Over the past few years, e-books have shifted from being an extravagant means of leisure reading to becoming a serious contender for the consumer's dollar. Marketing and innovations in e-book devices have helped their rise in popularity, but they have been slow to make a similar impact in the academic market. A few dealings are taking place, however, that could result in an explosion of scholarly materials that will facilitate an extensive adoption of e-books in higher education and similar markets. The 2011 "Horizon Report" foresees a widespread implementation of e-books in higher education within the next 12 months. The author keeps a close eye on the e-book industry and has come to similar conclusions as this year's report. He also believes that he has identified the four horsemen who will be ushering in this electronic apocalypse.