The actual physical books.....

[Elwinn Taron]

When I started reading the books, my son was giving me his beautiful, pristine--complete with dustcovers--hardbacks he bought a few years ago. But, Hey, I'm old, have tendonitis, and by the time I was starting TGH, it was bothering me pretty bad (But of course, I couldn't stop reading!) So I ordered myself a complete set of them in paperback....Plus, by then I knew I would want to re-read them a time or six.

 

Now I am careful with books, never bend the spine, always use a bookmark, etc. So, with my husband reading them, and my third re-read, they've been read a total of five times, and....they are falling totally apart!! At first I thought it was because they are so long, but I've got a paperback copy of "Gone With The Wind" that I bought at a used library book sale back in 1969, that conservatively has been read at least 100 times, and still is in great shape!

 

So, this made me think of something, and I went to the spare room closet, and got down a rubbermaid container of my sons'. I was right. In that container was all the books through WH....in tatters. The books were rubber-banded together, with individual pages paper-clipped together, etc. Now this kinda made me mad--not for myself, because I can always order another set--but when my sons were buying them back then, they were KIDS! Coming up with eight bucks per book meant saving up their allowance--or doing extra chores--and having to ask for a ride to the bookstore (We live way out in the country, and there is no public transit). At least they didn't have to wait for the paperbacks, they have a friend down the road who's father and mother are both lawyers, and he used to get $50. a week allowance--in the early 90's!! And he always lent the boys the books as soon as he was done. (Of course he is currently in re-hab for the sixth time, but oh well.)

 

So anyway, did we manage to be very unlucky and always get faulty paperbacks, or has anyone else had this problem?

[Guest Barmacral]

Its because its TOR books. They don't make the top quality books in the world. My Fires of Heaven and my original copy of Eye of the World are/were in terrible shape.

[reyler]

I ended up taking TGH back to the store because the entire cover of the paperback fell off in a couple of weeks!

 

I don't buy paperback anymore if I have a choice, though. Hardcover feels more like a real book.

[BrainFireBob]

Write to Tor, they used to have a replacement policy.

 

Short answer: The paperbacks are too large for standard binding clue. Happens with other large books as well.

[DubbleChrisP]

Both my copies of TEotW fell apart when I was only like halfway through. xD I don't know what the deal is with that particular book in the series, because I've never had any problems with any of the other ones. A little bit with TGH (couple pages fell out) but that's it.

[Beckon]

I had that problem with my paperbacks so I went and ordered the full hardcover series...there were 7 books out at the time. Since then I've bought them all in hardcover but they're still coming apart. Not as bad as the paperbacks but you'd think you could expect better.

[G the brave]

mabye its just the US versions? mine seam to be fine and there pretty old and well loved. (uk version). try to get some perhaps..

[Toy and Minion]

I have only had this problem with paperbacks. Thats why now I always read hardbacks and i take the jacket off and put it back on when im done.

[reyler]

Actually, in my experience it's mostly confined to Tor, this problem. I've a paperback copy of The Fountainhead, which is about 700 pages, plus an extra fifty or so of bonus materials, that I bought in late 2000, and aside from the typical crinkling on the outside of the spine, it's still in very good condition.

[Beckon]

I agree. These are the only books I've ever encountered that begin to fall apart the first time you read them.

[alStephanie]

I havnt had any of them falling apart yet, but i do have a few pages in some of the books that are getting lose. The biggest pain though is that in the first copy of tEotW that i borrowed from the library the first page of ch.40 was mis-printed as the first page of ch.39 - its right when Rand fell out of the tree so i dont think i missed much. Also, in on of the other books (i want to say the 3rd one) of my own books, one entire section, i would say a chapter and a half, was bound in the book upside down and backwards. People always think im insane or something when i get to that part, cause im reading upside down. :cry:

[PrinceOfRavens]

I havnt had any of them falling apart yet' date=' but i do have a few pages in some of the books that are getting lose. The biggest pain though is that in the first copy of tEotW that i borrowed from the library the first page of ch.40 was mis-printed as the first page of ch.39 - its right when Rand fell out of the tree so i dont think i missed much. Also, in on of the other books (i want to say the 3rd one) of my own books, one entire section, i would say a chapter and a half, was bound in the book upside down and backwards. People always think im insane or something when i get to that part, cause im reading upside down. :cry:[/quote']

 

maybe its only upside down for you! :lol: :twisted:

[Orange Fescue]

So far, I haven't had any problems with the books falling apart. Considering that I only read them while using the exercise bike and elliptical machine at the gym, you'd think I would have more problems with them. All I've had is some yellowing around the bottom corners from sweating on them. Maybe a little ink smudging around where my thumb rests. The spines and glue are fine, though. Now that I've said that, of course, they're going to fall to pieces the next time I pick them up.

[Trib4l]

I've gone through 3 paperback copies of tEotW - finally bought it in hardback so it wouldn't happen again.

 

Same things occurred with my original copy of tGH, which was as large as a hardback, but was a paperback - the map in the front fell out and the binding started to come loose. I haven't replaced that one yet, however.

[Vemynal]

new spring: 2nd copy

EotW: 4th copy

GH: 3rd

tDR: 3rd

SR: 2nd

tFoH: 2nd

LoC: 1st

CoS: 3rd

PoD: 2nd

WH: 2nd

CoT: 2nd

KoD: 1st