A Memory of Light Ebook Release Date Confirmed

Wow three months for an ebook release after the hardcover comes out. Try not to grub too hard for money guys.

From a marketing side, this makes sense, especially as ebooks will replace MMPBs eventually. HCs and MMPBs don’t come out at the same time anyway. More publishers will do what TOR is doing (perhaps they already do, and I don’t know).

However, as I loathed WoT and never continued reading the series, I’m not chuffed at this news.

Anthonypero, April 2013 is a year from now but I understand the confusion between us.

Greedy move.

I expected Tor (well, Macmillan, I suppose) to have learned from how annoyed everyone was when they did this for the last few books.

You’d have gotten pre-orders for both the e-book and hardcover from me in a simultaneous release, for the same reason others mentioned: I have a set of hardcovers to complete, but don’t want to carry it around.

With this dumb move, I *might* buy the e-book sometime around June – I want to make sure I don’t help the sales rank, so I’ll just be patient. The hardcover can wait until 2014 when I can pick it up from a remainder bin, if I bother…

I’m sorry that someone is so scared of technology that you don’t want my money.

Greed perhaps but most likely we still have a publisher that isn’t fully on board with e-books. I have the series in hard cover and will complete it. However, as mentioned by others, I won’t buy the e-book now as I will have already read it. In contrast, if they released both the same date, I would get both just to finish the collection and so I wouldn’t have to cary the book around. Sighhhh…..

When this was done with a Gathering Storm (wider spread, I know), there were BEAUTIFUL EPUB versions widely available online within 2 weeks of the hardcover release. Anyone who really wants an e-reader copy and is unable to find satisfaction from the publisher can certainly get a very professionally composed one for $0. I’m not saying this is my plan, but it seems very foolish on the part of Tor even in view of the issues with ebooks and Best Sellers lists (do these really influence sales much anymore anyway?)

Really disappointed with this. I was planning to buy both the hardback on its release date to complete my collection and the e-book so that my husband and I don’t fight over who gets to read it first. There is no reason for me to buy the e-book at this later release date. Does just seem like money-grubbing from my perspective. :-(

taxilian@36: You may not have noticed but lots and lots of people whinge when ebooks come out at the hardcover price. Basically there is a highly vocal minority that simply complains anytime a discounted ebook release is not simultaneous with hardcover release. But unless and until ebook sales outweigh hardcover sales that’s just not going to happen for books like AMoL however entitled some may feel. I’m a little curious where all these ranters have been all the years paperbacks have come out later than hardcovers. Correlation of digital media with expectation of instant gratification I guess?

For the record I’ll be buying both hardcover and Kindle as well.

@39: Yes, they probably do think most fans are not in the habit of ripping off authors if their preferred format isn’t released “fast enough”.

Seriously. This is dumb. Like others, the draw of an ereader device is not really the price. I gladly pay just about full price for new books when they come out. It’s about the convenience. Not only can I get the book as soon as it’s available, it’s also far easier for me to read with as well as being the perfect reading travel companion since I don’t have to lug around a huge, space wasting book.

What point is doing this to get the NYT best selling moniker if you piss off your customer base to do it? I hope it backfires.

@8… NYT BestSellers List the first item on the page is Combined Print & E-Book Fiction: http://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/overview.html Maybe you’re talking about a more official printed list that I’m unaware of?

I’d love to hear Tor’s reasoning if it isn’t greed. I feel this delay is a poor choice as they’re giving people a justification to pirate the eBook version and punish the publisher by not ever buying the Hardcover.

Harriet is correct in that a book is great for curling up in bed…if it’s a paperback. That is easier said than done with a five pound tome like the WoT hardcovers have been. I much prefer my Kindle to curl up with in bed…and I don’t lose my place when I fall asleep and it drops. I just can’t get excited about AMoL knowing that I’m going to have to wait three months extra to read it in comfort. The series has dragged on long enough and I’m ready for it to be OVER! Bring on The Stormlight Archives!

At least this time they are letting us know before hand that the ebook is going to be out later. Last book they did not and many people preordered it.

