You know what trend I really, seriously hate? The trend away from mass-market paperbacks to only trade paperbacks, especially genre books. I *like* to be able to bring my books places easily. I *like* my thick, cheap little doorstops. I *really* like being able to double-stack them on shelves. - ThreadSky

punkrockscience.bsky.social • 8 days ago

You know what trend I really, seriously hate? The trend away from mass-market paperbacks to only trade paperbacks, especially genre books.

I *like* to be able to bring my books places easily. I *like* my thick, cheap little doorstops. I *really* like being able to double-stack them on shelves.

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nerdyalto.bsky.social•8 days ago

If I read a paperback & like it, I try to buy a HC if it exists, but I am more willing to take a chance on new authors at <$10. I'm buying fewer books by new authors, & what I do buy is often a couple years after they release (yes, libraries, but the wait list on new genre is interminable).

firefly99.bsky.social•8 days ago

Same! Also I love that series. :)

punkrockscience.bsky.social•8 days ago

Me too - there’s a reason I do have two copies! 🤣

eringiglio.bsky.social•8 days ago

I also love it even if there's a large part of me that starts screaming about constraints on developmental timelines when Temeraire is just hatched. Once I shove that part of me into a corner it's just straight awesome.

punkrockscience.bsky.social•8 days ago

The one part of this that I *am* okay with is a larger amount per sale for the author, but since that’s just a factor of 6% of $17 being a bigger number than 6% of 8, I do wonder if it doesn’t even out when you consider less books sold.

(I would rather buy 3 $7.99 paperbacks than 1 $23 one.)

punkrockscience.bsky.social•8 days ago

Part of me wonders how much this is linked to the “shelf trophies” trend, which I also loathe, where it’s more important for people to be *seen* reading and owning books rather than actually reading them.

drmikewiser.bsky.social•8 days ago

I have half a dozen or so authors I just throw $1-5 / month on Patreon so I feel like I don't have to worry about which format is best for the money getting to them, and then buy the ones I prefer (mostly mass market paperbacks). But I recognize that's not a solution for everyone.

punkrockscience.bsky.social•8 days ago

I would do this if getting a MMPB were even an option. (I have several authors on Patreon now anyway, just because.)

drmikewiser.bsky.social•8 days ago

I'm lucky in that a few of the authors I'm backing are still getting good enough sales numbers for MMPBs to be made of their stuff (Seanan McGuire, for example).

I know it's ridiculous, but I really want all my entries in a given series to match on my shelves.

punkrockscience.bsky.social•8 days ago

I am *absolutely* with you on the wanting things to match, too. I probably won’t buy a physical copy of the third book in a series I’m waiting for because there won’t be an MMPB, and a trade wouldn’t/couldn’t fit in the shelf with the other two.

punkrockscience.bsky.social•8 days ago

Before you ask, yes, this is motivated by trying to buy some books. I want to get copies of these for my dad, but the only ones I can find are $23 trades rather than mass market - I know he has the same needs around book transport and storage that I do (e.g., too many books, too few shelves.)

brucekeith.bsky.social•8 days ago

I hate to say it (and hated even more to do it) — but this and old eyes led me to start replacing everything with ebooks. Now that I am used to it it's actually a much better experience (for me). Maybe try the idea out on dad?

brucekeith.bsky.social•8 days ago

And before you ask :-) I haven actually been able to bring myself to get rid of the paperbacks yet.

punkrockscience.bsky.social•8 days ago

Now THIS bookshelf makes perfect sense to me.

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