Is Sony becoming a "Free Preview" meanie?

RCR · 02-11-2010, 03:09 AM

I see that the two of the latest freebies from Sony are just samples of the books. I hope they don't do too much of this.

Mind you, I think they're doing readers a big favour by limiting the exposure to Tim LaHaye.

Mrgauth · 02-11-2010, 08:03 AM

My biggest problem with them is their clunky software and lack of customer support. I bought a book 2 months ago and it was not readable on my prs505. They said they would contact engineering and get back to me. Never have. I have emailed them 3x since and get the same response. In the mean time the book is STILL not readable having redownloaded it 10x. What gets me the most is that even though they now know the book is corrupt, they STILL are selling it and haven't pulled it from their site. To me that is unethical.

And before you ask, it is most certainly NOT my reader. I have over a hundred books on it and not a single one is doing what this one does. It is the book.

I am very disappointed in them and question every purchase I make now wondering if I will get the same result.

banjomike · 02-11-2010, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrgauth

And before you ask, it is most certainly NOT my reader. I have over a hundred books on it and not a single one is doing what this one does. It is the book.

I am very disappointed in them and question every purchase I make now wondering if I will get the same result.

Which book do we need to avoid?

lilac_jive · 02-11-2010, 11:07 AM

Well as long as they are clearly marked as previews (which they are), it should be fine. Besides, I'm pretty sure those are made available by the publisher, not Sony.

Mrgauth · 02-12-2010, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by banjomike

Which book do we need to avoid?

Probably nothing any of you would be interested in. Patient Zero - kind of a zombie thing.

On topic though, I totally rely on the previews to help me decide if I am going to like a writers style. They should do that on every book I think.

pietvo · 02-12-2010, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCR

I see that the two of the latest freebies from Sony are just samples of the books. I hope they don't do too much of this.

Mind you, I think they're doing readers a big favour by limiting the exposure to Tim LaHaye.

How can they do readers a favour by limiting exposure to books? Maybe you mean that they do you a favour by limiting others? But this sounds like you should decide what books other people should read.

Shopaholic · 02-12-2010, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pietvo

How can they do readers a favour by limiting exposure to books? Maybe you mean that they do you a favour by limiting others? But this sounds like you should decide what books other people should read.

To me it sounds like someone making a joke/sly comment about a writer that they don't like and nothing more.

RCR · 02-12-2010, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shopaholic

To me it sounds like someone making a joke/sly comment about a writer that they don't like and nothing more.

Thanks, Shopaholic. I should have been clearer.

I'm an atheist but I greatly enjoy studying religion. I tried reading Tim LaHaye's 'Left Behind' series. I thought a novel about The Rapture would be intriguing and give me some insight into the thought processes of believers. (LaHaye is apparently a believer).

Left Behind One starts with a brilliant set-up - half the passengers on a trans Atlantic flight simply disappear from the plane. Any competent writer could have turned this into a thrilling, thought provoking read. But LaHaye and his co-author are so inept and wooden and illogical and clumsy... it was all I could do to struggle through the book without throwing it across the room.

According to my reading list, I read "Left Behind One" way back in April 2008. It was so bad that I am STILL annoyed!

I feel about LaHaye the way certain forum members feel about D*n Br**n. Maybe Hell is a library that stocks only D*n Br**n and Tim LaHaye. And you've got to read them for all eternity - except when you're allowed to watch TV - which is only "Dharma and Greg" re-runs.

pietvo · 02-12-2010, 05:29 PM

I am a believer. I haven't read the 'Left Behind' series and I am not planning to. They were in the library of the previous village were we used to live as well as in the city were we live now. In Dutch translation even, so I guess they must be quite popular. I didn't read Dan Brown, neither am I planning to do so. I don't like people stating fiction as if it is the truth and from what I have read that's what DB does. BUT: I think access to these should not be limited because I don't like them. Not even because of the quality. Let readers decide themselves what they want to read. They can find enough reviews to decide if it is worth the effort.

jaxx6166 · 02-13-2010, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrgauth

Probably nothing any of you would be interested in. Patient Zero - kind of a zombie thing.

Actually -- I have that book on one of my readers. It works fine for me. . Then again, I think I got it when LRF was still predominant.

