Mary Stewart's Arthurian series still being knocked off?

[Victoria]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

I'd like to bring up another issue:

Equally important are division breaks within a text signifying time breaks, cognitive dissonance, and/or narratival distortions when studying physical space within a text, components that help one to study the language of story and storyteller. Think of the cuts in a film and how they can best be used to draw and/or link a narrative within a structured time sequence. Dissertations have been written on this subject, an area that I find rich in study (back when I was working on Kenneth Burke and rhetorical theory, an area that then led toward the study of narration and the language of fiction).

I don't have my text here in front of me of The Crystal Cave, but I was trying to remember if a narrative break occurred in Part I (near the end of Chapter 1):

This is what happened that night. I saw it, and it is a true tale.

and then there is a break of one short paragraph that then stops for the beginning of Chapter 2.

If there was a break in the narrative at that point, then the text assembled by this publisher in question is not true to Stewart's own text. (Again, I cannot confirm this, since my text is currently in the U.S.)

Anyway, this is merely another example - along with the other ones already mentioned, that asks a number of questions that we (in my opinion) have yet to receive a definitive answer about.

Of course, copyright concern is the most important aspect, but these other issues (even if there is not a copyright issue), does bring into question the reliability of the text.

Ok - thanks. Now I understand the concern. I'll keep an eye out for weird breaks, etc, that suggest these aren't faithful to the books.

[Dr. Drib]

I just made a slight correction to my post: There is a break and then the narrative continues onwards toward Chapter 2.

Sorry for the confusion.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by crich70

They wouldn't be alone in not having things formatted as neatly as they should I don't think. I remember a thread some time back about LOTR and how the ebook has a ton of errors (or did at that time anyway). The Internet Archive seems to have a lot of errors in the books that they scan into their archives. Quantity seems to trump quality with them or something. Gutenberg is much better as far as their work with PD books. Of Course Mary Stewart's books aren't PD, nor likely to be so for some time yet even after she passes on, but it seems sometimes that ebooks do have more errors than their paper cousins.

I remember that discussion. There were QUITE a number of disappointed fans of LOTR, and they went on to complain to the publisher. After a period of time, these formatting issues were (for the most part?) resolved.

[DrNefario]

Originally Posted by Victoria

Sorry if this is thick of me, but why aren't the books considered legit? I've reread this thread a few times, and can't follow the logic that they're pirated. Is there something concrete, or just a concern due to the author's advanced age?

The link to the earlier thread doesn't reveal anything either. It doesn't correspond with Dr. Dibs memory. A post throws out a question, and the thread just stops with no conclusion. Amazon has had them for almost 2 years - no speculation in the reviews they aren't legit. When I googled , the only references points back to here.

Also - mine don't 'look horrible' - they look normal. It says on the inside cover "copyright 2009 Mary Stewart" and that KG Studios have rights to distribute it digitally.

Are there any facts, that I missed because they are technical, so I just haven't understood them? For example - do the publishers mentioned equal pirates? If so, why would Amazon let them into the store, and leave them alone for 2 years?

I'm in the UK, and I see the more legitimate-looking Hodder versions of all five books at Amazon and Kobo, and this omnibus of four books from Smashwords at Kobo only.

It seemed unlikely to me that an omnibus would have only four of the books, that a fairly well-known set of books would be published through Smashwords, and that it would be the only book from that publisher. (And why is the copyright given as 2009, with no mention of the original book publications?)

It is possible that it's legitimate, and it's even possible, I guess, that it's a former pirate work that has been legitimized. It just doesn't look right, to me, and I have decided I'm not going to buy it.

[pdurrant]

I have checked with Hodder & Stoughton and "Legacy" is an unauthorised omnibus, ripping off the author and publisher.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. This is not an authorised omnibus and we will be taking action to get it taken down.

I do not recommend paying pirate publishers. I suggest anyone who has bought this edition in ignorance should ask for a refund (which will hopefully caused the retailers to take action against the pirate publisher).

[Catlady]

This book has been around for years now. How could Mary Stewart's publishers not have known?

[pdurrant]

No idea. Perhaps because the name of the book isn't an obvious match. Perhaps they just don't have anyone (on a salary!) spending their time looking for pirate copies being sold.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Catlady

This book has been around for years now. How could Mary Stewart's publishers not have known?

My guess would be that it's because they only have license to sell her e-books in the UK and the book in question is for sale in the US.

I'm not convinced that the omnibus is a pirate book. If it were, why would they leave out the fifth book? Just as easy to bundle that in and call it complete.

[JSWolf]

It's a pirated set of books.

[Turtle91]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I'm not convinced that the omnibus is a pirate book. If it were, why would they leave out the fifth book? Just as easy to bundle that in and call it complete.

Adding the 5th book would require actually doing work.... why do that when you can continue to earn profit from the 1st 4?

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Turtle91

Adding the 5th book would require actually doing work.... why do that when you can continue to earn profit from the 1st 4?

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

My guess would be that it's because they only have license to sell her e-books in the UK and the book in question is for sale in the US.

I'm not convinced that the omnibus is a pirate book. If it were, why would they leave out the fifth book? Just as easy to bundle that in and call it complete.

The omnibus is definitely a pirate edition. In the UK (where the pirate edition is/was available) the publisher is Hodder & Stoughton. They might also be the publisher in the US.

Is this book: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00713DNEE/ available in the US?

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Is this book: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00713DNEE/ available in the US?

Currently unavailable for purchase.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Currently unavailable for purchase.

Ah - in that case Hodder & Stoughton aren't the US publisher. Anyone know who is?

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Ah - in that case Hodder & Stoughton aren't the US publisher.

That's what I was saying.

Harper Collins is the publisher of her paper books in the U.S. But tellingly, they do not offer e-books of them. Which is why I'm not convinced that the 'pirate book' is one. (Though since the cover seems to to recycle artwork from the US books, it may well be.)