Kudos to Baen Books

I love science fiction. I have for as long as I can remember, devouring all of the books in the children’s section of our local library by the time I was 10, and then moving to the adult section. Three of my favorite authors are Lois McMaster Bujold, Sherri Tepper, and Orson Scott Card. I’ve read all of their available fiction, so while I await new installments, I’ve been looking for other books. Recently I started the Honor Harrington series by David Weber. I’m not usually so interested in books that spend a good deal of time talking military strategy, but these have enough character development in them for me to enjoy them. I’ve read my way through all of them that are out in paperbook (purchasing them to keep), and so ran over to the public library to grab the latest of the series in hardcover. (I tend not to buy science fiction in hardcover, because it takes up too much shelf space, not to mention pocket space when I’m on airplanes). In doing so, I got a pleasant surprise — Baen Books (the publisher) has included a CD-ROM in the book that includes all of the text of ALL of the Honor Harrington novels and short stories — free, and unencrypted! Along with a couple of other interesting tidbits. I suppose I should have expected a science fiction author to finally “get it” when it comes to sharing content, but it was still a very pleasant surprise. The disk itself even carries in bold type the notation “this disk and its contents may be copied and shared but NOT sold.” I’ll still buy this book in paperback when it comes out — so clearly Baen has not lost a sale by me — but now I’m even more charmed by this book, its author, and its publisher. Kudos to Baen Books!