$23.95?

Hmm... maybe. I don't usually buy a book over $20 unless I'm dying to read it.

Hardback? Paperback? Word count? Page count?

Is this a self or vanity pubbed book? they tend to be more expensive.

Are we talking hardback or paperback here?

$23.95 is pretty average retail for a hardcover novel, debut or not. It's way overpriced for any sort of paperback novel.

If it's a hb in a series I'm obsessed with, authors I love, something I came in specifically to buy, I'll gladly pay that much without even looking at the price before I get to the register. A book from an author I've never heard of, I don't usually look at the price until I've flipped through the book and decided I like it enough to purchase it. Whether or not they're debutant never crosses my mind; I'm more concerned with the content matter.

A hardback can have a pretty crazy price. But that's one reason why hardback sales are almost extinct.

For a paperback, even a trade paperback, around $18 would be the upper limit.

Yesterday I purchased the latest hardback book from one of my fav authors for $26.00.

Cyia said:

Hardback? Paperback? Word count? Page count?

Is this a self or vanity pubbed book? they tend to be more expensive.

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I agree with this, we need a little more information about the book. If it is hardcover and is a decent size I don't think the price is too high, however if it a tradeback or pocket book then you will definetly want to lower the price.

I agree. That's like asking if $22,000 is too much for a car.

Agreed. Need more info.

Sigh, here in Australia paperbacks regularly cost $23 and up. A lot of the popular YA novels are about $18 paperback, and I've been reading those lately, but in general they cost at least $22 unless it's something the book store is trying to get rid of. Hard covers are usually $35 and up. Damn you Australia! You've priced my freedom with expensive books! *rants* I mean, who needs freedom anyway? Lol.

But yeah, you should specify more information.

Meanwhile, the bit I'm more shocked by isn't the price, but the fact that you haven't been in a book store in a few years. Even when I have no money to buy books, I'll still go out specifically just to browse the book store (and have a coffee, the 2 go hand in hand with me).

I mean, I browsed the book store less than an hour ago (I should've been writing, I know, bad me, but I went out for coffee and McDonalds anyway so yeah...) when I couldn't afford any of the books I want.

But then I ordered one in... and some people will be pleased to know it was The Apocalypse Door by our very own Uncle Jim. Release date was supposed to be 1st Jan, but I was told that it was released to stockists on Dec 18th, and that I had to order it in from America, but on the plus side it's actually available in Australia... I checked with the woman there and asked about any other UJ books that might be available, and they were all out of print and not available to Aussies. So I might have to order some off the Net if I like The Apocalypse Door.

But still, damn Australian prices!! (Yes I mean 2 exclamation marks!!)

Borders around here sells hardcovers at "40% off" and they are $36

If you wait 5 years you can get them from the bargain bin

Cliff Face said:

But still, damn Australian prices!! (Yes I mean 2 exclamation marks!!)

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What are you complaining about? Across a tiny stretch of water to the East, they (paperbacks of decent length) go for something more akin to $35...

Krintar said:

What are you complaining about? Across a tiny stretch of water to the East, they (paperbacks of decent length) go for something more akin to $35...

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I did not know that. I was under the assumption that most places priced them the way America does, which is a lot cheaper than in Australia. Then again, I should've figured out that non-America places cost more if only because it's mostly American books being published (majority) and British is probably second, which is why they seem to have cheaper than Australia too.

Still, gotta look on the bright side. If less Aussie books are being published, then there's probably less competition... or something. I don't know.

American prices? Heck yes. I wouldn't pay that much for a novel, be it hardback, paperback, or whatever unless it was an out-of-print collector's item I seriously wanted for my collection or as a gift. Of course, I also never buy hardbacks unless its from the bargin bins or the aforementioned collectors thing.

I like the prices at the library.

If that's a paperback, it'd better be a trade paperback and about 600 pages long. For hardcovers... a reasonable price, but it's pretty rare that I'll take a risk on a hardcover by an author I don't know.

Would the $6 make you not want to read it?

AryaT92 said:

Would the $6 make you not want to read it?

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I assume you meant $24 as opposed to $18? If I had not read the novel before (i.e. from the library) and if it weren't by one of my favorite authors, then no, I wouldn't buy it for the $6 difference. Not because I no longer want to read it, but because I can't justify buying it without first knowing whether I'll enjoy the book, as I have often been let down by books with interesting premises/summaries. I could buy another paperback with $6.

That book "The Last Lecture" cost around that much it's hardback but only about 100 something pages but I think some of the proceeds went to the cancer research foundation. So in other words if you're book is donating the proceeds to a good cause then no, it's a good price.

But I ran into a book my short story fiction prof had gotten pubbed and I believe it also ran around that same price in hardback. Hardbacks are usually obnoxiously pricey now if it were a paper back I'd never touch that thing until it came to my local library.

I would take the risk of paying the extra in hopes that it would be good. Never know unless you try!

I've paid up to £80 for a book I really wanted (a few years ago, and an old book), so I wouldn't immediately walk past a book just because of the price. There are more important things to worry about than the cover price - such as getting all the spelling mistakes corrected, pacing issues, character motivation, delivering a good ending...

I'd say that it's quite pricey, but again, more info is needed here. If it's hardback, then it's understandable. Paperback? Not so much. Here in the UK paperbacks go from approx £4.99 to about £7.99 - hardbacks £10 and upwards (usually around £10 on offer in bookstores). I peronally only buy hardbacks when it's a book I've been waiting for for ages and I know it's going to be good!

The only time I've seen paperbacks at that price is on self-publishing sites.

Interesting thought occured to me.

[I'll use UK prices] A few writers here have said here that they won't buy a hardback priced at £18.99, yet we expect our own potential readers to pay that price for our own books?

Hypocrisisy?