[jhowell]

How the start location is designated depends on the book format.

For KF8 the EXTH record coontains a set of numbered fields with values. Field 116 (StartReading) is the position where the book should first open expressed as an offset into the raw HTML.

For KFX it is found in the landmarks section of the book_navigation fragment, designated as "landmark_type: srl". That contains a pointer to the position using KFX internal nomenclature (eid and offset).

Besides these, if a book is delivered to the device by Amazon (as opposed to side loaded via USB) there will be a separate file that indicates (among other things) your current/last position read in the book (called "lpr"), which should match the above for a book that has not yet been opened. (Not relevant to this discussion, but Amazon also tracks your "fpr", furthest position read.)

Out of curiosity I went ahead and spent the $3 to purchase the book being discussed and took a look at the internals.

KF8: EXTH 116 (StartReading) = -1 (none?)
KFX: landmark_type: srl is not present
lpr = 1 (the position of the cover)

For most books these values would point to the first chapter. I don't know why this book is different.

(By the way, the double cover seen in the Look Inside and the free sample is not present in the actual book.) -- not true