Will the book release be moved up if all preview content released two and a bit months before book release?!?

[yoniy0]

they could have them from the press to the shelves in 3 days if they pushed and a week being lazy.

You're talking stocking, which isn't the issue. It's (a) the fact that holiday displays are organized by that time, and stores aren't likely to make more room for a new book (at least, they won't give it what it would've gotten had it reached them sooner), and (b) that holiday sales aren't just about the third week of December. By then, a whole bunch of people have already bought their Christmas gifts. Not being Christian or living in a predominantly Christian country, I don't care all that much about it, but them's the rules.

[Entreri]

Ridiculous that they release the ebook much later, they need to come to the 21st century. If this wasn't the last book, I would have waited...but after this book, all my books will be ebooks. So much more convenient. Kindle rules.

[Suttree]

stores absolutely have to get the book by early-November to get them on display in time.

 

not true. i worked in retail from entry level to managing 300k a week in sales before moving to distribution. they could have them from the press to the shelves in 3 days if they pushed and a week being lazy. maybe the hold up is from pre-print, i don't know, but it's not the impression i get. this is an industry that has always set the pace of its own business and done things just because that's how it has always been done. maybe it's just me, but i resent that and enjoy my ability to say so in a bunch of places.

 

Until ebooks are counted with hard copy sales on best seller lists there is plenty of reason to delay ebook releases, forcing everyone onto the same lists gets your a better number which drives more sales.

 

yes, but again this is just failure to understand their market. this is the twelth thirteenth fourteenth book in a series, are they expecting people who see it on the "bestseller list" to think that's a good place to start reading?

 

First off press to shelves in 3 days is totally unrealistic. That does not happen...

 

Further they understand the market just fine. It is somewhat ridiculous to think Tor is just winging it and hasn't put a ton of research into these things. In fact as someone who used to work in corporate marketing for Virgin Megastores I can assure you that is not the case. As to the second point the larger portion of people who buy this book will not even know it is released until they see it on the shelves. Fans involved with communities online and those who are looking to see the exact date the book is released represent a relatively small percentage even for a series such as this.

[thom_merrilin]

Until ebooks are counted with hard copy sales on best seller lists there is plenty of reason to delay ebook releases, forcing everyone onto the same lists gets your a better number which drives more sales.

 

Actually Harriet is the only person who delays eBook releases. All others do simultaneous releases of hardback and ebook on the same day. Delaying is unfair and a slap in the face of fans. Same day release WOULD cut down piracy. Delaying it increases it dramatically as those who have eReaders would have found copies within the three months of delay. But, after all this is Harriet, on this score she is wrong in delaying.

[Valley of Death]

Releasing the ebook on the same day would result in much more piracy. Think about all the lazy people who would rather not leave their home or spend money on a book and have it quicker and cheaper than everyone else.

[yoniy0]

Releasing the ebook on the same day would result in much more piracy. Think about all the lazy people who would rather not leave their home or spend money on a book and have it quicker and cheaper than everyone else.

You're assuming that the road from legitimately owning the ebook to circulating a pirated copy is considerably shorter than if one only had a printed version. In truth, respect and good feelings towards the publisher and author are much stronger barriers (although the quality of pirated copies might improve under the first scenario). Past experience shows that pirated copies are readily available days from release even when no legit electronic copies exist.

[Olver_is_a_Forsaken]

Past experience shows that pirated copies are readily available days from release even when no legit electronic copies exist.

If not pirated copies, then legal ones

[waffle]

Releasing the ebook on the same day would result in much more piracy. Think about all the lazy people who would rather not leave their home or spend money on a book and have it quicker and cheaper than everyone else.

 

They would buy the ebook.

 

If they are not the sort of people who are willing to buy the eBook, they aren´t going to buy it anyway.

[thom_merrilin]

Releasing the ebook on the same day would result in much more piracy. Think about all the lazy people who would rather not leave their home or spend money on a book and have it quicker and cheaper than everyone else.

 

You are very, very wrong. Check the listings of major authors. ALL release hardback and eBook on the SAME day. They don't suffer from lost sales. People have a quicker life now, and to buy a book on-the-fly is standard. Yes, of course they'll be piracy. but Harriet's rather stupid view of a three month delay she is actually encouraging piracy. People do not want to wait three months. This massive delay will force those with eReaders to find alternative views. the lost sales due to this are because of her narrow view to the modern market.

