Webnovel now selling Public Domain eBooks

I noticed in the Webnovel Android App last night that they now have an eBooks section. Within that section were hundreds of novels that are in the Public Domain. Think of authors like H.G. Wells(The Invisible Man), Jules Verne, Upton Sinclair, and Edgar Rice Burroughs(Tarzan).

The term “public domain” refers to creative materials that are not protected by intellectual property laws such as copyright, trademark, or patent laws. The public owns these works, not an individual author or artist. Anyone can use a public domain work without obtaining permission, but no one can ever own it. More Info: https://fairuse.stanford.edu/overview/public-domain/welcome/

Since anyone can use these there has been a big push to digitize many of these works into eBooks so that people can freely read these novels. Project Gutenberg is probably the best-known digitizer of these works. More Info: https://www.gutenberg.org/

Now we come to Webnovel's eBook section where they are selling these free novels:
Each Public Domain novel can be purchased for 999 Spirit Stones. Or for those who prefer a dollar value: $15.97. Each!

Honestly, whenever I think they can't do something shadier, they find a method to surprise me.

 

Well, if you go into any bookstore, or even Amazon, those books still aren’t free. But I agree that $16 is a ridiculous price.

 

So are they selling tarzan and others now?

 

99 cents on kindle last I checked for most

 

...Even though they are public domain, these books are still sold no? Just looked at amazon and a paperback copy of the Invisible Man is running for about 5 quid and hardcover at about 9 quid. Ebook, on the other hand, is at 0.49 lol

 

What, you actually expected them to fully either scan or copy those works page by page into their database and then offer them to their readers for free? Why would they even do it then , other than to maybe attract readers?

To be fair, there are sites that sell other ebooks as well, although i've never heard (nor really investigated) them selling public domain books.

And well, the price is probably supposed to give the illusion of being cheaper, and they might not agree on any number between 100 and 1000 looking neat enough, but hell no with them going for 99 instead, as that's far too cheap.

 

I mean it's obvious that if you get it as a physical copy it would have to cost something, like who in the world would ever print books and just give them away as much as anyone wanted?

The ebooks could be free, since there wouldn't be any abuse case, but still I presume that it's the 'service' that's being paid for rather than the books per se. Like the hosting and turning them into ebooks obviously cost something, even if it's not much.

 

Clearly Webnovel isn’t trying to turn a profit by offering good service, but rather trying to earn money by the volume of overpriced books they offer/sell =_=

Physical copies of public domain books are still sold nowadays but printing books probably costs more than making ebooks :/

 

It's one's choice to buy.
These books can be downloaded for free easily by anyone with interest from countless sites.
But maybe someone likes organising and reading books on Webnovel. If they have the money, it's up to them.
It's like the Bible. It's a public book but a best seller around the world.

 

Yes, well pretty sure none of that will go to those that own the rights or towards charity related to writing and for that price you'd want a physical copy, one that doesn't reek of MTL.

 

Penguin have been doing that since the forties and has made a good profit out of it...

 

I can understand paperbacks being sold for some money, but digital copies of something that should be free? nah man.

 

Yes, but i also know that every "Derivative" work is protected by is own copyright.
Take Lovecraft as example, it should be free for everyone (Ebook = No production cost , Physical Copy = Production cost), you can download for free on Apple Bookstore but if i want to read it in my first language or modern english (yes, this option exists in some language or older book) i must buy it, because the translation is , usually, not free.

Free Book can produce Free Translation.
Paid Book rarely produce Free Translation.

(English not first language and its late here)

Edit 01: Some rewrite and clarification.

 

The greatest work of fiction has had most of its books handed out for free, and its been going on for hundreds of years.

 

I think you can often find free translations of such books

 

I see what you did there.

 

Actually, most of those ebooks are free on Amazon. And all of them are free from the Project Guttenberg website.

Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs eBook $0.00
https://www.amazon.com/Tarzan-Apes-Edgar-Rice-Burroughs-ebook/dp/B0083ZR3E0/ref=sr_1_15?crid=2NQBQH5W93POI&keywords=edgar+rice+burroughs&qid=1565906243&s=gateway&sprefix=Edgar+rice,aps,258&sr=8-15

From the few novels I spot-checked they were all available for free from the Amazon website.

 

the bible? or what...

 

Ebooks are cheap you just need to initial investment of paying someone to either scan or copy the book should not cost more than a few grand at most

 

Well, copy pasting is hard work. They need to pay their sweatshop workers something no¿