eBooks

Lungbarrow · July 10, 2012, 07:00:31 AM

Hi,

I noticed that a lot of the Hardy Boys back catalogue has been republished in eBook format this year - great for me! I got an eBook reader for my birthday and my physical shelves are already bulging with unsuitable numbers of books. I downloaded the first couple of Undercover Brothers books and was quite disappointed with the quality. I'm not talking about the plot or writing - that's a pointless debate that will go round in circles for ever - but there were a handful of spelling mistakes in each book (including at least one passage of what appeared to be complete gibberish which took me a good five minutes to figure out) and general style inconsistencies between the books. Has anyone else found this? What about the other series? The originals (the Grossett & Dunlap ones) also appear to be (legitimately!) available online now but some of the descriptions mention the Applewood reprints leaving me a bit confused about which version of the text is on offer! I can only assume that the higher-numbered original series books (those published by Simon & Schuster) are as badly treated as the Undercover Brother books they're responsible for but I'd like to hope not as I love being able to download one or two of these on a whim when I fancy a quick read but I'd be disappointed if they were all as poorly prepared as the couple I've already got.

MacGyver · July 10, 2012, 07:48:44 AM

Quotecan only assume that the higher-numbered original series books (those published by Simon & Schuster) are as badly treated as the Undercover Brother books they're responsible for but I'd like to hope not as I love being able to download one or two of these on a whim when I fancy a quick read but I'd be disappointed if they were all as poorly prepared as the couple I've already got.

By this, I assume you're referring to the Digests books? (The Hardy Boys #59-190) Granted, I have rather limited experience with the Undercover Brothers books, but I would say those are generally a lot better treated than the UB books. [and I would daresay perhaps better written too.]
When y ou see the Applewood reprints mentioned, this is referring to reprints of the original text version of The Hardy Boys books. As you may already know, The Hardy Boys books underwent a revision process starting in 1959, which took the first 38 books that had been published and shortened and condensed them, as well as updated them and in some cases completely changed the storyline. The revised versions are what you find in stores today. The original versions of those first 38 books have been reprinted in part by Applewood.

Lungbarrow · July 10, 2012, 09:56:25 AM

I know about the original and revised texts and the Applewood reprints, that's why I was confused about which text was on offer. If you look at the sales page on Kobo for example - http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Hardy-Boys-01-The-Tower/book-lsqycxym8UOArgMymsyieA/page1.html?s=z38uyGnipUO5Iak9Zh8WxA&r=1 - The cover shown is the current "flashlight" cover, but the text under the heading "Synopsis" mentions Applewood. It's possible that Kobo have someone on their web staff whose job it is to write the book info and they've just gone searching the web for it.

Actually, a moment's online detective work has turned up the probable source of confusion - it looks like the online retailers have just lifted their copy straight from Amazon - check out http://www.amazon.com/The-Tower-Treasure-Hardy-Boys/dp/0448089017/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0 - which has erroneously referred to the Applewood version too.

So, it looks like (as expected) the eBook versions of the original series are the revised texts.

My main concern though was with the quality of some of the typesetting in the two eBooks I bought. I find it quite annoying when publishers churn out eBooks aparrently unchecked from their original printing.

MacGyver · July 10, 2012, 12:52:01 PM

Oh, okay- I see what you mean now.

SDLagent · July 10, 2012, 06:50:01 PM

Quote from: MacGyver on July 10, 2012, 07:48:44 AM
By this, I assume you're referring to the Digests books? (The Hardy Boys #59-190) Granted, I have rather limited experience with the Undercover Brothers books, but I would say those are generally a lot better treated than the UB books. [and I would daresay perhaps better written too.]
When y ou see the Applewood reprints mentioned, this is referring to reprints of the original text version of The Hardy Boys books. As you may already know, The Hardy Boys books underwent a revision process starting in 1959, which took the first 38 books that had been published and shortened and condensed them, as well as updated them and in some cases completely changed the storyline. The revised versions are what you find in stores today. The original versions of those first 38 books have been reprinted in part by Applewood.

