Amazon adds Kindle books to Prime offering

Amazon is throwing in the ability to view a selection of Kindle e-books to its Amazon Prime offering in the US at no extra cost.

The Amazon Prime service, which includes Amazon Prime Instant Video as well as fast ordering of physical goods from the Amazon store, Prime Music and Audible Channel, will now also include Amazon Prime Reading for US customers.

Kindle books available include The Hobbit, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, The Man In the High Castle, The Millionaire Next Door, Half Way Home and When I’m Gone, comics such as The Complete Peanuts Vol. 1 and Transformers: Robots in Disguise Vol. 1 as well as short works including Kindle Singles from Andy Borowitz, Stephen King, Jane Hirshfield and works from Gloria Steinem, Norman Mailer and Kurt Vonnegut.

Users will be able to read the e-books using free Kindle apps for iOS and Android devices as well as Amazon Fire tablets and Kindle e-readers.

Prime Reading will feature around 1,000 titles as well as a rotating selection of full issues of magazines covering sports, technology, cooking and home improvement, current affairs and other topics.

Kindle Single Classics encompasses short stories and short-form features, memoirs and essays.

“Prime is the best deal in the history of shopping and today it got even better,” said Greg Greeley, Vice President Amazon Prime. “Prime members can now enjoy an awesome selection of books including The Hobbit, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, The Man in the High Castle, plus magazines and more with Prime Reading – all for free on any device.”

Yesterday, French e-retailer Cdiscount, owned by supermarket group Casino, launched its own OTT streaming service combining video, music and books for a single monthly price of €9.99.