Why aren't all books from a series automatically available on Kindle?

[CS]

This applies to quite a few series that I've noticed. For example, right now, I just realized that not all of the "Dark is Rising" books are on Kindle yet.

What gives?

It's really annoying, because it's usually so patchy. In the aforementioned case, the first book (and possibly others) are missing. In other series, it's all over the map with no rhyme or reason to which specific entries are not included in Kindle form.

It's pretty ridiculous, if you ask me.

Which other series on the Kindle are incomplete?

[Teninx]

It's not ridiculos. Amazon holds back one or more books of a series just to annoy its customers and make them less likely to buy.

Wait a minute, that would be stupid. Maybe those missing books haven't been made available in digital format.

[Jeff]

Give the man in the Faraday Cage a cigar.

Authors often make deals with a different publisher or different deals with the same publisher for new publications. Whew. ‘Hope that was easier to read than it was to write.

The point being that the author and or publisher controls what can and cannot be offered on the Kindle, not Amazon.

Jeff

[Susan B]

No matter what the reason it's very frustrating.There are several series that I'd like to read but they're incomplete. One series, in particular has book one on Kindle but not the rest.

[CS]

Red tape and publisher/author bureaucracy are never satisfying reasons, no matter how true they may be. Amazon surely has some influence. This is one of the areas where they really need to flex their muscles.

[Teninx]

Sure its frustrating....probably most frustrating for the reader who discovers only mid-way through a series that there's one or more installments missing. Now I check first for the complete set.

[Teninx]

Red tape and publisher/author bureaucracy are never satisfying reasons, no matter how true they may be. Amazon surely has some influence. This is one of the areas where they really need to flex their muscles.

I suppose that Amazon could refuse to sell any of those titles in print or electronic editons if the entire series wasn't made available. Or they could remove all of an offending publisher's titles from its cataloge. Somehow I don't think that Amazon customers would be satisfied with the results of that, either.

[CS]

I suppose that Amazon could refuse to sell any of those titles in print or electronic editons if the entire series wasn't made available. Or they could remove all of an offending publisher's titles from its cataloge. Somehow I don't think that Amazon customers would be satisfied with the results of that, either.

Good point, but in some cases, it gets pretty ridiculous.

For example, only the 2002 Leonard Maltin guide is on Kindle. That may not technically be a series, per se - but it's still baffling. And only one of Ebert's books are there.

[Jeff]

The same thing happens in hard bound and paperbacks. Because of a program on BBC, I got interested in Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe series. As a kid, I got in the habit of reading the Hardy Boys in order so I wanted to read the Sharpe series in order. Not only did I have trouble finding the books but the author tripped me up by writing new books that fit between his already published books. I finally gave up and just read what I could when I could find it.

[Snapcat]

Yeah I also find this irritating- there are so many series that I want to start reading now on kindle that I never had the chance to before, but it seems like most of them only have the newer books out on kindle. I don't want to start a series right in the middle so I end up not buying any of the books. Grr.

[Jeff]

Here's what I meant. Cornwell didn't write his books in sequence even though the events were supposed to be sequential.
   
SERIES NAME UK BOOK TITLE SHARPES'# YEAR BUY THIS BOOK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Skirmish
A short story by Bernard Cornwell  2002 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Christmas
Two short stories by Bernard Cornwell  2003 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Story  2007 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Tiger (1) 1997 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Triumph (2) 1998 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Fortress (3) 1999 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Trafalgar (4) 2000 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Prey (5) 2001 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Rifles (6) 1988 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Havoc (7) 2003 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Eagle (8 ) 1981 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Gold (9) 1981 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Escape (10) 2004 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Fury (11) 2006 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Battle (12) 1995 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Company (13) 1982 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Sword (14) 1983 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Enemy (15) 1984 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Honour (16) 1985 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Regiment (17) 1986 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Siege (18) 1987 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Revenge (19) 1989 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Waterloo (20) 1990 US / UK
The Sharpe Books Sharpe's Devil (21) 1992 US / UK

[soapy70]

I have run into this problem quite a few times. I have emailed the publisher/author asking them to make the whole series availalble. I would download the whole series if they would put all of them on there. In some case one book out of 6 is missing an in another only the last book of a series of 4 is available. I have the paper books in some of these cases but wanted them for my Kindle. I will just keep them on my list until the publishers/authors catch up.

[Monica]

I have the same thoughts.  I can't remember what series it was now but I wanted to start reading them - you know, that "one-click" thing we all are so use to now - and the first two books in the series were not available! 

[MonaSW]

It's usually a publisher thing. They publish new ones in electronic format, then play catch up formatting older ones into electronic format. There are some missing from my favorite series, The Dresden Files.

[Angela]

It's usually a publisher thing. They publish new ones in electronic format, then play catch up formatting older ones into electronic format. There are some missing from my favorite series, The Dresden Files.

Hello MonaSW and congrats on your first post to KB!!

[MonaSW]

Thank you! My series is missing #3. It's annoying. But it's the same with audio books too, not all the books in a series are available. Hopefully it will be coming soon.

[Cillasi]

No matter what the reason it's very frustrating.There are several series that I'd like to read but they're incomplete. One series, in particular has book one on Kindle but not the rest.

Would that be Wizard's First Rule?  I found one book missing from the Shannara Heritage series and clicked the read on kindle button and notified the author.  The missing book is now available on kindle.

I've read all the Sword of Truth and Wheel of Time series so unless they are all released for the Kindle, I won't invest in them again.

See if the author's website has commenting or e-mail options and let him/her know that you'd like to see the entire series on the Kindle.  Let them know that the only reason you haven't bought the first book is because the rest aren't available.

[Betsy the Quilter]

Any books that are missing in your series, post on Kindleboards in The Book Corner.  We've got a lot of happy clickers who will click away on "I'd Like to Read This Book on Kindle" if we know about it!

Betsy