Fantasy Book Club discussion

This is just a random question, but do most of you find yourselves buying or "renting" your fantasy books?

I'm usually a pure library girl, but a bunch of my fantasy books I've had to buy, either because I love them enough to re-read or because, for some reason, the fantasy books at my particular library seem to be in much worse condition - broken binding, ripped pages, etc.

Emily wrote: "This is just a random question, but do most of you find yourselves buying or "renting" your fantasy books?

I'm usually a pure library girl, but a bunch of my fantasy books I've had to buy, eit..."

The prices of books being what they are, I'm very selective in what I buy. Only a few authors rate buying sight unseen - Scott Bakker, Steven Erikson, Ursula Le Guin, China Mieville. Otherwise, I wait for a library to get them or I troll for used copies at Amazon or aLibris.

I tend to buy used. My local used bookstore is having a 50% off sale and it may kill me... I swear they have a vacuum at the door.

Although, I tend to be a bit of a book snob and prefer the ones I enjoy to be new. Other genres I will probably not care (unless it's like James Rollins or someone really awesome). I have books I don't allow anyone else to touch, even.

I dislike libraries massively. This is just because of personal experience at never being able to find what I want unless I annoy a librarian all to hell.

Kind of off-topic, but still fun, there is a group of improv actors in NYC that do random crazy stuff. Once they protested in front of the NYC library claiming to be members of a group called WAP (Writers Against Piracy). Keep in mind, this was just to poke fun at all the napster/dvd pirating laws in reference to books. It was absolutely hilarious. Here's a link to check them out: Improv Everywhere

It's very difficult to get what you want from the library when you want it. I do use the reservation system a lot and I don't like the fact that I have a limtited time to read the book but it does help to defary th costs.

From the "author's" perspective - If you read and like The Crown Conspiracy (or just want to read it) ask your library to order a copy - usually a request from a patron gets it into the system and I would rather have fewer sales and more readers. It's all about "getting the word out there".

I buy most of my books in the Borders store or through Amazon. I love the smell and feel of new books. I do take advantage of discount coupons, promotional offers, bargain books, and sales.

I can't stand my library. I'll go in there with a list of books I want to read and they won't have them. A few months ago, I decided that I wanted to read A Clockwork Orange and Brave New World. I thought this would be a good opportunity to save some money and use my public library. The library didn't have either one! I had a list of about 50 books that I was interested in reading and I found one--The Giver.

Even browsing the stacks didn't work for me. They did have a whole bookcase of paperback romances and they had several shelves devoted to Stephen King and Tom Clancy.

Library would be ideal, but I rarely go there. I read kind of slow so I don't like the feeling of being pressured to finish by the time it's due back. Plus there's something nice about being able to actually own a book.

I really miss going to the Huntington Beach Public Library. About 10-15 years ago, they started charging non-residents for library cards--$25.00 per year. Yes, it's a bargain compared to buying books, but I hate the idea of paying for a library card. Plus, the card has your picture on it, so I wouldn't be able to hand it to my son or husband so they could check out books, even if it was for me. They would each need their own library card. My son hates reading and my husband takes months to read one book. It wouldn't even be worth it to get them library cards. It's such a shame because it is a good library and it's much closer to me than the county library branch in my city.

I rarely rent or borrow books, even if it's from friends. I like to own my books. My collection has already gotten pretty rediculously large and is filled with plenty of books I haven't even read yet. I just like to have plenty of options sitting right in my room when I'm looking for another book to read. As far as wheather the book is used or new, I don't care too much, as long as I get to own it.

Haha - Sarah, I'm totally with you! My husband has more shoes than I do!

I generally either buy books or borrow them from my friends who have similar tastes. We have a nice system going on in which one person will read something and basically evaluate it for everyone else, and if they like it pass it along -- if not then shelf it. It has lead me to a lot of great authors that I don't think I would have gotten interested in if not for my friends.

Also this system helps defray costs -- we have three to four people sharing books, all buying about the same amount -- so its like having three books for one. Also, we all keep good care of our books so we don't run into the problem present at a lot of libraries (discussed earlier -- frayed covers etc).

I use the library occasionally, but often they don't have the books I want. I occasionally buy from Amazon, but that gets expensive, too. Shipping is $4 on used books, so I started using PaperBackSwap & BookMooch. It's been fantastic. I have more books than ever to read & it's brought my book cost down to under $3 each.

I like having my own books & my family often reads them as well. We re-read, although we've had so many new ones that we haven't for quite some time. We're not terribly worried about condition. We like covers mostly on & pages tight, but other than that, we don't care much.

I live in a rural area with a small library - an even smaller fantasy/scifi section. I haven't even been to the library here in a year...or more...can't really remember. I mostly buy my books, new or used, at the store or online or from the bookclubs that send monthly mailings or straight to my Kindle. Dang, I really spend a lot of money on books...

