FREE/BARGAIN — Science Fiction & Fantasy

[ottdmk]

So Robert Jordan's The Eye of the World (Book One of The Wheel of Time) is on @ Kobo Canada and amazon.ca for $2.99 CDN. Probably a promotion due to the Amazon Prime series coming out not long back.

[Manabi]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I find that a feature, not a bug.

What you say is true. But the chances of ether of those things happening is virtually nil. It seems like a low security/low risk site to me.

It's not a feature, it's a disgusting and unethical practice that causes issues for many, many people. Until you have to deal with it, you don't understand how much stress it causes.

Two of my Gmail accounts are inundated with emails from idiots using my address instead of their own. My main account is slightly understandable, as I snagged lastname@, but my last name isn't all that common. (I'm the only person who has it in my state.) You would be absolutely shocked at some of the things this happens with: Accounts created at Verizon, local utilities, ISPs, Uber & Hello Fresh; travel plans sent from travel agencies in the UK; legal threats from India for someone who didn't pay their catering bills and for someone who didn't pay their cell phone bill; and the list goes on and on and on and on, usually with no way to remove my address. There was also a guy in Illinois that used my address to fraudulently sign up for every class-action settlement he could find. I know they were fraudulent, because I also received all the denials, some quite sternly worded. Think about how you'd feel if someone was using your email address to commit crimes. It's stressful as hell.

The account for my dad got signed up to the NRA. They added it to approximately two dozen different email lists, all of which had to be unsubscribed from individually. I ended up having to mark them all as spam until they finally stopped showing up in his inbox. He still gets tons of spam from extreme right-wing mailing lists because of the same person. Those lists ignore unsubscribe requests. I've started flagging them as phishing even though they're in the spam folder, out of spite.

It's a big deal, a HUGE freaking deal that ereaderIQ allows this. They should be ashamed of themselves.

So as to not be entirely negative, it occasionally has benefits. I finally cleaned out the inbox on my main account a few months ago and earned $50. Someone had their taxes done at a Jackson-Hewitt in 2020 and qualified for a $50 Walmart eGift card bonus. That was sent via email and they gave them my address. It let me check the balance online and it's still unused. If it wasn't over a year old I'd probably be leery of using it, but since it's been so long I'm using that sucker.

[tch65721]

Originally Posted by ottdmk

So Robert Jordan's The Eye of the World (Book One of The Wheel of Time) is on @ Kobo Canada and amazon.ca for $2.99 CDN. Probably a promotion due to the Amazon Prime series coming out not long back.

I seem to recall this being a (TOR?) giveaway a while back. Check before you buy.

[ReadingManiac]

Originally Posted by ottdmk

So Robert Jordan's The Eye of the World (Book One of The Wheel of Time) is on @ Kobo Canada and amazon.ca for $2.99 CDN. Probably a promotion due to the Amazon Prime series coming out not long back.

I have just this one in paperback. I think I've been reluctant to start it because there's such a long series.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Manabi

It's not a feature, it's a disgusting and unethical practice that causes issues for many, many people. Until you have to deal with it, you don't understand how much stress it causes.

Two of my Gmail accounts are inundated with emails from idiots using my address instead of their own. My main account is slightly understandable, as I snagged lastname@, but my last name isn't all that common. (I'm the only person who has it in my state.) You would be absolutely shocked at some of the things this happens with: Accounts created at Verizon, local utilities, ISPs, Uber & Hello Fresh; travel plans sent from travel agencies in the UK; legal threats from India for someone who didn't pay their catering bills and for someone who didn't pay their cell phone bill; and the list goes on and on and on and on, usually with no way to remove my address. There was also a guy in Illinois that used my address to fraudulently sign up for every class-action settlement he could find. I know they were fraudulent, because I also received all the denials, some quite sternly worded. Think about how you'd feel if someone was using your email address to commit crimes. It's stressful as hell.

The account for my dad got signed up to the NRA. They added it to approximately two dozen different email lists, all of which had to be unsubscribed from individually. I ended up having to mark them all as spam until they finally stopped showing up in his inbox. He still gets tons of spam from extreme right-wing mailing lists because of the same person. Those lists ignore unsubscribe requests. I've started flagging them as phishing even though they're in the spam folder, out of spite.

It's a big deal, a HUGE freaking deal that ereaderIQ allows this. They should be ashamed of themselves.

Sorry, but what does any of that have to do with ereaderiq?

I like that ereaderiq requires only a simple email. Should your bank allow the same? Of course not. But ereaderiq, I'm fine with it.

Everything else you mentioned, yeah, it's a headache. But don't see the relation with this one specific example.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Manabi

It's not a feature, it's a disgusting and unethical practice that causes issues for many, many people. Until you have to deal with it, you don't understand how much stress it causes.

Two of my Gmail accounts are inundated with emails from idiots using my address instead of their own. My main account is slightly understandable, as I snagged lastname@, but my last name isn't all that common. (I'm the only person who has it in my state.) You would be absolutely shocked at some of the things this happens with: Accounts created at Verizon, local utilities, ISPs, Uber & Hello Fresh; travel plans sent from travel agencies in the UK; legal threats from India for someone who didn't pay their catering bills and for someone who didn't pay their cell phone bill; and the list goes on and on and on and on, usually with no way to remove my address. There was also a guy in Illinois that used my address to fraudulently sign up for every class-action settlement he could find. I know they were fraudulent, because I also received all the denials, some quite sternly worded. Think about how you'd feel if someone was using your email address to commit crimes. It's stressful as hell.

