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Around the Bookish World: News Week-in-Review
Filed in News , The Smutty Lover Posted on July 8, 2011 @ 2:00 pm
11 comments
I hope everyone enjoyed their Holiday weekend in the US! This week we have some goodies! They include some hotly awaited books and eye raising news about Amazon purchasing The Book Depository.
The week had started off with the surprising news that The Book Depository has been bought by Amazon, although the bid has been submitted to The Office of Fair Trading (the UK Government body that to oversees any breaches of trading laws) if it breaches any competition rules. Nonetheless, The Bookseller Association is not happy with this move and filed complaints to the OFT that this would increase Amazon’s monopoly in the bookselling market. However, despite this acquisition, there has been statements from execs from The Book Depository that there wont be any changes with the way things are being carried out now via their service such as worldwide shipping. I suspect this is a way for Amazon to consolidate an capitalize on the growing international market.
Another major acquisition is the news of The Pearson Group (who own Penguin) purchasing the struggling bookchain REDgroup which recently went into administration in Australia. The ABA (The Australian Book Association) like their UK counterpart have asked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to look into this move. I think this is another sign of the times of the fast moving changes that publishing is heading into. Like Amazon’s move into publishing, it looks like major publishers, are looking into consolidating and emerging into distribution of books. Very interesting times ahead!
Campaigners against Library closures in Gloucestershire in the UK have won a judiciary review to examine if ten libraries which are slated to close due to cuts is lawful or not.
Panasonic has tossed their hat in the ereader market. It is reported that they will be releasing an LCD reader that will be 7 inches and will run on the Android platform. There will also be a camera and an online bookstore which will initially offer 10 thousand titles in Japan, however there is discussions that they will tie in with the Sony store which suggests that this reader will be offered internationally. The ereader is slated for released later next month.
And another week and another case of plagiarism, should we start a pool on how many incidents this year? Because it really feels like there is one every week at the moment. Blogger Basia from Basiasbookshelf, found a review that she wrote for Dark Descendent by Jenna Black had paragraphs for another review by another blog called, Le Grande Codex. Basia has posted a blog post with screen caps and a summary about the whole incident, when the blogger initially refused and then reworded a few bits of their review, which still has questionable content, despite requests from Basia to remove the review or change it entirely.
This week we have a coverfest of epic proportions, as two highly awaited covers have been unveiled!
First up – ZOMG WE HAZ the cover for Fair Game by Patricia Briggs, and I have to say Its absolutely gorgeous. And check out the work in progress sketches and blog post by Dan Dos Santos about how the cover was chosen and came to be.
The sequel to Across the Universe by Beth Revis, A Million Suns has been posted! No summary yet.
Jr Ward’s next BDB book, Lover Reborn, which will focus on Tohr has been posted. I am not a huge fan of the cover, and I think its the first time there hasn’t been a heroine featured in the cover which I find interesting.
And finally Jeannie Lin’s upcoming sequel to Butterfly Swords (a FANFRELLINGTASTIC book) The Dragon and the Pearl which is another beautiful cover. The book is slated to come out this September!
What do you think of the purchase of The Book Depository by Amazon and which covers/books are you excited for from this week’s post?
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I think Amazon is trying to corner the market on book selling—-They already sell more books than anyone.
I am with you Estella, Amazon is pretty much a super power and Book Depository is very popular because they offer the free shipping to so many different countries. I pray that when they merge, Amazon doesn't change that or I will be very pissed 🙁
So true about the plagiarism incidents. They are getting more and more common and it is sad to see. How hard is it to write your own review really? There is no race or hurry to put up a review and if you can't, why bother? Why put yourself in that mess? The blogger even made it worse by not even taking it down, just adding a few "adjustments". Hate to break it you, but that is still plagiarism. Jeez what is wrong with people?!
As for the covers. I have been dying for Tohr's book, but you are right, it is not the best it can be. Although the guy is pretty hot. Also no heroine?! What gives?! I think that might do with the fact that the heroine in this is suppose to be No'One and she is the shunned one. Wild guess, but possible. Nonetheless I like the covers. I love the A Million Suns. Just gorgeous. Should make that a wallpaper.
Great post hon, thank you 🙂
I'm not liking the Amazon part at all!
Book Depo is way cheaper and the books are sent early nearly all the time.
If they change anything, be it the price, the free shipping or georestrictions I'm gonna kick their ass to the moon. *is pissed*
Thanks for a great news post ^.^
What I think would be great is if Prime extended to some of the Book Depository books since some mass market paperbacks can be found cheaper on the Book Depository~~
Sniffly Kitty
Sniffly Kitty's Mostly Books
nononononoNONONO!
This is terrible. I love the Book Depository and mightily loathe Amazon. Book depository gives me free shipping even when I order international editions (for the superior covers).
@Estella – I agree, I think this is more about capturing the international market because The Book Depository has made inroads there & has a great approach towards selling books.
@Offbeat Vagabond – I think I agree about the rise of plagiarism is becoming more common. 🙁
@Pattepoulie – I don't think they will change anything. I think they will offer free shipping but I do wonder if they are just going to get rid of the site and just incorporate the Book Depository with Amazon with the countries they have a presence with? I hope they give them autonomy but not sure 😛
@Sniffy Kitty – maybe but if they kept things separate it may not be possible but like what I said towards Pattepoulie it will be interesting to see how this fans out.
@Draconismoi That was my initial reaction, I mostly buy my print books at The BD because they offer a great service and have better prices. I really felt that amazon dropped the ball with print books the last few years. I got so frustrated with the lack of books that was not available even though they were out already. I think its pretty ironic they have jumped onto the BD like this when initially they use to offer the same focus.
NO WAY! I really shocked with news about Amazon buy bookdepository.. Can I said : "bye, bye, free shipping?" Noooo :'(.
The reason I love bookdepository is I live in the far, far away country (umm, Indonesia, I mean) and it will cost double if I buy from Amazon! Bookdepository is the great solution for me, and I happy because BD, some blogs have international giveaway. So I hope, they don't change that "free shipping" policy, please, please, pretty please..
For plagiarism, just wanna said, is it so hard to think with their brain? Really, to copy another people review to write their own? If they can't write, just said that book is good is enough, or don't start a blog. It will be good rather than steal people idea.
Not fans of Lover Reborn cover :(. But I love Fair Game. Dos Santos is talented! 😀
I wasn't happy at all to hear about Amazon. I'm not sure why I don't like Amazon but it feels like they are everywhere. They own Audible and Shelfari. It feels almost like they're trying to take over the world. I'm hoping that if the deal goes through that they don't change anything. As a US blogger, I LOVE Book Depository because I can include my international friends for our giveaways. The free shipping really helps to make things affordable.
Stephanie
I don't buy book from Book Depository but I mourn the loss of an alternative to Amazon, especially since BD has worldwide free shipping (vs. minimum purchase at Amazon).
As for plagiarizing a book review: why? I did post a link to a better book review once (since mine was only one word long) but that's not plagiarism.
All the covers are awesome!
*drools over the Fair Game cover*
Okay so I have yet to read beyond the first paragraph of this post, because I have to relay my reaction upon reading that Amazon purchased the Book Depository:
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
Amazon is good with selling books both electronic and hard copy, but WHY OH WHY do they need to basically shut down any and all competition?!?!?! Even if Amazon doesn't plan on changing any of TBD's business plan–which, if I may say, is unlikely–they are effectively glomming the whole damn market, starting with the businesses that actually keep Amazon in check.
Methinks Amazon's torn a page out of Microsoft's book: y'know, How to Take Over the World and be an Ass About It.
Okay, so now I'll get back to reading the post. ^_^