This is getting out of hand
this post was submitted on 03 Feb 2026
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I use pandoc to convert the epub to a .txt file and read it with emacs or "less". There are much more efficient ways to do the conversion but I haven't bothered scripting one.
I'm (genuinely) curious about why you want a command line ebook reader?
I have a project with a raspberry pi 2 and small screen that works with the command line very well. I want to stay in there.
The issue with just using other txt options is that bookmarks, dictionaries, and just knowing where I left off would be difficult.
Why not?
I'm all on board with "just to see if it can be done", but it feels unlikely you will come up with something as easy to use or enjoyable to read on as a graphical solution.
i mean... less?
the main thing you'd want out of a good e-reader is font customization. which you can't do on an application basis in the terminal.
On the top of my head: bookmarks, highlights and notes, vocabulary builder… (I’ve been looking for one too some time ago)
less actually has most of that, weirdly.
are you looking for an epub/pdf to txt conveter?
Do you want to read books with ragged margins? Ew.
What do you even expect from the "command line ebook reader"? Are more/less or even cat good enough?
I've only used epy in the past it was fine but looks abandoned now. It seems now there is lue looks like it has a lot more features.
That looks interesting! If I want something like txt to speech ill keep this in mind.
Wow - lue looks pretty cool.