FREE/BARGAIN — Science Fiction & Fantasy

[maddz]

Today's Amazon.co.uk Daily Deal:

Second Foundation, by Isaac Azimov is 99p REPEAT
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Second-Fo...al-text&sr=1-1

The Big Deal is 6 books of a YA fantasy series (Shatter Me) by Tahereh Mafi
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/s?rh=n:47...4725112031_sar
#3 Ignite Me
#4 Restore Me
#5 Defy Me
#6 Imagine Me
Unite Me: omnibus of novellas Destroy Me (1.5) & Fracture Me (2.5)
Find Me: omnibus of novellas Shadow Me (4.5) & Reveal Me (5.5)

[sufue]

And if you know/read Spanish, a trilogy of the three main Foundation novels is on sale today at Kindle US for $9.99, and £8.99 in the UK. Not a big price break, but not bad overall for the three. Having made my way through five of the seven Harry Potter books in French so far (over several years, in multiple spurts), I've been thinking about picking up the Harry Potter books in Spanish too, since my future daughter-in-law is from México, and I've been learning Spanish. But now I might go for this omnibus instead...

Trilogía de la Fundación
Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006543F8Y
Kindle UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006543F8Y/

Spoiler:

La «Trilogía de la Fundación» está considerada la mejor serie de la ciencia ficción universal. Como tal, fue galardonada en 1966 con un premio Hugo, y ahora reunida en un único volumen: una lectura imprescindible para los amantes del género.

El hombre se ha dispersado por toda la galaxia. La capital del Imperio es Trántor, nido de intrigas y corrupción. Gracias a su ciencia, fundada en el estudio matemático de los hechos históricos y el comportamiento de las masas, el psicohistoriador Hari Seldon prevé la caída del Imperio y el retorno a la barbarie durante varios milenios. A fin de reducir este período de barbarie a mil años, Seldon decide crear una Fundación en un extremo de la galaxia.

El poderío de la Fundación alcanza límites insospechados, su dominio se sostiene en la energía, la religión y el comercio. Sin embargo, la aparición del Mulo, un individuo dotado de poderes paranormales, desafía todas las previsiones. Conquistando planeta tras planeta, le gana terreno a la Fundación de manera vertiginosa. La salvación de la galaxia queda en manos de una Segunda Fundación totalmente secreta y cuyo emplazamiento es desconocido incluso para los dirigentes de la Primera.

[BetterRead]

Nightmares and Geezenstacks by Fredric Brown is currently $2.99 at Amazon US.

One of the great pulp writers, Fredric Brown (1906-1972) combined a flair for the horrific, a quirky sense of humor, and a wild imagination, and published many classic novels in the mystery and science fiction genres. But he was also a master of the “short-short story,” tales only a page or two in length, but hard-hitting and with a wicked twist at the end.

Nightmares and Geezenstacks (1961) collects 47 short gems by Brown, ranging from science fiction to noir crime to horror, including the chilling and unforgettable “The Geezenstacks”. Long unobtainable, Brown’s classic collection returns to print for the first time in almost 40 years and is sure to please both longtime fans and those who are discovering this brilliant writer for the first time.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by BetterRead

Nightmares and Geezenstacks by Fredric Brown is currently $2.99 at Amazon US.

A great collection of short-shorts. I highly recommend this collection.

[salty-horse]

Alastair Reynolds' Inhibitor Trilogy is on sale for $2.99 each on Amazon.com

In publication order:
Revelation Space
Chasm City (standalone)
Redemption Ark
Absolution Gap

[Tarana]

The Darwath Series By Barbara Hambly $2.99 Amazon, Kobo and B&N
Fantasy - Omnibus of 3 books. I've never read this author but favorite of my late sister.

[sufue]

All five books in David Eddings' Belgariad series have dropped to $2.99 each at Kindle US.

Links to the series webpage
Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089W5CRZB...dp_rwt_sb_tukn
Kindle US/Smile: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B089W5CR...dp_rwt_sb_tukn

[Critteranne]

Originally Posted by sufue

All five books in David Eddings' Belgariad series have dropped to $2.99 each at Kindle US.

Links to the series webpage
Kindle US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089W5CRZB...dp_rwt_sb_tukn
Kindle US/Smile: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B089W5CR...dp_rwt_sb_tukn

That's a good price as the Eddings books never go on sale. OTOH I'm wondering if it ages well. I wasn't able to get into this series, and after recent revelations about David and Leigh Eddings, I'm afraid to try again.

