
Star Trek - is this "official"?	mores	Reading Recommendations	13	05-15-2009 09:03 AM
"Two Bits: The Cultural Significance of Free Software" - free e-book	TadW	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	0	06-11-2008 06:18 PM
iLiad SDK details revealed! "Free" and "extended" ...	TadW	iRex Developer's Corner	24	08-14-2006 03:29 AM
Free e-book: "Free Software for Busy People"	Alexander Turcic	Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links)	0	07-22-2005 03:09 PM

01-18-2005, 09:18 PM	#2
cbarnett MR prodigal son Posts: 1,085 Karma: 1083739 Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura H2O	Thanks for the link! Craig (back from vacation).

01-19-2005, 10:56 PM	#4
cbarnett MR prodigal son Posts: 1,085 Karma: 1083739 Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura H2O	You should send a copy to the author Chaos, he might just stick it up on the site Craig.

01-20-2005, 12:05 AM	#5
Chaos Evangelist Posts: 418 Karma: 281 Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Canada Device: Assorted older devices	Good idea! I think I'll do that...

03-05-2008, 09:04 AM	#6
Liviu_5 Books and more books Posts: 917 Karma: 69499 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: White Plains, NY, USA Device: Nook Color, Itouch, Nokia770, Sony 650, Sony 700(dead), Ebk(given)	Considering that M. Brotherton has a new book out from Tor now (no e-book though for the moment) I thought a good idea to post about this free download that I've just found out today, until a site search showed someone did it several years ago. The updated direct link is here: http://www.mikebrotherton.com/?page_id=8

03-05-2008, 09:47 AM	#7
WillAdams Wizard Posts: 1,260 Karma: 3439432 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12	I'd be curious if anyone considers reading the .pdf version on a Sony PRS-505 --- I made it and am re-reading it now to check for things I was too hurried to fix previously (if one finds anything which could stand improvement, let me know). I'll probably be using it for a first project for making .pdfs optimized for the Sony. William

03-05-2008, 03:15 PM	#8
IceHand Linux User Posts: 323 Karma: 13682 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany Device: Kindle 3	Here's a reformatted Mobipocket version

03-05-2008, 04:41 PM	#10
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 80,746 Karma: 150249619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	The major issue with that PDF vs LRF font analysis is that we do not know if the PDF is made for the screen size of the 500/505. If it's not, of cource LRF is going to render the font better. But I think if the PDF size is optimized for the 6" eink screen then I don't think we'll have a difference as the font will not have to be reduced. It's when the PDF is larger and has to be reduced that quality is lost.

03-05-2008, 05:30 PM	#12
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 80,746 Karma: 150249619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Then I'll stick with LRF for content conversion.

03-06-2008, 03:56 PM	#13
WillAdams Wizard Posts: 1,260 Karma: 3439432 Join Date: Feb 2008 Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (300ppi), Samsung Galaxy Book 12	Thanks llasram! The link was very informative. That said, it looks like just another set of tradeoffs --- and I'm willing to give up a ``pure'' white for: - better typography - richer character set (e.g., ligatures) - true italics &c. Hopefully the next firmware update will improve the .pdf renderer. William