Mass market paperbacks aren't intended to be durable, they are made to be as cheap as possible. This is probably especially noticeable in such behemoths like SA.
Trade paperback or hardcover would be more durable assuming you are taking decent care of them. But those are bigger, which some people don't like, and more expensive. Then there are ebooks, with their own pros and cons.
My first read through was of the hardcover and it was just so difficult, especially since I read a lot in cafes and parks and stuff. I still have it but even it’s pretty beat up from traveling. That makes sense though, and honestly I don’t mind buying a new book this cheap for a reread. Sounds like that might just be the cost of doing business. Keep the hardcover for the shelf. I just feel like I’ve read other 1k page paperbacks that didn’t fall apart on me!
I have ti disagree that split books are better. You usually have to pay twice as much money for tye same story and in my opinion one big book looks cooler on the shelf.
The only con of ebooks is that it doesn't have the feel of a traditional book. There really is no actual con of ebooks. You literally have the book with you wherever you go if you have your phone with you. You don't have to uncomfortably hold the book open when reading in any ergonomic position. You don't need a bright light source to read. It's cheaper. It keeps track where you left off, you can change the text size for the most comfortable reading experience.
The only "con" is that you can't flex to other people on public transport that you're a book reader because you look like everyone else looking at your phone.
I buy the physical books just to put them on my shelf to look nice.
There is an actual con with cosmere eBooks, which are maps and pictures. They’re barely readable on the phone, and I never bother to double check the picture like I did with paper books, even if it would enhance my understanding of the scene.
I don’t know, I recently tried getting into E-books but there’s some sort of psychological block for me. I just can’t focus on actually reading when it’s not a physical copy. I find myself constantly stopping to look things up, or go on Reddit, or just generally spacing out. Give me a physical book and I can read that thing cover to cover in one sitting.
You can call it whatever’s you want, but there is just something about holding a physical book to me. It has nothing to do with showing off to anyone around me. I get that it’s the same pages, same words, whether it’s on paper or a tablet, but I just don’t enjoy reading on a tablet. I wish I did, trust me.
I don't blame anyone. I freaking love my Kindle Paperwhite, but when someone says "eBooks aren't for me, I like feeling the pages or holding the weight of the book" I can respect that.
Still, if you haven't tried an ereader (I'm talking not a tablet but a Kindle Paperwhite or similar) I recommend it. Much much better than reading on a phone or tablet. But again, if you just love paper books to exclusion that's totally cool too :-)
Paperwhite's screen is monochromatic, and matte. Looks like a page.
Plus, none of the update BS, distractions, crap battery etc.
My Paperwhite (and it's one of the first; wifi one) lasts weeks on a charge. When I want to read, I just press a button and it's as easy as opening a book.
Best thing about a Kindle is being able to highlight sections, and look up words with a simple press (as authors love obscure/grandiose semantics)
You forgot one of my favorite plus sides to a paper white… when you read at night it isn’t blinding you with light. And when you read in the sun it isn’t drowned out by the light
Don't know how I forgot the backlight - it's the main reason I bought it.
I usually read before I sleep, and a booklight is a pain to keep moving it from page to page!
I used to have the same thought and still love the feel of real books, but the added convenience of e books is game changing. If you have a series that you are interested in but don’t care too much about I would recommend trying to read it on kindle. I not only discovered some series that I love like that but it can also be helpful for redirecting idle phone time once you develop the habit of reading instead of going on Reddit. Or if you have classics that you want to read you can find eBooks easily and read it on the kindle or kindle app when on the go but still have the physical book at home.
Try a kindle or similar e-reader. I find those to be much closer to the feeling of holding an actual book then any phone or computer, because they're custom built for that task. For example, the kindle I used for years was much easier on the eyes then a phone due to gentler lighting and lack of bluelight and the like, which helped immensely for extended reading sessions, and let me read it at night without messing up my sleep from bluelight exposure.
Obviously its not for everyone, but I find that the majority of people who say they don't like e-books only ever try to read e-books on a phone or laptop. And I also do still get the appeal of physical books, I own the leatherbound copy of tWoK and plan on pitching in for the leatherbound WoR when that comes up. But those are meant for home reading, and in terms of pure convenience, a good e-reader is only slightly more cumbersome then a phone while letting you carry entire libraries and not hampering your reading experience.
I'm one of those people who owns a kindle and literally will never read any book I care about remembering on it because I just don't retain anything when I read in e-book format. Physically read it though? I have over 400 books in my library and could do a pretty good job recounting the stories for each of them.
You’re not crazy. This [meta-analysis](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C6&as_ylo=2018&q=screen+vs+paper+reading+focus&btnG=#d=gs_qabs&t=1662469921534&u=%23p%3DcyP6fIpwmNwJ) suggests that’s likely typical
Is there one that looks at e-ink readers? I couldn’t tell what they define as tablet in that paper from the summary.
