The Down Side to Digital Readers

I really love reading books on my iPhone, but today I have been caught out by one of the down sides of digital reading.

I’ve spent the day immersed in N. K. Jemisin’s The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. I’m reading it for the Women of Fantasy 2011 challenge over at Jawas Read Too! (I’m also planning to read Dust by Elizabeth Bear this month for the Women of Science Fiction 2011 challenge hosted by Dreams and Speculation.)

I bought The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms pretty much when it came out but hadn’t found time to read it, despite seeing many excellent reviews of the book and it featuring on a number of Best of 2010 lists. I was delighted to have the required kick in the pants to get it read.

Those reviews and list were right. It’s a really wonderful book. So yes, I’ve been reading it all day to the point of sometimes ignoring Marcus when I should be giving him proper motherly and holiday attention.

But occasionally my iPhone glitches. For some reason it can stop registering the drop in battery power, to the point that I have no idea how much   is left. And when that happens it will hit the point where it just turns itself off, totally out of power. It did that – right when I was at the climax of the book! Arrrggghhhh! I am so frustrated. I want to finish it. I want to finish it now!

So I’m writing this grumpy post instead while it powers itself up enough for me to use it. I’ll have to read with it attached to my laptop while it continues charging, but at least I’ll be able to finish the book.

I love my iPhone. I love reading on it. But it’s moments like this that remind why I’m lusting after a Kindle.