[Glokta]

Actually Harriet is the only person who delays eBook releases. All others do simultaneous releases of hardback and ebook on the same day. Delaying is unfair and a slap in the face of fans. Same day release WOULD cut down piracy. Delaying it increases it dramatically as those who have eReaders would have found copies within the three months of delay. But, after all this is Harriet, on this score she is wrong in delaying.

 

Do we know the reason for Harriet to delay the ebooks release? It does not make sense to me, and it is especially unfair to the "rest of the world" readers who will not be able to get a hardcopy either (by normal channels...)

Is her decision irrevocable? Is there no way she could be convice to have the ebook release at the same time? (or is it technically too late anyway???).

[hjustinpace]

Harriet isn't the publisher. It's not her call. It's Tor's.

[Suttree]

Harriet isn't the publisher. It's not her call. It's Tor's.

 

It is Harriet's call.

[Isgrimner]

I thought the ebook delay was for two reasons. First as already been mentioned, was for the Best Seller lists. I also thought it has been said that the other reason for the delay was that Harriet wanted to help independant brick and morter book sellers by giving them a window of time where they don't have to compete against the ebook versions.

 

I'm an avid fan of ereaders, but of course I have always planned on getting the hardcover. My initial read will be the hardcover, and I'll either scan it and make my own ecopy (for my own use, I don't distribute it) or wait and buy the official one. I haven't decided yet. I did this with the last book and it was pretty time consuming for me, so I don't know if I want to invest that kind of time again.

[arianrose]

I will be buying both the HC and the ebook, even though they're months apart. And I would be equally likely to buy both the HC and ebook if they were released on the same day. I understand the objections to releasing it same day, but I certainly do not agree with them.

[dazparra]

My sister is claiming that she heard or read somewhere that they are considering releasing the book pre-christmas... has anyone else heard or read such??

am very excited by this possible development... as i am very impatiently waiting a copy of the final book

being in australia i have been unable to purchase the prolouge as it is not available for sale here

 

can any aussies out there that have been able to purchase said prolouge print it out and send it to me??

[Suttree]

My sister is claiming that she heard or read somewhere that they are considering releasing the book pre-christmas... has anyone else heard or read such??

 

Nope

[nitavonne]

I Always buy the hard cover in Amazon to support Dragonmount; (three of them when the books were released before Christmas, to give to my children as a pre-xmas present). But I also go to the local bookstore and buy one on the day of release because I cannot wait for the mail. Absolutely I would buy the e-book the second it goes for sale on January the 8th!!!! I cannot wait for the book to be published!!!!!

[aunt_pol]

I have to say this delaying of ebooks gets my goat. It'd be all well and good if the feckin hard cover didn't weigh as much as a feckin concrete block. I mean, seriously! I read in bed, at night - and particularly these days, I have 6 month old twins who don't want me to read during the day - and it's not bloody comfortable lying on your side in bed holding a ridiculous book in one hand and using the other to turn the page.

If I had my way, I'd buy a hardcover on release day and the ebook at the same time. I'd admire the hardback for a bit, get misty eyed about it being the last one, and then I'd park it on the bookshelf with all the other concrete block books. Then in perfect comfort I'd lie in bed and read AMOL on my kindle and avoid serious injury to my wrists. Not about piracy or best seller lists, just being considerate to fans. Common courtesy, one would think, when the book is 1000 odd pages long!

[LeeM.Erickson]

So Tor.com Facebooked and Tweeted this today: "Wheel of Time fans may want to stop by Tor.com tomorrow. Just sayin'."

 

I can't lie, my initial reaction was hope that it would mean a change to an earlier release date. I came on here (and TL) hoping someone might have a reasonable guess about what the news could be, but it's still too early and there doesn't seem to be any posts about it (the Tor.com announcement was posted only a half an hour ago).

[JenniferL]

Its not a change to the release date. Put your pants back on.

[LeeM.Erickson]

Haha, I didn't really believe it was, I just really want it to be.

 

Also, how did you know I'm not wearing pants?

[JenniferL]

Its the internet. No one has pants on.

[yoniy0]

Its the internet. No one has pants on.

Good thinking. Don't tell them about the webcam worm.

[TootThatHorn]

what was the post on tor? i looked and couldn't find anything new.

[GB]

the post is not out yet :) @tootthathorn