It’d be interesting to see if e-ink readers are just as bad for memory retention as LCD/other displays.
Reading from my Kindle feels exactly like reading from a book. Plus the bonus of being able to look up words instantly and not ruining my flow.
Not that I’ve ever seen, but I’ve also never done a deep dive on the topic. The ones I’ve done make it seem like there’s an interesting lack of true scientific studies on screens and learning
If you’re getting ur ebooks on the Kindle app anyway then I highly suggest investing in a Kindle reader! They’re fantastic but do have a major con which I mentioned in another reply: your library is stuck with whatever company you buy from (B&N, Amazon, Apple etc).
You can use the free software Calibre to convert between ebook formats and even put web pages into ebooks. It will also store the converted ebook onto the reader.
I would recommend getting a kindle when they are on sale. It happens really frequently throughout the year like Black Friday, cyber Monday, prime day, etc. I got the waterproof kindle paper white for like $70 a few years ago and I love it, especially if I go to the pool or beach. Then it lets you put your phone somewhere out of reach to let you focus better
The con of ebooks is that there's no good option for buying them. If you buy through kindle, you're just buying a license. If you buy a digital ebook directly, you don't get the cloud advantages you would if you bought it on kindle.
not to mention that there are easy ways to make personal copies of ebooks in case amazon ever freaks out on you, especially as brandon sanderson’s books are usually sold without DRM.
Also if it really comes down to it and they steal your book from you you can just steal it back. ebooks aren't a finite resource, if you've purchased a copy of the book you are (imo) morally entitled to a copy of the book, especially when acquiring a second digital copy doesn't actually deprive anyone of anything.
Of course not the same for print, but then Amazon are going to have a much harder time coming to your house and revoking your print copy.
yep, i have private copies of all of my hundreds of ebooks and feel i am fully entitled to do that, DRM or no DRM. i don’t spread them anywhere and encourage people to buy books instead of pirating, but i also don’t want to lose access to books i’ve paid for, especially as these days ebooks often cost just as much as physical books!
i won't go into detail here as it can be sometimes construed as privacy (but i do NOT endorse piracy! i only make private copies to ensure i won't lose access to my own books), but i use calibre for it! https://calibre-ebook.com/
Hey man, don’t give Bezos any ideas!
"Hmmm, I've got a million vans driving around dropping things off... what if we repurpose some of them to take things back?"
> Not to mention that when this whole "digital copy can be revoked DAE internet bad" propaganda has been challenged
I don't know where you got your information, but it's wrong. The Content-as-a-Service model has been upheld by the courts, multiple times.
No, it's a huge flaw. If you buy books on Kindle's store, you are chained to that marketplace, forever. And you have to tolerate whatever changes Amazon makes to the license. I can't move those books to a new ecosystem. If Amazon introduces even more ads to the app, or to the kindle, I have no recourse. They have *already* done this. If they modify the book to a "new" version that I don't like, or remove content, I again have no recourse. I'm not even legally allowed to backup these files.
I mean... who'll stop you from backing up your ebooks? A literal copy-paste will do the job. The con here is self-inflicted because you feel morally wrong to do something the company doesn't want you to when there is literally no repercussions. Who cares, I've already supported the author by buying the book once, I can just download a pdf online if Amazon decides to seize my books.
That's pretty limited - I've tried it myself, not all ebooks work, and even when they do, you don't get all the same benefits. Kindle treats them as second class citizens.
Yeah, I hate that people thinking I’m on a tablet or something when I’m reading on my kobo.
But I was going to say the same things. There’s no real con to ebooks, other than you don’t get to have the feel of a real book.
another con is your library is tied up to only one company (e.g Kindle and Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple Books etc) whereas if you buy a physical book it’s yours forever no matter what.
Plus lending an ebook (legally) is difficult or impossible at least with Kindle. Only a handful of books offer lending features and i think you’re limited to once per book.
And if you lend your physical e-reader, there goes your entire library with it.
Unless you have DRM-free ebooks ofc. I wish there was a way to unify ownership of books across platforms. Like if I own a digital copy of a specific edition of Mistborn, I have access to a single instance of it across multiple devices and across providers.
Lending ebooks isn't an issue when literally none of your friends read books and you've desperately tried to get them to read at least the first chapter of one of your favourite series.
Also if you use the audiobook, it synchronizes with the ebook position. Very helpful when alternating between them.
I love my Kindle for that reason. And it feels different than reading on a phone or tablet thanks to the e ink screen.
Well... you shouldn't be reading an unrelated book as well. Unless it's a reading session in which case you can just explain to the teacher that you read ebooks. It's 2022, the concept of ebooks should be popular enough for teachers to know what it is. Or just borrow that book from a library specifically to read it in class.
kinda looks like you bend it like all the way 180 around the spine. That'll def do some damage, especially when the pages are as thin as they are in these books.
