How do YOU find good e-books?

Nancy Fulda · 07-02-2011, 01:22 PM

I mostly buy books that have been recommended to me by friends, but I know my sister likes to browse the also-bought listings in Amazon.

What about you guys? Where do you go hunting for good books, and what convinces you to buy them?

astra · 07-03-2011, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nancy Fulda

I mostly buy books that have been recommended to me by friends, but I know my sister likes to browse the also-bought listings in Amazon.

What about you guys? Where do you go hunting for good books, and what convinces you to buy them?

I follow the general literature topics such as Reading in July 2011 on three book forums.
sffworld
Malazan Empire
westeros

When I say General Literature, I mean it. Malazan and Westeros are dedicated forums to series fans, but I never read sub forums about the series. I visit only their General Literature sub forums.
After you have been a member for a while, you can tell members with similar taste from the members with very different interests. People post their short reviews there, discuss read books. It is also safe from anyone boosting a book because it will benefit them money wise or to help a friend etc.
I also read Amazon reviews but I am careful with these. I don't give any value to reviewers with 1 review only or with hundreds and hundreds. The former is most likely a friend (*****) or an enemy/rival (*) of an author. The latter is a bookshop owner.
I am not fan of blogs. I have noticed that blog owners usually rave about a new ARC book they get months ahead of mere mortals, like it is the best of the best...so that the publishers supply them with more ARCs and they get more visitors(i.e., money) on the blog.

I never ever read a book on impulse without a prior investigation. Let alone buy one.

That's my strategy

amward · 07-03-2011, 03:04 AM

I find the mobile read forums a great resource on what to go for next. I use libraries a lot, so it mostly doesn't matter if I make a bad choice, I just take it back. Also take recommendations from friends and a few reviewers whose tastes I trust.

DMB · 07-03-2011, 07:57 AM

I mostly read in English but live in a non-anglophone country, so for decades I have relied a great deal on book reviews in the press (including specialist press) for ideas on what to go for.

I also pay attention to personal recommendations with the caveat that they have to be from someone whose tastes or interests might reasonably be expected to jell with mine.

I occasionally find Amazon recommendations helpful.

Since I only got my Kindle in August last year, I have gradually been adding e-versions of many books that I already had in dt format. Earlier this year I started getting rid of the majority of my dt books because of the space problem, but that doesn't mean I want to lose them forever. Even when a book is sitting right by me, I do find reading on the Kindle much more convenient than reading a dt book.

My choice of ebooks has something to do with my age. I am well aware that my time alive is limited and I have to face the fact that I shall probably not be able to reread many much-loved books let alone read many new ones.

stonetools · 07-03-2011, 10:54 AM

I'm starting to get into Goodreads as a recommendations engine , and it looks good .
I like the recommendations forum here.
+1 for the literature forums at Westeros.org.
Look at blogs like Pats Fantasy List, SFsite, and A Dribble of Ink for speculative fiction recs.
Some people think Amazon reviews are useless, but I think they can be useful.

There is no perfect recommendations engine. You have to check a variety of sources.

astra · 07-03-2011, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonetools

There is no perfect recommendations engine. You have to check a variety of sources.

crich70 · 07-03-2011, 11:20 AM

I go with the MR forums a lot. As I check out the Indie Freebee's quite often it doesn't matter if I get an occasional book that I don't find appealing since it didn't cost me anything to buy it in the 1st place.

cfrizz · 07-03-2011, 11:26 AM

I know the genres I like to read, so I go to those particular ones in the stores where I get my books & check out the titles and read the previews that are written for them. If I like it, I buy it.

pidgeon92 · 07-03-2011, 11:49 AM

For me, it's become more how do I avoid finding new books.

Between a few book blogs, the library, Goodreads and Amazon's Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought section, I have hundreds of books I own still to be read, and hundreds more on my wishlist.

J. Strnad · 07-03-2011, 12:43 PM

I'm with pidgeon92...I have more books coming at me than I can read. Most of the recommendations come from social media.

Ransom · 07-03-2011, 02:25 PM

Considering how few good authors there have been during the past 50 years, I find most everything at Gutenberg like everyone else.

patrickt · 07-03-2011, 02:44 PM

I think there have been quite a few good authors in the last fifty years. I tend to return to reading them fairly ofter. I have a very narrow set of criteria for books I want to read and if I manage to meet my criteria I'm rarely disappointed. If I'm pushed out of the narrow criteria there is more risk.

crich70 · 07-03-2011, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ransom

Considering how few good authors there have been during the past 50 years, I find most everything at Gutenberg like everyone else.

I find Gutenberg good for a starting point as far as classic PD books, but the site does have two drawbacks.
1. The books at Gutenberg often don't have a proper working TOC for moving round in the text and
2. If you're searching for a book that isn't PD you'll not find it there. So a book by Bram Stoker would be there, but books by writers like Issac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke aren't there.
If a person wants to stick to reading only the classics then Gutenberg does have a lot to offer (aside from the TOC problem), but if you want something more contemporary you have to go somewhere like Amazon or Barnes & Noble (depending on your ereader). Myself I like MR for classic fiction because the books here do have working TOC's as well as colorful covers. Most of Gutenberg's Kindle files seem to have a one size fits all cover that's kinda bland looking.

astra · 07-03-2011, 04:13 PM

Lucky you.
Probably.