Mrgauth · 02-13-2010, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaxx6166

Actually -- I have that book on one of my readers. It works fine for me. . Then again, I think I got it when LRF was still predominant.

As of today I still wait for that book to be fixed so I can read it. Going on 2 months after I bought it!

banjomike · 02-13-2010, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCR

Maybe Hell is a library that stocks only D*n Br**n and Tim LaHaye. And you've got to read them for all eternity - except when you're allowed to watch TV - which is only "Dharma and Greg" re-runs.

The library in hell will include a shelf of Stephenie Meyer.

Shopaholic · 02-13-2010, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by banjomike

The library in hell will include a shelf of Stephenie Meyer.

bahahahaha!!!

Ok I'm actually reading the Twilight series because I like horror/vampires etc and wanted to see what all the hype was about. I'm a big Harry Potter fan and so many people have compared the two writers/series/fans. OMG! not even close. Not. Even. Close.

JKR's writing is infinitely better. Twilight is like a vampire Harlequin romance but not written as well. LOL At least with a HR you know what you're getting into. It's fluff if you're in the mood for fluff. I have to finish the series now that I've read the first three but to hear people compare them to the writing of JKR is just ludicrous IMO.

Stephen King was right about Stephanie Meyer. hehehehe

Crusader · 02-14-2010, 03:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shopaholic

bahahahaha!!!

Ok I'm actually reading the Twilight series because I like horror/vampires etc

Then Twilight* is the last thing you'd want to read. Stephanie Meyer single-handedly managed to take the decades of vampire mythos that came before and killed it dead - making vampires quite and cuddly is just not on!

* Disclaimer: I have never read, nor will I ever read the Twilight saga.

Dave Berk · 02-14-2010, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crusader

Then Twilight* is the last thing you'd want to read. Stephanie Meyer single-handedly managed to take the decades of vampire mythos that came before and killed it dead - making vampires quite and cuddly is just not on!

* Disclaimer: I have never read, nor will I ever read the Twilight saga.

Seconded. Instead read Charlie Huston's Joe Pitt series. A whole new fresh take on Vampyres.

02-11-2010, 03:09 AM	#1
RCR Addict Posts: 334 Karma: 992487 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: 2 x Sony 505, iPad, Samsung 7 Tablet, ASUS Transformer, Nexus 7	Is Sony becoming a "Free Preview" meanie? I see that the two of the latest freebies from Sony are just samples of the books. I hope they don't do too much of this. Mind you, I think they're doing readers a big favour by limiting the exposure to Tim LaHaye.

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02-11-2010, 08:03 AM	#2
Mrgauth Addict Posts: 206 Karma: 310 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Tulsa OK Device: K3	My biggest problem with them is their clunky software and lack of customer support. I bought a book 2 months ago and it was not readable on my prs505. They said they would contact engineering and get back to me. Never have. I have emailed them 3x since and get the same response. In the mean time the book is STILL not readable having redownloaded it 10x. What gets me the most is that even though they now know the book is corrupt, they STILL are selling it and haven't pulled it from their site. To me that is unethical. And before you ask, it is most certainly NOT my reader. I have over a hundred books on it and not a single one is doing what this one does. It is the book. I am very disappointed in them and question every purchase I make now wondering if I will get the same result.

02-11-2010, 11:07 AM	#4
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	Well as long as they are clearly marked as previews (which they are), it should be fine. Besides, I'm pretty sure those are made available by the publisher, not Sony.

02-12-2010, 05:29 PM	#9
pietvo Reader Posts: 519 Karma: 24612 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Utrecht, NL Device: Kobo Aura 2, iPhone, iPad	I am a believer. I haven't read the 'Left Behind' series and I am not planning to. They were in the library of the previous village were we used to live as well as in the city were we live now. In Dutch translation even, so I guess they must be quite popular. I didn't read Dan Brown, neither am I planning to do so. I don't like people stating fiction as if it is the truth and from what I have read that's what DB does. BUT: I think access to these should not be limited because I don't like them. Not even because of the quality. Let readers decide themselves what they want to read. They can find enough reviews to decide if it is worth the effort.

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