FBReader is a free computer program for reading e-books in various formats. The program works in the operating systems Android, Linux, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, BlackBerry OS and others. FBReader is open source software.

FBReader was originally written to run on the Sharp Zaurus, and was later ported to many platforms, including Siemens SIMpad, Archos PMA430, Motorola (E680i, A780, A1200, E8/Em30, Zn5, u9), Nokia Internet Tablet, Familiar, Microsoft Windows XP and Linux on computers and e-readers. The desktop version uses libraries (version 3 or 4) or to create the user interface.

The FBReader program can create virtual libraries in which you can group books into thematic sections. The advantage of such libraries is that there is no need to wander through the file system directories in search of the desired publication.

FBReader supports most common e-book formats: ePub, FB2 (not containing tables), PalmDoc, zTXT, TCR, TXT. Version 1.6.1 (Android) introduced support for the Microsoft Word doc format. Support for HTML, CHM and RTF is declared. PDF and DjVu formats are not supported. FBReader can open book files inside zip, tar, and . A distinctive feature of the program is the lack of support for tables for all formats.

There is no traditional menu, only a toolbar with buttons is presented. An indicator appears at the bottom of the window by default, showing the total number of pages and the current page, as well as the system time. Customization options include control over text formatting and page turning, the ability to mark text, and set the amount of text indentation from the edge.

Main features of FBReader

• Working with texts inside zip, tar, .
• Encoding support:

UTF-8, US-ASCII, Windows-1251, Windows-1252, KOI8-R, IBM866, ISO 8859, Big5, GBK.

• Hyperlink support.
• Remembers the last opened book.
• List of recently opened files.
• Text search.
• Full screen mode.
• Rotate the screen 90°, 180° and 270° degrees.

FBReader supported formats

• FictionBook (.fb2 .fb2.zip)
• plucker (.pdb)
• Palmdoc/AportisDoc (.doc.prc)
• OpenReader
• Unprotected DRM mobipocket format
• Simple text

As you know, FBReader is one of the first electronic reading programs. The developers should be given their due: the reader, despite the enormous work spent on its creation, is distributed free of charge. Its main advantage is its support for almost all known e-book formats, including html.

Despite the fact that reading from a monitor or tablet screen is significantly inferior to devices specially created for this (in terms of convenience), software developers are doing everything possible to create a comfortable environment for PC users.

This article is devoted to the description of one of the most well-thought-out programs for working with e-books - FBReader.

FBReader for Windows review

The same reader

Originally written in Russia by Nikolai Pultsin, the program was purchased by a British company, which currently owns all rights. Its development has been going on since 2005 and to this day the system is acquiring more and more new capabilities, remaining the undisputed leader among other similar programs.

Currently, the software already has versions for all known operating systems, including: Windows, Linux, Mac OS, Blackberry and Android. A port to iOS is expected in 2016.

Benefits of FBReader

Reading and support of all known formats of e-books and text files, including: ePub, fb2, txt, mobi and many others;

Built-in network library with a convenient division into paid and free books. Thanks to the new system, the user has the opportunity to support his favorite author by purchasing his book directly in the program itself. Young authors, in turn, have the opportunity to find a reader by distributing their work for free;

The ability to customize not only the color and size of fonts, but also the reading mode, page turning and much more;

Cloud storage that allows you to access your saved books at any time and from any device;

Built-in support for the Russian language, which greatly simplifies working with the program;

The ability to create your own catalogs, sorted by authors and genres;

Automatic generation of table of contents;

Image support.

Premium version

There is also a paid version of FBReader, available for purchase on the official website or on Google Play.

It has built-in additional features that are not in the free version, for example: more detailed adjustment of brightness levels, customizable menus, built-in translator and dictionaries. You can get the premium version for free during various promotions that developers often hold.

Resume

From all of the above, we can conclude that FBReader for Windows is by far the most sophisticated and thoughtful program for reading e-books.

