Free SciFi Books

SciFiReader · 02-14-2007, 09:24 AM

Check out the Baen Web site, http://baen.com/library/
They have a variety of free novels that you can get in RFT, and work great on the Reader. Go to the "free" book section.

Azayzel · 02-15-2007, 12:49 AM

sweet! Free is always good, especially when it's scifi! Thanks SciFiReader!

flumbo · 02-15-2007, 01:32 AM

I love Baen Books. Their lack of DRM makes me happy. Their free books introduced me to many authors and enticed me to buy more of their books.

Take a look at the "webscriptions" area-- Non-DRM books in RTF format at good prices. It looks like they're adding books from other publishers soon-- Del Rey and TOR are now in their library. They also offer Advanced Reader Copies of upcoming books in case you can't wait for the editor to do his stuff.

You should also try out the "Jim Baen's Universe" e-magazine. Published every couple months, lots of entertaining stories.

Baen deserves to be supported-- they actually get that DRM doesn't work. It's too bad Jim Baen died last year. He believed strongly in the future of ebooks. I'm glad they are keeping his policies in place.

igorsk · 02-15-2007, 05:06 AM

Another legal source for free Baen books are Baen CDs. They have many books which are not in the free library.
http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com/
http://files.plebian.net/baencd/

Robert Marquard · 02-15-2007, 05:39 AM

I currently create a SF CD for Project Gutenberg. It contains all the SF books available from http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Scienc...28Bookshelf%29
I just wait for Distributed Proofreaders to release the last H. Beam Piper works. I hope for end of the month.
The CD will be available for download from Project Gutenberg.

igorsk · 02-15-2007, 06:31 AM

Robert, are you going to put LRF versions there too?

Robert Marquard · 02-15-2007, 08:59 AM

Only what is available from Project Gutenberg. So mainly HTML or simple text. All books also in Plucker format plus a few in Mobipocket.
You should be able to convert the HTML and text versions to any ebook format.

All major ebook formats is hopeless. The CD has already 200 MB for 150 books.

SciFiReader · 02-15-2007, 11:00 AM

Robert-
That was a great lead on the Baen CD. A great collection of novels at a great price for my Reader. Thanks for the info.

yvanleterrible · 02-15-2007, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Marquard

Only what is available from Project Gutenberg. So mainly HTML or simple text. All books also in Plucker format plus a few in Mobipocket.
You should be able to convert the HTML and text versions to any ebook format.

All major ebook formats is hopeless. The CD has already 200 MB for 150 books.

For batch converting HTML to an .rtf reader compatible format, see this thread, post #16. Then all you do is apply a macro for the rest of the conversion.

Robert Marquard · 02-16-2007, 02:16 AM

Yes, it is possible, but it multiplies the data size. I could generate Mobipocket books and MS Reader books and RTF and what the heck and in the end it would not fit on a CD anymore.
I work (in a if only i had time fashion) on a Windows program which accepts an .opf file and generates as many formats as possible. Do not expect that for many months though.
Windows is needed for MS Reader, because i use the ActiveX control from Microsoft to do the conversion. I want to stay legal with this so no unofficial tool to do the conversion.

yvanleterrible · 02-16-2007, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Marquard

Yes, it is possible, but it multiplies the data size. I could generate Mobipocket books and MS Reader books and RTF and what the heck and in the end it would not fit on a CD anymore.
I work (in a if only i had time fashion) on a Windows program which accepts an .opf file and generates as many formats as possible. Do not expect that for many months though.
Windows is needed for MS Reader, because i use the ActiveX control from Microsoft to do the conversion. I want to stay legal with this so no unofficial tool to do the conversion.

I was suggesting this because HTML is not supported by the Sony Reader.

Robert Marquard · 02-16-2007, 09:48 AM

This is a Project Gutenberg CD so it should not contain the books in formats not available from Project Gutenberg. I already regenerated the Plucker books to contain the images, but that is as far as i stray from Project Gutenberg for this CD.

There should be no problem to convert the texts to the Reader format you want.

NatCh · 02-16-2007, 09:59 AM

You're already putting forth a yeoman's effort, Robert, we can handle a little converting if we need to. After all, we do have Amber to help us with that sort of thing!

BobVA · 02-17-2007, 02:40 PM

Baen is awesome. Between them and Gutenberg that was reason enough to buy the Reader. Connect is just icing on the cake for me.

Looking forward to the CD, Robert. Thanks for your efforts!!

Cheers,
Bob

Hadrien · 02-17-2007, 02:46 PM

For those of you looking for e-ink friendly scifi books, here's what we have currently on Feedbooks: http://www.feedbooks.com/discover/li...searchby=books

We're adding books every day, so we'll have much more in a few weeks...
You can also easily check the most popular one:
http://www.feedbooks.com/discover/to...cience+Fiction

02-15-2007, 11:00 AM	#8
SciFiReader GadgetReader Posts: 33 Karma: 66686 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: Sony Reader	Baen Cd Robert- That was a great lead on the Baen CD. A great collection of novels at a great price for my Reader. Thanks for the info.