I am sorry folks. I love these books and respect all the people involed but I also know how the industry is changing AND the price points for each format. There is no good resone for the delay NONE. After the last books customer service disaster I vowed to never by a book by the people involved. I did read it but I borrowed it. I also stoped buying the ebooks as they came out. This is more about the customer service aspect of how this was handled especialy for the last book for me but that does not take anything away from the pure disconect from a large part your demographic.

I easly spend 3-4k a year on books. None of that has gone or will go to Tor.

I started reading WoT in ’94 when I was 13; at 31 I am still reading. I own all the HC’s most first edition. I love the feel of the five pound book. I love to see them on my book shelf. I love to lend my books out. Granted, I have about a thousand books but I wouldn’t give them up for anything. It’s like record collecting; it’s almost more about the experience than the format. To me the issue is more about the time between books rather than the format. I need this story to end. I need closure. Hopefully I can lend these books to new readers in the future. Side note: as a speed reader digital books are harder to read. I don’t know why but my eyes get tired and I get a headache. I personally prefer paper.

I think that TOR should have tried something new with this last book of the series: Hardback for normal retail hardback price ($20 for this big of a book?) + $5 for an ebook download code; or just the ebook for the going rate of new ebook releases ($12?).

For me, this would have convinced me to buy the dual version.

Annoyance over the digital release date is a practicality issue for me. Like many I’ve had gladly bought both, but for different reasons than every person here has mentioned. My husband and I both read the series and he’ll be deployed to Afghanistan when the book is set to release. Have you ever tried to send a Hard Cover book as big as ANY of the WoT books in a care package??? Or tried having shipping done internationally? It absolutely SUCKS!

For that reason we bought my husband a Kindle so he can read new books down range as they are released, and not have all of those books take up space in a very limited space situation. Now he’ll have to wait until he gets home to read it instead of enjoying it during his downtime.

So while I will be buying the HC so I can read it, I won’t be buying an ebook version. And I won’t be buying a 2nd HC copy to ship to him as that would be the entire care package filler and cost more than I paid for the book to ship it (especially on my own.)

Thank you Tor for making such a wonderfully thought out and considerate decision. *eye roll*

I don’t really believe in E Books anyway. Yes, I kinda understand all the hoopla, but “Oh, they are so convenient”? The first book was released in 1990. That was 22 years ago. Will your Ereader still work in 2035? Doubt it! paper back= $7.99. Ebook= $7.99 + $200.00 for reader= $207.99+tax. I don’t really see the point. Especially when it is more expensive.

When the battery runs down you have to stop reading. And don’t forget that if you want to reread the book in your latter years you would probably have to buy a new ereader since the battery on yours, after constant recharging, will only last 20 minutes if you don’t have it plugged into a constant source of power.

At one point I looked into buying an Ereader until I found out ebooks are generally the same price as paper books. How do you make up the cost of the device to even read the book. It’s an unnecessary cost. And an Ipad takes up more area than a book, so where do you get “lug around a book”? A paperback will fit in my cargo pocket. Will your Ipad? I don’t want to hear that “I can carry 137 books with me stored in my Ipad so when I fly I have something to read without lugging 137 book on a plane.”. Well, because that would be GREED.

One novel at a time is good enough for me. I also like to pass on great experiences to loved ones and friends. Would you pass on your kindle to your neighber, which he may pass on to his father, who in turn may then pass on to a coworker so they may enjoy something as wonderful as you did by being pulled into a world where nothing of this world matters. Something that for that instant can take your stress and worries away? A story should be shared. Atleast, that is what my mother used to say.

If you are going to steal the book you are NOT a FAN. Tell me why are you are even on this page. Would you steal from someone you respect? If you don’t respect Mr. Jordan, Harriet and Brandon Sanderson, then again, why are you here? Their story shouldn’t matter to you.

Tor is publishing it. They may do as they please. When you create and build something, you may do with it as you please.
So as all of you have verbalized your opinions, so have I.

Oh No ;(

I only read on kindle nowadays, the delay is an awful decision.

I trust that the delay will mean kindle version being a lot cheaper than hardback?

J.Dauro

Thanks!

