What makes you choose a new book?

[K. Riehl]

Does the cover art get you to try it? The blurbs from other authors/critics? How much time do you spend evaluating the book? Does the publisher have any influence?

I guess what I am asking is, "What is your method for choosing?"

First and foremost I value recommendations of people who share the same interests and tastes that I do. A recommendation by a friend started me on Jim Butcher and I have thanked her many times over the years.

Absent a recommendation my evaluation process is roughly the same for any book. Look for known authors first, then look for new authors that look interesting. The cover will, in some cases, get me to pick the book up and investigate further. I look for a good synopsis of the storyline, if provided. I immediately disregard any references to Tolkien, Star Wars, Dresden or any other popular series. This to me can kill the sale more often than make it.

If it appears to not be a straight knockoff of a series I like I will investigate further. I read the first 10 pages. Then I look further into the book and evaluate how the author handles dialogue. This is usually where the choice is made for me.

I also know that certain publishers can be counted on to provide certain types of sub-genre books at usually a decent level of craftsmanship. For instance Baen can be counted on to come through with action oriented or military Sci Fi.

The only other plus or minus points in the decision can be blurbs by authors that I like who don't blurb for everyone.

I'm looking for new authors all the time and most especially new ideas. While I have read easily over 10,000 books in my life there is nothing better than the discovery of a new author that strikes that chord of wonder or brings something new to the table.

I post this thread because at one time in my career I worked for a decade in the book business and it was always a mystery to me how some people decided on what to buy.

 

[Nikitta]

Some books I pick up because I know and like the author, but with authors I've never read before, I might have heard of them in one of the forums I read and gotten the impression that it might be something I'd like, in which case I will try to find a copy to look at, in order to get an impression of it.

Other than that, I like browsing through book shops if a book catches my interest with an appealing cover and/or an interesting title, then I'll pick it up and see if it looks interesting enough for me to want to buy it. Reading the back of the book, the first few pages plus a random page here and there tends to give me an impression of whether it's something I'll want to spend money and more time on.

I also often get good recommendations from Amazon. An online bookshop, which knows what I like and also has a "search inside this book" function for some books, is dangerous to me.

 

[Snowdog]

These days, either I know the author, or I'll check out reviews before I buy - but I might have found the book in the first place by following a trail, like with Amazon, recommendations, lists etc. or others' tastes on this site.

Cover art has no bearing at all, but years ago, when I used to get more books from the library, the cover did play a part, especially the star-fields. Back in the 60s and 70s I remember a lot of such covers and for me they were very evocative.

 

[Shingetsu]

Definitly not by what the cover art shows. Picking books by that would be really bad. The Wheel of Time covers are horrible, suppose to be 20 but look 50 at one time, 30, etc. I usually just do research on books/authors and see what I think by description. Also what others think and opinions, which help allot, but of course everyone has their own opinions.

 

[Connavar]

I go by 99% of the time by checking out authors i havent read in their forums here. When i see what type of stories they wrote and what their fans think of the stories. If they dont have threads or forums i use to fantaticfiction to check what thier most famous works is about.

Since i know what i like i target different types of stories and genres when i feel for them.

For example Tim Powers i read for the first time today. I wanted him simply cause his type fantasy sounded interesting. I checked his forum here saw people recommended Anubis Gates,On Stranger Tides,The Drawing of The Dark etc

Since i saw the library had his books, i choosed The Drawing of The Dark cause its not seen as his best work. I like getting second rated work by the authors i try. I rather read their best works in brand new paperback than old library version that are in bad condition.


Drawing of The Dark was a good read. Now im browing to figure out which of his books to order from my bookstore. On Stranger Tides was an easy choice, i want to read about a story with Blackbeard after that great BBC drama docu i saw with James Purfroy as Blackbeard.


I dont care about awards at all when im choosing new authors and their books. I have read great books that i thought should have won Hugo or/and Nebula like Emphyrio,The Stars My Destination who didnt even get nominations. While books like Ender's Game won both and i think its good but not even near those books.

When i dont care about awards why should i care about publisher gimmicks?

Only time i care about an award is when i have borrowed a book that won award for an author i have come to like. I feel bad reading it for free. For example im gonna return Declare by Tim Powers without reading cause i like him enough to buy his books. He passed the test to fit my taste.



I had refined my methods of trying new authors. This way saves alot of time and effort trying to decide what to read.

 

[Pyan]

These days, either I know the author, or I'll check out reviews before I buy - but I might have found the book in the first place by following a trail, like with Amazon, recommendations, lists etc. or others' tastes on this site.

Exactly the same, Snowdog.
I also find that finding a new author that I like means that it makes finding new books much easier,for a while anyway, because I tend, usually, to read the rest of that author's output.

Cover art has no bearing at all,

Again, I agree...in fact, some of the best stuff I've read has had the least interesting covers. The old yellow Gollancz SF series springs to mind.

 

[Connavar]

Exactly the same, Snowdog.
I also find that finding a new author that I like means that it makes finding new books much easier,for a while anyway, because I tend, usually, to read the rest of that author's output.


Again, I agree...in fact, some of the best stuff I've read has had the least interesting covers. The old yellow Gollancz SF series springs to mind.

