Book Versions

[Karellen]

Interesting. Thanks @Pulpmeister

I know this sounds silly, but I feel a little bit cheated. Which is the correct story? Yes, many may think it does not change the story as they are only subtle changes. In this particular book there are lots of subtle changes. How many subtle changes can you make before you can no longer call the changes subtle?

I purchased a book thinking it was exactly as the author wrote it, but only to find that it is being changed with possibly each printing. Editors, printers and the author are sneaking in and out additional parts to the story. Maybe I should never purchase a first edition because part of the story is always missing

Anyway, for me it's now like discovering easter eggs on a dvd.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

1) I always check the ebook version, when available, with the one in my calibre library and then replace it.

2) Sometimes an author will revise a work and there's no mention of this fact on the cover, but may be buried in the copyright information.

Sometimes I'll download the eBook again if it's been a while since I last downloaded it and I am planning on reading it soon. I'll use the Calibre editor to compare the eBooks. The fact that changes have been made are not always evident in the copyright page.

But it is annoying to know that eBooks get updated and we are not told.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

The ebook I'm currently reading Garden of Heaven was written by author I think of as a personal acquaintance, and when I bought the ebook from Kindle and let her know of some of the typos and errors I'd found, she replied

How can formatting an eBook cause typos? I've never done that when dealing with an eBook's format.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Little.Egret

And may not be mentioned at all. Even an author familiar with version numbering for software will happily upload a typo update with no marking.

It's not just typo changes. Sometimes It's formatting changes including changing the low res images to high res images.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Karellen

Nothing to Lose by Lee Child

Pbook- Large format paberback isbn:9780593057032 1st edition
ebook- Amazon

Currently at page 100 and there have been 7 differences I have stumbled across. Some are sentences and paragraphs that have been reworded, others are paragraphs with additional words, or words removed. Typical example...

ebook:


pbook


In another difference there were two short paragraphs at the end of a chapter that were in the pbook but not in the ebook.

Those changes could be an author revision since the 1st edition was published. Go to a bookstore and have a look at a more recent edition to compare.

[Karellen]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Those changes could be an author revision since the 1st edition was published. Go to a bookstore and have a look at a more recent edition to compare.

Hmm, I am heading out to spend a bit of $$ today and tomorrow. I might do exactly that.

[ekbell]

I've picked up new print copies of a children's book I remember reading and enjoying to discover that the publisher had updated the tech references during the brief period of time where it looked as if people would be shifting to small portable CD players.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Karellen

Hmm, I am heading out to spend a bit of $$ today and tomorrow. I might do exactly that.

Please let us know what you find out. Thanks.

[Karellen]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Please let us know what you find out. Thanks.

I went out yesterday and popped into 3 bookstores. None of them had Nothing To Lose on their shelves. Three franchises, yet they each stocked exactly the same selection...

We are heading out into the city on Thursday or Friday, so I'll try bookstores there.

[Karellen]

I had a bit more luck in the city yesterday.

Three bookstores, each had exactly the same edition. Second impression of ISBN 9780553824414 in a mass market paperback.

I checked the two major differences I found in Nothing To Lose, and these small paperback were the same as my large tpb version and had the extra text.

Looks like these pbooks were printed in the UK, same as my tpb, so I assume the differences are in the US version?

[Karellen]

I am currently reading Nemesis by Bill Napier. I am thoroughly enjoying it so far.

I have both the pbook and ebook versions.
The ebook is available on Amazon... https://www.amazon.com.au/Nemesis-Bi.../dp/0747259933

The pbook is ISBN 9780747276173

From the very first line in the first chapter it struck me that this was another book with lots of differences. And half way through, I have lost count of the number of differences between the two versions.

In the image is a scan of the first page of the first chapter of my pbook. Compare that to the "Look Inside" preview on Amazon and see the difference in the chapter title.

There are some pretty big changes, including different locations, different results, missing sentences and paragraphs from the ebook version, as well as lots of rewording.

Another example...

From the ebook...

>“We have nearly ten thousand strategic nukes. Seven thousand active, and another two on the reserve list.”

From the pbook...

>“We have nearly fifteen thousand nukes. Nine thousand active, and another six on the reserve list.”

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Karellen

I am currently reading Nemesis by Bill Napier. I am thoroughly enjoying it so far.

I have both the pbook and ebook versions.
The ebook is available on Amazon... https://www.amazon.com.au/Nemesis-Bi.../dp/0747259933

The pbook is ISBN 9780747276173

From the very first line in the first chapter it struck me that this was another book with lots of differences. And half way through, I have lost count of the number of differences between the two versions.

In the image is a scan of the first page of the first chapter of my pbook. Compare that to the "Look Inside" preview on Amazon and see the difference in the chapter title.

There are some pretty big changes, including different locations, different results, missing sentences and paragraphs from the ebook version, as well as lots of rewording.

Another example...

From the ebook...


From the pbook...

Well, the Author probably had a chance to revisit their work which was possible for hard copy (requires new plates...).
In you example, those number were probably deemed excessive. They also got a chance to fix other errors or make the work more current (or delete/change things that dated its creation).

[gmw]

Maybe every book has a different combination, like a DRM watermark. Or a secret code that you're supposed to crack, like a DVD Easter-egg. Or someone at the publisher is sending state secrets. Or ...

[guanaco]

I thought I was the only one who read two versions of the same book. What I have done is read the original book in English and the Spanish translation at the same time. What I have found is that in many cases the translation is decent. But I just read a science fiction series by Frederik Pohl and C. M. Kornbluth where in some cases the translator changes the meaning of the sentence and in other cases it seems that he did not even understand the original writing.

[Karellen]

Originally Posted by theducks

Well, the Author probably had a chance to revisit their work which was possible for hard copy (requires new plates...).

I can understand that. What I don't thinks is acceptable is the way these (sometimes major) changes are made with no notification at all.

When a movie studio releases a movie, then subsequently edit and re-release, it is advertised as such. ie, it is the "Directors Cut", "Extended Cut", "Unrated Cut" and about a dozen other terms used. It is made known that the original movie has been modified and consumers can make a choice whether they want the original version or the re-release version.

It seems to me that authors and publishers are discretely changing the events, facts and, to a lesser extent, the storyline.

This is all being done without any notification at all. There is no note, from either the author or the publisher, in the ebook version to indicate this is a re-release/modified/updated version of the original published version. Shouldn't this be made known to the consumer?

What if Isaac Asimov decided to re-release Foundation, because it had be be updated for the 2020's? (assume he is still alive) He edits his novel and adds terms like "internet", "iPad's", "smart phones", "Warp speed", changing "Transcription Machine" to "Laptop". Would that be acceptable?