Is At Any Cost Based On A True Story?

In 'The Cost of Immortality', the ending is a haunting meditation on sacrifice. The protagonist finally unlocks eternal life but at a devastating price—losing everyone they ever loved. Time becomes a curse as they watch generations wither while they remain unchanged. The final scene shows them standing alone in a futuristic city, unrecognizable from their past, clutching a locket with faded photos. Immortality didn’t grant purpose; it erased their humanity. The story lingers because it’s not about living forever but about what forever steals. The narrative cleverly subverts the typical 'immortality as a gift' trope. Instead of a triumphant ending, the protagonist’s victory feels hollow, their wisdom poisoned by regret. The last lines describe their futile attempt to end their existence, only to discover even death rejects them. It’s bleak yet poetic, forcing readers to question whether any cost is worth paying for endless time.

I fell into 'The Cost of Castellano' on a long drive and discovered the audiobook clocks in at about 10 hours and 3 minutes. The pacing felt just right for that length — not dragged out, not rushed — so the runtime matched the story’s breathing space. I listened in one go over two commutes and still had room to stretch my legs, which is a nice balance for an audiobook that wants to linger on characters. The narrator's cadence matters a lot at that duration. The edition I picked has a narrator who leans into subtle pauses and gives distinct voices, which makes those 10 hours and 3 minutes fly by because you’re invested in every scene. If you like to multitask, bumping it to 1.25x shaved a chunk of time without losing nuance. If you’re planning a weekend listen, pack snacks and maybe schedule short breaks — the runtime is substantial enough to feel like a proper journey, but compact enough to finish over two focused sessions. I enjoyed it way more than I expected; big thumbs up from me.

Marvel Unlimited costs $9.99 per month for a standard subscription, giving readers unlimited access to over 30,000 digital comic issues. For those who prefer a longer-term plan, the annual subscription is $69 per year, which effectively reduces the monthly cost to approximately $5.75. The subscription fee covers access to the entire Marvel Unlimited library, including classic comics, recent releases (generally six months after print), and curated story arcs. There are no additional charges per issue, making it an all-you-can-read platform. Both plans include features like bookmarking, offline reading, and guided story navigation for a seamless digital experience.

If you've been hunting for the easiest way to watch 'Young Sheldon' season 7, here's the lowdown from someone who binges sitcoms the way some people collect snacks — enthusiastically and often. The most reliable place to find first-run episodes of 'Young Sheldon' is the platform tied to the show’s network, which means a Paramount-branded streaming service is the first place I'd check. In the U.S. that generally translates to a subscription model: you can expect a monthly fee that lands in the ballpark of about $5–12 per month depending on whether you choose the ad-supported tier or the ad-free tier, or roughly $50–100 if you opt for an annual plan. Those numbers reflect the usual pricing bands for big-network streamers and give you access to the whole season as it posts, plus the back catalog.

Buying episodes or a whole season is another route I take when I want to own a show without keeping a subscription. Digital storefronts like Apple TV/iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, and Vudu typically sell individual episodes for around $1.99–$2.99 each. If you prefer to buy the whole season, expect something in the neighborhood of $15–$35, depending on platform promotions and whether the season is on the newer, higher-priced side. Rentals can show up too, usually letting you rent an episode for 48 hours at similar per-episode prices, though not every store offers full-season rentals. If you’re budget-savvy like me, I wait for holiday sales or occasional store discounts — those full-season prices can dip meaningfully during promotions.

If you live outside the U.S., pricing and availability will vary more. Some countries get the season on local streaming services or platforms tied to the broadcaster in that region. In places where the local feed carries CBS Network shows via a local streamer, the cost can be comparable to the U.S. subscription tiers, but sometimes content is split across services. Another tip: some live-TV bundles and streaming packages include the network that airs 'Young Sheldon', so if you already subscribe to a live-stream service or a bundle that includes the network’s on-demand library, you might already have access without an extra fee. Free or ad-supported options for older seasons occasionally surface on ad-supported platforms, but for the latest season the paid subscription or direct purchase routes are far more common.

All in all, if you want to watch 'Young Sheldon' season 7 right away and keep things simple, a monthly Paramount-linked subscription is the smoothest option at roughly $5–12 per month in the typical market; if you want to own the season, plan on spending $15–$35 for a digital purchase, or $2-ish per episode if you buy individually. Prices move around and vary by country, so it’s worth checking your local store or the streaming service directly for the exact cost. I’m already mentally planning a comfy evening with snacks for whatever episodes I decide to rewatch — it’s the kind of sitcom that hits the cozy spot every time.

