An Editor’s Log Entry

By Klaus N. Frick

September 14, 2005 – Kicking off the new “Terranova” story cycle, weekly Perry Rhodan volume  2300 titled “Vorboten des Chaos” [Harbingers of Chaos] will be released in just a few days. Readers of these log entries already know that  Robert Feldhoff wrote this novel, but they might not yet know that we’re offering PR2300 in no less than three formats!

Most people assume that science fiction is a form of literature that describes the future. Leaving aside for the moment that there’s also sf that takes place in parallel worlds, in the present, or in the past, much of the genre is concerned with the future, but as imagined from the perspective of our present day. Hence, it only makes sense that as the best known sf series in the German language, Perry Rhodan, should serve as a pacesetter on many levels.

To that end, I’m proud about a very special accomplishment, namely, launching  www.pr2300.de as a presence on the Internet. Taking the lead on this effort,  Miriam Hofheinz has created this web site with the help of our Internet experts at the  Trilobit company.

And starting September 15, 2005,  Robert Feldhoff’s entire novel can be downloaded at the site free of charge—in no less than two different versions. First, as an audio version, featuring the voice of Josef Tratnik, who has already made a name for himself with the Perry Rhodan audiobooks published by the  Eins A Medien company. Second, as an e-book. Basically, the novel is being released concurrently around the world!

Hints to the novel’s content have already been made in a  sample that we released some time ago. The story starts with a vision by  Perry Rhodan: a galactic conference uniting the races of the  Milky Way. Humans and aliens are to work together on their future. However, the terminal column Traitor is already active behind the scenes, grasping for control over Earth on behalf of the powers of chaos.  Perry Rhodan and his cohorts must do everything they can to oppose this threat.

As can be expected with a jubilee issue, volume  2300 will have a two-page cover and a glossy poster. Designed by  Dirk Schulz, the poster picks up on the theme represented in the cover artwork and serves as a wall calendar for 2006.

Furthermore, volume  2300 will come with 30 additional pages:  Robert Feldhoff has written a booklet novella of a length that almost reaches paperback territory. This is a treat especially for regular and former readers, as the story will also present an overview of the current situation in humankind’s home galaxy. Races such as the  Springers and the  Siganesans make an appearance, and Trebolans and Gefirnians are mentioned as well.

A completely new feature introduced with volume  2300 is “Nathan,” about which I’ll say more in a future log entry. It involves an additional feature to be handled by  Arndt Ellmer that will call to mind historic events of the Perryverse and will become a regular section in each weekly issue of the first edition.

What’s more, Perry Rhodan jubilee issue  2300 and the three subsequent issues come with an exciting crossword puzzle  competition featuring some great prizes. The grand prize is a 10-day trip to Florida for two. Of particular interest to any friend of science fiction, space travel, and the study of the future: the trip includes a visit to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral! Additional weekly prizes include DVD players, MP3 players, external hard drives, and a Playstation 2.

This is our gift to you, the loyal readers, and we obviously hope that you will also be interested in a free e-book and a free audiobook. Volume  2300 takes Perry Rhodan into the “Terranova” story cycle, which certainly must be celebrated!

Freebies at  www.pr2300.de

September 15, 2005 – When weekly issue  2300 in the Perry Rhodan series is published tomorrow, September 16, readers of the printed edition won’t be the only ones with cause for happiness. With  www.pr2300.de, we have launched a special web page where the entire novel can be downloaded free of charge in two different versions. First, as an audiobook, read by Josef Tratnik, and second, as an e-book. Consequently, “Vorboten des Chaos” [Harbingers of Chaos] is the first science fiction novel to be published in these three formats at the same time.

“We are creating a science fiction series that describes a fantastic future,” sums up head writer  Robert Feldhoff. “Our readers are oriented toward the future. Most of them access the Internet on a daily basis. For this reason, my novel will also be available electronically at no cost.”

Moreover,  Dirk Schulz has designed a screensaver out of his first four covers for the “Terranova” story cycle. This, too, can be downloaded free of charge.

And one more thing: E-cards and wallpaper motives are available as of today at no cost at  www.pr2300.de.

But wait, there’s more! What’s more: With Perry Rhodan jubilee issue  2300 and the following three novels, we are running a crossword puzzle  competition with some great prizes. The grand prize is a 10-day trip to Florida for two. Of particular interest to any friend of science fiction, space travel, and the study of the future: the trip includes a visit to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral! Additional weekly prizes include DVD players, MP3 players, external hard drives, and a Playstation 2. Participants who don’t want to mess up their copies of issue  2300 can  access the competition online and use a separate form to send us their solutions.

An Editor’s Log Entry

By Klaus N. Frick

September 16, 2005 – As  Miriam Hofheinz reported to me just now, the rush to the web page that we recently launched at  www.pr2300.de has broken all conceivable records during the past 24 hours. The servers have been running at full throttle in processing the many visits to the site and download requests. Over one million “page impressions” have been logged so far!

For example, the e-book version of  Robert Feldhoff’s Perry Rhodan volume  2300 has been downloaded more than 3,000 times during the past 20 hours. And around 1,000 visitors were running their online connections hot downloading the 200 plus MB file containing the audiobook version of “Vorboten des Chaos” [Harbingers of Chaos].

The fact that several hundred users also accessed the PDF version of  the introductory guide  “Die Welt des PERRY RHODAN” [The World of Perry Rhodan] indicates also that in addition to our regular readers, many potential new readers have been responding to our offer as well. Total online traffic to date has been over 200 GB.

It remains to be seen how the situation will develop over the weekend. Things could get really exciting, if for no other reason than that “Vorboten des Chaos” has now also been released in a regular print version.

Perry Rhodan fan  Norbert Mertens was moved by all this to respond with an offer of his own. Having already bought the issue of Computer Bild magazine that came with a free Perry Rhodan audioplay on CD and being thrilled by Josef Tratnik’s voiceover skills, he compressed all the MP3 files for the audio version of PR  2300 into a single CD.

To quote Norbert's e-mail to me: “Standing bare on the shelf, the CD doesn’t really sparkle that much. Bonus materials? Wallpaper? Wow! Another composite cover image by  Dirk Schulz? Terrific! All this made me think of the following idea: create a cover and a label for the CD using the wallpaper images and the advertising copy. And presto, the whole thing already looks much better!”

Norbert mailed the entire fan-made product to me, and I’m very happy to make it available here and now on our web site. Specifically, we’re talking about the following items:

-  the front of the CD cover for “Vorboten des Chaos”

-  the back cover

-  the label that can be affixed to the CD itself.

All this really makes the download much more enjoyable, in my view. Many thanks to  Norbert Mertens!

P.S.: Perry Rhodan fan Michael Nermerich has also done some hard work, and we would like to present his very nicely designed PR2300 CD packaging materials to you as well. Here’s what Michael wrote: “For the audiobook, I’ve come up with a CD box plus all necessary covers and labels. I’m sending it in the attachment to this e-mail. Perhaps you’d like to make these files available to fans on your web site.”

We are indeed happy to do exactly that, and we also thank Michael Nermerich very much for his great work.

 “Vorboten des Chaos” – The box cover

 “Vorboten des Chaos” - Cover of the first CD

 “Vorboten des Chaos” - Cover of the second CD

 “Vorboten des Chaos” - Cover of the third CD

 “Vorboten des Chaos” - Cover of the fourth CD

 “Vorboten des Chaos” - Label for the first CD

 “Vorboten des Chaos” - Label for the second CD

 “Vorboten des Chaos” - Label for the third CD

 “Vorboten des Chaos” - Label for the fourth CD