The Kindle Fire is truly a sweet device for genre fans like myself who just can’t seem to get enough science fiction and fantasy.
In addition to thousands of classic sci-fi/fantasy books and graphic novels, there are a number of genre magazines available for subscription, including Analog, Asimov’s, Apex, Clarkesworld and Lightspeed.
Of course, Amazon also offers a lending library for Kindle owners – as part of its Prime service – which provides access to more than 145,000 books.
And come June 19, the online retailer will be adding all 7 Harry Potter eBbooks to its already formidable genre collection.
“Over a year, borrowing the Harry Potter books, plus a handful of additional titles, can alone be worth more than the $79 cost of Prime or a Kindle,” said Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.
“The Kindle Owners’ Lending Library also has an innovative feature that’s of great benefit for popular titles like Harry Potter – unlimited supply of each title – you never get put on a waiting list.”
In other Harry Potter news, Hogwarts, the wizarding school at the center of the Harry Potter books, has confirmed the entry of a whopping 3 million virtual pupils who joined the online world of Pottermore.
“In the first couple of weeks about 5 million pupils signed up. As they go through the site they get sorted [into one of Hogwarts’ four houses], so not all the 5 million get all the way through. It’s around 3 million who have signed up for houses,” Redmayne told the UK-based Guardian.
“We had a big boost when we first went live, and now we’re running at a level which is still very significant, of about 40-60m page impressions a day. It’s tailed off to an extent but it’s still an enormous run rate, and that’s just book one.”
Redmayne describes Pottermore as a digital means of offering fans the chance to join a house, cast spells, fight duels and journey through the world of the first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
