I know what I ask will be time consuming but could you note page numbers of where you’re having issues please and what it is we are looking for! You sound like the unluckiest buyer ever. I had one copy of each from HarperCollins U.K. and they seem ok overall.

huan68 wrote:

I know what I ask will be time consuming but could you note page numbers of where you’re having issues please and what it is we are looking for! You sound like the unluckiest buyer ever. I had one copy of each from HarperCollins U.K. and they seem ok overall.

It will be time consuming, but you're in luck because its something I've started to do anyway since I want all of this to go into a video. I know people are going to probably watch youtube reviews before buying these books so this will most likely be the easiest way to reach people.

Man I have no idea if this is luck or not. Like, if it was just 1 or 2 sure. But 16? This is clearly a quality control problem. Its cheap materials for cheap manufacturing and high end cost to maximize profits. I'm going to supply pictures as well.

@Huan68 These are the problems that I've been finding in all of my books. I have not bothered to list any page numbers where they're found because it will be different for everyone. I'm gathering pictures now to demonstrate these issues. I'll try to keep things to 1 picture per issue. Keep in mind, all of these books were purchased on or after Dec 15th 2022. They are all brand new.

Text issues
1. Faded or thin print, sometimes so badly that its unreadable
2. Small splatterings of ink. Sometimes over letters, sometimes near pages of pictures of colored ink, not just black.
3. Smudged letters which look pressed and then dragged.
4. Smudges which span the width of the page as if something covered in ink was rolled over it.
5. Dark dark print which almost makes the entire page look bolded.
6. Double printed, but offset. This makes a "shadow" effect on lettering, and either blurs it or makes it an absolute HEADACHE to read.

Images
1. Color and contrast are faded or light
2. Color smears across the white borders of the page and onto the neighboring pages of text

Pages
1. Pages are not cut properly. This will cause problems like when the page extends beyond the edge of the hardcover
2. Pages colors are not even close to consistent. Entire gatherings of pages will go from white to blue to cream hues in any order.
3. Green tinting or hue inside page crease
4. Pages wrinkled from what appears to be heat or excess moisture or humidity. (This could suggest the cheaper distribution methods of shipping containers on boats at sea for extended periods of time)
5. Pages are not actually high gsm weight cream. They are a much cheaper weight white that have been colored and printed to look cream, and appear high quality when not.
6. Pages folded and damaged from factory.

Construction
1. Book bound upside down
2. Pages out of order
3. Gold & Silver inlay or gilt is faded, rubbed off, or damaged from factory, or after only minutes of handling.
4. Cloth exterior peeling, lifting, or unattached from factory
5. Leather spine is thin and damaged, pealing or splitting from factory or after minimal handling
6. Book ribbon is thin, damaged, fraying and permanently creased from factory.
7. Slipcase hole cut for ring-eye motif is not centered.
8. Cloth of slipcase is pealing almost immediately if not from factory already.
9. Edges of slipcase are caved-in, damaged, or crumpled.
10. Gatherings are split from factory, revealing threads and seams of binding.

Trotter or Mr. Underhill, do either of you know the accounts of the HC reps here? Is there any way we can get them to read this or comment?

I don't think that any HarperCollins staff have accounts on the site, but they do visit the site sometimes.

I would suggest contacting Customer Services or contacting them through Social Media and pointing them to your post.

Thank you for sharing the problems.