Personally I don’t mind paying the same price for hardcover as for an ebook if it means I will get it sooner. I like having the hardcover books too but I would much rather not have to pack it everywhere I go and I love being able to take my kindle with me to doctor’s appointments, the movie’s to read while waiting for the movie to start and anywhere else I might have some free time to read. I think they should release a special edition of the book, hardcover and ebook together, make it cost $10 more or something. You can get the ebook at the same time then, you just have to buy it with the hardcover and would have to buy it from whatever company you have your e-reader through. I know it’s not a perfect solution and a lot of people will complain about the price, etc but at least we would have the option to buy it the same day it’s released and be able to read the book the way we want to read it. I would buy it and I’m sure there are many others that would buy it also and be grateful at least for the chance to have the ebook earlier.

I’m really disappointed to hear this. I heard that Harriet opted to delay the e-book for Towers of Midnight, and I tried to be kind about it. I said to myself, “Well, maybe she’s just not convinced yet that there are sales to be had with this new technology.” So I deliberately waited patiently for that release and paid the full price for the legitimate e-book as a means of demonstrating that, yes, fans of the series were willing to buy her late husband’s work in that format, and that it would be profitable to distribute the title in that format.

But this release date indicates that my message was not heard. :( And this time, I might opt not to spend at all.

Ridiculous.

After WOT came out for Kindle I rebought the entire WOT series.
I am going to buy the AMOL ebook version and not the hardback.

I recommend that people, who want to read the ebook, to skip
the hardback.

I have heard many times that the delay of the eBook version of AMOL is Harriet Rigney’s decision, but I’ve yet to hear it from her. Has there ever been an interview with her or maybe a press release? I have to wonder, because of the wide-ranging list of justifications I’ve heard.

I don’t know if Harriet follows this message thread or not. But in case she does, I have a few comments regarding some of the reasons I’ve heard for the delay.

“eBooks don’t get counted in NYT Bestseller list” – First of all, isn’t this no longer true anyway? I thought eBook sales were now included. But even if there was a grain of truth there, can we quantify the sales gained as a result of getting onto a high place on the list? One presumes there are people who buy particular books mainly because they there are a lot of other people buying them, so obviously placing high on the list is a good thing. I’ll agree that a lemming’s money is as good as anybody else’s. But how does that number compare to the sales lost by delaying the eBook version? Even if one doesn’t factor in piracy, you have think there are some people who will simply borrow the hardcover in the interim. Certainly the delay has to have some negative impact?

“Harriet likes paper” – Well, ok. I do too. So much so that I have thousands of pounds of it around my house, in bookshelves, file boxes, or just stacked against the wall. But enough is enough. I simply don’t have room to keep piling it up. I can appreciate that some might prefer the experience of paper, but why does that have to be the only option? Are you trying to convince people to read paper? Frankly, the people who are reading eBooks have already made that decision, and you’re not likely to change their minds.

“The delay is to maximize profits from the hardcover edition” – Maybe there’s some justification in this, but I really disagree with the idea that the hardcover is inherently more profitable, as long as the accounting isn’t done in some goofy fashion.

The wholesale price of a hardcover is typically less than the price of an eBook edition, and the costs of production, shipping, warehousing, etc, generally offset the retailer’s cut of a digital version. They really should come out pretty close to equal.

Marketing costs are one of those things that’s kind of hard to factor in perfectly. But for books with a significant marketing budget, keep in mind that a lot of that money goes to things like in–store point–of–purchase displays. If you’re averaging your marketing budget across all editions, and including that in the eBook column at any point, you’re doing your math wrong and you’re associating costs with the eBook version that don’t really have anything to do with it.

“Fear of piracy” – Yes there’ll be piracy, but the real hardcore pirates will pirate the book no matter what, regardless of what format the initial release might be. They always have. They always will. The only way to stop it is to not release anything in the first place, and even that doesn’t always work.

However, a lot of people are on the fence about piracy and will usually at least consider buying something that’s readily available. But if you don’t give them the option of making a legitimate purchase at the same time it’s otherwise available, they generally will not. Withholding a digital release of just about ANYTHING has never done anything but push many of those people off the fence, onto the side of piracy.

—

The delay is really a bad idea from pretty much every angle. It’s just going to hurt sales in the long run. Once upon a time, holding back a particular version of something may have been a good way to maximize the profitability of the initial release. Obviously in some respects, this strategy still applies. That’s why movies (prefer to) come out in theaters before they come out on Blu-Ray or DVD.