Unlike other systems, it not only supports all popular formats, but is also known for its ability to customize the design and reading mode. The reader is distributed free of charge and is available for all known platforms.

In addition, all kinds of updates are constantly being released, not only correcting errors, but also introducing new features that simplify the use of the program.

The built-in network library, which simultaneously functions as a bookstore and a platform for free distribution of books, also deserves special attention. FBReader is an exemplary program that can be recommended to all reading lovers.

In order to read books in the popular FB2 (FictionBook) format, created specifically for compatibility with various operating systems, you need to use a special application - a reader. There are many such programs for PCs that allow you not only to view, but sometimes also to edit texts. Early versions are intended for use on Windows 7 and XP platforms, later versions are intended for Windows 10.

Almost every program for opening FB2 also supports most other formats. And the best readers are able to read information from an e-book out loud.

For the convenience of users, in the settings of almost all applications, from the popular Cool Reader to the infrequently used “Balabolka”, there are changes in the size and color of fonts, background and page turning options.

But in order to find the most suitable option, the user should look at the top similar programs with a description of their capabilities, disadvantages and advantages.

Fiction Book Reader

This fb2 reader for a computer gives the user the ability to work with files with the extension .epub, .mobi and .txt. The PDF format is not supported, but it is possible to sort books using OPDS catalogs.

Main menu of the free version of Fiction Book Reader.

To make text easier to read, the application allows you to switch to full-screen mode by removing panels from the screen. The disadvantages of this fb2 reader for a computer include its availability in the Microsoft Store online store - that is, the program can only be installed on Windows 8, 8.1 and 10.

In addition, the application is paid - although it is possible to use it for free by downloading the Lite version.

STDU Viewer

The program is designed to open other formats - from DjVu and PDF to ePUB and TIFF. And it has good functionality, allowing you to perform the following operations:

• scale the font size to see the text better;
• choose the page orientation and their number on the screen (one or as a book spread);
• adjust contrast and brightness.

STDU Viewer App

The application also has the ability to print the text being viewed by selecting various print settings. Using the program, you can create bookmarks in open documents. In this case, the files themselves are not edited or changed.

And to transfer information from one computer to another, they use the procedure of importing and exporting a tree of bookmarks.

Cool Reader

Another popular reader program is Cool Reader, considered one of the best, thanks to its support for more than ten commonly used formats and its simple user interface.

The application works with archives, opening books that have been packed to reduce their size, provides reading texts aloud and editing information. With Cool Reader you can record an MP3 audio file using several pronunciation dictionaries.

One of the best readers is Cool Reader, v. 3.3.61.

Among other advantages that CR3 (the latest, third version of the reader) received is support for multiple languages, setting bookmarks and searching for information in an open document.

After formatting, the application allows you to save the edited text as .rtf, .txt or .html files. You can also use it to list the latest documents opened in the reader.

Sumatra PDF

• simple design that allows you to read the text without being distracted by the design;
• the ability to copy texts from an open electronic document in any supported format;
• multilingual interface, including menus in Russian and 59 other languages.

Application for working with Sumatra PDF e-books.

This program for reading books on a computer can be used in the form of a portable version, which allows you to do without installing it. And when opening fb2 files, it, unlike many analogues, displays pictures correctly.

If you download Sumatra PDF 0.9.1 or a later version of the application, you can leave bookmarks in any open electronic document.

Caliber

PC users who need a good program for reading books on their computer can also download the Caliber application, with which you can not only open texts in various formats, but also edit them and create your own electronic library.

The program supports downloading downloaded books from the network and connecting additional modules. Using the reader will allow you not to wonder how to open about 20 popular formats - from AZW and FB2 to PDF and RB.

Popular and feature-rich Caliber app

Among the features that this e-book reader provides is the conversion of one type of file to another. Moreover, the reader itself does not support all formats.

To work with most texts, an additional E-book viewer application is downloaded and installed at the same time.