I mostly use bookmooch.com and paperbackswap.com for books that I intend to keep I buy from amazon, mainly because the library here is terrible.

I spent way too much at Amazon the last couple of months. I have a stack of books (probably 50-75) that could last me the rest of the year. I need an AA for readers. I admit it - I'm addicted to books and reading.

I also use my library, mostly for audiobooks and CDs lately, or really hard-to-find out-of-print books that I can get via interlibrary loan.

I use BookMooch and plan to mooch or re-mooch the books I read. Only if I acquire a signed book to I keep it. Or if it's one of my top ten favorites - like LoTR or Narnia or Wheel of Time or ...

We have a really good library system here, so I tend to get books by new authors, new genres, or new subjects there. I don't get as much prose fiction from the library (unless I am really low on cash) but I love using the library as a place to get "how to" books and graphic stories. At least until I figure out which ones I want to own,

I usually end up purchasing books, however I buy when they have sales or I have a coupon. My library does'nt seem to have a good selection. I will buy used if in decent shape.

Haha Jon, I totally need Readers Anonymous! I've got a serious addiction! I work at Barnes and Noble, so I'm surrounded by books all day. So I buy them. I've lived where I am now for a year and a half, and I still haven't been to our local library! When I was younger, I used to go to the library all the time, but now I would just rather buy books so I can read them on my own time.

These days, I rarely have time to drive to the library, so most of my books are purchased on trips to Target, Wal-Mart, or the mall. I really prefer to own hardcover copies of my books (they seem to last longer), and the used bookstore I go to only carries paperback.

I'm mostly a library person. We have a phenomenal library system here in Fairfax, VA - huge selection and everything is online, so I can search for and reserve books to be sent to my local branch to pick up. If I really want it right away, I can see which branches it is on the shelf at and go pick it up myself, or if I get put in a queue I can see how many people are ahead of me and how many copies the library has. Generally, the wait is anything from 3 days to a couple of weeks to get it through the reservation system. I read fast, so the time frame isn't a problem for me, and if no one else has requested my copy, I can renew twice and keep a book for a total of 9 weeks before having to return it. There are also at least a dozen other libraries (public and university) within the metro-DC area that I can get books through an interlibrary loan from, although I haven't needed to tap into it yet.

Having said that, there are certain authors and series that I buy as soon as they are published (Pern by McCaffrey, Kushiel by Carey, Skolian by Asaro, etc.) Our library has a very wide selection, but for books they don't have or I *must* own, I also get a lot of books through PaperbackSwap.com.

My TBR list of books I own is probably at around 40, not to mention all the books I love to re-read, so I never lack for something to read around the house and usually have a library pile of another 12 - 30 on my bookshelves.

I dont use library too much. When i think an author is real good and enjoyble read then i buy paperbacks.


Library is only for authors i havent read yet and cant buy before they are to my taste. Its also for authors that havent impressed me yet. They arent bad but didnt grap me yet.

Otherwise i always buy new or second hand books for authors i keep reading.

I think it's kind of sad that so many on this thread find their public library system sucks.

I'm blessed, I suppose: The LA County system actually has a lot of the books on my to-read shelf, if I may have to order them from another branch, and then I've got four other libraries nearby to plunder.

My library system is excellent. If my library doesn't happen to have the book, then I can order it from a different library. It usually takes two days, sometimes three, to get here depending if the item is available at the time. If occasionally a book isn't in the system I can have it ordered from a different system (if the library allows). It takes a little longer, but I'll usually have enough to keep me occupied anyway.

We're fortunate in that we have access to two 'public' libraries as well as checkout privileges at two university libraries.

Still, we do purchase most of our books, both to support our fellow authors and to have them on-hand for quick reference, but we've often noticed that the Fantasy sections are notoriously under-stocked, so we often donate those books we decide not to keep.

i have found a better way that bypasses this question:
When i read books i almost never bend the spine so in case you want to follow my lead, be careful but here's what you do:
buy a few/one book(s) from a bookstore (hardback's work better for this
read them, enjoy them, but finish them inside of a month and use the receipt as a bookmark
then go return the book(s) for store credit, and repeat

Matt wrote: "i have found a better way that bypasses this question:
When i read books i almost never bend the spine so in case you want to follow my lead, be careful but here's what you do:
buy a few/one book(s..."

Tsk, Tsk, Tsk

Returns not only affect the bookstores business in a negative way, it also affects us as authors.

If you ever get published, I do sincerely hope someone does that to you.

Then you can watch your royalty checks get swallowed up by the amount of the 'returns' by bookstores.

Matt wrote: "i have found a better way that bypasses this question: When i read books i almost never bend the spine so in case you want to follow my lead, be careful but here's what you do:
buy a few/one book(s..."

