ARC vs Complete/Edited versions

For most recent Honorverse books (starting from Mission of Honor and onwards) I've been getting ARC releases since I hate cliffhangers and love spoilers but once I've paid $15 for the ARC copy I was loath to pay again for technically the same book.

However, most recent ARC were so badly (or not at all) edited I started to wonder if perhaps I should get a release-day edited version as well.

So I wanted to ask here for someone who read both ARC and edited release-day version, how different are they?
Are the edited changes minor - like corrected names, time, zones, places, spelling changes, re-worded sentences? Or are they major - like completely changing chapters, rewriting/adding/deleting whole passages?

Zefram wrote:For most recent Honorverse books (starting from Mission of Honor and onwards) I've been getting ARC releases since I hate cliffhangers and love spoilers but once I've paid $15 for the ARC copy I was loath to pay again for technically the same book.

However, most recent ARC were so badly (or not at all) edited I started to wonder if perhaps I should get a release-day edited version as well.

So I wanted to ask here for someone who read both ARC and edited release-day version, how different are they?
Are the edited changes minor - like corrected names, time, zones, places, spelling changes, re-worded sentences? Or are they major - like completely changing chapters, rewriting/adding/deleting whole passages?

Like you, I tend to get the E-ARC's as soon as they come out and then get the hard-cover upon release.

ART added a few pages (mostly around Honor's role in the wedding) that weren't in the E-ARC but I can't recall any major additions to Shadows of Freedom--and they didn't correct the Howler of an error I caught in the E-ARC.

But in general I seem to notice errors in the E-ARC (perhaps because I am used to checking my typing errors, which are legion) on a computer screen but not so much when I'm reading a book in my hand.

ARC stands for "Advanced Reader Copy", the editing process isn't complete and there are still errors in it. How many depends on where in the editing process the book is when they release the ARC.

Zefram wrote:For most recent Honorverse books (starting from Mission of Honor and onwards) I've been getting ARC releases since I hate cliffhangers and love spoilers but once I've paid $15 for the ARC copy I was loath to pay again for technically the same book.

However, most recent ARC were so badly (or not at all) edited I started to wonder if perhaps I should get a release-day edited version as well.

So I wanted to ask here for someone who read both ARC and edited release-day version, how different are they?
Are the edited changes minor - like corrected names, time, zones, places, spelling changes, re-worded sentences? Or are they major - like completely changing chapters, rewriting/adding/deleting whole passages?

Well, the editing on CoG final version was pretty atrocious, I have no idea what the eARC looked like.

Zefram wrote:For most recent Honorverse books (starting from Mission of Honor and onwards) I've been getting ARC releases since I hate cliffhangers and love spoilers but once I've paid $15 for the ARC copy I was loath to pay again for technically the same book.

However, most recent ARC were so badly (or not at all) edited I started to wonder if perhaps I should get a release-day edited version as well.

So I wanted to ask here for someone who read both ARC and edited release-day version, how different are they?
Are the edited changes minor - like corrected names, time, zones, places, spelling changes, re-worded sentences? Or are they major - like completely changing chapters, rewriting/adding/deleting whole passages?

It all depends on the book in question; some EARCs are practically identical to the finished product - others have entire sections of the book missing or changed. I accidentially had left the EARC of AAC loaded in my phone and laptop and actually got in a few heated arguments with people over what happened in the book. For 18 months I was touting text from the book that no one else could find. Ship #s were different, a few critical conversations about ship capabilities and build #s were actually deleted out of the final version, and a Hermes buoy was "loaded in one of the cells in my pod" for the demonstration strike on Tourville, not a separate, preplaced drone (which technically makes infinitely more sense.)

It really does screw with your head when you know you read a passage where Oliver Diamato muses that he wishes his rebuilt BCs had multi-drive missiles, but the Havenite missiles were just too massive to fit in a RHN BC, yet you can't find the passage ANYWHERE.

Personally I plan to continue to get the Earcs, but beware...

I kind of got into Honorverse at the time MoH ARC came out, so all books before that are final versions for me.

I'd like to know for MoH, RT, SoF, and CoG - is it worth for me getting the final version as in will it be significantly better or new material added than ARC version of these books or will be just very minor spelling checks/name checks/data check/grammar correction?

If its first, I'll get the final edition but for very minor changers like date/name corrections, spelling/grammar check I don't think I'll get the final edition.

Zefram wrote:I kind of got into Honorverse at the time MoH ARC came out, so all books before that are final versions for me.

I'd like to know for MoH, RT, SoF, and CoG - is it worth for me getting the final version as in will it be significantly better or new material added than ARC version of these books or will be just very minor spelling checks/name checks/data check/grammar correction?

If its first, I'll get the final edition but for very minor changers like date/name corrections, spelling/grammar check I don't think I'll get the final edition.

I could be wrong, but I don't remember any significant changes to those books (SoSag and AAC were some of the bigest changes IIRC). However, if you wish to partake in conversations on the forum, I would recommend you don't make the mistake I did and actually have the final copy for reference.

But, if you're just a casual reader, and not insane like some of us, you probably won't notice any of the changes and they won't overly effect your enjoyment.

I agree with Hutch.

ART had a few additions to help us understand Honor's role in the wedding, but SOF hasn't added anything worthwhile. COG final copy is coming this weekend, but the ebook has been out a while and doesn't show anything new. The editing hasn't been improved much by the wait. The final editions used to contain maps and other outside info that almost validated a new purchase, but not any of the recent ones. I still tend to get the final editions, but it is only a throw back to wanting my paper library complete. As much as I appreciate ebooks, some habits are hard to break in your old age.

Zefram wrote:For most recent Honorverse books (starting from Mission of Honor and onwards) I've been getting ARC releases since I hate cliffhangers and love spoilers but once I've paid $15 for the ARC copy I was loath to pay again for technically the same book.

However, most recent ARC were so badly (or not at all) edited I started to wonder if perhaps I should get a release-day edited version as well.

So I wanted to ask here for someone who read both ARC and edited release-day version, how different are they?
Are the edited changes minor - like corrected names, time, zones, places, spelling changes, re-worded sentences? Or are they major - like completely changing chapters, rewriting/adding/deleting whole passages?

I am not sure Baen even has an editing department. I never see such copious amounts egregious errors in other publishers works as I see in Baen books on a continuing basis.

I buy the hardback or paperback and then "find" the electronic version after the fact.