Sony Reader book sources

[RSaunders]

In several threads folks have mentioned book sources beyond what is offered in the Sony CONNECT store. Not that CONNECT is bad per se, though some hold that view, but in recognition that there are other places to get material for the reader I've assembled the following list. If you have other sources, please reply to this. I'll try to update this thread for a while, but when we have a good list it probably needs to go to the Wiki for eternity.

======== Format
Name: The name of the source
Site: The home page URL
Price: The pricing models used by the site
Genre: What sort of books are available
Number: The number, usually an unverified claim
Support: How is the Sony Reader supported
Format: What sort of product is available
Notes: Everything else.
========
Name: MobileRead Uploads
Site: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=126
Price: All Free
Genre: Various Topics
Number: 2049
Support: Native, customized for the Reader
Format: .LRF
Notes: Mostly reformatting of public domain content like Gutenberg.
========
Name: Project Gutenberg
Site: http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page
Price: All Free
Genre: Everything, in many languages
Number: 20,000
Support: Indirect, mostly through other sources
Format: Text Files
Notes: This is the original serious site for public domain books. Many sources reuse this material.
========
Name: Manybooks
Site: http://manybooks.net/
Price: All Free
Genre: Various Topics
Number: 17,000
Support: Native, machine formatted
Format: .LRF
Notes: Mostly Gutenberg content.
========
Name: Smashwords
Site: https://www.smashwords.com/
Price: Set by author (who gets 85%) sample $0.99-$4.99
Genre: Various topics
Number: 70,304,404 - according to the site
Support: Native
Format: ePub, .LRF, .HTML - All free of DRM
Notes: Buy direct from the author without DRM. Most support sample of 20-50% before you buy.
========
Name: Silk Pagoda
Site: http://www.silkpagoda.com/catalog/pr...roducts_id=650
Price: $10 DVD
Genre: Various Topics
Number: 10,000
Support: Native, machine formatted
Format: .LRF or .PDF (formats sold on separate discs)
Notes: More copyright compliant version of the BlackMask DVD. 10,000 books on one disc, available as PDF formatted for Reader or very plain .LRF. HTML you can pretty up in Book Designer is only provided on Microsoft .LIT discs.
========
Name: FictionWise
Site: http://www.fictionwise.com/home.html =
Price: Fee and MicroPay
Genre: Various Topics, new releases
Number: 37,000
Support: Native Support as of 8/07
Format: .LRF, .PDF, .LIT and Secure .PDF
Notes: Now their multi-format books are available in native .LRF format. This is the site CONNECT aspires to be.
========
Name: Books on Board
Site: http://www.booksonboard.com/
Price: Fee and Free, with rebate program
Genre: Various Topics, new releases
Number: 400,000
Support: Native Support, both ePub and a few .LRF
Format: .EPUB, .LRF, .PDF, and formats for other devices
Notes: They bill themselves as the Internet's largest independent ebookstore. PayPal and Google Checkout supported.
========
Name: Kobo
Site: http://www.kobobooks.com/
Price: Free and Fee based
Genre: Full spectrum
Number: 2 million (according to the About page)
Support: ePub and secure ePub
Format: Native ePub support and online/PC ebooks
Notes: Full International support (200 countries)
========
Name: Powell's
Site: http://www.powells.com/
Price: Fee based (all use ADE)
Genre: Full spectrum, including paper books
Number: ??, many thousands
Support: Secure ePub
Format: Native ePub support
Notes: Also buy and sell paper books. Trade in paper books to buy eBooks!
========
Name: Steve Jordan Books
Site: www.stevejordanbooks.com
Price: Free and Pay
Genre: Sci-Fi
Number: about 10
Support: Native, customized for the Reader
Format: eReader/ Palm Doc, iSilo, Mobi-Pocket, MS Reader, RTF, Sony Reader
Notes: Original offerings authored by Steve Jordan. Prices very reasonable ($2.50), and 2 free samples as of 05/23/07
========
Name: Munseys
Site: http://www.munseys.com/index.php
Price: All Free
Genre: Various Topics
Number: 18,000
Support: Native, machine formatted
