The Reading Vent & Rant Thread

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by gmw

My post wasn't talking about ebooks. I say again, take a look back at the context: my post was in reply to a post about a pair of hardcover omnibus editions that could have been placed in a real cardboard box. A literal box of omnibuses that I thought even you could find nothing to complain about ... not a mistake I am likely to make again.

Sadly, Jon can always find something to complain about.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

I do like that "spinal" bookset graphic. My RV&R is related to the "a novel" thing. I just saw this at Kobo.

I howled when I saw this image. Great find!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by gmw

My post wasn't talking about ebooks. I say again, take a look back at the context: my post was in reply to a post about a pair of hardcover omnibus editions that could have been placed in a real cardboard box. A literal box of omnibuses that I thought even you could find nothing to complain about ... not a mistake I am likely to make again.

But the topic has been about eBooks. So pBooks really don't count in this case. Hence the start of the cover as an issue. A pBook box set has no cover issue the same way eBook box sets mostly do. And just to be clear, eBook box sets are omnibuses, not box sets.

[DiapDealer]

Let it go, Jon.

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Let it go, Jon.

Thanks for putting this apt earworm in my head

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Let it go, Jon.

[issybird]

I tread warily when I read book reviews so as not to spoil myself. AFAIC, people writing a review can discuss plot points, characterizations, whatever; ideally not in the first sentence. But what infuriates me is when a review of a book in a series assumes people have read later books and proceeds to mention all sorts of spoilers from them. The current book is fair game, as I said, and naturally earlier books. Later books absolutely are not. Just as one example, I was reading a review of a book (which I had just finished) in a series to see a review mention in passing the death of a main character in the subsequent book! What a colossal jerk. Didn’t even have the grace to use spoiler tags (although I personally think they’re not adequate to this situation).

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by issybird

I tread warily when I read book reviews so as not to spoil myself. AFAIC, people writing a review can discuss plot points, characterizations, whatever; ideally not in the first sentence. But what infuriates me is when a review of a book in a series assumes people have read later books and proceeds to mention all sorts of spoilers from them. The current book is fair game, as I said, and naturally earlier books. Later books absolutely are not. Just as one example, I was reading a review of a book (which I had just finished) in a series to see a review mention in passing the death of a main character in the subsequent book! What a colossal jerk. Didn’t even have the grace to use spoiler tags (although I personally think they’re not adequate to this situation).

That's 10th circle of Hell stuff.

[ownedbycats]

Finished the first book of a series. It just cut off in the middle of the action, leaving it on a cliffhanger for the next book. I... don't think I'll continue it.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Finished the first book of a series. It just cut off in the middle of the action, leaving it on a cliffhanger for the next book. I... don't think I'll continue it.

Really that's a serial or serialised novel. It should say that on cover and blurb. A book in a series should be a complete story even if the series has development of the characters and optionally some sort of overall plot.

I too find that annoying, especially if it seems like one novel chopped up. I've not bought further books in some cases.

[Renate]

Mmm, I kind of felt that way about "The Girl in His Shadow", Audrey Blake.
It was a "Big Read" at the library a month or two ago.
I had nothing to read and it was a pretty good yarn.
When I got to the end and realized that there was a sample from the next book, her continuing adventures, I said, "No, thank you".

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

Finished the first book of a series. It just cut off in the middle of the action, leaving it on a cliffhanger for the next book. I... don't think I'll continue it.

Hey, OBC:

When that happens to me, that's IT for me and the series. I had been reading a cute little series, fantasy, about some Druid character and all that and they suddenly left me hanging, in the middle of a very (increasingly short) book. That was it.

I'm sorry, but rewarding that sort of grasping, manipulative behavior isn't on for me. Now, for this author, I can't solve my issue other ways (buying used copies, to see that he doesn't get another dime of royalties from me), but I'll just go without. The only way that we have, as customers and readers, to express dissatisfaction with writers, for their publishing behaviors, is to stop giving them our damned money. Sure, we can email or tweet or what-have-you, but I suspect that the cessation of cashflow is a LOT more noticeable.

Hitch

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Hey, OBC:

When that happens to me, that's IT for me and the series. ...
I'm sorry, but rewarding that sort of grasping, manipulative behavior isn't on for me

I share this sentiment and had a narrow escape yesterday. I came across an interesting Regency mystery-romance series (more mystery than romance since the couple marry in book 1), but was surprised that there were close to 20 books in the series, and the fist one was around 140 pages. Checking the reviews, I was blessed that for once a review at Kobo was useful, a reader commented on how book 1 just ends abruptly, right in the middle of some pivotal action AND the reviewer helpfully added that book 3 does similar. That explained the number of books and their short length, and ensured the series got a hard pass from me

[Sirtel]

I don't mind cliffhangers. If I like the series, I'll continue anyway, if I don't like it enough to continue, then I won't, cliffhanger or no.

I've read several excellent (for me) series where some books end in cliffhangers. No big deal.

[Uncle Robin]

Let the reader choose, by making it clear the book ends on a cliffhanger. Don't present the book as being a complete story if it's not. The series I was interested in made no mention of incomplete endings to any of the books in the series. If the author has confidence in their ability to write a captivating cliffhanger, own it, don't hide it