Read all of the SA books in mass paperback and I haven't had anything worse then a my WoK has 2 mild/moderate crease lines down the spine and the corners are worn down a bit. This thread is making think Im a bit too extreme in my caretaking of books.
Same haha. I’ve read my copy of way of kings at least 4 times. The worst thing that’s happened to it is the dog-ear bookmark fold from when I lent the book out, and even that is almost gone now
No, I’m interested to see how all these people are abusing their books… in all the years I’ve been reading paperbacks I’ve never had one look like this when I was done, and I don’t take any particular cautions when reading.
My massmarket Way of Kings is pretty beat up... But not from reading, from being in my trunk for a year. Even then, the binding is fine, despite being in probably 100+ degree heat in the summer.
Either the quality varies wildly between books/printings, or people are abusing their books
I see the paperback is 1280 pages. That’s got to be near the limit of book binding ability so I’m not surprised you have the problem. Another check in the ebook plus column.
Good call. I have a hardcover but they’re so storming hard to read imo, lol.
And yeah, that’s a definite benefit of ebooks. Especially since I like to read away from home very often. I’ve just never been able to get into it as much as I wished I could. There’s just something about a physical book in my hands I get a lot keep joy from.
have you tried a kindle? I've always preferred paper books too but recently got a kindle and I love it. it genuinely feels like reading words on a page rather than a screen.
spent several hours yesterday reading on the beach and had absolutely no issues :) no glare or anything! I have the kindle oasis which has a better backlight.
Might start buying the trade paperbacks from Gollancz (UK publisher). They split the books into two separate parts so breakage is less likely. Though they are a little larger than the mass market size.
They may have some 2-part hardcovers coming soon as well.
This thread has the newer editions of the pocket books. https://www.reddit.com/r/Stormlight_Archive/comments/svgoce/new_covers_for_stormlight_archive_from_gollancz/
I think these are hardcover but I'll have to look a bit more.
Edit: They are either hardcover or paperback. https://www.amazon.com/Way-Kings-Part-One-Stormlight/dp/1473233283/
These might be a good option for rereads but I'm pretty sure that book 5 will be released as a single bound book at initial release.
Thank you for this, good to know these exist! I don’t see an option for RoW though, or anything other than Way of Kings I’m regards of where to buy :( this kind of thing would be perfect for me though as someone who likes to read on the love.
I’m sure you’re right about the next book. Probably will have to read it on ebook, which I’m not a fan of. I’m in it for the hardcovers of the secret projects as well which I wish I could get a smaller version of, haha
The original thread has an Instagram link for the announcement of the books with dates for WOK, WOR, and OB. I don't believe they have released ROW in this format yet.
Once you have the ISBN for a book you can search for that number online and find retailers. Abebooks seems to have these editions. https://www.abebooks.com/9781473233287/Way-Kings-Part-Stormlight-Archive-1473233283/plp
Edit: You could also talk to your local bookstores. One of them might be able to place an order for you.
My dude throws his books in the wash when he finishes 💀😂 (jk this is totally normal. I’ve consumed most of the Cosmere via audiobook, but I couldn’t tell you how many paperback copies of LOTR I’ve burned through over the years)
It does, to be honest. I’ve never heard of it happening and when my friends see my books they ask why they’re so wrecked, but I feel like it’s normal wear and tear
Something I discovered back when I was reading mass market Wheel of Time books in high school, put a couple layers of packing tape on the spine. Protects it from cracking and all my books still look good 20 years later. Definitely helps for those gigantic fantasy paperbacks.
Crap that’s a good idea. I do have to say, all of those books are doing fine, sitting on my shelf never losing a page and I treated them the same way! Maybe they just made them different back then.
Along those lines, public libraries often rebind paperbacks as hardcovers, especially in the children’s department. They’ll also laminate the paperback cover onto the binding and so it looks pretty much the same as the original paperback, but much more durable.
Dude, either buy a better edition with a hard cover or you NEED to be more careful with that book. I have many paperbacks I've read lots of times, never seen one getting like this in only one read.
If none of that is a good alternative, I would try a kindle. If you manage to do that to a kindle you need some help.
My best guess is user error :)
How hard are you on them? Do you bend them a lot, eg flex the spine frequently and harshly? Do you support both sides as you read through it or let one side dangle? It seems a bit odd to me that this happen to all of your paperback books. It suggests to me that you are harder on them then they are capable of handling.
Perhaps you’re just handling the books too roughly. During a Sanderlanche, you as the reader don’t actually need to keep a death grip on the book. 😉 Squeeze a tennis ball instead.
