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I noticed a new size in the stores. The width is the same but the book is a couple of inches taller. Has this been going on for a long time and I'm just slow?
I noticed a new size in the stores. The width is the same but the book is a couple of inches taller. Has this been going on for a long time and I'm just slow?
I haven't noticed this; but then, every time I go to Barnes and Noble it's straight to the kids section so my guys can play with the Thomas the Tank Engine trains. Dangit. Next time I'll look at actual books.
Some publishers started this format earlier this year. I used to work in a bookstore and it was a real pain. Since they are taller than the other paperback books, they didn't fit on the shelf. The first few books that came out in that size were romance titles. Then a few mysteries and a few literature titles.
I haven't noticed this; but then, every time I go to Barnes and Noble it's straight to the kids section so my guys can play with the Thomas the Tank Engine trains. Dangit. Next time I'll look at actual books.
LOL! That's so me with me 2 1/2 year old! Sometimes, I take a quick detour through the café to get some mocha before we head into the kids' section for the rest of the evening.
Some publishers started this format earlier this year. I used to work in a bookstore and it was a real pain. Since they are taller than the other paperback books, they didn't fit on the shelf. The first few books that came out in that size were romance titles. Then a few mysteries and a few literature titles.
The first books I noticed like this were Dan Brown's mass market paperback books--I don't remember any other books like that. Since then, I've seen a few others (Stephen King, and another mystery book), but I don't think it's catching on or anything (and thank goodness!). I'm guessing it's for longer books, or somesuch.
As far as Romance books, I've seen a different format some publishers are trying--novellas seem to be getting more common. They're only a couple dollars, and they're really, really thin books. Maybe a third or a quarter the thickness of a normal mass market paperback book.
While they strike me as cheap, I can't help but think it neat that the novella is still alive.
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They're getting more and more common. A unique way to charge $10 per book....
I'll stick with the regular sized SF and fantasy titles.
__________________ Evil will be dealt with swiftly as it is my duty to remove such evil from my presence.--Rozhena Ashford Cleric/Divine Champion of Torm
As far as Romance books, I've seen a different format some publishers are trying--novellas seem to be getting more common. They're only a couple dollars, and they're really, really thin books. Maybe a third or a quarter the thickness of a normal mass market paperback book.
While they strike me as cheap, I can't help but think it neat that the novella is still alive.
The novella is a good size for those of us that don't want to invest time in a 300+ page novel. I know I like shorter stories because the author is made to condense their story into a more useable size, and not use flowery language or massive discriptions of characters and scenes.
I've never read a romance novel so I cannot say if novellas of that genre are good. If it was something like regular fiction then I would buy a lot more of them.
The novella is a good size for those of us that don't want to invest time in a 300+ page novel. I know I like shorter stories because the author is made to condense their story into a more useable size, and not use flowery language or massive discriptions of characters and scenes.
I've never read a romance novel so I cannot say if novellas of that genre are good. If it was something like regular fiction then I would buy a lot more of them.
I only recall seeing Romance novellas, is the thing. So, if you don't normally read Romance books, you probably wouldn't find them too useful.
__________________ Bring on the Funk.
Talk hard. My internet connection sucks. Wanna run a game? Try EN World's own PbP boards! It's loads of fun. Here are my games so far.
Other stuff:
Spoiler:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kemrain
- Kemrain the Medicated for Your Pleasure.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kemrain
I pity the thread that talks about Mr. T.
- Kemrain the Sigged.
Manamana.
Hey Houston EN Worlders! Interested in Getting together? Let's meet up and have lunch or something!
They're getting more and more common. A unique way to charge $10 per book....
I'll stick with the regular sized SF and fantasy titles.
Books that come in those taller sizes don't come in the shorter sizes.
So, if you really want the small paperback of Dan Brown's Angels & Demons, then you have to buy the taller size (at least, there isn't a cheaper option).
__________________ Bring on the Funk.
Talk hard. My internet connection sucks. Wanna run a game? Try EN World's own PbP boards! It's loads of fun. Here are my games so far.
Other stuff:
Spoiler:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kemrain
- Kemrain the Medicated for Your Pleasure.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kemrain
I pity the thread that talks about Mr. T.
- Kemrain the Sigged.
Manamana.
Hey Houston EN Worlders! Interested in Getting together? Let's meet up and have lunch or something!
Books that come in those taller sizes don't come in the shorter sizes.
So, if you really want the small paperback of Dan Brown's Angels & Demons, then you have to buy the taller size (at least, there isn't a cheaper option).
Bought the shorter version of that at a used store for about a buck.