Books are unique in the retail business - they are one of the few items that returns to the store can go back to the "manufacturer" and ultimately hurt the person who created it. It would be as if you bought a dress, wore it to a party, then returned it the next day and then someone would go over to the seamtresses sewing machine and asked for $1.00. I'm not sure many people know that this happens this way.

My local library doesn't have a lot of fantasy, and most of that is (of course) translated to danish. I've found that I prefer to read it in the original english, so I have little other choice than to purchase. I tend to use the used and new section at amazon, so in that way I can often get them WAY cheap.

Terence wrote: "I think it's kind of sad that so many on this thread find their public library system sucks.

I'm blessed, I suppose: The LA County system actually has a lot of the books on my to-read shelf, if ..."

Terence, I completely agree, though the thread really has made me appreciate my library system as well. I get to request books online, they deliver them to a shelf near the door, I go in and pick up... it's wonderful! And it's rare that they don't have what I want, but when that happens I do welcome the opportunity to buy a few more books. :)

We have a really good library system here in Fairfax VA. They usually have just about anything I'm looking for, although sometimes I have to wait. They have electronic holds and a lot of ebook and audio book downloads.

Gods, I miss DC.....

Matt wrote: "i have found a better way that bypasses this question:
When i read books i almost never bend the spine so in case you want to follow my lead, be careful but here's what you do:
buy a few/one book(s..."

Hmmm...I work in a bookstore and that's basically called stealing. You are not only hurting the authors, but all of the people who work in bookstores (especially nowadays when many are not doing well). It is also extremely unfair to all of the honest people who are actually spending their hard-earned money to buy books. I hope that in the future you think of how your actions affect others...

My wife tells me I have some kind of sickness where i have to buy books. I have to agree, I love the smell of a book store I cant seem to walk past a book store without going in. I also like to own books, I like having them so i can read them again. I have literally hundreds of books stored away in my garage. That being said most of the books I buy are used, in this instance e-bay is my friend. A lot of times i buy books in big lots and that cuts down on the cost. I do use our local library sometimes but only for audio books and those are prety slim pickings somtimes.

As far as buying books and then returning them when they are done, thats prety low. There are too many people who work too hard to screw them over like this. If you really want to have a book for only a month go to the library and borrow it. Your doing prety much the same thing but not hurting the people in the book business.

I love my library system -- lots of ordering options (though I still have to request some rarer stuff for purchase) and even audiobook downloads right from their website! I'm going through a whole series right now for free without ever visiting my local branch. It's amazing!

I'm hoping that carries over, too. There's a girl I'm helping with school who needs to experience more books, fiction and non-fiction, anything! And her mom won't take her to the library, too much work (there's a reason this girl asked me for help to get a high school diploma). I showed her the website where she can get some audio and electronic books without depending on her mom's transportation; hope it will help!

Laura, besides your local library, there are a bunch of sites with free downloads of books.

For many, many classics of all stripes, you can point her at Project Gutenberg http://www.gutenberg.org, American Literature http://www.americanliterature.com/, http://www.manybooks.net and the Internet Archive http://www.archive.org/index.php

For science fiction & fantasy, both Tor Books and Baen Books have free novels and stories available online: http://www.baen.com http://www.tor.com

HTH!

Matt wrote: "i have found a better way that bypasses this question:
When i read books i almost never bend the spine so in case you want to follow my lead, be careful but here's what you do:
buy a few/one book(s..."

I work in a bookstore too, and we actually keep track of people who do what you do. If you return too many times in a certain period of time, they won't let you return books anymore. Also, doing that negatively affects our sales, which means that us booksellers get yelled at a heck of a lot more. The economy is crap right now, so our sales are crap. We had a lady return a thousand dollars worth of books the other day, and it was like "Really? Because now our sales for the day are negative $1000. Thanks."
And like the others have said, it also sucks for the authors, because they get less money. So I'm sure you've been lectured enough, but honestly, just go to the library and check out books instead of resorting to thievery.

Carolyn wrote: "Laura, besides your local library, there are a bunch of sites with free downloads of books.

Thanks! I will send her these, now that she has internet access.

@ Matt -- What everyone else said. Borrowing from a library increases author's sales and your local branch's share of funds; buying/returning from a bookstore actively loses money from the store, the publisher, and ultimately the author. Bad form, to say the least.

Kelsey wrote: "Matt wrote: "i have found a better way that bypasses this question:
When i read books i almost never bend the spine so in case you want to follow my lead, be careful but here's what you do:
buy a..."

ouch! @ -$1000 in sales!! Sorry to hear about that! :(

What Matt does is horrific to me.

The authors i buy are the ones i really like and i feel that they have earned my money.

To cheat them like that wow....