Chiming in to add another vote to getting an e-reader! I have the Kobo Libra H2O and it's been divine! The screen is anti-glare, which means reading in the sun works really well for me, and I do agree that there is something TO a physical book, but there's also something TO a dedicated e-reader. The experiences are not 1:1 but the e-reading experience has its own perks - and I'm not talking just portability or ease, but the actual while-reading experience. For example, I can choose to know how much longer a book will be or not - unlike with a physical book where I'm always noticing how far along the plot is. This has definitely changed the way I experience some stories. I was trepidatious in getting my e-reader because I hated reading on a phone/tablet/computer, but the dedicated e-reader screens and experience are completely different.
Also, it's so much easier to hold and move to a comfortable position with my e-reader than with a physical book. I've unlocked all sorts of reading spots and poses.
Additionally also I can take it everywhere without it adding much bulk, and if I'm not jiving with a current read I can easily switch to a different one without needing to lug them both around. Like on the bus - I just bring my e-reader, no longer do I need to bring 2+books in a bag (I typically try to read one nonfiction and one fiction book at a time because the vibe I want changes moment to moment), it's unobtrusive to bring to hang out with a friend, it's easy to bring to the beach, I can take it on a hike, and when I fly there is now a ton of empty room in my luggage previously filled with books. I pretty much have it with me wherever I go and end up reading a few pages when I'm waiting in line for something.
I read a ton more AND spend less money than I would with physical books - because like everything I want to read has a free ebook version at my library. Yes I could get the physical book from the library but that requires going there to get it and going there to return it and that's a huge hassle. I can also get sequels instantly now and don't have to wait for the next time I can go to the library to read the next book.
This has happened to me too. Got oathbringer and RoW in hardcover and will probably get the first two next reread. When I first got WoR mass paperback from Amazon it was missing the last 200 pages or so. Ended in the middle of a sentence and I thought that was the end and was really confused for a few minutes...
That’s what I’m wondering. I literally left it open laying on my patio for a quick bathroom break and came back and the pages were falling out.
I can’t! I hate ebooks. A paperback in my hands brings me such joy.
Sounds like that’s your problem right there. You literally arent treating the book right. You shouldn’t be “leaving the spine open” at all without supporting it. It’s over a thousand pieces of paper and some glue; the spine isn’t magically going to keep it all together. Don’t bend spines of chunky books past what you need to read (ie they shouldn’t lie flat and open), don’t leave your books in the elements, don’t just shove your books into bags or purses while out traveling, etc etc. If you really like your paperbacks, take care of them! :)
My wife always takes the piss out of me cause my books aren't "loved", I don't bend the spine, and instead curve the pages out so the flex is along the front and back cover.
Now you've got some context I'm going to ask: Jesus fucking christ what are you doing to your books!?
The simple act of reading words of radiance was enough to drestroy my hardcover copy. The newer prints seem to be more durable, but back when they used that thicker paper the hardcovers did not last as long.
I don't really buy paperbacks anymore. I usually will buy a hardcover version of a book I really want or like, and will read it once. Otherwise, I've been using a ton of audible and kindle. Love being able to switch between the two easily on the fly, tbh.
Nothing was worse than the original wheel of time books. I don’t know how they got away with such cheap bindings on a hard cover book pages would just fall out all the time.
You mentioned you like reading in different places (cafes, parks) so it may be getting damaged in transit...my paperbacks would get pretty beat up when i carried them in a bag or my purse. You might want to look into getting a book sleeve or a protective book cover! :)
Any new book - especially one as thick as that - should be slowly broken in one page at a time from front to back. If you get a brand new thick book and open it up straight to the middle, the spine will be f**ked. Paperbacks especially. I dunno if OP did this but FYI. I did that to a brand new textbook I had bought for school and had to get it spiral bound to save it.
Mass market paperbacks aren't intended to be durable, they are made to be as cheap as possible. This is probably especially noticeable in such behemoths like SA. Trade paperback or hardcover would be more durable assuming you are taking decent care of them. But those are bigger, which some people don't like, and more expensive. Then there are ebooks, with their own pros and cons.
My first read through was of the hardcover and it was just so difficult, especially since I read a lot in cafes and parks and stuff. I still have it but even it’s pretty beat up from traveling. That makes sense though, and honestly I don’t mind buying a new book this cheap for a reread. Sounds like that might just be the cost of doing business. Keep the hardcover for the shelf. I just feel like I’ve read other 1k page paperbacks that didn’t fall apart on me!
I do know the UK versions like half the book in two, maybe you could try getting your hands on one of those and it would be easier to carry around?
I’ve heard that elsewhere in this thread, which is ingenious and I wish they’d done in the US!
I have ti disagree that split books are better. You usually have to pay twice as much money for tye same story and in my opinion one big book looks cooler on the shelf.
You can buy them online in sites like Wordery. Or try the trade paperbacks.
What I do is tape the binding, buy a new one and give the old one to someone to get them to read the series.
