Move Under Ground: Now in Convenient Creative Commons Form
Posted on February 7, 2007 Posted by John Scalzi 10 Comments
Nick Mamatas, who co-wrote the short story “Who Put The Bomp?” which I published here (and which I keep flogging for your Hugo nomination consideration), has decided to take his debut novel, Move Under Ground, and make it available for free under a Creative Commons license. He has his reasons:
The first is simply that I wish my novel to be more widely read. The second is that I am currently a student at Western Connecticut University’s MFA program in Professional Writing, and this
site is a project for its class on publishing technologies. The third is a bit more mercenary: if you like this book, perhaps you’d like to buy either the hardcover or the trade paperback.
As it happens, I own the hardcover; I think the novel — which has Jack Kerouac facing off against Cthulhu, you know, like you do — is pretty damn good, and I’m not the only one, since Booklist called it a “tour de force” and Publishers Weekly said “Though Lovecraft reduxes are common in horror, few show the wit and energy of this original effort.” Which is nice praise if you can get it.
In any event, check it out in electronic form; if you like it, buy the physical copy. Simple.
Usually, seeing “tour de force” in a blurb makes me instantly put the book down and move on. I’ll give it a shot in this case since I enjoyed the story you posted last year. Thanks!
Well, sometimes “tour de force” isn’t actually code for “lazy reviewer.” The problem is that it’s often hard to tell when.
That’s a great book.
Thanks, John and Nick! I think I need to take home another copy-paper box for the guilt stack.
Fie! Fie, I say! I stab at thee from the depths of the guilt stack, Scalzi and Mamatas! Never will the stack diminish! It shall always grow and grow!
It’s a great idea for writer’s to put a novel or two up on the internet for free.
I discovered Charles Stross by running across mention of his book ACCELERANDO for free and, after listening to the ebook with text-to-speech software, have been busily buying up hardcovers of his books.
And if anyone wants to check out another terrific writer’s book for free google Peter Watt’s new novel BLINDSIGHT. It gets my vote for best SF novel of 2006.
I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed “Who Put the Bomp.” It read like a story that should have been included in Dangerous Visions.
I’ll have to look for Move Under Ground at the bookstore.
K
John Cougar was on Terry Gross the other day, and talked about why he sold one of his songs for a truck commercial. Because more people would hear it. And it’s true – there have been a few songs that I would never have discovered if they weren’t used for TV commercials. So yeah, great idea to put a book on the web.
Whoa. I’m digging reading this at home. The dude nailed Keruac’s voice.
And R’lyeh popping out of the Pacific is creepy. Since everyone knows it’s in the Mediterranean.
Pacific, but it moves around a bit.