I read only books publishes 20 years and younger.
The younger, the better.
50/50

rdfry · 07-03-2011, 04:44 PM

I look at Bookpage and forum threads on what other people are reading. Free book threads. Visit the library and look through the new releases.

07-02-2011, 01:22 PM	#1
Nancy Fulda I write stories. Posts: 700 Karma: 16437432 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northern Germany Device: kindle	How do YOU find good e-books? I mostly buy books that have been recommended to me by friends, but I know my sister likes to browse the also-bought listings in Amazon. What about you guys? Where do you go hunting for good books, and what convinces you to buy them?

07-03-2011, 11:20 AM	#7
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,310 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	I go with the MR forums a lot. As I check out the Indie Freebee's quite often it doesn't matter if I get an occasional book that I don't find appealing since it didn't cost me anything to buy it in the 1st place. Last edited by crich70; 07-03-2011 at 04:00 PM.

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07-03-2011, 03:04 AM	#3
amward Wizard Posts: 1,299 Karma: 2081110 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: SW Australia Device: Eco Eclipse, Sony PRS 350 (pink), Ipod Touch, Kindle Touch	I find the mobile read forums a great resource on what to go for next. I use libraries a lot, so it mostly doesn't matter if I make a bad choice, I just take it back. Also take recommendations from friends and a few reviewers whose tastes I trust.

07-03-2011, 07:57 AM	#4
DMB Old Git Posts: 958 Karma: 1840790 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Switzerland (mostly) Device: Two kindle PWs wifi, kindle fire, iPad3 wifi	I mostly read in English but live in a non-anglophone country, so for decades I have relied a great deal on book reviews in the press (including specialist press) for ideas on what to go for. I also pay attention to personal recommendations with the caveat that they have to be from someone whose tastes or interests might reasonably be expected to jell with mine. I occasionally find Amazon recommendations helpful. Since I only got my Kindle in August last year, I have gradually been adding e-versions of many books that I already had in dt format. Earlier this year I started getting rid of the majority of my dt books because of the space problem, but that doesn't mean I want to lose them forever. Even when a book is sitting right by me, I do find reading on the Kindle much more convenient than reading a dt book. My choice of ebooks has something to do with my age. I am well aware that my time alive is limited and I have to face the fact that I shall probably not be able to reread many much-loved books let alone read many new ones.

07-03-2011, 10:54 AM	#5
stonetools Wizard Posts: 2,016 Karma: 2838487 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Washington, DC Device: Ipad, IPhone	I'm starting to get into Goodreads as a recommendations engine , and it looks good . I like the recommendations forum here. +1 for the literature forums at Westeros.org. Look at blogs like Pats Fantasy List, SFsite, and A Dribble of Ink for speculative fiction recs. Some people think Amazon reviews are useless, but I think they can be useful. There is no perfect recommendations engine. You have to check a variety of sources.

07-03-2011, 11:26 AM	#8
cfrizz Wizard Posts: 1,569 Karma: 36389706 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Quincy, MA Device: Samsung 54A, Kobo Libra H2O, Samsung S6 Lite	I know the genres I like to read, so I go to those particular ones in the stores where I get my books & check out the titles and read the previews that are written for them. If I like it, I buy it.

07-03-2011, 11:49 AM	#9
pidgeon92 Wizard Posts: 3,144 Karma: 8426142 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Chicago, IL Device: Kindle PW2, Kindle Voyage, Kindle DXG, Boox M90, Kobo Aura HD	For me, it's become more how do I avoid finding new books. Between a few book blogs, the library, Goodreads and Amazon's Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought section, I have hundreds of books I own still to be read, and hundreds more on my wishlist.

07-03-2011, 12:43 PM	#10
J. Strnad Guru Posts: 915 Karma: 3537194 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo, Kindle 3, Paperwhite	I'm with pidgeon92...I have more books coming at me than I can read. Most of the recommendations come from social media.

07-03-2011, 02:25 PM	#11
Ransom Banned Posts: 242 Karma: 51054 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Belleville, IL Device: Kindle-3	Considering how few good authors there have been during the past 50 years, I find most everything at Gutenberg like everyone else.

07-03-2011, 02:44 PM	#12
patrickt Wizard Posts: 1,221 Karma: 8381518 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Oaxaca, Mexico Device: Paperwhite 4 X 2	I think there have been quite a few good authors in the last fifty years. I tend to return to reading them fairly ofter. I have a very narrow set of criteria for books I want to read and if I manage to meet my criteria I'm rarely disappointed. If I'm pushed out of the narrow criteria there is more risk.

07-03-2011, 04:13 PM	#14
astra The Introvert Posts: 8,307 Karma: 1000077497 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: United Kingdom Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500	Lucky you. Probably. I read only books publishes 20 years and younger. The younger, the better. 50/50

07-03-2011, 04:44 PM	#15
rdfry loving the books Posts: 374 Karma: 18825402 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: DFW Device: Rooted Nook, Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4, Galaxy Note 5, 2 Fire 7s Note 8	I look at Bookpage and forum threads on what other people are reading. Free book threads. Visit the library and look through the new releases.

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