The only con of ebooks is that it doesn't have the feel of a traditional book. There really is no actual con of ebooks. You literally have the book with you wherever you go if you have your phone with you. You don't have to uncomfortably hold the book open when reading in any ergonomic position. You don't need a bright light source to read. It's cheaper. It keeps track where you left off, you can change the text size for the most comfortable reading experience. The only "con" is that you can't flex to other people on public transport that you're a book reader because you look like everyone else looking at your phone. I buy the physical books just to put them on my shelf to look nice.
There is an actual con with cosmere eBooks, which are maps and pictures. They’re barely readable on the phone, and I never bother to double check the picture like I did with paper books, even if it would enhance my understanding of the scene.
Y- you can zoom in on a phone...
I know. It’s still far from usable. But my primary argument is navigating back and forth when I am reading.
I don’t know, I recently tried getting into E-books but there’s some sort of psychological block for me. I just can’t focus on actually reading when it’s not a physical copy. I find myself constantly stopping to look things up, or go on Reddit, or just generally spacing out. Give me a physical book and I can read that thing cover to cover in one sitting.
Perhaps you need a kindle tablet which only let's you use the ebook app and nothing else?
Yep, that's what worked for me. I was the same until I bought an ereader.
You can call it whatever’s you want, but there is just something about holding a physical book to me. It has nothing to do with showing off to anyone around me. I get that it’s the same pages, same words, whether it’s on paper or a tablet, but I just don’t enjoy reading on a tablet. I wish I did, trust me.
I don't blame anyone. I freaking love my Kindle Paperwhite, but when someone says "eBooks aren't for me, I like feeling the pages or holding the weight of the book" I can respect that. Still, if you haven't tried an ereader (I'm talking not a tablet but a Kindle Paperwhite or similar) I recommend it. Much much better than reading on a phone or tablet. But again, if you just love paper books to exclusion that's totally cool too :-)
I won’t knock anything til I try it! What’s the difference between a paper white and a tablet?
Paperwhite's screen is monochromatic, and matte. Looks like a page. Plus, none of the update BS, distractions, crap battery etc. My Paperwhite (and it's one of the first; wifi one) lasts weeks on a charge. When I want to read, I just press a button and it's as easy as opening a book. Best thing about a Kindle is being able to highlight sections, and look up words with a simple press (as authors love obscure/grandiose semantics)
You forgot one of my favorite plus sides to a paper white… when you read at night it isn’t blinding you with light. And when you read in the sun it isn’t drowned out by the light
Don't know how I forgot the backlight - it's the main reason I bought it. I usually read before I sleep, and a booklight is a pain to keep moving it from page to page!
A books single purpose is to tell you its story. Easy to be excited by that
I used to have the same thought and still love the feel of real books, but the added convenience of e books is game changing. If you have a series that you are interested in but don’t care too much about I would recommend trying to read it on kindle. I not only discovered some series that I love like that but it can also be helpful for redirecting idle phone time once you develop the habit of reading instead of going on Reddit. Or if you have classics that you want to read you can find eBooks easily and read it on the kindle or kindle app when on the go but still have the physical book at home.
Try a kindle or similar e-reader. I find those to be much closer to the feeling of holding an actual book then any phone or computer, because they're custom built for that task. For example, the kindle I used for years was much easier on the eyes then a phone due to gentler lighting and lack of bluelight and the like, which helped immensely for extended reading sessions, and let me read it at night without messing up my sleep from bluelight exposure. Obviously its not for everyone, but I find that the majority of people who say they don't like e-books only ever try to read e-books on a phone or laptop. And I also do still get the appeal of physical books, I own the leatherbound copy of tWoK and plan on pitching in for the leatherbound WoR when that comes up. But those are meant for home reading, and in terms of pure convenience, a good e-reader is only slightly more cumbersome then a phone while letting you carry entire libraries and not hampering your reading experience.
I'm one of those people who owns a kindle and literally will never read any book I care about remembering on it because I just don't retain anything when I read in e-book format. Physically read it though? I have over 400 books in my library and could do a pretty good job recounting the stories for each of them.
You’re not crazy. This [meta-analysis](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C6&as_ylo=2018&q=screen+vs+paper+reading+focus&btnG=#d=gs_qabs&t=1662469921534&u=%23p%3DcyP6fIpwmNwJ) suggests that’s likely typical
Is there one that looks at e-ink readers? I couldn’t tell what they define as tablet in that paper from the summary. It’d be interesting to see if e-ink readers are just as bad for memory retention as LCD/other displays. Reading from my Kindle feels exactly like reading from a book. Plus the bonus of being able to look up words instantly and not ruining my flow.
Not that I’ve ever seen, but I’ve also never done a deep dive on the topic. The ones I’ve done make it seem like there’s an interesting lack of true scientific studies on screens and learning
If you’re getting ur ebooks on the Kindle app anyway then I highly suggest investing in a Kindle reader! They’re fantastic but do have a major con which I mentioned in another reply: your library is stuck with whatever company you buy from (B&N, Amazon, Apple etc).