Some fans have revisited the books and said that they seem to support child abuse (at least verbal child abuse). Can any fans verify whether that is true?

Or are people seeing the books in a new light because they have since learned that David and Leigh Eddings served time for abusing their foster children?

(The news was discussed in several blogs, but there are newspaper clippings.)

On the other hand, the Eddings died several years ago, so if you buy their books, they don't get the money.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Tarana

The Darwath Series By Barbara Hambly $2.99 Amazon, Kobo and B&N
Fantasy - Omnibus of 3 books. I've never read this author but favorite of my late sister.

Excellent epic fantasy. Recommended.

[GlennD]

Originally Posted by Critteranne

That's a good price as the Eddings books never go on sale. OTOH I'm wondering if it ages well. I wasn't able to get into this series, and after recent revelations about David and Leigh Eddings, I'm afraid to try again.

Some fans have revisited the books and said that they seem to support child abuse (at least verbal child abuse). Can any fans verify whether that is true?

Or are people seeing the books in a new light because they have since learned that David and Leigh Eddings served time for abusing their foster children?

(The news was discussed in several blogs, but there are newspaper clippings.)

On the other hand, the Eddings died several years ago, so if you buy their books, they don't get the money.

Their crimes happened in the 70s, and were awful. Their books were published in the 80s and are wonderful. The books don't make up for the crimes, but the Eddings don't get any benefit from someone enjoying them today. And maybe in the decade+ between their crimes and their books, they learned something and became better people. Reading their work does not equal condoning their crimes.

I read these when I was a teen in the mid 80s, and didn't find out even a hint about their crimes until recently (it apparently came to light in 2019). I'm not going to let their actions destroy my enjoyment of some of my favorite books, which I still reread every couple of years at least.

YMMV of course, and learning about Marion Zimmer Bradley's case did make me uninterested in continuing to read her books. Ah, well. I never claimed to be consistent.

[Critteranne]

Originally Posted by GlennD

Their crimes happened in the 70s, and were awful. Their books were published in the 80s and are wonderful. The books don't make up for the crimes, but the Eddings don't get any benefit from someone enjoying them today. And maybe in the decade+ between their crimes and their books, they learned something and became better people. Reading their work does not equal condoning their crimes.

And at least they're just $2.99 each...

Originally Posted by GlennD

I read these when I was a teen in the mid 80s, and didn't find out even a hint about their crimes until recently (it apparently came to light in 2019). I'm not going to let their actions destroy my enjoyment of some of my favorite books, which I still reread every couple of years at least.

I know that feeling. If I tossed out or gave away books by people who did horrible things, I wouldn't need so many darned bookshelves. And my Kindle would be better organized. But my selection of books would be much less interesting.

Originally Posted by GlennD

YMMV of course, and learning about Marion Zimmer Bradley's case did make me uninterested in continuing to read her books. Ah, well. I never claimed to be consistent.

The nature of the crimes might make a difference. Also, a lot of fans looked back at the MZB books they loved and realized those stories often seemed to include underage sex and worse.

[salty-horse]

Originally Posted by GlennD

I'm not going to let their actions destroy my enjoyment of some of my favorite books

Teach me your secrets!

[Critteranne]

Originally Posted by GlennD

I'm not going to let their actions destroy my enjoyment of some of my favorite books

Originally Posted by salty-horse

Teach me your secrets!

Sometimes, I need to be able to do that. And sometimes, I'd rather remember.

Anyway, to keep this on topic, here's one for Timothy Zahn fans. The "boxed" eBook set containing The Dragonback Series Books 1–3 (Dragon and Thief, Dragon and Soldier, and Dragon and Slave) is on sale for $2.99 today.

Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke is just $1.99.

[salty-horse]

Originally Posted by Critteranne

Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke is just $1.99.

Speaking of which.... Here's a testimony (the first story in that article) about him being a child predator (consider that a content warning, obviously)

[sufue]

Wow, I had no idea of most of this (Eddings, Clarke), although I do remember reading, probably on this forum, some stuff about Marion Zimmer Bradley. OTOH, I mostly read mysteries, and there is at least one prominent mystery author who did murder someone, albeit while very young. I guess at its root, this is the age-old discussion of the artist vs. the art.