E-by-gum (and sci-fi & fantasy 'E' at that)
01/11/1999 . Source: Jessica Martin 

Here's a question for you. Ever heard of e-books? No? Think of a Sony Walkman for books. You can either buy a hardware reader to read e-novels while you roam, or you can download a software-based virtual reader for your PC 100% free.

Think of the fun you can have at work as it looks like you're nose to the grindstone, when actually, all you are doing is reading the latest William Gibson potboiler on your PC!

As Dilbert might say, another great anti-productivity toy you have got to get. In our book (excuse the pun), one of the main advantages of this format of novel is you can download 1000s of out of copyright books for free over the internet.

Everything from HG Wells to the John Carter of Mars series (that's E. Rice Burroughs, for you newbie SF fan-types, as in Tarzan). You will also find hundreds of 50% Novels by the likes of Avon and other big SF publishers, which are just that.

Try the first half of the book for free. Only buy the second half if you are getting into the story. Kind of like a book-based test drive.

These puppies are going down a storm in the USA and it looks like another Pokemon-size trend is forming a wave which is going to do to the traditional book publishing industry what internet-based MPEG music recordings are doing to the music industry.

For those that don't know what MPEG music is doing to the music corporations, think of Kim Bassinger flat up against the wall in Nine & a Half Weeks . Yep, Sony, EMI and their ilk are getting well and truly shagged.

Now, many would-be (plus a horde of used-to-be downsized) science fiction & fantasy authors are rubbing their hands with glee at the thought of the lazy, stupid, conservative, snooty tweed-clad shagwits in the dusty book publishing trade finally getting the mother of all twattings that they so richly deserve.

Your next question is how the heck can you get it … well, just try below:

Here's where you can go to get some free e-book reader software for your PC (there's a beta for Apple Mac users)

Here's where you can go for lots of fantastic free novels (and a few paid ones) when you've got the software.

And if you've got a book inside you which you want to see the light of day, here's where you go to publish it.

Is this going to make trouble for the book publishing trade? We think so.

If e-books don't do it for you, you can check our ..