PT Hylton

Author of the Storms of Magic, The Savage Earth, and The Deadlock Trilogy

Something to Love

Are Streaming-Style Services the Future of eBooks?

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I’ve been a member of Oyster – the streaming-style* ebook service that bills itself as the ‘Netflix for books’ – since late September. After five months of regular usage, I think I am ready to share my thoughts.

My profile, complete with no friends. I haven't quite figured out the social aspect.
My profile, complete with no friends. I haven’t quite figured out the social aspect.

First, the numbers. Oyster costs $9.95/mo for unlimited reading. I’ve spent $39.80 total (the first month was free). I’ve read 19 books on Oyster during that time. So that breaks down to about $2.10 per book read. Not bad.

Is Oyster worth $9.95/mo? The answer to that question depends partly on how much you read. But the reasons I like it aren’t really reflected in the dollars and cents.

Here are five reasons I love Oyster: [Read more…] about Are Streaming-Style Services the Future of eBooks?

Something to Love: The Right Way to Do Wrong

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Something worthy of your attention, and five reasons I love it.

  1. Over a hundred years ago, Harry Houdini wrote a book about how to successfully commit crimes. Yep. It’s just as weird as it sounds.
  2. Houdini came into regular contact with many law enforcement types as he travelled the world performing his escape acts. Many of these police officers, detectives, and judges told Houdini their favorite stories from the years they’d spent on the job. Houdini collected these stories and he presents them here along with some humorous asides. This book details how to steal a diamond with a piece of chewing gum. It describes a complicated con game involving a person hidden inside a couch, Trojan horse style. It breaks down the routines of successful ‘second story men’. His stated purpose is the education the public so it can defend itself from crime .
    [Read more…] about Something to Love: The Right Way to Do Wrong

Best of the 2013

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My top books, movies, podcasts, and television shows of the year, presented with little-to-no commentary.

Books

5. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

4. Difficult Men by Brett Martin

3. I Wear the Black Mask by Chuck Klosterman

2. The Last Kind Word by Tom Piccirilli (technically a 2012 release, but I read it in 2013)

1. NOS4A2 by Joe Hill
[Read more…] about Best of the 2013