Ebook vendor frustration

Varley · 01-08-2009, 10:47 AM

I've started reading a series of 4 books - So I buy the 1st book from fictionwise who I've bought many books from before. When I go to buy the 2nd book I find they don't offer books 2 & 3 in mobi format, but they do offer book 4. So for some bizarre reason I'll have to buy those from someone else if I want to use my cybook.

So I pop along to mobipocket who I've also bought a bunch of books from, and see they they do have books 2 & 3 in mobi pocket format - Success ! Or maybe not. When I order them I find I've now got book 3, but book 2 isn't allowed to be sold to the UK.

So I'm allowed to have books 1, 3, 4 if I shop around, but apparantly book 2 is considered too special to allowed in mobi format for us peasants over here.

Sigh.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 01-08-2009, 11:10 AM

Sounds like my experience finding Wild Cards books in e-book format. It's very frustrating trying to buy a series, only to find the individual e-books are in different formats, not all available, or are irregularly priced (all of which have been true about WC e-books... and I bought the last WC book on paper, just because the e-book price was so outrageous).

Jellby · 01-08-2009, 11:47 AM

By the way, that happened to me in paper too... I bought books 1 and 3 of a trilogy on an offer. I then tried to find number 2 somewhere else, but failed, it was apparently out of print. At the end I bought the three books in English.

astra · 01-09-2009, 05:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Varley

I've started reading a series of 4 books - So I buy the 1st book from fictionwise who I've bought many books from before. When I go to buy the 2nd book I find they don't offer books 2 & 3 in mobi format, but they do offer book 4. So for some bizarre reason I'll have to buy those from someone else if I want to use my cybook.

So I pop along to mobipocket who I've also bought a bunch of books from, and see they they do have books 2 & 3 in mobi pocket format - Success ! Or maybe not. When I order them I find I've now got book 3, but book 2 isn't allowed to be sold to the UK.

So I'm allowed to have books 1, 3, 4 if I shop around, but apparantly book 2 is considered too special to allowed in mobi format for us peasants over here.

Sigh.

I would never buy book 1 before I made sure I can buy the rest of the series.

rleguillow · 01-09-2009, 11:40 AM

This happens in paper books too, surprisingly enough. Sometimes because of the author... I have in mind Melanie Rawn's Exiles trilogy. Book 1 published in 1994. Book 2 published in 1997. Still waiting for Book 3.

And I'm one who prefers to purchase a book in a series only when I can get them all. The exception is when it is the first time I've read anything by that author - gotta start somewhere to decide if you like him/her. I have Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series in full - but 5 different formats make up "in full" - hardback, paperback, audiobook, and 2 ebook formats. I am fairly certain that if I really searched I could get it all in paperback. But I often enjoy having a book on the eBook reader as well as in physical format, for occasions when I want to read it that way (on a plane, in the dark, in a waiting room, when ill, etc.).

Not doing the full series when doing any part of it seems to be another publisher thing, like high prices. Speaking strictly for myself, their fears are groundless - I don't pirate them, and I do continue to purchase paper books as well as ebooks and audiobooks.

Sigh.

ProfJulie · 01-09-2009, 12:17 PM

It really is very frustrating. I also find that alot of ebook vendors don't seem to know that a book is one of a series. I often go to the author's website (if they have one) to find the full list of books and the proper order and then I have to start hunting for them at the various ebook vendors. I've also seen some vendors who sell "series" as a package and the series are not complete.

JSWolf · 01-09-2009, 12:25 PM

Varley, have you tried BooksOnBoard or Cyberread?

Steven Lyle Jordan · 01-09-2009, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfJulie

I've also seen some vendors who sell "series" as a package and the series are not complete.

Ooohhh... to get the entire Wild Cards series on Mobi e-books...

Must... excuse myself now...

01-08-2009, 10:47 AM	#1
Varley Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Gen3	Ebook vendor frustration I've started reading a series of 4 books - So I buy the 1st book from fictionwise who I've bought many books from before. When I go to buy the 2nd book I find they don't offer books 2 & 3 in mobi format, but they do offer book 4. So for some bizarre reason I'll have to buy those from someone else if I want to use my cybook. So I pop along to mobipocket who I've also bought a bunch of books from, and see they they do have books 2 & 3 in mobi pocket format - Success ! Or maybe not. When I order them I find I've now got book 3, but book 2 isn't allowed to be sold to the UK. So I'm allowed to have books 1, 3, 4 if I shop around, but apparantly book 2 is considered too special to allowed in mobi format for us peasants over here. Sigh.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Frustration Again	sceadugenga	iRiver Story	7	08-29-2010 11:32 AM
Frustration	Doc333	Sony Reader	17	07-19-2010 04:19 AM
Firmware Update 2.5 Frustration	nicolasqueen	Amazon Kindle	111	05-29-2010 09:38 PM
Pagination frustration	ccowie	Calibre	4	04-23-2010 07:00 PM
eBook frustration in China!	Polokus	Lounge	5	02-12-2010 03:50 AM

01-08-2009, 11:10 AM	#2
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	Sounds like my experience finding Wild Cards books in e-book format. It's very frustrating trying to buy a series, only to find the individual e-books are in different formats, not all available, or are irregularly priced (all of which have been true about WC e-books... and I bought the last WC book on paper, just because the e-book price was so outrageous).

01-08-2009, 11:47 AM	#3
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,542 Karma: 19001583 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	By the way, that happened to me in paper too... I bought books 1 and 3 of a trilogy on an offer. I then tried to find number 2 somewhere else, but failed, it was apparently out of print. At the end I bought the three books in English.

01-09-2009, 11:40 AM	#5
rleguillow Always Reading Posts: 110 Karma: 1002645 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: North Carolina Device: FW 1192, PRS-700, kobo, Rocket, PRS-650, Nook Glow, Kobo Glo, others	This happens in paper books too, surprisingly enough. Sometimes because of the author... I have in mind Melanie Rawn's Exiles trilogy. Book 1 published in 1994. Book 2 published in 1997. Still waiting for Book 3. And I'm one who prefers to purchase a book in a series only when I can get them all. The exception is when it is the first time I've read anything by that author - gotta start somewhere to decide if you like him/her. I have Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series in full - but 5 different formats make up "in full" - hardback, paperback, audiobook, and 2 ebook formats. I am fairly certain that if I really searched I could get it all in paperback. But I often enjoy having a book on the eBook reader as well as in physical format, for occasions when I want to read it that way (on a plane, in the dark, in a waiting room, when ill, etc.). Not doing the full series when doing any part of it seems to be another publisher thing, like high prices. Speaking strictly for myself, their fears are groundless - I don't pirate them, and I do continue to purchase paper books as well as ebooks and audiobooks. Sigh.

01-09-2009, 12:17 PM	#6
ProfJulie Evangelist Posts: 423 Karma: 890 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: USA Device: whatever	It really is very frustrating. I also find that alot of ebook vendors don't seem to know that a book is one of a series. I often go to the author's website (if they have one) to find the full list of books and the proper order and then I have to start hunting for them at the various ebook vendors. I've also seen some vendors who sell "series" as a package and the series are not complete.

01-09-2009, 12:25 PM	#7
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 78,930 Karma: 143098300 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Varley, have you tried BooksOnBoard or Cyberread?

Advert

Advert