2009 Fall Book Preview With Covers

Discussion in 'Trek Literature' started by Man of Steel, Jul 1, 2009.

  1. Brefugee

    Brefugee No longer living the Irish dream. Premium Member

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    Sci, give it a break, if he wants to say his piece over the prices of Trades than let him for god's sack. Just do what I tend to do when I see a long and possibly long winded or just damn irritating post and either ignore it or skim it, it ain't that hard.

    Oh and just for the record, I like Trades, as prices for Mass Market's are rising again (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Invincible was £7.99 compared with Full Circle's £6.99) I wouldn't be surprised if Mass's are dropped and replaced with Trades as some are now the same price as Mass Markets.
     
  2. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Premium Member

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    :guffaw:

    I'll never understand how someone can let a message board irritate them! Jesus! It's just a fun way to pass the time.

    Some act like it's life or death. Or their personal honor is at stake.
     
  3. Sci

    Sci Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I'm not sure what else to call it when you spend that much time complaining about the price of a book you in no way need, especially when there are used book markets online that will re-sell the book at a reduced price, and when there are libraries who will lend the book to you for free.

    And I'm especially not sure what else to call it when someone takes one statement -- "People are willing to pay more for TPBs" -- and uses it to put words in someone's mouth ("So Pocket is telling me their $8.99 stuff is shit work they think won't sell?")

    And that's why you're not part of the demand curve that Pocket is serving with those novels.

    Similarly, I have no interest in the recent novel Troublesome Minds. I'm not saying it looks bad, and DaveGalanter seems like a standup guy, but it's just in no way interesting to me. I am not part of that particular novel's demand curve. I don't spend my time whining about the fact that they didn't write a novel that I wasn't interested in, because I recognize that different products are aimed at different parts of the Trek audience, and I'm not going to be the target audience for all of them.

    You're not part of the target audience for TPBs by virtue of the fact that you don't think they're worth the price. That's fine. But I would advise that you stop acting like Pocket Books ought to make its business decisions to accommodate you.
     
  4. Brefugee

    Brefugee No longer living the Irish dream. Premium Member

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    Not many things irritate me really, just if I know there's a topic I feel passionate about, nine times out of ten, I'll just leave it as it's not worth the energy.

    I was going to edit this in to my last post. I just picked up and decided to have a look at a book I'm reading at the moment which is Trade size, and its priced at £7.99, the same price as Invincible :vulcan:
     
  5. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Premium Member

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    What other point-of-view am I concerned with. The entire debate is working from my point of view... :rolleyes:

    To me the decision turned away this customer.

    Someone tried to say that we were somehow better off because we were getting extra books. Which I say is faulty logic.

    This seemed to be the post that riled Thrawn all up. I questioned someone who has worked in retail about how the decision would affect Pocket's sales.

    This was a post about which strategy was better (multiple MMPB's vs. TPB's).

    This was about a proposed fifty cent hike in all MMPB's.

    Sorry. In each instance I worked from the point of view of how it affects my buying patterns. Which is the only buying patterns I care about. I can't imagine trying to speak for any one else.

    Obviously just being funny here...

    "Lighten up, Francis." :guffaw:
     
  6. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Premium Member

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    Here in the States it is a bit different at the bookstores. MMPB's run between $6.99 - $8.99 and Trades run between $16.00 - $18.00.
     
    Last edited: Jul 7, 2009
  7. Reanok

    Reanok Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Someone asked who is the Artist for The Never Ending Sacrifice cover.I checked at Memory Beta and says it's Nicolas Bouvier.
     
  8. Sci

    Sci Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    No, it's not, it's working from Pocket's point of view. No one is arguing with your right to refuse to buy the book, but to act as though you don't understand why they're making the business decisions they are making simply because it does not serve your whims is irrational.

    Sure. There are going to be costs and benefits to doing business, and a given decision might alienate some customers whilst attracting others. But obviously this business decision is proving profitable; logically, therefore, there is no rational reason to question why Pocket is doing it. You might not like it and choose not to purchase it, but to question the business rationale behind it seems, at best, irrational. And to demand that they make business decisions that serve your financial whims is just irritatingly selfish.

    My name is Sci, thanks.

    It did not come across as being funny -- it came across as being needlessly rude, misrepresentative of other people's words, and more than a little confrontational and whiny.
     
  9. AuntKate

    AuntKate Commodore Commodore

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    I really don't care what the covers look like. However, I did read the synopses of the books, and I can't help but ask how writing with such glaring errors in grammar and punctuation can go uncorrected. Who edits these? Or fails to?
     
  10. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Premium Member

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    Once again it was Thrawn who I was originally debating with. Reading comprehension is your friend.

    I apologize to anyone who thought the remark was not funny.
     
  11. Thrawn

    Thrawn Rear Admiral Premium Member

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    I've eliminated all the snarky bullshit from your post, assuming that you're generally an intelligent person and were just annoyed. If you really want to call me names and insult my intelligence, please do so over PM.

    2) The question of whether or not it's worth it is entirely up to you. I would never argue otherwise. You just gave completely spurious reasons. I never told you to buy it, just that word count was a dumb way to justify not buying it. Do whatever you please.

    3) And when Paramount charged that much, I didn't buy them. And the prices eventually dropped. That's how the market works.

    4) Pocket should be worried about "chasing away" one customer? You are far too convinced of your own importance.