You trust amazon reviews?


I dont trust any reviews at all. I only use some reviews to find out what the book is usually in the top of the review.

The SFsite i use usually to check out SF/Fantasy usually classics.

Hehe me too i tend to read read several books of a new author i like. I tend to get stuck depending on how much his/hers writing get to me.

 

[Pyan]

You trust amazon reviews?

No, because they're trying to sell the book, but at least they're a start...

 

[Junomidge]

I buy a lot of books because of the covers, hasn't backfired on me yet. When I am at a complete loss and need something to read, I'll scan the shelves looking for something that catches my eye. Once I have read something that I really like, I'll usually read everything that author has produced, then start over.

I'm part of a book club, and they refuse to read Sci-fi. We had our Christmas dinner last night where we pick the books for the next three months, I had picked up a new one by Kazuo Ishiguro because I liked the cover and what the jacket said. The group liked it enough to choose it for our February read.

"His most recent, Never Let Me Go, had science fiction qualities and a futuristic tone; the given time period is the late 1990s, and thus takes place in an alternate, though very similar, world."

Wish I could find a Sci-fi book club, but it was tough enough just to find this one in my small town.

 

[Connavar]

No, because they're trying to sell the book, but at least they're a start...

Hehe i have seen that specially in disc forums "my new book is in this genre and its GREAT" yeesh.....

 

[Aleksei]

Sometimes I go by the cover..

 

[Pyan]

Hehe i have seen that specially in disc forums "my new book is in this genre and its GREAT" yeesh.....

Yes, we had one here, logging on under an assumed name and touting his own work in the general book threads...didn't last long.....

 

[Shingetsu]

Other peoples reviews are a difficult thing to work with. Opinion is usually the biggest problem. Also those that get paid to write good reviews. Can't not read a book because someone else finds it bad. You can read a few different descriptions usually to get a good idea what the book is about and what you think of such a story. But I've seen horrible descriptions that didn't help at all and come to be good. The best way to know about a book is to just start reading it, but it's also the most expensive if it turns out you don't like it.

 

[Connavar]

You can read a few different descriptions usually to get a good idea what the book is about and what you think of such a story. But I've seen horrible descriptions that didn't help at all and come to be good. The best way to know about a book is to just start reading it, but it's also the most expensive if it turns out you don't like it.

I dont know which reviews or sites you use but you cant miss what a book is about if you read the read the right synopsis or reviews.

Fantasticfiction for example has short blurbs like synopsis on must books.

Or maybe you mean you have to know the most important part of the story to know what the book is like? Thats spoiling way too much of the book.

I dont agree either that the best way to know about a book is just to start reading. Thats allright if you are Bill Gates rich and you can buy how many books you want.


There is also library loans to get to know an author. Thats what i always do. If i like him/her after the library book then i buy books of him/her.

 

[Lady of Winterfell]

If I am at the bookstore, then I will pick up a book if the cover looks good or the title sounds interesting. Like someone else already mentioned.

I am on Amazon a lot and find lots that way. I also recently have used the recomendations on this site and other forums. I don't necessarily use reviews, but if enough people suggest a book, then I will try to pick it up. That's what happened with A Song of Ice and Fire, and I'm really glad I read it.

Usually though, I just like to stroll through the bookstore and see what I find. But if a book doesn't have a synopsis on the back, I won't pick it up, or look through the pages. I would like some idea of what it's about.

 

[Shingetsu]

I agree, usually descriptions are enough if there from good places. And also that it's important not to tell too much and spoil things. Nor can most people buy all the books they want to see if there good or not. Like me. Have to single them out by descriptions as best as possible.

 

[Overread]

lets see: like many before:
Amazon is good - reviews are short and don't tend to tell too much of the content - and it keeps on recommending other stuff based on interests

cover art - yep Hobb was introduced to me by cover art! So it does work

This site - good for getting recommendations on the older stuff as well as the new, but its the older books and series that come mostly from here - its such a shame the bookstores don't make more of the older publications.

blurbs - most of the time good - though the blurb to A Danger at Silverthorn was the best - gave insight, but got details wrong, so in the end it really did not reveal anything about the books story

 

[Connavar]

I agree, usually descriptions are enough if there from good places. And also that it's important not to tell too much and spoil things. Nor can most people buy all the books they want to see if there good or not. Like me. Have to single them out by descriptions as best as possible.

Going by discriptions has worked well for me. Cause i know in my fav genres what i like and what sounds interesting even if its something i havent read the like before.


Most important for me is how fans of the author describe the books what they like and dont like.

That will tell you more about what the book is about than 10 reviews.

 

[Reading_fanatic]

I use the method of going into the library and then just picking up a random book and reading it and if seems interesting I'll keep reading.

 

[flygin]

When I'm in the bookstore, I'm a sucker for cool book covers. I won't buy a book because of it, though. I usually check the synopsis, read the first few pages, then flip to random parts of the book to see how the writing style progresses.

On Amazon, I read the synposis, and if I can do the look inside thing, I'll read a few pages. I also check the reviews. Especially bad ones. If I see enough reviews with people mentioning things that annoy me when I'm reading, I'll pass it up. Some negative reviews appear to have been written by children. I ignore those.