FBReader

Among the features of the FBReader application that allow it to get into the ranking of the best e-readers are:

• support for various types of e-books (including in fb2 format);
• simple and convenient interface for viewing text, easily customizable even by an inexperienced user;
• automatic creation of links to books, regardless of their location on computer drives.

FBReader program

This program for reading e-books has only one drawback - the lack of a two-page mode. Therefore, if necessary, you will always have at your disposal a functional and convenient tool for working with various options for electronic documents.

It is recommended to download this fb2 reader for your computer from its manufacturer’s website. The application is open source and distributed free of charge. And the coolest thing is that there are smartphone applications for modern operating systems based on Android, Windows Phone and iOS.

Liberty Book Reader

Liberty Book Reader, a free e-book reader for your computer, was developed by Microsoft. Therefore, texts can be uploaded directly from the application to the DropBox and SkyDrive cloud services.

In addition, the program user has access to books from the Microsoft online library - although it can only be downloaded for Windows 10, 8 and 8.1.

Liberty Book Reader from Microsoft

The advantages of using the application include the option that offers similar Microsoft storage genres. In the reader menu, you can create a catalog of good books, sorting them by genre, date or alphabet.

And among the additional features that the reader provides are creating notes on the text, jumping to individual fragments of text, and changing font sizes.

ICE Book Reader Professional

The popular program for reading fb2 on a computer, ICE Book Reader, is distributed free of charge and supports more than 70 interface languages.

At the same time, it opens a large number of e-book formats and allows you to find information faster than many similar applications. Among other functions of the reader it is worth noting:

• reading archived texts;
• quick search;
• conversion to other formats.

Text reader ICE Book Reader

One of the reasons for the program to be included in the rating is that there is no need to install it in Windows and register for further use. In addition, the reader allows you to create collections of files of any type (including not only books) and manage them directly from the menu.

And when you launch the application, it opens on the page of the document that was last used.

AlReader

• reading most existing formats;
• working with Slovoed and Lingvo dictionaries;
• several text scrolling options;
• editing open e-books.

AlReader program interface

This fb2 reader supports bookmarks, footnotes, and various styles. You can download it from the official website of the developer. The latest version dates back to 2016, and the list of supported platforms includes not only Windows, but also Android.

"Balabolka"

The rating is completed by the “Balabolka” application, the functionality of which allows you not only to work with texts, but also to read them out loud. Downloading the reader will answer the question of how to read e-books on a computer, edit them and record them as audio files.

Moreover, during the recording process you can change both the reading speed and voice timbre.

Interface of the program "Balabolka"

Conclusion

When choosing a suitable application for working with e-books, the user should try several options. Finally, not only the list, but also personal acquaintance with the capabilities and interface will help you understand which fb2 reader program is best suited.

Although, if we take into account the opinions of other users, the best program for working with books in electronic format is Cool Reader, which supports dozens of extensions. Or ICE Book Reader, which you can work with not only without registration, but also without installation on your computer.

Fb2 format was created as a universal way to store books. It has many useful properties, and one of them is the ease of conversion to a number of other formats. However, not every user has a fb2 reader on their computer. This is what slowed down the development of the format. But if you have a special utility, you can enjoy convenient book reading.

Free FB2 readers

Universal "reader". It supports most formats for storing books and works with any amount of information and number of sheets. To use it, you don’t need to install anything, you just need to run the executable file. It's really convenient and fast.

It would seem that such a simple program should have little functionality, but this is not true. In fact, Cool Reader meets all modern requirements. In addition to reading the fb2 format, this program will ensure work with any documents, including those located on the network! For this purpose there is convenient access to online libraries.

The utility's interface is very convenient and simple. It is divided into several parts, one of which shows recent files, the second - the document directory, and the third - settings. This approach allows you to use it regardless of the localization language. According to many users, this is the best program.

A little old-fashioned, but very functional program for Windows. It allows you to work with absolutely any text formats, and can also connect to archives! Now you don't need to extract books from RAR, ZIP or other packages, you just need to specify the path to them.