However, that situation is not quite analogous to withholding an eBook version of a book, and it’s a mistake to look at it that way. An eBook isn’t at all a “home” version of the “theatrical” hardcover. Traditionally, people have looked at mass-market paperbacks that way, but the idea doesn’t really apply to eBooks.

Just like different movie theaters support different versions of a movie with different surround sound formats, 3D systems, digital projection versus film, etc., eBooks and hardcovers are really just two different delivery systems for the same basic content. It wouldn’t make sense to delay the Dolby Digital version of a movie by a month or three because you prefer the initial release in DTS, and it doesn’t make sense to delay an eBoook version either.

Please, Harriet, reconsider.

@mardee – I’ve no doubt that some people will buy the hardcover and then later buy the eBook. The question is, how does that number compare with the lost sales of people who end up buying NEITHER the hardcover nor the eBook because they downloaded a pirate copy rather than wait 3 months for the official eBook release. There are a lot of people who will buy the eBook if it’s available, but not think twice about downloading a pirate version if not.

Of course, this is just all “what if” because we have yet to really hear any official word on what the justification for the delay might really be.

Ever since I discovered the series, I have bought the hardcovers. I will of course continue doing that. For re-reading the books, I do like the eBooks, however, since my Kindle is a fair bit lighter than the books.

When trying to order The Gathering Storm, I discovered it was not available in my region. I had to be a resident of the United States to be able to buy the eBook. Why is this the case? Why can’t you just take my money and give me an eBook? The same story applies to Towers of Midnight as well.

Do I have to cheat Amazon and pretend I live in the United States? Do I have to pirate the book? Please give me a legal way of buying the books.

ugh! Stop it already. Just release all the versions at once!

I don’t care if you charge a premium for paperback or ebook, just make it available!

i refuse to buy paper books anymore. i love to own my books for my kids to read when they get older. i dont have space to keep storing these space wasters. please realize that slowing the release date of eboojs is not helping the inevitable book era disappearing.

I wonder if Harriet had ever heard that old saying ,”You reap what you sow”? I don’t know this for sure but I’m guessing that she’s not what you’d call a green person either. I do know for my part that after I get my ebook with the last part of the story I’ve been faithfully following since the begining these many years ago and how many more great works by Jim Butchers, “Harry Dresden series I have to read, also on Tor(Damn the luck)I will never read another Tor offering. In fact I will go out of my way to discourage any new authors from signing any contracts with these lowlifes. I know that Tor could care less about one person calling BS in the wilderness, however in the days of the internet we shall see. I hope after what Tor has pulled with Harriets help I hope everyone will say to hell with the low-life bastids.

i need to understand somthing, yestrday i bought the hardcover edition of a memory of light here in israel , but evrey where it appers that it wont be released until 2013 ,WTF?

by the way it was really starnge that the first relased line at the start of the book states “2013”
was it also realesed in other contries ahead of schedule?

As others have said, this is Harriet’s decision, and I, for one, wholly support her in her right to have the book released as she wishes. If it weren’t for others at Tor working to convince her that eBook releases are important, it probably wouldn’t ever get released on eBook at all. She owns the rights, she sets the terms, and that’s the way it should be. Force authors and rights owners to do things your way and you’ll just end up with fewer good books to read. She has invested a lot of time in this series and she deserves to set the terms for its release. She has enough money from previous sales that she is willing to take the loss in order to do what she feels is the right thing. You may disagree, but you didn’t help edit the series and you don’t own the rights, so you’ll just have to live with it. Punish Tor and/or Harriet if you want, but it’s not going to change her mind. This is the last book she’ll be able to release the way she wants, so try to have a little patience.

You are right that the industry is moving towards eBooks. Brandon knows this, Harriet knows this, and Tor knows this. They react in different ways. Brandon loves it. After all, he convinced Tor to let him release every draft of Warbreaker on his website AS HE WROTE IT, at no cost to readers. The sales of the hardcover proved he was right, that it didn’t hurt him. As others have said, Tor has released eBooks at the same time as hardbooks in other cases. It’s not a money thing for them, it’s the authors who ultimately set the terms. Tor respects the authors and the rights holders, and kudos to them for it. Without the authors, we wouldn’t have books at all. Until you have had your own book published I don’t think you can really understand just how much of an author’s blood, sweat, and tears go into a well crafted book.