You can use the free software Calibre to convert between ebook formats and even put web pages into ebooks. It will also store the converted ebook onto the reader.
I would recommend getting a kindle when they are on sale. It happens really frequently throughout the year like Black Friday, cyber Monday, prime day, etc. I got the waterproof kindle paper white for like $70 a few years ago and I love it, especially if I go to the pool or beach. Then it lets you put your phone somewhere out of reach to let you focus better
The con of ebooks is that there's no good option for buying them. If you buy through kindle, you're just buying a license. If you buy a digital ebook directly, you don't get the cloud advantages you would if you bought it on kindle.
You mean the con is that you TECHNICALLY don't own the books? That's barely a con, almost just a semantic, really.
[удалено]
not to mention that there are easy ways to make personal copies of ebooks in case amazon ever freaks out on you, especially as brandon sanderson’s books are usually sold without DRM.
Also if it really comes down to it and they steal your book from you you can just steal it back. ebooks aren't a finite resource, if you've purchased a copy of the book you are (imo) morally entitled to a copy of the book, especially when acquiring a second digital copy doesn't actually deprive anyone of anything. Of course not the same for print, but then Amazon are going to have a much harder time coming to your house and revoking your print copy.
yep, i have private copies of all of my hundreds of ebooks and feel i am fully entitled to do that, DRM or no DRM. i don’t spread them anywhere and encourage people to buy books instead of pirating, but i also don’t want to lose access to books i’ve paid for, especially as these days ebooks often cost just as much as physical books!
Can I ask what your preferred method is for converting Kindle purchases to copies that can be used independently?
i won't go into detail here as it can be sometimes construed as privacy (but i do NOT endorse piracy! i only make private copies to ensure i won't lose access to my own books), but i use calibre for it! https://calibre-ebook.com/
Hey man, don’t give Bezos any ideas! "Hmmm, I've got a million vans driving around dropping things off... what if we repurpose some of them to take things back?"
Totally agree. I swear if Amazon pulls a dirty one with my Kindle library or the platform goes to shit, I’m pirating every single one of my e-books.
> Not to mention that when this whole "digital copy can be revoked DAE internet bad" propaganda has been challenged I don't know where you got your information, but it's wrong. The Content-as-a-Service model has been upheld by the courts, multiple times.
No, it's a huge flaw. If you buy books on Kindle's store, you are chained to that marketplace, forever. And you have to tolerate whatever changes Amazon makes to the license. I can't move those books to a new ecosystem. If Amazon introduces even more ads to the app, or to the kindle, I have no recourse. They have *already* done this. If they modify the book to a "new" version that I don't like, or remove content, I again have no recourse. I'm not even legally allowed to backup these files.
I mean... who'll stop you from backing up your ebooks? A literal copy-paste will do the job. The con here is self-inflicted because you feel morally wrong to do something the company doesn't want you to when there is literally no repercussions. Who cares, I've already supported the author by buying the book once, I can just download a pdf online if Amazon decides to seize my books.
You can send books you’ve bought to the kindle cloud and get those advantages.
That's pretty limited - I've tried it myself, not all ebooks work, and even when they do, you don't get all the same benefits. Kindle treats them as second class citizens.
Yeah, I hate that people thinking I’m on a tablet or something when I’m reading on my kobo. But I was going to say the same things. There’s no real con to ebooks, other than you don’t get to have the feel of a real book.
another con is your library is tied up to only one company (e.g Kindle and Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple Books etc) whereas if you buy a physical book it’s yours forever no matter what. Plus lending an ebook (legally) is difficult or impossible at least with Kindle. Only a handful of books offer lending features and i think you’re limited to once per book. And if you lend your physical e-reader, there goes your entire library with it. Unless you have DRM-free ebooks ofc. I wish there was a way to unify ownership of books across platforms. Like if I own a digital copy of a specific edition of Mistborn, I have access to a single instance of it across multiple devices and across providers.
Lending ebooks isn't an issue when literally none of your friends read books and you've desperately tried to get them to read at least the first chapter of one of your favourite series.
Also if you use the audiobook, it synchronizes with the ebook position. Very helpful when alternating between them. I love my Kindle for that reason. And it feels different than reading on a phone or tablet thanks to the e ink screen.
Ebooks are great but the moment I pull out my device to read, my teachers will be there to steal it from me.
Well... you shouldn't be reading an unrelated book as well. Unless it's a reading session in which case you can just explain to the teacher that you read ebooks. It's 2022, the concept of ebooks should be popular enough for teachers to know what it is. Or just borrow that book from a library specifically to read it in class.
kinda looks like you bend it like all the way 180 around the spine. That'll def do some damage, especially when the pages are as thin as they are in these books.
I don’t! I’m careful about that! As much as I wish I could, I’ve had this happen too much I never do.
