Why are the audio books so expensive??

[Shelly]

After reading the series, I decided to try the audiobooks after everyone's recommendation. I signed up for audible.com and got Outlander with my monthly credit. I didn't want to wait several weeks for the next credit, so I splurged and paid the member price for Dragonfly in Autumn. I'm still two and a half weeks away from my next credit so today I went to see how much Voyager would cost - $50!!!!

Anyone else think this is absolutely outrageous for an audio book when there are no printing costs, and the book has been out for years? Seems ridiculous to me.

Are there any alternatives to audible where I could get Voyager and the other books that have been recorded by Davina Porter for less?

[Dee]

audiobooks are always significantly more expensive, it takes a lot of time to make them...each one of those books is in excess of 40 hours...you won't find them any cheaper

just wait and use your credits...unfortunately audible doesn't have TFC or ABOSAA yet due to licensing restrictions, so the only place you can get them from is recordedbooks and they are 65 and 125 (IIRC)

[Shelly]

I suppose so... Takes a lot of time and work to write the books too but they don't cost $50+ :-/ Oh well, I suppose I will wait and use my credit next month for Voyager. The member price for Drums of Autumn isn't too bad, and I can save my money for the ebay versions of FC and ABOSAA, which are also crazy expensive...

[Shelly]

The other thing I don't get is why Voyager and DOA are so much more money on Audible than the rest of the books.

[Dee]

the longer the book the more expensive they tend to get...that is what i've noticed...but if you are a member, they are cheaper...although not by much...they are much more expensive in places like borders and barnes and noble if you look...i think I paid over $40 for a lisa scottaline that was like 13 hours, totally not worth it...good, but not worth it

[Dee]

DG has an interesting post on her blog right now about the status of the unabridged audiobooks from audible

long story short, originally, they weren't sure if they could sell them, so took the abridged contract for 10 years - then she was approached by recorded books to do the unbridged...but due to the abridged contract they can't be sold at the same location as the abridged. the contract for The Fiery Cross is due to expire in 2011, so they should be available on audible soon after...but ABOSAA likely won't expire until 2015 (10 years after publishing), so it will be a while

[Shelly]

Thanks for the heads up. The explanation on her blog clarifies things quite a bit. Don't you wish though that all these legal issues with rights and distribution didn't get in the way of us having access to the recorded books! :)