I own the entire set in hardcover, plus the hardcover published by his son of the material his father had compiled for the 22nd book. Additionally, I have the hardcover Lobscouse and Spotted Dog cookbook. I'm a bit unsure why I bought that last item, but I figured if I were to have a complete set, I needed that as well.
The price for the set on Amazon isn't so bad, as I'm getting ready to sell my collection and I'm listing them for far more than that... given that it's a discontinued item, and they're in perfect condition. But fully agreed, if a person isn't looking for the collection in paper form, the next best thing is to consider eBooks (either purchased or via the local library).
I hate to admit it, but I really got hooked on the series, and was looking forward to see the saga play out for at least another few volumes. Additionally, after Master and Commander, I was hoping they'd do another movie adaptation as well. But, c'est la guerre. It wasn't meant to be.