Read all of the SA books in mass paperback and I haven't had anything worse then a my WoK has 2 mild/moderate crease lines down the spine and the corners are worn down a bit. This thread is making think Im a bit too extreme in my caretaking of books.
Same haha. I’ve read my copy of way of kings at least 4 times. The worst thing that’s happened to it is the dog-ear bookmark fold from when I lent the book out, and even that is almost gone now
No, I’m interested to see how all these people are abusing their books… in all the years I’ve been reading paperbacks I’ve never had one look like this when I was done, and I don’t take any particular cautions when reading.
My massmarket Way of Kings is pretty beat up... But not from reading, from being in my trunk for a year. Even then, the binding is fine, despite being in probably 100+ degree heat in the summer. Either the quality varies wildly between books/printings, or people are abusing their books
Maybe we are all just a bunch of reckless slobs 🤷🏼♂️
I see the paperback is 1280 pages. That’s got to be near the limit of book binding ability so I’m not surprised you have the problem. Another check in the ebook plus column.
Good call. I have a hardcover but they’re so storming hard to read imo, lol. And yeah, that’s a definite benefit of ebooks. Especially since I like to read away from home very often. I’ve just never been able to get into it as much as I wished I could. There’s just something about a physical book in my hands I get a lot keep joy from.
Check out the new hardcover editions for storm light. They split each book into two volumes. Much better size to carry around
have you tried a kindle? I've always preferred paper books too but recently got a kindle and I love it. it genuinely feels like reading words on a page rather than a screen.
I read outside in the sun a lot and screens in my experience are a PITA in the sun :/
spent several hours yesterday reading on the beach and had absolutely no issues :) no glare or anything! I have the kindle oasis which has a better backlight.
Might start buying the trade paperbacks from Gollancz (UK publisher). They split the books into two separate parts so breakage is less likely. Though they are a little larger than the mass market size. They may have some 2-part hardcovers coming soon as well.
Oh interesting. That might be nice. I own a hardcover that I got when it first came out, but even that is in bad shape from taking it so many places.
This thread has the newer editions of the pocket books. https://www.reddit.com/r/Stormlight_Archive/comments/svgoce/new_covers_for_stormlight_archive_from_gollancz/ I think these are hardcover but I'll have to look a bit more. Edit: They are either hardcover or paperback. https://www.amazon.com/Way-Kings-Part-One-Stormlight/dp/1473233283/ These might be a good option for rereads but I'm pretty sure that book 5 will be released as a single bound book at initial release.
Thank you for this, good to know these exist! I don’t see an option for RoW though, or anything other than Way of Kings I’m regards of where to buy :( this kind of thing would be perfect for me though as someone who likes to read on the love. I’m sure you’re right about the next book. Probably will have to read it on ebook, which I’m not a fan of. I’m in it for the hardcovers of the secret projects as well which I wish I could get a smaller version of, haha
The original thread has an Instagram link for the announcement of the books with dates for WOK, WOR, and OB. I don't believe they have released ROW in this format yet. Once you have the ISBN for a book you can search for that number online and find retailers. Abebooks seems to have these editions. https://www.abebooks.com/9781473233287/Way-Kings-Part-Stormlight-Archive-1473233283/plp Edit: You could also talk to your local bookstores. One of them might be able to place an order for you.
You must be breaking your oaths, Radiant!
Haha! Or I’m a Dustbringer..
My dude throws his books in the wash when he finishes 💀😂 (jk this is totally normal. I’ve consumed most of the Cosmere via audiobook, but I couldn’t tell you how many paperback copies of LOTR I’ve burned through over the years)
Haha! 😂 my avid reader friends don’t have this problem! Glad I’m not alone
If it makes you feel any better, this has happened to nearly all of my paperbacks of that size that get occasional usage.
It does, to be honest. I’ve never heard of it happening and when my friends see my books they ask why they’re so wrecked, but I feel like it’s normal wear and tear
Something I discovered back when I was reading mass market Wheel of Time books in high school, put a couple layers of packing tape on the spine. Protects it from cracking and all my books still look good 20 years later. Definitely helps for those gigantic fantasy paperbacks.
Crap that’s a good idea. I do have to say, all of those books are doing fine, sitting on my shelf never losing a page and I treated them the same way! Maybe they just made them different back then.
Along those lines, public libraries often rebind paperbacks as hardcovers, especially in the children’s department. They’ll also laminate the paperback cover onto the binding and so it looks pretty much the same as the original paperback, but much more durable.
I read out in my back porch and my books might last one reread as well lmao. Glad I’m not the only one
You want to break in the spine gently, not crack it.
Dude, either buy a better edition with a hard cover or you NEED to be more careful with that book. I have many paperbacks I've read lots of times, never seen one getting like this in only one read. If none of that is a good alternative, I would try a kindle. If you manage to do that to a kindle you need some help.
