SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

https://www.baenebooks.com/c-1-free-l...

Has anyone here had any experience using Baen's free library? I'm looking to drop a few feebies onto my Kindle, and am curious about how well (or poorly) the process works.

Recommendations also welcome, as I'm candidly not all that familiar with most of Baen's authors, or at any rate the one's who've got books they're giving out for free.

You just download books they have available to the reading device of your choice; they are free of any DRM. To see which ones are good, search for listopias here titled "New Baen Free Library" - or something similar.

Regarding free books - do not forget Project Gutenberg: they have a nice collection of oldish books.

I've read a bunch of them - and there were more available before they made a deal with Amazon. Most are series firsts. These are quality, edited, and published authors whose books have been available in print form, many before the advent of digital books. You can't go wrong downloading them - they are free - and if you hate them, no harm no foul.

For instance, the first Honor Harrington novel by David Weber The Honor of the Queen is available there.

I love Baen - no DRM.

Regarding process, you need to add Baen to the addresses that your Kindle will accept and e-mail it to your Kindle. This used to work without having to do anything else, but for the past couple of months I've been having to go to Amazon, find the book on Docs because any book you don't download from Amazon is considered a personal document, tell Amazon to deliver it and then reset my Kindle.

Shomeret wrote: "I've been having to go to Amazon, find the book on Docs because any book you don't download from Amazon is considered a personal document, tell Amazon to deliver it and then reset my Kindle. ..."

*Slaps forehead.* I went ahead and did the whole e-mail registration/send a file to my Kindle dipsy-doodle yesterday...and couldn't find the durn thing once I'd sent it. Followed up on this...and there it was. Thanks!

Snarktastic Sonja wrote: "For instance, the first Honor Harrington novel by David Weber The Honor of the Queen is available there.
..."

Thanks! Will definitely check it out.

Feel like I'm good to go...Now all I need is someone to explain to me why a Baen book and a cringe-worthy cover seem to go together like toast and jam. Giant floating heads, plunging necklines, weird fonts, and lots o' sparklies seem to be the order of the day. Well, at least with an e-book I'm spared that.

Evgeny wrote: "Regarding free books - do not forget Project Gutenberg: they have a nice collection of oldish books.
..."

On an intellectual level I applaud Gutenburg. Unfortunately, every book I've ever read from the site has had formatting issues, to the point I find myself distracted. :(

Megatherium wrote: "Evgeny wrote: "Regarding free books - do not forget Project Gutenberg: they have a nice collection of oldish books.
..."

On an intellectual level I applaud Gutenburg. Unfortunately, every book I'v..."

I agree, but some of the ebooks from Amazon are not blameless regarding formatting either.

If you're not aware of it, several additional free Baen ebooks are (legitimately) available through this web page: http://baencd.freedoors.org/ I downloaded almost the entire Honor Harrington series this way, although I bogged down in the third book and haven't gotten further (at least not yet). I also really enjoyed several books in the Eric Flint's Ring of Fire series, although quality is very uneven and drops off after the first book or two (lots of guest authors and fanfic). But I thought the first book, 1632, was well worth reading, and the next couple were pretty good as well. I think most of those books are on the 1631 CD link.

Read John Ringo's books at your own risk (a lot of paramilitary sexytimes). Some of Mercedes Lackey's books are pretty good.