

New Ender novel released today... wait, ebook ETA in 2013? - UnfalseDesign
http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-in-Flight-Ender-ebook/dp/B005J4EX78/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&qid=1326815943&sr=8-1

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tstegart
This is frustrating, and frankly, very odd. I want to buy it now. The
publisher could have my $10 now. That's a good price point. I'm not going to
buy it at the store, because I hardly every go to the bookstore and I don't
have a car. Nor do I want to pay extra for the hard copy version.

However, there is a used bookstore just down the block. So most likely I will
purchase it from them from someone who has sold it to them. So the publisher
will get $0 from me.

I think this publisher is fundamentally misunderstanding how many people of my
generation decide to purchase things, especially after going through the
recent recession. I want it now, but I don't have to have it now. I can wait,
especially if waiting three months will knock around 80% off the purchase
price (such as buying from a used bookstore).

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Krylez
The digital delay is meant to represent the time it takes to transmit data to
Bean via ancible as his ship plunges deeper into space.

~~~
RandallBrown
data via ansible is transmitted instantaneously. That's sorta the whole point
of the ansible.

~~~
pjkundert
Except for the time dilation; the transmission rate appears (in Ender's frame
of reference) to be on the order of bits per second, even if transmitted in
gigabits per second...

~~~
tstegart
This is why I love HN

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brown9-2
If true, this seems like a huge case of shooting yourself in the foot.

I don't understand why book publishers, or other old-school content creators
in general, are so eager to make it hard for customers that want to buy their
goods to give them money.

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UnfalseDesign
Can anyone think of a good reason why Tor or Macmillan would hold onto the
ebook version until 2013? I've read reports that the ebook versions will have
enhanced content but why not release a regular version now?

This Amazon date isn't a type either. Google Books has the same release date
and Barnes & Noble doesn't even have an ebook version listed.

Grrr.

~~~
tallanvor
Most likely it's Card who's delaying this, not the publisher. Some authors are
still worried about ebook piracy, despite the fact that this only encourages
it - there will be a scanned copy online very soon, I'll bet, just like there
was with the latest Wheel of Time book.

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Urgo
At least the audio book isn't delayed. That how I've listened to the entire
series. Just ordered it from audible.
<http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?asin=B006L7BE8S> (no affil)

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gnufs
"This title is not available for customers from your location in:

Europe"

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UnfalseDesign
That's something I don't completely understand: why sales of entertainment
goods are delayed across international borders. Don't get me wrong, I know
there's a good explanation. I just don't know what it is.

I also hope this changes in the coming years with the growing popularity of
e-products.

~~~
tzs
One reason for some delays is translation into the local language. Some
countries want their books and movies to be in their language instead of
English.

Another reason is marketing. Even if the local language is English, they will
want a marketing campaign specific to the that country.

Sometimes it is just a matter of different schedules. Even if the work is
being published in different countries by the same international publisher,
the divisions of that publisher might be operating fairly independently in
each country. The French division of a publisher might have various books in
French by French offers on its plate that it considers higher priority than
some American book that is coming in via the American division.

As far as translation delay goes, this could become less important as more
people speak English. In the EU, over half the population speaks English as
either a first or second language, and it is the first foreign language in
secondary schools in every EU country (except those where English is their
first language, of course).

There could become a time when people in Europe, even in countries where
English is not their first language, prefer to get their American books and
movies in e-form as soon as they come out, instead of waiting for a
translation. These people won't need a local advertising campaign, and won't
be dealing with the local division of the publisher.

If enough people in non-English speaking countries start getting American
books and movies in English instead of waiting for a translation, that could
make it less likely that the publishers will bother with a translation.

It will be interesting to see if that causes any controversy. I could see
there being some backlash against that, with some thinking it is marginalizing
their culture.

Basically, the internet has a homoginizing effect, but there are some things
people do not want homogenized, so we are in for some interesting conflicts.

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kingkilr
"This title will be auto-delivered to your Kindle on February 1, 2013." Well,
props to Amazon for ensuring at least I don't forget this exists.

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dromidas
Wait a week and someone will scan the book and put it on a torrent site.

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masmullin
Probably a typo

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UnfalseDesign
Google Books also has a release date of 2013.

[http://books.google.com/books?id=zvfXZ7TxiowC&dq=shadows...](http://books.google.com/books?id=zvfXZ7TxiowC&dq=shadows+in+flight&hl=en&sa=X&ei=p6YVT5njKOnx0gGk-
OWyAw&ved=0CDoQ6AEwAA)

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thekungfuman
This is weird, but on a related note; the man himself, Orson Scott Card,
believes the audio book version is the best way to ingest his work. After
having listened to all of the Ender and Shadow series I can whole heatedly
agree!

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thekungfuman
And most libraries carry the audio book, so you don't have to spend a fortune
on buying them all (and there's always audible.com too)

~~~
UnfalseDesign
That is how I consumed Pastwatch and Pathfinder. I've been keeping my eye on
the local library's website for the Overdrive version. I've listened to and
read all the Ender and Shadow books.

Then again, you'd think that if they embraced the audiobook market, and
released all the past Card books in ebook form on their treebook release
dates, they'd go ahead and do the same here.