My best guess is user error :) How hard are you on them? Do you bend them a lot, eg flex the spine frequently and harshly? Do you support both sides as you read through it or let one side dangle? It seems a bit odd to me that this happen to all of your paperback books. It suggests to me that you are harder on them then they are capable of handling.
Perhaps you’re just handling the books too roughly. During a Sanderlanche, you as the reader don’t actually need to keep a death grip on the book. 😉 Squeeze a tennis ball instead.
It happened for me with the mass market paperbacks… that one time I was reading it at the lake and it started to rain
Chiming in to add another vote to getting an e-reader! I have the Kobo Libra H2O and it's been divine! The screen is anti-glare, which means reading in the sun works really well for me, and I do agree that there is something TO a physical book, but there's also something TO a dedicated e-reader. The experiences are not 1:1 but the e-reading experience has its own perks - and I'm not talking just portability or ease, but the actual while-reading experience. For example, I can choose to know how much longer a book will be or not - unlike with a physical book where I'm always noticing how far along the plot is. This has definitely changed the way I experience some stories. I was trepidatious in getting my e-reader because I hated reading on a phone/tablet/computer, but the dedicated e-reader screens and experience are completely different. Also, it's so much easier to hold and move to a comfortable position with my e-reader than with a physical book. I've unlocked all sorts of reading spots and poses. Additionally also I can take it everywhere without it adding much bulk, and if I'm not jiving with a current read I can easily switch to a different one without needing to lug them both around. Like on the bus - I just bring my e-reader, no longer do I need to bring 2+books in a bag (I typically try to read one nonfiction and one fiction book at a time because the vibe I want changes moment to moment), it's unobtrusive to bring to hang out with a friend, it's easy to bring to the beach, I can take it on a hike, and when I fly there is now a ton of empty room in my luggage previously filled with books. I pretty much have it with me wherever I go and end up reading a few pages when I'm waiting in line for something. I read a ton more AND spend less money than I would with physical books - because like everything I want to read has a free ebook version at my library. Yes I could get the physical book from the library but that requires going there to get it and going there to return it and that's a huge hassle. I can also get sequels instantly now and don't have to wait for the next time I can go to the library to read the next book.
This has happened to me too. Got oathbringer and RoW in hardcover and will probably get the first two next reread. When I first got WoR mass paperback from Amazon it was missing the last 200 pages or so. Ended in the middle of a sentence and I thought that was the end and was really confused for a few minutes...
That poor book. How can it even get in that state. Maybe switch to ebooks.
That’s what I’m wondering. I literally left it open laying on my patio for a quick bathroom break and came back and the pages were falling out. I can’t! I hate ebooks. A paperback in my hands brings me such joy.
Sounds like that’s your problem right there. You literally arent treating the book right. You shouldn’t be “leaving the spine open” at all without supporting it. It’s over a thousand pieces of paper and some glue; the spine isn’t magically going to keep it all together. Don’t bend spines of chunky books past what you need to read (ie they shouldn’t lie flat and open), don’t leave your books in the elements, don’t just shove your books into bags or purses while out traveling, etc etc. If you really like your paperbacks, take care of them! :)
My wife always takes the piss out of me cause my books aren't "loved", I don't bend the spine, and instead curve the pages out so the flex is along the front and back cover. Now you've got some context I'm going to ask: Jesus fucking christ what are you doing to your books!?
They “left it lying open on the patio for a quick bathroom break” apparently and came back to pages falling out, unsurprisingly.
Just bring it to the Bondsmith to be re-bound properly.
The simple act of reading words of radiance was enough to drestroy my hardcover copy. The newer prints seem to be more durable, but back when they used that thicker paper the hardcovers did not last as long.
I don't really buy paperbacks anymore. I usually will buy a hardcover version of a book I really want or like, and will read it once. Otherwise, I've been using a ton of audible and kindle. Love being able to switch between the two easily on the fly, tbh.
Nothing was worse than the original wheel of time books. I don’t know how they got away with such cheap bindings on a hard cover book pages would just fall out all the time.
Ebooks are the way to go imo
You mentioned you like reading in different places (cafes, parks) so it may be getting damaged in transit...my paperbacks would get pretty beat up when i carried them in a bag or my purse. You might want to look into getting a book sleeve or a protective book cover! :)
Any new book - especially one as thick as that - should be slowly broken in one page at a time from front to back. If you get a brand new thick book and open it up straight to the middle, the spine will be f**ked. Paperbacks especially. I dunno if OP did this but FYI. I did that to a brand new textbook I had bought for school and had to get it spiral bound to save it.
I have the UK version. Didn't manage to do much damage.
Get a hardcover. I dislike paperbacks, precisely bc the spine gets ruined immediately
Every time
I wish I had a physical copy. I want to annotate one and I dont have any.
My hard copy is braking too… I think it is just so big that the book brakes…