FREE/BARGAIN — Science Fiction & Fantasy

[ZodWallop]

Demon Sword by Dave Duncan is $1.99 at Amazon and Kobo US.

In medieval Scotland, a Highlander picks up his sword against his oppressors. “Duncan excels at old-fashioned swashbuckling fantasy” (RT Book Reviews).

All of Europe is under the control of the Khan, whose conquering armies swept across the West in 1244. Scotland, in addition, lies under the heel of England. Young Toby Strangerson, a half‑English bastard, reared by a witchwife, wants only to shed his hated “Sassenach” blood and free his beloved highlands. Toby wields a sword as the outlaw Longdirk. The sword can cut down men like so many stalks of corn. But stranger winds are swirling and howling across the lochs, eldritch winds that are ridden by “hobs” and “wisps” and demons. The enemy Sassenach king is also a sorcerer. His demon soul needs a body and his Black Arts can free Europe from the Khan's Golden Horde.

[ZodWallop]

Speaking of Dave Duncan, all three books in his Great Game trilogy are on sale, $1.99 a piece at Amazon and Kobo US. For once, the new covers are better than the originals (in my opinion anyway).

The Great Game of Gods is afoot in a world on the brink of madness . . . In the summer of 1914, a young man of reputation beyond reproach awakens under police guard—grievously injured and accused of heinous, impossible murder. And in a strange, distant place, the youngest member of a penniless acting troupe has been taken prisoner by the loyal minions of a corrupt, vengeful goddess. For an ancient prophecy has divided the realm’s ruling deities into warring factions—a prophecy that mentions the crippled captive child and a youth recovering from inexplicable wounds in a British hospital bed. The game weaves through worlds and dimensions as it has since time immemorial—a deadly contest of skill and manipulations that ruthlessly creates wizards, destroys human pawns, and transforms ordinary men, women, and children into something more.

Past Imperative - Amazon, Kobo
Present Tense - Amazon, Kobo
Future Indefinite - Amazon, Kobo

[ZodWallop]

Tuf Voyaging by George R. R. Martin is $1.99 at Amazon and Kobo US.

Now back in print after almost ten years, Tuf Voyaging is the story of quirky and endearing Haviland Tuf, an unlikely hero just trying to do right by the galaxy, one planet at a time.

Haviland Tuf is an honest space-trader who likes cats. So how is it that, in competition with the worst villains the universe has to offer, he’s become the proud owner of a seedship, the last remnant of Earth’s legendary Ecological Engineering Corps? Never mind; just be thankful that the most powerful weapon in human space is in good hands—hands which now have the godlike ability to control the genetic material of thousands of outlandish creatures.

Armed with this unique equipment, Tuf is set to tackle the problems that human settlers have created in colonizing far-flung worlds: hosts of hostile monsters, a population hooked on procreation, a dictator who unleashes plagues to get his own way . . . and in every case, the only thing that stands between the colonists and disaster is Tuf’s ingenuity—and his reputation as a man of integrity in a universe of rogues.

[Hollow Man]

Zodiac by Neal Stephenson is $2.99 at Amazon USA.

[Manabi]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Tuf Voyaging by George R. R. Martin is $1.99 at Amazon and Kobo US.

I highly recommend this one. I reread it a few years ago and it was as good as I remembered it to be. Most chapters are stand-alone, almost like short stories, but Tuf visits and helps the "population hooked on procreation" multiple times. That's not the best description for them, they don't believe in limiting births in any way, even though their population is already pushing their planet past its limits to sustain them the first time Tuf visits.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Manabi

...they don't believe in limiting births in any way, even though their population is already pushing their planet past its limits to sustain them the first time Tuf visits.

Those science fiction authors and their wild ideas

[graycyn]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Decision at Doona by Anne McCaffrey is $1.99 at Amazon and Kobo US.