I think the later Digests are about on par with the UB. The UB books are mostly really lame though whereas the late Digests are mostly okay.

Hardy Sleuth · July 11, 2012, 07:59:21 PM

I'll read the Hardy Boys in paper or ebook, so I'm really happy to have access to both. A friend has an ereader and Simon and Schuster has a number of the most recent Hardy Boys Mystery Stories (Digests) available and more on the way (YES!

) - and these include some great stories with plenty of action and cool mysteries and I enjoy them very much!

I can't wait to get to read more!

I haven't seen a lot of typos in print form and/or ebook with Hardy Boys books. Typos/formatting errors are annoying, but the quality of the writing matters even more to me and that the Hardys and other characters be written well.

I have noticed errors online with the seller sometimes having the book description of a different title than the one it's supposed to be, but the ebooks I've read haven't had serious problems with formatting errors. My friend with the ereader said that if there are serious formatting errors to re-download it and that could fix it.

tomswift2002 · July 11, 2012, 10:03:29 PM

I just downloaded "Darkness Falls" recently and I must say that Simon and Schuster just did a straight scan from the original book so that the list of Casefiles goes from "Dead On Target" right too "Darkness Falls".

Lungbarrow · July 12, 2012, 03:03:44 AM

Yes, I noticed that a lot of the digests were available too - the later ones from the last cover style change onwards. There are also a few digests available digitally that Grosset & Dunlap (Penguin, really) had previously reprinted in hardback as part of the flashlight-style covers. That surprised me a little - I wouldn't have thought Penguin had negotiated the digital rights to republish them.

And I agree, it's the quality of writing that's most important but poor manufacturing can really let down a good design.

Hardy Sleuth · July 16, 2012, 04:20:29 PM

Quote from: Lungbarrow on July 12, 2012, 03:03:44 AM
Yes, I noticed that a lot of the digests were available too - the later ones from the last cover style change onwards. There are also a few digests available digitally that Grosset & Dunlap (Penguin, really) had previously reprinted in hardback as part of the flashlight-style covers. That surprised me a little - I wouldn't have thought Penguin had negotiated the digital rights to republish them.

And I agree, it's the quality of writing that's most important but poor manufacturing can really let down a good design.

I'm really glad that Grosset & Dunlap/Penguin made more available - in hardback and ebook - I read Pentagon Spy and love it, a lot of good action in it.

I'm looking forward to more of the Hardy Boys Mystery Stories becoming available so that the ones I haven't been able to read/find in paper, I can read as ebooks.

Lungbarrow · July 16, 2012, 04:41:11 PM

Quote from: Hardy Sleuth on July 16, 2012, 04:20:29 PM
I'm really glad that Grosset & Dunlap/Penguin made more available - in hardback and ebook - I read Pentagon Spy and love it, a lot of good action in it. I'm looking forward to more of the Hardy Boys Mystery Stories becoming available so that the ones I haven't been able to read/find in paper, I can read as ebooks.

For me, that's the exciting thing about ebooks - the ease with which publishers can make available long-out-of-print books. Obviously, there's an initial outlay where they have to digitise the text, proofread, digitally typeset, etc. and that's why every book ever written wasn't immediately available for download the day the first Kindle was sold. However, publishers can now play the long game with books, banking on a slow trickle of income over the course of years with no need for a book ever to go out of print again.

Hardy Sleuth · July 16, 2012, 04:49:57 PM

Quote from: Lungbarrow on July 16, 2012, 04:41:11 PM
For me, that's the exciting thing about ebooks - the ease with which publishers can make available long-out-of-print books. Obviously, there's an initial outlay where they have to digitise the text, proofread, digitally typeset, etc. and that's why every book ever written wasn't immediately available for download the day the first Kindle was sold. However, publishers can now play the long game with books, banking on a slow trickle of income over the course of years with no need for a book ever to go out of print again.

I agree - it is exciting and fantastic!

Benefits readers and publishers!

And to be able to get a title instantly and start reading as soon as it downloads really rocks. I do like perusing bookshelves and used book sales, so to me both paper version and ebooks make a great team.