The account for my dad got signed up to the NRA. They added it to approximately two dozen different email lists, all of which had to be unsubscribed from individually. I ended up having to mark them all as spam until they finally stopped showing up in his inbox. He still gets tons of spam from extreme right-wing mailing lists because of the same person. Those lists ignore unsubscribe requests. I've started flagging them as phishing even though they're in the spam folder, out of spite.

It's a big deal, a HUGE freaking deal that ereaderIQ allows this. They should be ashamed of themselves.

So as to not be entirely negative, it occasionally has benefits. I finally cleaned out the inbox on my main account a few months ago and earned $50. Someone had their taxes done at a Jackson-Hewitt in 2020 and qualified for a $50 Walmart eGift card bonus. That was sent via email and they gave them my address. It let me check the balance online and it's still unused. If it wasn't over a year old I'd probably be leery of using it, but since it's been so long I'm using that sucker.

I've occasionally gotten my email address used where it should not be. Mailing lists can be the worst as there's no unsubscribe link and you have to tell them you didn't sign up for their mailing list over and over.

[lkmiller]

I have a password on my ereaderIQ list. I think someone here at MobileRead may have talked about getting their list messed with or at least the potential for it. My email is my very common name @ the very common email service, and I get some truly astonishing things quite often.

ETA an actual book deal:

Kobo US: Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri for $2.99

This is one I already have and can recommend.

[Manabi]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Sorry, but what does any of that have to do with ereaderiq?

I like that ereaderiq requires only a simple email. Should your bank allow the same? Of course not. But ereaderiq, I'm fine with it.

Everything else you mentioned, yeah, it's a headache. But don't see the relation with this one specific example.

Because it's part of the pattern of behavior by companies that enables all that to happen. I think what you're hung up on is the password bit. They don't need to require a password, all they need to do is send you an email saying, "Someone requested price alerts to be sent to this address. If this was really you, click on this link to confirm you want to receive these emails. Otherwise do nothing and we'll not bother you again." It'd require a few extra seconds to confirm you want to receive the emails, but it'd make sure they don't bother people who didn't request them. Every example I gave would have been stopped by requiring opt-in.

If you think that's too much work you're putting your convenience over the inconvenience of others, and you're part of the problem. Since you failed to consider what all that stuff I listed feels like being on the receiving end of consider this example instead: How'd you feel if someone used your address to sign you for price alerts at ereaderIQ with a book that would cause misunderstandings if others saw the email? For example, How To Cheat On Your Wife And Not Get Caught? or The Anarchist Cookbook? (Which can unfairly get you on terrorist watch lists in some countries.) Would you want those to require opt-in instead of being automatic? I suspect you would.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I've occasionally gotten my email address used where it should not be. Mailing lists can be the worst as there's no unsubscribe link and you have to tell them you didn't sign up for their mailing list over and over.

I've reached a point where if there's no clear unsubscribe link, I flag it as spam. If Gmail asks if I want to unsubscribe and mark spam I'll do so. Sometimes the mailing lists have an unsubscribe thing in the header info that Gmail hides. But yeah, they're bad and usually warn you it can take weeks before they actually remove your address.

[Dazrin]

Can we get back to the topic of this thread please?

I'll start:

Battle Ground, the latest Dresden Files book, is available for $1.99 at Amazon right now. Generally that means elsewhere too. I think this has been on sale before, so make sure you don't have it in your library already.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0867ZMV2S

[ZodWallop]

Back on topic:
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman is $2.99 at Amazon US.

[GlenBarrington]

Originally Posted by ReadingManiac

I have just this one in paperback. I think I've been reluctant to start it because there's such a long series.

And, TBH, the series starts to lower in quality after the about the 4th book. In the end, I just gave up, none of the characters actually DID anything to advance the plot. It became the most boring of soap operas.

[Critteranne]

Thieves' World® Volume One is $2.99 today. It contains Thieves' World, Tales from the Vulgar Unicorn, and Shadows of Sanctuary.

The authors include Robert Lynn Asprin (also listed as editor), Lynn Abbey, Marion Zimmer Bradley (sigh), C. J. Cherryh, David Drake, Philip José Farmer, etc.

[DrNefario]

Amazon UK Daily Deal - The Last Graduate (Scholomancy #2) by Naomi Novik, the sequel to A Deadly Education, is £0.99 today. I think this is still at hardback prices when it's not on offer.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08M5G5F8Q

[Tarana]

Qualify By Vera Nazarian FREE Amazon, Kobo and B&N

Haven't read this so including the blurb here:

From a Nebula Award finalist: In the near future, an asteroid threatens to wipe out life on Earth. Aliens offer protection — but only perfect candidates will qualify. Can Gwen beat the odds and pass the test? A series starter with over 3,600 five-star Goodreads ratings!

[maddz]

Originally Posted by Tarana

Qualify By Vera Nazarian FREE Amazon, Kobo and B&N

Haven't read this so including the blurb here:

It's book 1 of a series:

1. Qualify
2. Compete
3. Win
4. Survive

All have been 99p on Amazon.co.uk over the past few years. I haven't read them myself yet but I liked her Cobweb Bride series enough to take a punt on them.