    Pocket prices things however they feel it'll make them the most money. So does everyone else. If a company succeeds in "gouging" customers, it's because the customers are willing to be gouged. If you find the crusade against TPBs to be a righteous one, just don't fucking buy them.

    Anyone with any decision making power in any institution like this one has long since learned to ignore people whining online.
     
  12. Thrawn

    Thrawn Rear Admiral Premium Member

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    And, BillJ, since you seem to be confused about how we could've possibly objected to your humble post about buying Time Ships instead, I point you to these posts which strongly indicate you believe that Pocket is making a Bad Call by pissing you off, that they may be generally incompetent, and that they have made many similarly insulting decisions recently (such as?), not to mention responding to my previously completely considerate tone with overstated and obviously ridiculous sarcasm.

    All before I was "riled all up".
     
  13. LightningStorm

    LightningStorm The Borg King Commodore

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    Calling someone an "insufferable ass" is flaming. This combined with "Reading comprehension is your friend." and "Just because you like to grab your ankles when Dave Matthews comes to town doesn't mean everyone does." earns you a warning.

    Comments via PM.
     
  14. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Premium Member

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    Care to explain how any of the above quotes offended you? Especially since two of the replies were pointed at Allyn Gibson. And since I'm just one customer obviously the above quotes shouldn't mean anything in the grand scheme of things.

    I'm sure the American auto-makers thought the same way you do. We'll increase prices and make a lesser product... who cares if it pisses off a few customers. We've all seen how that worked out.
     
  15. Thrawn

    Thrawn Rear Admiral Premium Member

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    You didn't offend me. It's an argument on a messageboard. I just disagreed with you.

    As for your other argument, I think I'll just leave it at :lol: and bid you adieu. I'm finished here; this is inane.
     
  16. Therin of Andor

    Therin of Andor Admiral Moderator

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    To the extent where I get PMs asking what Pocket Books pay me in commission.

    ST fans often have an extraordinary expectation of their entitlement to the lowest of low prices always, maximum page count always, no double dipping ever, regular/uninterrupted supply of quality product, but only to the likes of each indivividual.

    Pocket creates ST tie-ins for several demographics at a time. They don't assume that every fan is a completist. I never really saw the need for Pocket's first original hardcover, but I've come to love my hardcovers, and thrilled to own all 50+ titles. I will keep buying trades if that's the only way we'll get those prestige titles in the current economical climate. Generally their page counts are higher, and I know the authors are rewarded with a higher royalty.

    I feel disappointed for those ST fans who can't afford off-the-shelf ST books as they are released. I couldn't imagine how frustrated I'd be if I couldn't afford new ST novels, comics and DVDs as they are released every month, but I guess I've made certain lifestyle choices (such as no owning a car, buying a house with a spare bedroom) to ensure I can always support and store my habit.

    I do get miffed when certain fans call for the abolishment of a certain line of ST products, that I happen to like, simply because they can't afford them, or think that a certain format has fallen from favour. I trust that Pocket know what they're doing. They've held a ST license since 1979, seem to know the markets well, have experimented and tweaked to take account of feedback, and generally continue to churn out successful, reasonably priced products.

    It that makes me an apologist for ST tie-ins, well... I'm sorry. :devil:
     
  17. seigezunt

    seigezunt Vice Admiral Admiral

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    geez, why the whining? Just buy em used on amazon if you are too cheap, like me.
     
  18. BillJ

    BillJ The King of Kings Premium Member

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    Don't even understand what that has to do with the discussion.

    Never said anything along those lines. Once again this is value vs. costs for New Frontier: Treason, a book that has roughly the same word count as Before Dishonor for twice the price.

    I liked the hardcovers too. Felt like I was actually getting something more for the additional cost.

    This was never about affording the book. Once again it's about value vs. costs. I have Mere Anarchy and several of the Mirror/Myriad Universes titles sitting on my shelf. Again, I felt there was something of value there that made them worth the additional price.

    I never said to abolish the Trades, just that there should be additional value there. As far as 1979 goes, isn't Simon and Shuster a subsidiary of Viacom, which owns Paramount?

    Wouldn't expect anything less. ;)
     
  19. Therin of Andor

    Therin of Andor Admiral Moderator

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    You raised the topic of "posters who'll come running to 'save the day' whenever someone questions a production or creative decision made by Pocket." Can we not come running to that topic any more?

    The only reason "Treason" wasn't in hardcover was because Pocket has dropped the line in favour of trades. "Treason" was made to stand tall beside the other "New Frontier". I didn't bother calculating word counts but "Treason" felt like a typical meaty NF read to me. "Before Dishonor" is part of the MMPB TNG Relaunch, recent titles of which are also MMPB.

    Then think of trades as cheaper versions of the hardcovers. Nice big cover art, stand on the same shelf as your hardcovers, but half the price.

    And "Treason" is probably meatier than the average MMPB. You are complaining that "Treason" was a MMPB sized book in trade guise, but it's just a easily seen as an economical version of a hardcover.

    Simon & Schuster is is a licensee of Star Trek, but they compete with all other potential licensees when contracts are up for renewal.
     
  20. Sci

    Sci Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Negatory. Simon & Schuster is a subsidiary of CBS Corporation, the corporation which owns CBS Studios, which in turn owns Star Trek and its trademarks.