Is it sad that eBook readers will have to wait? Of course it is. If that means you get it from your library and read it hardcover first, then that’s just fine. Again, Harriet is willing to take the cut to encourage people to have the kind of initial experience with the book that she wants them to have. This isn’t about piracy. It’s hard to worry much about piracy when every book is available at libraries all over the world. Most people buy books not because they need to pay money to have access to them, but because they like owning good books and because they want to support the author.

If anything, Tor would push to get the eBook released at the same time. They get a much higher percentage profit on eBooks than they do on printed books. It’s been an ongoing point of contention for authors who feel cheated by the new format, since the main argument for the publisher’s larger cut of the profits, the risk of not selling what you print, just doesn’t apply to eBooks. Authors feel that they should get a larger share of the profits. As it is, they could get that larger share by self publishing, but a big part of the reason that most don’t is that the publisher is still providing a lot of value. Even though eBooks don’t have the same costs and risks, the quality of the editing and review process, and the huge value of being promoted by a big name publisher like Tor are difficult or just plain impossible to find by hiring hourly workers.

Finally, I want to point out that this is not a knee-jerk reaction as some have claimed. This is an issue that has been analyzed and discussed over and over again. A lot of thought goes into a decision like this, and a lot of people share their opinions on the way it should be. The issue is a lot more complicated than most people assume it is. There is a lot of emotional investment, there are the risks and potential rewards that always come with a rapidly changing industry, and there is a lot of legal and cultural precedent that is difficult to shift when there are so many interested parties. My advice is to hold on and see how things turn out when the dust starts to settle. Suppress your own knee-jerk reaction and be grateful that we get the priviledge of having such an amazing work of art shared with us. Ultimately, eBooks are the future, but exactly how publishers, distributors, and authors will come out of it remains to be seen. I just hope that in the end, it’s fair for everyone.

With all due respect to Harriet, I have felt the series was very poorly handled since James Rigney’s death. But then I guess we are fortunate she did pick up the ball and (eventually) oversaw the series to an end at all.

The hardcover/Ebook combination could have been a win / win.
A poor decision for poor reasons, but in three months it won’t matter, it will be over. At least until the TV/movie rights are negotiated.

I just hope we do not have a repeat situation with Martin and ASoIaF.

Thanks for nothing. Won’t have to get any version, I can hear all about it on the interwebs on Jan 9th.

Why don’t they just release them at the same time? They could charge the same price as the hardcover, and probably wouldn’t lose a sale? For those that purchase the hardcover, offer a discounted price for the ebook as an add-on. I’ve already ordered the hardcover, and was hoping that we could get the ebook on the same day so that I could read it as soon as it was released, without having to lug a huge tome around. Guess I’ll wait like others until June/July to purchase the ebook. Horrible mistake on TOR and Harriet’s part, and a very poor marketing decision.

After much deliberation, I pre-ordered the hardcover version of the book. This may be the last paper book I ever buy — it’s been at least three years since I purchased one. And with eBooks — first Kindle and now on iPad — my annual book purchases have quadrupled.

I understand people are attacking Harriet out of disappointment — overall, I think she has done a good job of handling the series since her husband’s death. Choosing Brandon Sanderson to finish the series was the right choice.

I do think the eBook delay is terribly shortsighted, and although limiting the delay to 3 months is probably the best compromise we could have gotten, it shows that Harriet or Tor or whoever made the decision doesn’t understand how reading has changed in recent years.

For people worrying about GRRM and aSoIaF, have no fear — Dance With Dragons was released as an eBook on the same day as the hardcover.

I just logged onto the iBooks store ready to preorder Amol, and was disappointed to discover that I will have to wait until April…. Since I’ve waited and waited for years as it is! I own most of the series in paper , some hard back, some paperback , but once I got my iPad, I downloaded all the digital copies, and bought the last one only on ebooks. It’s so easy to go back and re read sections of past books, check out a wiki fact, and be able to read in bed at night with the lights off! Tor is sadly out of touch! No hard copy for me, not even from the library. I now read my library books digitally as well. I will wait….impatiently, but I will wait ….