Now I have to see where I put it so I can read it....
__________________ Evil will be dealt with swiftly as it is my duty to remove such evil from my presence.--Rozhena Ashford Cleric/Divine Champion of Torm
Bought the shorter version of that at a used store for about a buck.
Now I have to see where I put it so I can read it....
Are you sure?
There's a mass market paperback and a quality paperback. The mass market paperback is smaller than the quality paperback, but is larger than mass market paperbacks of most other books. Are you sure you don't mean that you just bought the mass market paperback, or did you actually buy a smaller mass market paperback?
Because from what I've seen, a smaller mass market paperback just doesn't exist, unless, possibly, you want to read the book in French or something. It certainly isn't orderable from any major mortar-and-brick bookstore I've seen.
__________________ Bring on the Funk.
Talk hard. My internet connection sucks. Wanna run a game? Try EN World's own PbP boards! It's loads of fun. Here are my games so far.
Other stuff:
Spoiler:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kemrain
- Kemrain the Medicated for Your Pleasure.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kemrain
I pity the thread that talks about Mr. T.
- Kemrain the Sigged.
Manamana.
Hey Houston EN Worlders! Interested in Getting together? Let's meet up and have lunch or something!
Last edited by Jdvn1; 23rd December 2006 at 09:42 AM..
They're getting more and more common. A unique way to charge $10 per book....
I'll stick with the regular sized SF and fantasy titles.
This is exactly why they are doing it- to justify a MASSMARKET paperback for $10. The common (or at least it was) size for a massmarket was 4" x 7" and that was the common cut of the paper. Any paperback not that size, either larger or smaller (usually non-fiction), was called a tradeback and usually more expensive then the massmarket size because it was an uncommon cut size. Now publishers and I guess printers too can charge more for the bigger (and in their view better) massmarket.
I was in the book retail business for a little over 10 years (I met my girlfriend in the Star Wars section in 1996 while I worked at Waldenbooks). The Hardback would come out then 10 to 14 months later the massmarket would be published, 95% of the time it was never 12 months. In the last couple of years a new trend developed- hardback, tradeback the next year, then massmarket the year after that. Eventhough I got a copy of George R.R. Martin's A Feast for Crows in hardback I was pleasently surprise to see both the tradeback and massmarket (4" x 7" size) come out together (I needed a paper copy to reread and travel with). Usually any fiction tradeback uses a larger then 4" lenght.
But back on topic, I believe that is why we are seeing the 4" x 9" (I think that's the new size, it might be 8 & 1/2" though) being used more. I was in B&N (where I worked for 7 years) the other day and saw more authors' books in that size. So far it is authors who sell well and have been around a while but IMO this will become more and more widespread. I have a feeling that the first SciFi/Fantasy authors will be Robert Jordan, Luarell K. Hamilton, Anne McCaffrey, Mercedes Lackey... well you get the picture. I hope this does not happen, I just don't like the size. All just MO though.
__________________ Wait, what did I just post?
Last edited by Alaric_Prympax; 23rd December 2006 at 02:52 PM..
Up until a couple of years ago, Angels and Demons was available in a regular size mass amrket paperback. I own a copy of it in that size. It's currently on loan to a friend of mine.
I find it funny I started reading Laurel K. Hamilton when the Anita Blake series was still exclusively in the romance section at bookstores. Now I wonder if people will start reading Christine Feehan's "Dark..." vampire series, Sherilyn Kenyen's "Dark Hunter" series, plus JD Robbs (Nora Roberts) "In Death" series, plus several others.
The only reason those series are in romance is the same reason L. K. Hamiltons used to be, sex scenes. Other than that they are pretty good books.
__________________ It is the spirit of the game, not the letter of the rules, which is important. NEVER hold to the letter written, nor allow some barracks room lawyer to force quotations from the rule book upon you, IF it goes against the obvious intent of the game. As you hew the line with respect to conformity to major systems and uniformity of play in general, also be certain the game is mastered by you and not by your players. Within the broad parameters give in the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Volumes, YOU are creator and final arbiter. By ordering things as they should be, the game as a WHOLE first, your CAMPAIGN next, and your participants thereafter, you will be playing Advanced Dungeons and Dragons as it was meant to be. May you find as much pleasure in so doing as the rest of us do.
Up until a couple of years ago, Angels and Demons was available in a regular size mass amrket paperback. I own a copy of it in that size. It's currently on loan to a friend of mine.
Yes it was. My copy of Angles and Demons is 4" x 7" as well but I haven't seen that size since the 'new' massmarket has come out.
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