My take: publishing a romance novel independently can be as cheap or as expensive as you make it. I wrote my first self-pub paperback while juggling a day job and a messy kitchen table, and the first thing I learned was to separate one-time production costs from ongoing expenses. Upfront, the big-ticket items are editing (developmental edits $500–$3,000+, line/copy edits $200–$1,000), cover design (premade $50–$150, custom $200–$600), and interior formatting ($50–$300). If you want an audiobook, budget $300–$3,000 depending on narrator and quality. ISBNs from Bowker are about $125 each in the U.S. or cheaper in bundles; you can also use a free retailer ISBN for distribution through 'Kindle Direct Publishing'. Print-on-demand removes large print runs but each copy has a print cost (roughly $3–$6 per paperback depending on length and trim). Marketing and distribution are ongoing: ads can be $50–$1,000+ monthly depending on how aggressive you are, promos and launch teams might cost $100–$500, and aggregator fees or platform royalties (70%/35% tiers on 'Kindle Direct Publishing', platform cuts for others) affect earnings. All-in, a barebones DIY route could be under $200 if you swap skills and use free tools; a solid, professional indie release usually sits between $1,500 and $6,000. If you want bookstore-ready polish and broad marketing, plan for $8,000–$20,000 or more. For a first romance, I’d prioritize a good editor and a strong cover, because readers judge fast and often — and that paid off for me quicker than fancy ads did.

Man, prices for physical special editions are maddeningly all over the place right now, so I’ll give you the practical picture I’ve learned hunting for collector boxes. The short take: 'BlazBlue: Central Fiction Special Edition' doesn’t have a single “now” price — it depends on platform, region, and whether you want sealed/new or used. When these special editions first dropped, they typically landed in that $70–$120 USD range at retail in a lot of regions, but once they go out of print the resale market can push sealed copies into the $150–$250+ territory depending on demand and scarcity. If you’re searching today, start by checking 'sold' listings on eBay to see real prices people paid, then compare current listings on Amazon, decluttr, and regional stores like Play-Asia or local marketplace apps. Don’t forget shipping and import fees — a $100 special edition from overseas can turn into a $140 purchase fast. Used copies often float between $30–$90 depending on condition and whether the extras are included. For the digital-minded, special editions are usually physical collector’s items, so the base game on Steam or a console storefront will be cheaper but won’t include the physical goodies. I’ve snagged a few rare physical editions myself by setting alerts and being patient; if you want, tell me which platform/region you’re looking at and I can walk you through a search strategy. Either way, it’s one of those purchases that feels great when you score a well-priced sealed copy — or perfectly fine if you just want to play and grab the cheaper digital base game.

Okay, here's the practical breakdown I usually tell friends when they're freaking out about proof costs. If you just need one physical proof copy to check layout and colors, print-on-demand routes (like Kindle Direct Publishing or IngramSpark) are the cheapest and most convenient: expect anywhere from roughly $3–$10 for a basic black-&-white paperback proof and about $8–$30 for a color interior, depending on trim size and page count, plus shipping. Those lower numbers apply to slim books (under ~150 pages) in standard sizes; chunkier books push the price up because printers charge per page. For short runs (say 25–200 copies) through a local printer or an online short-run offset shop, per-unit pricing often drops as quantity rises: you might pay $4–$9 a copy for black-&-white and $12–$35 a copy for color in those small batches. If you go offset for 500+ copies the unit price can fall substantially, but you pay more upfront. Also remember that PDF proofs are usually free — use them first to catch layout glitches. Extra costs I always warn people about: ISBN purchase (if you buy your own), shipping and taxes, special cover finishes (matte/soft-touch or spot UV), and any design/formatting work you outsource. So for a single physical check copy, budget conservatively around $10–$25 shipped for most indie authors, and if you want 50–100 printed for ARC distribution, plan for a few hundred dollars total depending on color and page count.

Okay, here’s the long, chatty version because I love digging into the weird little details publishers skip over. For small creators or indie presses, DRM can be surprisingly affordable or practically free depending on the route. If you go with open systems like Readium LCP (which is an option many libraries and small shops choose), the DRM software itself is free/open, but you’ll pay for hosting, integration, and occasional developer time. That often translates to a few hundred to a few thousand dollars up front if you hire someone, plus ongoing hosting costs of maybe $10–$100/month. SaaS shrinkwrap providers aimed at indies often charge in the ballpark of $10–$200/month and/or a per-file fee from roughly $0.05 to $1.00 per deliverable. On the other end, enterprise-grade platforms and vendor-locked solutions can be several thousand dollars per year or a larger one-time license fee. Big vendors sometimes expect multi-thousand-dollar setup fees or annual contracts (think low thousands to tens of thousands depending on scale and features), and they may add per-copy or per-seat fees, transaction fees, or revenue-share arrangements. Don’t forget hidden costs like customer support, refunds, and integration tests with ereaders. My basic rule: if you’re selling hundreds per month, price per-copy matters; if you’re selling thousands, negotiate enterprise terms and support. If you’re experimenting, try LCP or social-watermarking first, measure user friction, and then move to heavier DRM if widespread piracy is actually hurting sales. Personally, I’d run a small pilot and watch support tickets—those tell you more about real cost than a glossy vendor quote.