For those folks who are calling an elderly widow names, shame on you all. That type of cruelty is inexcusable.

Now, I am also mad though that I can’t see the ebook until April. I could get it online, but won’t, because that would be stealing. For those who self-righteously tell me to read the paperback version, or act like I am “destroying” literature (and you know who you are), I CAN’T READ the normal books. My eyes are quite bad, partly genetics, and partly glare from sand in Iraq when my eyes suck already. I can only use the ebook format, or the audio book format due to listening or larger font. I love the WOT and other books, but I love not having blurred vision and headaches a lot more. So please understand that soem of us use the largest font ever and ebooks/readers help us read. Stop self-righteously condemning us.

As for the whole “respecting Jordan” thing, I am both respectful and uncertain of the late author. I admire his service to the country as a brother in arms, and his genius story-telling skills he exhibited. But ever since I heard he made some statement years back about writing the book in part to explore what choices you make in war based on his time in Vietnam in his youth, I have been a little uncertain. My way of coping with my problems from Iraq is IN PART through my passionate beliefs (some may say rigid) beliefs on warfare, justice, vengeance, etc., and the morality thereof. Suffice it so say, any idea that Jordan may have endorsed any of the situational morality of the AS, or the joy in fighting of others in the story horrifies me. I would say that I am closest to Perrin in my views, but even he sometimes disgusts me with enjoying fighting.

What is the point of this screed? Simple, I have potentially VERY passio0nate (and to me as I cope with my nightmares and flashbacks, guilt, so on, serious) disagreements with Jordan and his widow, yet I am able to still admire them, and to not be mean. I am not perfect. Please don’t think I am claiming to be. I just ask that others be respectful of those who have different views and reading choices. And stop dismissing each other either. I doubt that Harriet is quite so dismissive either of ebook readers, or thinks so little of us, but even if she is or does, it doesn’t excuse us for being cruel. It makes us just as wrong as those who are dismissive and mean to us.

Blessings in the name of the Lord.

Funny, I thought Tor was supposed to be on the leading edge of technology for publishers.

Way to embrace the past — and way to keep ebook pirates in business.

Profoundly disappointing.

Simply ridiculous.

well I would have paid full price for an ebook version – at the same or similar time as the hardback.

But if you think I’ll pay a hardback like price for an ebook 3 months late you’re very much mistaken…

If I can’t get a timely copy – I’ll wait for a cheap (paperback) price on the ebook – hopefully many others will do the same and TOR will learn the penalty for manipultaing it’s loyal reader base

Was looking forward to buying the ebook. GRRM’s books are available on ebook on release day, this reflects very badly on Tor.

Yup. Lost sale for me. I won’t buy the hardcover (due to space) but would have bought the ebook. No I’m just waiting on the library to have one for me. So less money. Good job!

I’ve spent the last year of my life reading this series. And now I find out the day before the release of the last book that I can’t even get the kindle version for another 3 months? SERIOUSLY!!! I have never had to wait on a new release. What a horrible cruel decision you made TOR! Nice way to treat your loyal customers!

I’m super disappointed. I have massively cut back on physical books because I move a lot. The WOT series are so huge, they didn’t make the cut. I guess I’ll wait and borrow it from a friend in a few days. I was so looking forward to the release…it’s a bitter disappointment.

I must say I too was disappointed with this decision. I was ready to purchase it on my Nook, since we no longer buy hard copy books for space and health reasons. And no, I won’t be getting it from the library because the waiting list is probably already so crazy long that I could just wait the extra months.

And well, I have done without the book for that long already. First world problems, sure. I will note that I often put off, sometimes permanently, buying content just because, well, budget and time. If you don’t get the sale when i think about it the first time, you might not get it later. I won’t pirate–i make it a rule generally not to, unless there really is no other way of getting the content…and after all, I didn’t even torrent Downton and Sherlock though I was sore tempted. BUT…I do resent being in the position where I woukd like to give you money for the format that works best with my small hands that hate holding large books, and my bad eyesight, and my lungs which eschew book dust. I really would have paid full cover price to read the ebook. (Look at Lois Bujold’s latest novel, where I paid a chunk of money to Baen to read the eARC. Never had I felt so warmly towards Baen. All that good will engendered!)

