101 Classic Novels
iPhone App
$0.99 Buy now!

101 Classic Novels

Our Review by Ryan Wood on March 16th, 2010
Rating: starstarstarstarhalfstar :: FREE BOOKS
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101 Classic Novels offers an impressive library of books at no cost to the reader. The appealing graphical format and ease of use make this an easy decision for anyone looking to acquire a substantial library of books quickly and cheap.

Developer: Willard Peart
Price: Free
Version Reviewed: 1.3

Graphics / Sound Rating: starstarstarstarhalfstar
User Interface Rating: starstarstarstarhalfstar
Re-use / Replay Value Rating: starstarstarstarhalfstar

Overall Rating: starstarstarstarhalfstar

I’m a big fan of the idea that knowledge should not come with a price tag, but conventional policies dictate that most things become a money making adventure. That’s why an app like 101 Classic Novels is so appealing to me. This free app contains some of the great books that helped establish the literary standard.

When Classic Novels is loaded, a nice easy to read scrollable listing of all the books is the first screen that pops up. In case there is some concern about how to use the app, the very first listing is the SunScroll Manual. It explains the page transition system as well as how to interact with the different menu settings.

The display settings of 101 Classic Novels are extremely detailed. Font can be adjusted completely. The type, color, and size of font are all customizable, making 101 Classic Novels completely customizable depending on the needs of the reader. Text alignment, the spacing between lines, the width at each side of the page, and the colors of external links all are customizable as well.

Additionally, there is a very nice setting for night reading that I greatly appreciated. It made reading in bed a much more enjoyable process. Something else that always bugs me is the flimsy way that the iPod seems to handle landscape to portrait transitions, and vice versa. 101 Classic Novels allows for the rotation of the screen to be locked in portrait specifically if that is the preferred reading style. The final setting is one that I couldn’t really review, and that’s the ability to turn on or off the network information for the iPhone. I’m not sure if this is an issue for iPhone users or not, so if someone would like to share the relevance of such a setting, that would be great!

101 Classic Novels boasts an extremely attractive graphical background for the pages. Each page turns upon screen transition, and there is a setting to include a sound with the page turn. The colors of the background give the feeling that an aged book is being read, and this adds to the overall experience of reading a classic novel. I’ve read a few books on both the Kindle app and the Classic Novel app at this point, and I can say that I appreciate the graphical offerings of 101 Classic Novels much better. That is to say I haven’t messed with the Kindle app settings enough to know if there are comparable features.

Overall, this is a great app for those looking for a plethora of classic novels for no cost at all. The superior settings and graphics of this app really enhance the overall reading experience, and the ability to access this many books on the go makes it an easy download for most reading enthusiasts. Even if you aren’t sure how many of the 101 Classic Novels you’ll get into, the free price tag means that it’s worth the download for even 1 of the books.

iPhone Screenshots

(click to enlarge)

101 Classic Novels screenshot 1 101 Classic Novels screenshot 2 101 Classic Novels screenshot 3 101 Classic Novels screenshot 4 101 Classic Novels screenshot 5
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