Thanks, snagged it. Then the whole darn Kobo site went down, before I had the chance to get into my library and download an epub. Was feeling happy to buy a book and support Kobo and ...

So I hope it's properly in my library!

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Manabi

I highly recommend this one. I reread it a few years ago and it was as good as I remembered it to be. Most chapters are stand-alone, almost like short stories, but Tuf visits and helps the "population hooked on procreation" multiple times. That's not the best description for them, they don't believe in limiting births in any way, even though their population is already pushing their planet past its limits to sustain them the first time Tuf visits.

If I recall correctly, the book was originally published as short stories/novelettes in Analog starting in the mid-70's.

[salty-horse]

For International Women's day, Angry Robot is having a sale on their store. £0.99 for each of these books.
The list of books with short descriptions are available in this Twitter thread

Where It Rains in Color by Denise Crittendon
Full Immersion by Gemma Amor
Burrowed by Mary Baader Kaley
HellSans by Ever Dundas
Ledge by Stacey McEwan
Bluebird by Ciel Pierlot
Obsidian by Sarah J. Daley
Forging a Nightmare by Patricia A. Jackson
Composite Creatures by Caroline Hardaker
Steal the Sky by Megan E. O'Keefe
The Second Bell by Gabriela Houston
The Offset by Calder Szewczak
The Splendid City by Karen Heuler

[isarl]

Leviathan Wakes, the first book in the Expanse series, by James S. A. Corey, is currently on sale for $3 in the US & Canada on Amazon & Kobo. The Expanse won a Hugo Award in 2020 for Best Series.

Amazon US
Amazon.ca
Kobo US
Kobo Canada

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by graycyn

Thanks, snagged it. Then the whole darn Kobo site went down, before I had the chance to get into my library and download an epub. Was feeling happy to buy a book and support Kobo and ...

So I hope it's properly in my library!

I've had good experience with Kobo so far. Except after paying it always sends me to a Kobo by fnac site with no obvious way to get back to shopping. I suspect that is from when I first set my account up lo those many years ago.

I also suspect that with as many books as I buy, I should pay the $10 for VIP.

[salty-horse]

After paying, all I want to do is download the book, but the "payment successful" page doesn't include it, or even a link to my library. I have to go back to the main page, then "my account > my books", click the "..." near the book, and choose "Download".
So much hassle!

[isarl]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I also suspect that with as many books as I buy, I should pay the $10 for VIP.

I was looking at this recently. I usually buy books around $3, which at 20 points/$ means +60 points. The same books are typically 2400 points to buy with points, which gives a purchase:reward ratio of about 40:1. Since the annual fee is $10 that means, other membership benefits notwithstanding, that in order for the membership to pay for itself I need to spend $400 just to break even on $10.

Now, you also get 10% off… except as far as I can tell, you don't get this discount on titles already on sale. My ~$3 books are almost all purchased on sale. And I looked at their catalogue for their “annual free book” and it is very paltry. I have zero interest in any of it except maybe the classics, which I can get for free and probably with better production quality from Standard Ebooks.

So for me I landed on the opposite conclusion; I don't see enough benefit from it.

Granted, if you read different content than I do, like maybe a lot of freshly-released content at full price, then you might see a lot more benefit. If you're regularly getting your 10% off discount then you will have paid for your membership after the first $100 spent, and already have $2.50 worth of points banked (or 2000 points, if my 40:1 ratio is off).

I am curious what other people's experience has been with the programme.

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by salty-horse

After paying, all I want to do is download the book, but the "payment successful" page doesn't include it, or even a link to my library. I have to go back to the main page, then "my account > my books", click the "..." near the book, and choose "Download".
So much hassle!

I know! Then they ask again...Do you want to download this file? You don't need to...blah blah...and you have to click another button.

[GlennD]

Jhereg, the omnibus of the first three Vlad Taltos books by Steven Brust, is on sale for $1.99 on Amazon.

I can't recommend these highly enough.