Unable to download any metadata or covers - Page 2

JSWolf · 06-13-2026, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unseen Entities

Going to echo this issue. I only tried metadata not covers. Still failing on books that had their metadata previously fetched just fine.

happening with:
- Calibre 5.44
- Goodreads plugin (old version, which i didnt note down)
- Goodreads plugin 1.8.5 (current version)

error message: imgr link deleted

Please attach your image instead of linking to imgr. Imgr does not work for people in the UK and a lot of times, it's overloaded. If you attach your image, everyone can see it and your image will never expire. Thanks.

P.S. You can edit your post to do this.

SteveMarshall · 06-13-2026, 04:34 PM

I am having the same problem and it started about a month ago. Books from authors I know has worked in the past are coming up all the time saying "ERROR: No matches found: <p>Failed to find any books that match your search. Try making the search <b>less specific</b>. For example, use only the author's last name and a single distinctive word from the title.<p>To see the full log, click "Show details"."
I try reducing the info and it still does not work. This is a new problem that never used to happen

laurla · 06-13-2026, 10:12 PM

I'm echoing what everyone else is saying. I usually only download metadata from Goodreads and it is giving me the same error for new books and for books with their metadata previously downloaded. This began for me today (6/13), the last day I used it was 6.8.

Error message

Spoiler:

DNSB · 06-13-2026, 10:25 PM

As @Terisa de morgan, Goodreads is using Azure WAF. Azure Web Application Firewall (WAF) is a AWS cloud service that defends web applications against common exploits, SQL injections, malicious bots, and DDoS attacks.

From looking at packet captures, Amazon seems to consider calibre as being either a malicious bot or a oddly configured DDoS attack. Until and if someone is able to add the code to the various calibre plugins to respond to either the javascript challenge or the Microsoft CAPTCHA challenge, it's going to be an ongoing problem.

JSWolf · 06-14-2026, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DNSB

As @Terisa de morgan, Goodreads is using Azure WAF. Azure Web Application Firewall (WAF) is a AWS cloud service that defends web applications against common exploits, SQL injections, malicious bots, and DDoS attacks.

From looking at packet captures, Amazon seems to consider calibre as being either a malicious bot or a oddly configured DDoS attack. Until and if someone is able to add the code to the various calibre plugins to respond to either the javascript challenge or the Microsoft CAPTCHA challenge, it's going to be an ongoing problem.

As of earlier this morning, @kiwidude has ended the Goodreads plugin because of this issue. Same goes for the Fantastic Fiction plugin and the Goodreads scraping for page count from the Count Pages plugin.

06-13-2026, 04:34 PM	#17
SteveMarshall Steve from AKL Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2024 Location: New Zealand Device: iPad - Marvin app	Same problem. Can't find metadata for some books. I am having the same problem and it started about a month ago. Books from authors I know has worked in the past are coming up all the time saying "ERROR: No matches found: <p>Failed to find any books that match your search. Try making the search <b>less specific</b>. For example, use only the author's last name and a single distinctive word from the title.<p>To see the full log, click "Show details"." I try reducing the info and it still does not work. This is a new problem that never used to happen

06-13-2026, 10:12 PM	#18
laurla Addict Posts: 279 Karma: 1374306 Join Date: May 2013 Location: Brownsburg, IN (Indpls,IN) Device: kindle pw	Same metadata issue I'm echoing what everyone else is saying. I usually only download metadata from Goodreads and it is giving me the same error for new books and for books with their metadata previously downloaded. This began for me today (6/13), the last day I used it was 6.8. Error message Spoiler: calibre, version 9.9.0 ERROR: No matches found: <p>Failed to find any books that match your search. Try making the search <b>less specific</b>. For example, use only the author's last name and a single distinctive word from the title.<p>To see the full log, click "Show details". Running identify query with parameters: {'title': 'The Book Club for Troublesome Women', 'authors': ['Bostwick, marie'], 'identifiers': {'goodreads': '216101441'}, 'timeout': 30} Using plugins: Goodreads (1, 8, 5) The log from individual plugins is below **************************** Goodreads (1, 8, 5) ************************** Found 0 results Downloading from Goodreads took 1.3215999603271484 identify - start. title=The Book Club for Troublesome Women, authors=['Bostwick, marie'], identifiers={'goodreads': '216101441'} Get details attempt #1 Goodreads book url: 'https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216101441' Trying to parse book json for 2022 web page format Page is legacy html format as NO Json found No book_json found in this response, retrying for another response Get details attempt #2 Goodreads book url: 'https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216101441' Trying to parse book json for 2022 web page format Page is legacy html format as NO Json found No book_json found in this response, retrying for another response Get details attempt #3 Goodreads book url: 'https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216101441' Trying to parse book json for 2022 web page format Page is legacy html format as NO Json found No book_json found in this response, retrying for another response Get details attempt #4 Goodreads book url: 'https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216101441' Trying to parse book json for 2022 web page format Page is legacy html format as NO Json found No book_json found in this response, retrying for another response Get details attempt #5 Goodreads book url: 'https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216101441' Trying to parse book json for 2022 web page format Page is legacy html format as NO Json found No book_json found in this response, retrying for another response Get details attempt #6 Goodreads book url: 'https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216101441' Trying to parse book json for 2022 web page format Page is legacy html format as NO Json found No book_json found in this response, retrying for another response Get details attempt #7 Goodreads book url: 'https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216101441' Trying to parse book json for 2022 web page format Page is legacy html format as NO Json found No book_json found in this response, retrying for another response Get details attempt #8 Goodreads book url: 'https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216101441' Trying to parse book json for 2022 web page format Page is legacy html format as NO Json found No book_json found in this response, retrying for another response Get details attempt #9 Goodreads book url: 'https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216101441' Trying to parse book json for 2022 web page format Page is legacy html format as NO Json found No book_json found in this response, retrying for another response Get details attempt #10 Goodreads book url: 'https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216101441' Trying to parse book json for 2022 web page format Page is legacy html format as NO Json found No book_json found in this response, retrying for another response Get details attempt #11 Goodreads book url: 'https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216101441' Trying to parse book json for 2022 web page format Page is legacy html format as NO Json found No book_json found in this response, retrying for another response ********************************************** **************************** The identify phase took 1.41 seconds The longest time (1.321600) was taken by: Goodreads Merging results from different sources We have 0 merged results, merging took: 0.00 seconds

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Unable to download metadata/covers, SSL error	soratoyuki	Library Management	3	05-22-2026 10:44 PM
[Solved] How come I am unable to download metadata and covers?	schmuck281	Calibre	15	12-25-2013 12:01 AM
Unable to download covers	stymiee	Calibre	5	01-16-2013 08:13 PM
Unable to Download Metadata	Nalgarryn	Library Management	5	01-04-2013 12:31 PM
Unable to download metadata, covers	Pushka	Calibre	6	05-22-2010 12:24 AM

06-13-2026, 10:25 PM	#19
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 52,425 Karma: 180944990 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	As @Terisa de morgan, Goodreads is using Azure WAF. Azure Web Application Firewall (WAF) is a AWS cloud service that defends web applications against common exploits, SQL injections, malicious bots, and DDoS attacks. From looking at packet captures, Amazon seems to consider calibre as being either a malicious bot or a oddly configured DDoS attack. Until and if someone is able to add the code to the various calibre plugins to respond to either the javascript challenge or the Microsoft CAPTCHA challenge, it's going to be an ongoing problem.

Advert

Advert