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02-14-2007, 09:24 AM	#1
SciFiReader GadgetReader Posts: 33 Karma: 66686 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: Sony Reader	Free SciFi Books Check out the Baen Web site, http://baen.com/library/ They have a variety of free novels that you can get in RFT, and work great on the Reader. Go to the "free" book section.

02-15-2007, 12:49 AM	#2
Azayzel Cache Ninja! Posts: 643 Karma: 1002300 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tokyo, Japan Device: PRS-500, HTC Shift, iPod Touch, iPaq 4150, TC1100, Panasonic WordsGear	sweet! Free is always good, especially when it's scifi! Thanks SciFiReader!

02-15-2007, 01:32 AM	#3
flumbo I got nothin... Posts: 127 Karma: 302 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Hawaii	I love Baen Books. Their lack of DRM makes me happy. Their free books introduced me to many authors and enticed me to buy more of their books. Take a look at the "webscriptions" area-- Non-DRM books in RTF format at good prices. It looks like they're adding books from other publishers soon-- Del Rey and TOR are now in their library. They also offer Advanced Reader Copies of upcoming books in case you can't wait for the editor to do his stuff. You should also try out the "Jim Baen's Universe" e-magazine. Published every couple months, lots of entertaining stories. Baen deserves to be supported-- they actually get that DRM doesn't work. It's too bad Jim Baen died last year. He believed strongly in the future of ebooks. I'm glad they are keeping his policies in place.

02-15-2007, 05:06 AM	#4
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	Another legal source for free Baen books are Baen CDs. They have many books which are not in the free library. http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com/ http://files.plebian.net/baencd/

02-15-2007, 05:39 AM	#5
Robert Marquard Delphi-Guy Posts: 285 Karma: 1151 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Berlin, Germany Device: iLiad, Palm T3	I currently create a SF CD for Project Gutenberg. It contains all the SF books available from http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Scienc...28Bookshelf%29 I just wait for Distributed Proofreaders to release the last H. Beam Piper works. I hope for end of the month. The CD will be available for download from Project Gutenberg.

02-15-2007, 06:31 AM	#6
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	Robert, are you going to put LRF versions there too?

02-15-2007, 08:59 AM	#7
Robert Marquard Delphi-Guy Posts: 285 Karma: 1151 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Berlin, Germany Device: iLiad, Palm T3	Only what is available from Project Gutenberg. So mainly HTML or simple text. All books also in Plucker format plus a few in Mobipocket. You should be able to convert the HTML and text versions to any ebook format. All major ebook formats is hopeless. The CD has already 200 MB for 150 books.

02-16-2007, 02:16 AM	#10
Robert Marquard Delphi-Guy Posts: 285 Karma: 1151 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Berlin, Germany Device: iLiad, Palm T3	Yes, it is possible, but it multiplies the data size. I could generate Mobipocket books and MS Reader books and RTF and what the heck and in the end it would not fit on a CD anymore. I work (in a if only i had time fashion) on a Windows program which accepts an .opf file and generates as many formats as possible. Do not expect that for many months though. Windows is needed for MS Reader, because i use the ActiveX control from Microsoft to do the conversion. I want to stay legal with this so no unofficial tool to do the conversion.

02-16-2007, 09:48 AM	#12
Robert Marquard Delphi-Guy Posts: 285 Karma: 1151 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Berlin, Germany Device: iLiad, Palm T3	This is a Project Gutenberg CD so it should not contain the books in formats not available from Project Gutenberg. I already regenerated the Plucker books to contain the images, but that is as far as i stray from Project Gutenberg for this CD. There should be no problem to convert the texts to the Reader format you want.

02-16-2007, 09:59 AM	#13
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	You're already putting forth a yeoman's effort, Robert, we can handle a little converting if we need to. After all, we do have Amber to help us with that sort of thing!

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02-17-2007, 02:40 PM	#14
BobVA Addict Posts: 230 Karma: 1500 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: Kobo Clara, Sony PRS950, T1, T2, T3	Baen is awesome. Between them and Gutenberg that was reason enough to buy the Reader. Connect is just icing on the cake for me. Looking forward to the CD, Robert. Thanks for your efforts!! Cheers, Bob

02-17-2007, 02:46 PM	#15
Hadrien Feedbooks.com Co-Founder Posts: 2,263 Karma: 145123 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Paris, France Device: Sony PRS-t-1/350/300/500/505/600/700, Nexus S, iPad	For those of you looking for e-ink friendly scifi books, here's what we have currently on Feedbooks: http://www.feedbooks.com/discover/li...searchby=books We're adding books every day, so we'll have much more in a few weeks... You can also easily check the most popular one: http://www.feedbooks.com/discover/to...cience+Fiction