FBreader: library recommendations - maemo.org

RevdKathy · #1 2010-01-02, 09:00

Posting this here because although it would be really helpful to have some suggestions for sources of books now that FBReader has made it itnot extras, i could see this also becoming a sort of 'maemo book-club'.

So... those of youi already using FBReader, where do you recommend? What format? What do we need to avoid? Can we buy books or are we limited to what's available free?

For example I can find a number of places selling books on this list - are they all encryption free? Or do I have to avoid the ones marked 'secure' (which cuts down their listing considerably!)

And within that - what is good to read there? (Yes, I know that's utterly subjective... I'm curious what people are reading on maemo devices!)

I'm excited that the reader has made it to 'extras' having promised myself no more 'testing' apps till I've given feedback.

gbuergisser · #2 2010-01-02, 09:10

I have installed some books from http://www.epubbooks.com/ They provide a selection of un-DRM'd ebooks in epub format. Currently I'm reading some stories of H.G. Wells.

I also have tried to buy a DRM'd Stephen King ebook from a webshop here in Switzerland. But FBReader cannot handle it (well, it can open it but it displays a blank book). So for now I'm staying away from DRM'd ebooks.

RevdKathy · #3 2010-01-02, 09:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbuergisser

I have installed some books from http://www.epubbooks.com/ They provide a selection of un-DRM'd ebooks in epub format. Currently I'm reading some stories of H.G. Wells.

I also have tried to buy a DRM'd Stephen King ebook from a webshop here in Switzerland. But FBReader cannot handle it (well, it can open it but it displays a blank book). So for now I'm staying away from DRM'd ebooks.

Are all e-pub's book unDRMed? Or do i have to search and check before I use them? There's several there I'd like to collect.

Edit: I just realised that Memo-ware is on that list. I have bucketloads of their stuff from my palm days. Which format should I be looking for there?

qole · #4 2010-01-02, 09:42

Too bad this is off-topic, I'd like to thank gbuergisser for that link.

RevdKathy, from what I can see, those are all out-of-copyright books, so they are public domain and DRM-free. Probably most of them are from the Gutenberg Project or some such place. That website is really nicely laid out, I must say. The books themselves are a bit messily formatted, but good enough...

EDIT: I see now that you are not asking that question at all. And I don't know the answer to your question, so I'll go away now ...

RevdKathy · #5 2010-01-02, 09:48

Well, I put it here so as not to clog up serious discussion about FBReader as an app.
But you're a mod - if it's in the wrong place, move it!

(I agree about the 'thanks' actually)

Yes, those books are out of print. Doesn't mean they're not worth reading though.

I have previous experience of reading works from http://www.memoware.com/ though I've no idea how they perform on FBReader on maemo. And I've used Gutenberg Project, too.

Mind, with a book reader and my growing video collection, I may never do any work again.

qole · #6 2010-01-02, 10:17

Well, I have just installed fbreader on my desktop computer, and then tried downloading the various formats on the memoware website, and it looks like it can handle the plucker and MobiPocket formats, but not iSilo3, tome raider nor PalmReader.

A full list of supported formats is found on the fbreader website.

Alan_Peery · #7 2010-01-02, 10:21

www.feedbooks.com is my favourite repository, and I use the Mobipocket format. It's nice because the recommendation links take you to more stories and they download automatically. I'd recommend you start with searching for author H. Beam Piper, and under-appreciated author. My favourites from him are Space Viking, Little Fuzzy, and Rebel Raider. All books on Feedbooks are free, and there's also a substantial number of non-English books. Try searching for Dumas or Verne if you're wanting to practice your French, for instance.

My second favorite source is the Baen Free Library (google for it). Books have to be individually downloaded and imported into FBReader, but there are books from top-flight sci-fi authors. Again, free. Start with David Weber's book "On Basilick Station".

Flandry · #8 2010-01-02, 10:22

Of course you know that out of print isn't the same as out of copyright; the Gutenberg collection is really old. There are some great classics in there. I've been reading books from Gutenberg since my first PDA in 1999, and still have a lot i'd like to read.

Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court was fun, along with Huck and Tom's adventures. HG Wells, Dickens, Tolstoy. I think Ayn Rand's stuff is there now, too. Tolkein...

One great thing about FBReader-like "kitchen sink" readers is that they support plucker format. A lot of my ebook collection is stuff i grabbed ("plucked") from online publications using a plucker tool. It packages up a series of web pages into a single file for reading, and works surprisingly well. This isn't as useful as it used to be before wifi and 3G smartphones, but it still beats trying to read a novel in the browser a chapter at a time.

Alan_Peery · #9 2010-01-02, 10:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flandry

. I think Ayn Rand's stuff is there now, too. Tolkein...

Only Anthem the last time I looked.

A recommended (and quick) read, it belongs up alongside Catcher in the Rye and and Lord of the Flies. i do find it odd that the Golden One isn't a stronger character given the characteristics of the author...

qole · #10 2010-01-02, 10:51

Oh, I like that feedbooks website! I like the self-published current authors mixed in with the public domain stuff...