Format: .LRF
Notes:
========
Name: Baen Books
Site: http://www.webscriptions.net/
Price: Free and Pay
Genre: Science Fiction
Number: ?,000
Support: DRM free formatted text and (as of 3/22/08) Native .LRF
Format: .RTF and .LRF
Notes: Text was easily reformatted to reader. Even easier to download in the Sony format. Complete catalog including new works.
========
Name: BLTC Press
Site: http://www.bltcpress.com/store/
Price: About $2
Genre: Various Topics
Number: 20
Support: Native, person formatted, No DRM
Format: .LRF
Notes: Interesting content, overlap with Sony classics is unknown.
========
Name: Feedbooks
Site: http://www.feedbooks.com/
Price: All Free
Genre: Various Topics
Number: ??
Support: Native ePub (for 505), Reader Formatted PDF
Format: .epub, .PDF
Notes: An emerging source for public domain and author-submitted books.
========
Name: WHSmith
Site: http://ebooks.whsmith.co.uk/
Price: Fee, in British pounds
Genre: Various Topics
Number: ??, but a large number of current books
Support: Native ePub and Reader size secure PDF
Format: .EPUB, Secure .PDF (ADE)
Notes: A major UK bookstore with substantial online offerings.
========
Name: Diesel eBooks
Site: http://www.diesel-ebooks.com/
Price: Free and Fee based
Genre: Full spectrum
Number: 1.4 million
Support: Secure .PDF
Format: .PDF format only
Notes: They bill themselves as the Internet's largest independent ebookstore. No EPUB support. Significant price reductions available through bundling of back catalog titles.
========
Site: Name: epubBooks
Site: http://www.epubbooks.com/
Price: Free
Genre: All kinds
Number: 400+
Support: Provides epub formatted books, mostly public domain conversions.
Format: epub, no DRM
Notes: Also provides pointers to fee sites and other free sites
========
Name: Sci Fi - Arizona
Site: http://www.scifi-az.com
Price: $7 - $10
Genre: Sci-Fi
Number: A Dozen or so
Support: Sony Formated PDF's
Format: .PDF
Notes: Michael McCollum authored books. Store run by the Author himself. Also seems to be adding books by other authors also. Author really seems to "get" eBooks.
========
Name: Public Relations Web
Site: http://www.prweb.com/
Price: All Free
Genre: Press Releases
Number: Zillions
Support: Reader Formatted PDF
Format: .PDF
Notes: Not where you find the summer beach read, but good Sony Reader support.
========
Name: DPP Store
Site: http://www.dppstore.com/
Price: Free and Pay
Genre: Various Topics, esoteric
Number: 1,200
Support: Generic eBook PDF
Format: .PDF
Notes: eBooks by Independent Authors and Presses for Independent Readers and Thinkers - Great motto, but also many Gutenberg texts.
========
Name: Arthur's Classic Novels
Site: http://arthurwendover.com/arthurs/
Price: FREE
Genre: Various
Number: 4000
Support: Indirect, conversion needed
Format: Formatted HTML
Notes: Easy to convert html to lrf using BookDesigner. HTML files are usually nicely formatted. Files sourced from Project Gutenberg.
========
Name: Simon and Schuster
Site: http://www.simonsays.com/content/ind...d=523087&tab=6
Price: Pay
Genre: Various
Number: Not tabulated, but a large back catalog
Support: Indirect, conversion needed
Format: .LIT
Notes: Another publisher offering their own eBooks.
========
Name: Dark Creek Book Library
Site: http://darkcreek.com/ebooks/
Price: Free
Genre: Various
Number: 25 (and supposedly growing constantly)
Support: Reading Tips link
Format: HTML
Notes: Site states that the books, all in public domain (US), are specifically formatted for the PSP, but "should be just as viewable from any PDA or other mobile device that has a web browser." Contents are mostly Gutenberg.
========
Name: Archive.org
Site: http://www.archive.org
Price: FREE
Genre: Various
Number: >20,000
Support: None
Format: DJVU, JPG, TIF, PDF, TXT, JP2
Notes: A good source of original book scans to obtain images when creating your own books in BookDesigner. Tip: Try searching for the book title + the keyword DJVU to find full book scans. This is more a source for people who create their own books to share here - the files are not suitable to be directly loaded on the reader.
========
Name:
Site:
Price:
Genre:
Number:
Support:
Format:
Notes:

[sartori]

Name: Arthur's Classic Novels
Site: http://arthurwendover.com/arthurs/
Price: FREE
Genre: Various
Number: 4000
Support: None?
Format: Formatted HTML
Notes: Easy to convert html to lrf using BookDesigner. HTML files are usually nicely formatted. Files sourced from Project Gutenberg.

Name: Archive.org
Site: http://www.archive.org
Price: FREE
Genre: Various
Number: >20,000
Support: None?
Format: DJVU, JPG, TIF, PDF, TXT, JP2
Notes: A good source of original book scans to obtain images when creating your own books in BookDesigner. Tip: Try searching for the book title + the keyword DJVU to find full book scans. This is more a source for people who create their own books to share here - the files are not suitable to be directly loaded on the reader.

[NatCh]

Name: Steve Jordan Books
Site: www.stevejordanbooks.com
Price: Free and Pay
Genre: Sci-Fi
Number: about 10
Support: Native, customized for the Reader
Format: eReader/ Palm Doc, iSilo, Mobi-Pocket, MS Reader, RTF, Sony Reader
Notes: Original offerings authored by Steve Jordan. Prices very reasonable ($2.50), and 2 free samples as of 05/23/07

[JSWolf]

Name: FictionWise
Site: http://www.fictionwise.com/home.html Fee and MicroPay Various Topics 37,000 Secure .PDF
Price: Fee and MicroPay
Genre: Various Topics, new releases
Number: 37,000
Support: Not so good
Format: .PDF, .LIT and Secure .PDF
Notes: The Secure PDFs aren't usable, and the other formats sometimes require format adjustments. The site CONNECT aspires to be.

Support is really good. Because they sell LIT format files. Use CLIT 1.8 to break the DRM and convert to HTML and use HTML2LRF or just load straight into Book Designer. Most books will work brilliantly after conversion. I've done some conversion of some LIT format books and they look great on the Sony Reader. So not to worry that Fictionwise doesn't support the Sony Reader.

[jbeaul]

Originally Posted by RSaunders

Name: Public Relations Web
Site: http://www.prweb.com/
Price: All Free
Genre: Press Releases
Number: Zillions
Support: Reader Formatted PDF
Format: .PDF
Notes: Not where you find the summer beach read, but good Sony Reader support.

Thank you for pointing out the PRWeb business news content for the Sony eBook Reader. It's published fresh daily and offered in hundreds of industry categories (find the list and content download links at http://www.prweb.com/newsbycategory/index.htm) so you can focus on just what topics you're interested in.

Please let us know if there's any ways we can do this better. We're all ears.

Regards,

Joe Beaulaurier
PRWeb
Interactive Marketing Manager

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Name: Dark Creek Book Library
Site: http://darkcreek.com/ebooks/
Price: Free
Genre: Various
Number: 25 (and supposedly growing constantly)
Support: Reading Tips link
Format: HTML
Notes: Site states that the books, all in public domain (US), are specifically formatted for the PSP, but "should be just as viewable from any PDA or other mobile device that has a web browser."

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

Name: Dark Creek Book Library
Site: http://darkcreek.com/ebooks/
Price: Free
Genre: Various
Number: 25 (and supposedly growing constantly)
Support: Reading Tips link
Format: HTML
Notes: Site states that the books, all in public domain (US), are specifically formatted for the PSP, but "should be just as viewable from any PDA or other mobile device that has a web browser."

Another site with more books available at PG.

[Alexander Turcic]

Off-topic discussion moved here. Focus of this thread is to list Web resources offering legal e-books for the Sony Reader.

[pilotbob]

Here's one I didn't see on your list.

Name: Sci Fi - Arizona
Site: http://www.scifi-az.com
Price: $7 - $10
Genre: Sci-Fi
Number: A Dozen or so
Support: Sony Formated PDF's
Format: .PDF
Notes: Michael McCollum authored books. Store run by the Author himself. Also seems to be adding books by other authors also. Author really seems to "get" eBooks.

BOb

[RSaunders]

Updated the Silk Pagoda entry to be more specific about the disc formats and reflect the new $10 price.

[Gibbo]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Here's one I didn't see on your list.

Name: Sci Fi - Arizona
Site: http://www.scifi-az.com
Price: $7 - $10
Genre: Sci-Fi
Number: A Dozen or so
Support: Sony Formated PDF's
Format: .PDF
Notes: Michael McCollum authored books. Store run by the Author himself. Also seems to be adding books by other authors also. Author really seems to "get" eBooks.

BOb

I recommend this author specialy the Gibraltar series.

[RSaunders]

Fictionwise has added .LRF, a major new source of native content.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13116

[gmanacsa]

Name: WOWIO
Site: http://www.wowio.com
Price: all free (sponsored)
Genre: all subjects, including comics and graphic novels
Number: thousands
Support: non-DRM PDF (not specifically formatted for Sony)
Format: .PDF
Notes: The only major source where readers can legally download complete, copyrighted ebooks from leading publishers for free.

[gwynevans]

Originally Posted by gmanacsa

Name: WOWIO
Site: http://www.wowio.com

Frustratingly, U.S.-only...

[RSaunders]

I added SimonSays, the Simon and Schuster eBook web site. We already have Baen in the list, are there other publisher sites that should be included?