In addition, it should be noted that there is a huge variety of settings. In the program you can customize almost everything - from the catalog to the font. It should also be noted that the cataloging system is incredibly extensive and convenient. In it you can divide books by categories, genres, your own wishes, the number of bookmarks and even corrections. By the way, they allow you to remove typos from the text.

ICE Book Reader Professional will help you preserve your vision. There are a number of different viewing modes available to suit different conditions.

It's not called that for nothing. This program works with all formats that a user can find on the Internet. Docx, abw and even chm books can be read in Alreader. This is the main advantage of the utility. It does not have any outstanding interface design, but it does not irritate the eyes, even after a very long time of reading.

Alreader will help you tune in and focus on the process. To do this, you can choose the most convenient font, background color and illumination, and even anti-aliasing mode. This approach to customization allows the user to truly enjoy reading. The program has the usual “day” and “night” modes, as well as a lot of unique settings.
It is important to note that the background for reading can be as authentic as possible - in the form of paper of varying degrees of preservation. The background images are made of very high quality, which will help you get aesthetic pleasure.

At this stage, the program is still being finalized, so it has several shortcomings. For example, table formats and CSS styles are not fully supported. However, this practically does not limit the reader. Problems will occur extremely rarely, on single copies.

In FB2 Reader you can create an entire library, cataloging information according to one of a dozen different parameters. This program can be downloaded for free and used without any restrictions.

STDU Viewer- can hardly be called a classic reader. It is designed to work with any documents, including e-books. Many free programs specialize in reading ease. This is very important, but not in all cases. The same program is more aimed at maximum functionality. You can view any document format in it. It's hard to even think of a book that STDU Viewer can't open.

The program interface is laconic, but very convenient. Small symbolic icons can be understood intuitively, especially since everything is translated into Russian. Despite the huge number of different possibilities, they are neatly placed in several panels, allowing the user to concentrate on the text.

Among the unique features, it is worth noting the format converter and the ability to work with images. Also, STDU Viewer allows you to print documents.

FB2 Reader is a universal tool for reading books on a computer running Windows 10. You can download and open literally all formats, for example .pdf, fb2, .djvu and others.

Microsoft, unfortunately, has not added standard support for e-books on Windows 10. Although the company positions its OS as a product for tablets and laptops, and the presence of such an e-reader would be quite logical, unfortunately this did not happen, so we recommend that you download FB2 Reader. This is an everyday utility, it won't let you edit documents like Word 2016 can, but it will give you a lot more comfort when reading large documents like books.

How to open e-books on Windows 10 using FB2 Reader

Your OS initially comes with a built-in solution for working with documents – Notepad. But this is all that is worth telling about it, since even though this tool is a tool for viewing documents, it does not cope with the tasks assigned to it. Developments from third-party companies come to the rescue. This reader is one of such developments. It is the ideal solution if you want to open the following formats:

• .djvu;
• .pdf;
• .fb2;
• And other e-book formats;

If none of the above formats spoke to you, then it is likely that you simply have not encountered them yet. Try typing in the query: Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace. And you will see that all e-books have one of the above formats. Of course, there are also .txt files, but it’s impossible to work with them even in such advanced software.

Advantages of FB2 Reader, why the utility is worth downloading

There are so few smart readers on the market that we don’t know of a single serious competitor for this utility. If you know, be sure to share with us in the comments. In fact, this is the best solution for a reason, because it has the following advantages:

• Supports 99% of all popular formats;
• Ability to optimize page display quality;
• The most convenient navigation between books, documents and individual fragments;

From people's reviews, we know that the experience of using this software is quite comparable to the experience of using a full-fledged book. For example, Roverbook or other similar full-fledged readers. And this is on Windows 10! If you don’t believe it, just as we didn’t believe it, then try it yourself. The distribution of the latest version of FB2 Reader is available on this page. You can download it from the official website. It is distributed free of charge.