About Engine House Economy Editions
What Are Economy Editions?
As the name suggests, they are editions of our books available at a much lower
price than the regular editions of the same books.
How much less expensive are Economy Editions?
This varies, but generally Economy Editions are roughly 60% to 70% of the
price of the regular edition of the same book.
Why are they so much less expensive?
A large part of the price you pay for a regular book goes directly to the retailer
(even if it's an online retailer). Also, the cost to purchase an ISBN and enter
a book into the distribution system is considerable. Engine House Economy Editions have
no ISBN and are not available from ordinary retailers, so we pass on these savings. Additionally,
Economy Editions use a slightly lower quality of paper than the regular editions; they are
also sized slightly differently and may use a slightly smaller typeface than the
regular edition.
So what is the quality like?
Apart from the slightly less expensive grade of paper, the quality is the same as for our
other books. In particular, we cut no corners with the typography, completely re-setting
the text so as to match the slightly smaller form factor. These are nothing like the cheap
mass-market paperbacks that often have blurry text on cheap paper with margins that change from
page to page and are too narrow for comfortable reading.
Are these abridged editions?
No. Economy Editions contain the complete text of the standard edition of the same book.
What books are available in Economy Editions?
The current selection is available from the Economy Editions drop-down menu at the top of this page.
