E-Book vs. Paperback

I'm deep into Naomi Novik's Temeraire series (Horatio Hornblower with dragons!). I'd heard about them on Phoenix's blog, then chanced upon a 3 in 1 volume on the bargain table at a brick and mortar. Read the first few pages and I was hooked.

After devouring those 3, I visited another brick and mortar (different chain). The information desk person told me those books are old and they do not have them on the shelf. She was wrong. They did have books 1 and 5. (So you can't always believe the information people on whether a book is in the store)

I needed 4, 5 and the soon to be pubbed 6 (yes, not that old after all). I picked up 5 there and went home to check on number 4. Having the Kindle for PC would allow me to read it right away. My wife even graciously offered her Kindle (she's reading a paperback right now). So there it was on Kindle - for the exact same price as a paperback (price set by the publisher).

I virtually checked the first store where I'd gotten the mega-volume book and they had number 4 on the shelf. So here was my choice - get it now electronically and dive right in, or wait a day or so and pick up the paperback at the local chain store. For the same price.

Immediate gratification versus the convenience of a portable device that requires no electricity.

I got the paperback.