Omnibus /box set books

jbcohen · 05-21-2016, 08:12 AM

Anyone prefer omnibus/box set books?

Freeshadow · 05-21-2016, 08:50 AM

Yes, if it's more, then why not take the full dosage at once

MGlitch · 05-21-2016, 09:14 AM

If it's well done, then yes. By well done I mean the ToC links to each book and the chapters within the book in a consistent manner. And with few pages between the books which don't have text. I understand a title page, dedications page, and maybe one or two others but we don't need the copyright page, ToC, etc. per book.

Freeshadow · 05-21-2016, 09:47 AM

@ MGlitch you mean: "Done as an omnibus in contrary to simply 'sticking' the single volumes cover to cover behind each other. Of course +1 to that.

MGlitch · 05-21-2016, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freeshadow

@ MGlitch you mean: "Done as an omnibus in contrary to simply 'sticking' the single volumes cover to cover behind each other. Of course +1 to that.

Yes, though I have seen Omnibus editions with a lacking ToC which were otherwise fine, i.e. they didn't use epub merge (or a variation of it) to just slap the ebooks together. And while it was eventually corrected it was frustrating to see. Especially given the generally limited view we get pre-purchase of ebooks.

theducks · 05-21-2016, 10:32 AM

Boxed sets: Only if I do not own any singles contained AND they are not 'Monster sized'. Poor old reader really wheezes on multi-Meg books.

I would rather have a 'Bundle' of individual books (A true boxed set) at a discounted price, rather than a Monster sized Book

Omnibus: It might make production sense from a PRINT run standpoint, but the economics are really not there in e-book (Format for e-book, Split, Ship)

<rant>
Boxed sets/ Omnibus (same series) with inconsistent visual formatting between 'books' is just laziness.
</rant

crich70 · 05-21-2016, 10:57 AM

I like them as long as they work well (TOC) and the file isn't too large to access easily.

Katsunami · 05-21-2016, 11:27 AM

There has been a thread about this before...

...and this is my reply to it.

In short, I don't like omnibuses. I buy them, but I either split them up when they're not too many books (most of them), or I extract the book I'm going to read (Delphi Classics).

By the way, in that thread I said:

Quote:

I think that the size of the books is a matter of pride for Delphi. As they are all public domain works, and they all have no DRM and are all downloaded through the Delphi website, there is NO reason to sell an omnibus that's 20.000 pages in size. They could just as well sell a zip-file.

They actually started doing that with their Parts Editions, but those are more expensive than the omnibus versions.

Dr. Drib · 05-21-2016, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbcohen

Anyone prefer omnibus/box set books?

I'll sometimes combine them, if I have a complete set and if I can find an omnibus cover.

howyoudoin · 05-21-2016, 03:30 PM

Why not, if they're cheaper than the constituents bought separately?

Some omnibuses I've split because I've already got other books in the series as individual books, and it doesn't look good to have a few clumped together in one file in between.

Some omnibuses are complete in themselves (Sherlock Holmes, for instance), and those I keep as omnibuses.

I don't think I've ever merged books into an omnibus before. It might be an instructive experience to do it if any books in my library require the treatment.

Psychologically, I like them separate, tbh. It feels a greater achievement to finish reading three books, instead of finishing one really long one.

Katsunami · 05-21-2016, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by howyoudoin

I don't think I've ever merged books into an omnibus before. It might be an instructive experience to do it if any books in my library require the treatment.

I did this with the short stories of Arthur Machen. I downloaded those from Feedbooks.com, but because there were so many, I merged them into an omnibus, removed the non-needed parts, added a TOC per story, and gave it its own cover.

Blossom · 05-21-2016, 03:47 PM

I like them if they are on sale. I do split them up because I want to know how far I'm into a book. You can't do that with a box set. If using Time Left to read it would be quite confusing.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Sweetpea · 05-21-2016, 06:09 PM

I'll buy them, but won't read them as bought, I'll split them before reading.

Apache · 05-21-2016, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blossom

I like them if they are on sale. I do split them up because I want to know how far I'm into a book. You can't do that with a box set. If using Time Left to read it would be quite confusing.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I'll buy them, but won't read them as bought, I'll split them before reading.

Me three.
Apache

cromag · 05-21-2016, 11:41 PM

If it's a collection of books that I expect to enjoy, and it's cheaper than buying them individually, then I'll buy the omnibus/box set..

05-21-2016, 08:12 AM	#1
jbcohen Wizard Posts: 3,025 Karma: 11196738 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Piper College Device: Samsung A21	Omnibus /box set books Anyone prefer omnibus/box set books?

05-21-2016, 03:30 PM	#10
howyoudoin how YOU doin? Posts: 1,100 Karma: 7371047 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: India Device: Kindle Keyboard, iPad Pro 10.5”, Kobo Aura H2O, Kobo Libra 2	Why not, if they're cheaper than the constituents bought separately? Some omnibuses I've split because I've already got other books in the series as individual books, and it doesn't look good to have a few clumped together in one file in between. Some omnibuses are complete in themselves (Sherlock Holmes, for instance), and those I keep as omnibuses. I don't think I've ever merged books into an omnibus before. It might be an instructive experience to do it if any books in my library require the treatment. Psychologically, I like them separate, tbh. It feels a greater achievement to finish reading three books, instead of finishing one really long one. Last edited by howyoudoin; 05-21-2016 at 03:33 PM.

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05-21-2016, 08:50 AM	#2
Freeshadow temp. out of service Posts: 2,798 Karma: 24285242 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Duisburg (DE) Device: PB 623	Yes, if it's more, then why not take the full dosage at once

05-21-2016, 09:14 AM	#3
MGlitch Wizard Posts: 2,850 Karma: 22003124 Join Date: Aug 2014 Device: Kobo Forma, Kobo Sage, Kobo Libra 2	If it's well done, then yes. By well done I mean the ToC links to each book and the chapters within the book in a consistent manner. And with few pages between the books which don't have text. I understand a title page, dedications page, and maybe one or two others but we don't need the copyright page, ToC, etc. per book.

05-21-2016, 09:47 AM	#4
Freeshadow temp. out of service Posts: 2,798 Karma: 24285242 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Duisburg (DE) Device: PB 623	@ MGlitch you mean: "Done as an omnibus in contrary to simply 'sticking' the single volumes cover to cover behind each other. Of course +1 to that.

05-21-2016, 10:32 AM	#6
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,376 Karma: 58053698 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Boxed sets: Only if I do not own any singles contained AND they are not 'Monster sized'. Poor old reader really wheezes on multi-Meg books. I would rather have a 'Bundle' of individual books (A true boxed set) at a discounted price, rather than a Monster sized Book Omnibus: It might make production sense from a PRINT run standpoint, but the economics are really not there in e-book (Format for e-book, Split, Ship) <rant> Boxed sets/ Omnibus (same series) with inconsistent visual formatting between 'books' is just laziness. </rant

05-21-2016, 10:57 AM	#7
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,309 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	I like them as long as they work well (TOC) and the file isn't too large to access easily.

05-21-2016, 03:47 PM	#12
Blossom Treasure Seeker Posts: 18,708 Karma: 26026435 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices	I like them if they are on sale. I do split them up because I want to know how far I'm into a book. You can't do that with a box set. If using Time Left to read it would be quite confusing. Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

05-21-2016, 06:09 PM	#13
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	I'll buy them, but won't read them as bought, I'll split them before reading.

05-21-2016, 11:41 PM	#15
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 24,994 Karma: 459220161 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	If it's a collection of books that I expect to enjoy, and it's cheaper than buying them individually, then I'll buy the omnibus/box set..

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