I have no idea who made this decision, just that I feel it was a misstep. And sadly, I won’t be staying up late tonight with the hardcover reading fans. (My bosses thank you though for my continued productivity and my lack of “sick day”.)

As a full time working mother (toddler with baby #2 on the way), my only time to read is on my commute. Weilding that huge HC book (even if I could pry it out of my husband’s hands) back and forth on crowded trains isn’t happening unless I want to destroy said book.

Oh, I should read it at home? Yeah try that with a toddler armed with crayons and sippy cups. Again book destroyed.

I have been reading this story since I was fourteen. Twelve years of being a loyal fan… and I am told that I cannot read the book until three months after everyone else. Thank you for nothing TOR.

I’m partially sighted and this smacks of discrimination. Truly pissed off, and not at all happy with their greedy, blinkered short sighted nonsensical decision.

there’s a lot of whining going on…just buy the book, if you want to read it so badly! humans have been turning the pages of books for hundreds of years, it’s not going to kill anyone to have to hold a real book.

Please don’t reward these morons by buying both the hard cover and the ebook version…

I have to agree with the majority of folks here. The ebook delay is absolute crap! I will not buy another hardcover book in my lifetime. WAKE UP TOR! Your avid readers want the ebook now…not in 4 months.

I just found out about not being able to get the ebook until April. I was planning on buying an e-copy and a hard copy, now I have to go into the city to the bookstore today to buy my hard copy and will forgo buying the ebook as I will not need it anymore!

I think most of us have a collection of Wheel of Time books and want to finish that collection while still reading the books in a much lighter and more convenient ebook format. I guess there will be a HUGE loss in ebook sales after this!! Heck, my husband is listening to the audio version of the book right now!!!

It’s not going to hurt to hold a real book in your hands, says a reader who must not have arthritis or carpal tunnel. Yeah. (I don’t currently have carpal tunnel, but I have in the past, and I have friends with arthritis.) Try again. Especially with the doorstops that the WoT books are. Even under the best of circumstances, those things are unwieldy.

BTW, despite the assertation from another reader that a real fan won’t want to not have the physical book in the house–well, actually, I’ve gotten rid of all the physical WoT books because they took up too much room and cost a lot to move repeatedly. (I gave nine boxes of books to the local library for their rummage sale.) I can assure you that I will not be getting the physical book at all.

REPEAT: This is not about the price point. I would gladly pay hardcover price for the format I want. I have not been given that option though. And while I realise it’s too late to do anything about that for WoT, I do want to provide feedback to Tor that I hope they will not do this in the future.

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So Tor, you deleted 58 comments that you didn’t like? Very democratic.

This will encourage people to illegally download the ebook since it will most liekly get leaked onto the internet within a few days. That is pretty sad that this poor decision was made.

Because I love this series so much I would probably have bought the ebook and the hard copy (because I have all the other paper/hard backs). But because this is only being released in hard back at first I will never buy the ebook. I know your probably worried about piracy and all that but the same thing can be done with paper. Example: “Hey buddy, you want to borrow my book so you don’t have to buy it?”. Hope you can get over this problem with other titles.

What a dumb business move by tor. You can’t share ebooks but you can certainly lend out the printed copy to everyone around you which I will gladly do.

You can add me to the list of disappointed ebook readers. My husband and I have stopped buying novels in paper format. We made this decision because we could not fit another bookcase into our house. Plus, once we converted over to e-readers, we found that we loved the versatility.

We were poised to purchase this book today but if we have to wait until April, we might as well just borrow it from the library instead. I have no plans to buy a paper format just to complete the set. I might buy the ebook later but now I will wait until it gets to a price point that I find acceptable for ebooks — which is less than $10. If it was available today, I would have paid more for it.

Adding to what @tiryx said up there^

What about the people living in foreign countries? Should I wait for a year until it is translated in my native tongue or should I order the paper/hardback online and pay 50$ for shipping (yes 50)?

This is a SERIOUSLY worng decision on your part Tor. You have lost a loyal customer.