Robert J. Shea’s Son Releases Book ‘Shike’ Online
Mike Shea, Robert J. Shea’s Son, has just released his father’s book, Shike, online. Best of all, he’s released it under a Creative Commons license! When I saw the news, I was so happy. Robert J. Shea is one of my favorite authors, due to his hand - alongside of Robert Anton Wilson - in the creation of one of my favorite series, The Illuminatus! Trilogy.
In 1981, after writing Illuminatus! with Robert Anton Wilson, my father, Robert J. Shea, wrote Shike, a book set in medieval Japan. Last night I released Shike on BobShea.net under a Creative Commons license along with All Things Are Lights, another of my father’s novels.
I only ask that those who take the time to read my father’s work also take the time to send any corrections as the scan wasn’t perfect.
Nothing is more important to me than to have my father’s work available to the widest audience. Thank you for your support.
It seems that there may even be hope to get Illuminatus! up on the web under the same license. Mike posted in the comment section over at BoingBoing and said that he’s working towards getting that released, as well as some more of his father’s work.
I’m hoping some day to work out a way to get Illuminatus on the web. The rights are split up at the moment, with half to me. If anyone happens to have a digital text version, I’d love to get a copy. I don’t think it’s technically a copyright volation to send them to one of the copyright holders.
Also, if anyone has the energy and capability of scanning and OCRing my father’s other books: Saracen and Shaman; I’d love to release those as well.
Amazing news! I would love to see my favorite novel of all time freely distributed. Getting Robert Shea’s work out there free for all to read would be so fantastic.