Heck i even feel bad if i loan a book from the library of an author i really like. Cause its feels wrong getting it for free.

I love to buy books, but also like to go to the library. Usually I look for the book I want to read at the library and if I like it enough, then I'll buy it, and the sequels to have for myself. I like to have them if I want to re-read them. But what stinks is because of the economy these days, I'm limited to how many books I can buy :(

My town's public library is not very big though, so they don't have a whole lot, it's very frustrating. The next closest library is 15 miles away, which is not very far, but it's a pain finding the time to go and getting there. And that one doesn't usually have newer books I'm looking for. There's another library 30 miles away, but they want anyone that doesn't reside in that city to pay $180/year to use that library. So that one is out of the question.

It's funny, but despite the fact that I read a great, great deal, I rarely use the library. There's soemthing about "renting" books that just doesn't work for me. I like to own them. I suppose this would make sense if I marked them up and bent them around, but I keep them in excellent condition. Not sure what the root of this particular hang-up might be.

I'm the same way with books I own. I like to keep them in very good condition. Even though I do use the library, sometimes it bugs me that some of the books are not in very good condition.

I'm a freak in a lot of ways, and books/libraries are one of the headlines of my freakishness. I completely swore off libraries for about three years after a ridiculously hilarious (and costly) experience that involved an unfortunate copy of The Princess Bride and a bucket of water that was serving no apparent purpose in the universe except to catalyze my break up with the library system.

I did just barely get my own card again two weeks ago, though I'm beginning to remember many of the secondary reasons I swore off libraries to begin with. I have to own books, they have to sit on my shelf after I've finished them, so I can pick them up any old time I want. I'm reading a library copy of Speaker for the Dead right now, and I know it's going to be such a wrench to give it back to them once I've finished. And someday I'll buy my own copy, cause I have to, but it won't be the copy I originally read from, see? (Do I sound crazy yet?) So it will sit on my shelf but it won't be quite mine until I reread it, and even then it won't be like the books I owned since the beginning of my relationship with them. (I should really make an attempt to not form "relationships" with inanimate things).

I have one entire wall, except for a window, that I made into a bookshelf next to my bed. I can just lay there at times & look at all the titles, remembering the books. Like visiting with old friends. Very peaceful & fun.

The space is limited though. I'm glad I found book swap places. It helps me keep that limited space filled with just the very best of old friends.

Jim wrote: "I have one entire wall, except for a window, that I made into a bookshelf next to my bed. I can just lay there at times & look at all the titles, remembering the books. Like visiting with old fri..."

I use bookmooch its a brilliant site.
Giving away a book gets you enough points to get two other books for yourself.

Giving away books you didnt like or arent just a big favorite to have a place on the bookshelves. Exchanging them for rare books of authors you love reading is a great feeling :)

When I finish a book I didn't enjoy very much (doesn't happen bery often), I will donate it to the Goodwill store in my area...basically a second-hand store. That way, I don't need to worry about selling it on a garage sale (like my mother does), and someone else can enjoy it for a lower price than I originally paid for it.

Megan wrote: "I'm a freak in a lot of ways, and books/libraries are one of the headlines of my freakishness. I completely swore off libraries for about three years after a ridiculously hilarious (and costly) ex..."

*giggle* You are very very cute.

Melissa wrote: "When I finish a book I didn't enjoy very much (doesn't happen bery often), I will donate it to the Goodwill store in my area...basically a second-hand store. That way, I don't need to worry about s..."

Melissa,
I buy most of my books from the local Goodwill, Salvation Army, and DAV store. Although I buy a considerable number of new books as well (I just buy too many books!)
I also have been using my local libraries - I've been able to find almost anything I've looked for in the two public libraries and the one university library that are local. Plus, the closest public library and the university library have online catalogs - so I can find and request books ahead of time, and I can recheck books out online. That has been great.
My public library also has a decent selection of magazines that I like to read so I spend a lot of time in the magazine room. And the audiobook selection is great, too. I guess I'm just lucky!

I dont have any goodwill,salvation army or library book sales. I cant afford to give away my second hand books.


I need them to get me other second hand books.

Here in sweden,the city i live english language books in second hand are very rare.

Mohammed wrote: "Heck i even feel bad if i loan a book from the library of an author i really like. Cause its feels wrong getting it for free. ..."

Speaking for authors...okay at least my author - we'd love to have more books in the library so never feel guilty for using it for books. The author does get a sale and more importantly exposure - which leads to word of mouth sales which is always good. One of these days I have to start "working" the library system to get my husband's books in there - if you use a library often - ask them to add The Crown Conspiracy to their archives.

Robin, isn't there also something about the author receiving a small fee (smaller than by a sale) depending on how many times his or her books are borrowed from the library? Or is that something I've dreamt?