Illustrations missing from epubs

[alecE]

I'm having an interesting discussion with Waterstones customer service re the following titles:
Consuming Passions by Judith Flanders
Decoding the Heavens by Jo Marchant
Khartoum by Michael Asher

All of these were purchased from Waterstones, and all of them are missing illustrations which are referenced in the text or in the TOC. There is no indication on Waterstones' web site to indicate that the titles are published digitally without illustrations. Looking at copies of the epubs which have somehow managed to lose their DRM (I wonder how?) I can confirm that the relevant illustrations have not been included in the epub files.

Waterstones have said "...Unfortunately we have been informed that if the Illustrations are not included in the ebook we will be unable to provide them." and I've indicated that given the nature of the titles, the absence of illustrations renders them unfit for purpose. The saga will doubtless continue.

Since Waterstones have given no indication that they have contacted the publishers, I shall do that myself.

I'm wondering if anybody else has encountered this sort of situation where the digital version of a title is the "poor relation" by virtue of losing the pictures? (I recognise that images won't look their best on a grey-scale display, but other titles, some from the same publishers, *have* been produced with illustrations.)

Doesn't seem like a good way to sell epublishing as the way of the future.

[Jellby]

I've seen books (in Mobipocket format) where the maps where included at such a small size that they're totally unreadable and useless. Not the same case as yours, but similar.

[alecE]

Originally Posted by Jellby

I've seen books (in Mobipocket format) where the maps where included at such a small size that they're totally unreadable and useless. Not the same case as yours, but similar.

This is very often the case with epub on my sony 505 - I often end up reading the text on my liseuse, with my laptop at the side to display the pics. I live in hope that readers will improve to the point where this is unnecessary.