
Books in Mount & Blade can be a great way to improve your character's skills and attributes without having to level up. They can be purchased from Book Merchants found in taverns, though they are known to be quite expensive. There are two types of books: reference books, which provide a bonus simply by being in your inventory, and regular books, which must be read to receive the bonus. To read a book, players must go to the camp menu and choose take an action, then select the book they wish to read. The character will slowly read the book while camping or staying in a town or village, and once the book is finished, they will receive a boost to a certain skill or attribute. This guide will provide all the information you need to know about how to read books and make the most of them in the game.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How to obtain books | Purchase them from Book Merchants found in taverns |
| Book Merchant description | Educated men selling books to those who wish to better themselves |
| Book Merchant inventory | No one vendor has all the books; inventories never update and are persistent with each individual merchant |
| Book cost | Expensive |
| Book benefits | Give boosts to skills or attributes without levelling up; some books provide bonuses by being in your inventory, while others must be read |
| Reading books | Go to the camp menu, choose "take an action", then "select a book to read"; books are read while camping or staying in a town or village |
| Reading speed | Percentage read increases over time; books require approximately 143 hours to read |
| Bonuses | Permanent after completing a book; bonuses can be viewed in the character report |
| Book loss | Books can be lost if you lose a battle and cannot be replaced; they can be taken back by fighting the party that took them |
| Book types | Reference books provide bonuses by being in your inventory; other books must be read to receive bonuses |
| Book stacking | Bonuses from reference books don't stack; you can only read each book type once |
| Re-reading books | You can re-read a book in a new game if you import a character who has read it in a previous game |
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What You'll Learn

Where to find books
Books can be purchased from Book Merchants, who are found in taverns. These merchants are educated men who sell books to those who wish to better themselves. While books are expensive, they are often well worth the benefit.
There are two different types of books: reference books and regular books. Reference books provide a bonus simply by being in your inventory; you do not need to read them. However, if you lose the book, you will lose the bonus. Regular books, on the other hand, must be read to receive the bonus, but the boost is permanent.
To read a book, go to the camp menu and choose "take an action". Then, select "choose a book to read", which will allow you to pick a book from your inventory. You will slowly read the book while camping or staying in a town or village. These types of books require approximately 143 hours to read.
It is important to note that books can be taken from you if you lose a battle, and they cannot be replaced. The only way to get a book back is if more than one copy existed at the beginning of the game, if multiple Book Merchants have a copy, or if you fight the party that took your book. Additionally, no single vendor has all the books, so you will need to visit multiple taverns to collect them all.
Vendor 1:
- De Re Militari
- Rhetorica ad Herennium
- The Book of Healing
- The Life of Alixenus the Great
- Essays on Logic
- Manual of Arms
- The Great Book of Surgery
Vendor 2:
- The Book of Healing
- The Life of Alixenus the Great
- Essays on Logic
- A Treatise on the Value of Things
- Method of Mechanical Theorems
- On the Art of Fighting with Swords
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How to read books
Books can be very useful in the Mount & Blade series, as they can give boosts to your skills or attributes without having to level up. These books can be purchased from Book Merchants, who can be found in taverns. However, books are expensive, and no single merchant carries all the books, so you will need to visit multiple taverns to collect them all.
There are two types of books: reference books and regular books. Reference books provide a bonus simply by being in your inventory, and you do not need to read them. However, if you lose the book, you will lose the bonus. Regular books, on the other hand, must be read to receive the bonus, and once completed, the bonus is permanent.
To read a book, go to the camp menu and choose "take an action". From there, select the option to read a book or select a book to read, which will allow you to choose one of the books in your inventory. You can only read one book at a time, but you can switch between books if needed, and your progress will be saved. Reading a book takes approximately 143 hours, and you will slowly read it while camping or staying in a town or village. Once the book is finished, you will receive a boost to a specific skill or attribute.
It is important to note that books can be taken from you if you lose a battle, and they cannot be replaced. Additionally, you can only read each book type once, and the bonuses from reference books do not stack. However, if you import a character who has read a book in a previous game, you can re-read the same book in the new game.
Some players recommend reading books during the night, as there are associated movement speed penalties during that time. It is also suggested to read skill-raising books once that skill is at level 9.
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The cost of books
Books in the Mount & Blade series are expensive, costing 7000 each. They are purchased from Book Merchants, who are found in taverns. No one merchant has all the books, so you will need to visit multiple taverns to collect them all. There are two different book vendors, and they carry different titles.
The first vendor sells De Re Militari, Rhetorica ad Herennium, The Book of Healing, The Life of Alixenus the Great, Essays on Logic, Manual of Arms, and The Great Book of Surgery. The second vendor sells The Book of Healing, The Life of Alixenus the Great, Essays on Logic, A Treatise on the Value of Things, Method of Mechanical Theorems, and On the Art of Fighting with Swords.
Books are a great way to improve stats without grinding, and they are especially good for high-level characters, where levelling takes a long time. They are also useful when you have lots of sieges to do. However, books can be taken from you if you lose a battle, and they can never be replaced if this happens.
There are two types of books: reference books and regular books. Reference books provide a bonus simply by being in your inventory, and you do not have to read them. However, if you lose the book, you will lose the bonus. Regular books must be read to receive the bonus, but the bonus is permanent once the book is finished. These books take approximately 143 hours to read.
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The benefits of reading books
Firstly, reading books can improve your cognitive function and mental clarity. By engaging in regular reading, you can enhance your ability to process information, learn new things, and improve your comprehension skills. This can lead to better performance in various aspects of your life, such as work or education.
Secondly, reading is a great way to reduce stress and improve relaxation. Studies have shown that reading for just six minutes can decrease stress levels by up to 68%. It allows your brain to focus and escape from the problems of daily life, resulting in reduced blood pressure and a slower heart rate. This, in turn, can improve your sleep quality and help you fall asleep faster.
Thirdly, reading books can increase your empathy and social skills. By engaging with characters and their perspectives, you can gain a deeper understanding of other people's feelings and beliefs, improving your ability to navigate social relationships and connect with others.
Additionally, reading can expand your vocabulary and improve your communication skills. The more you read, the more words you are exposed to, and the faster you will learn new words. This can have a positive impact on your written and verbal communication, helping you express yourself more effectively.
Finally, reading books can provide you with new knowledge and perspectives. Whether it is historical facts, fictional stories, or personal narratives, books can expose you to different places, cultures, and ideas that you might not otherwise encounter. This can broaden your horizons, challenge your own beliefs, and encourage critical thinking and imagination.
In conclusion, reading books offers a wide range of benefits that can improve your health, enhance your social skills, and provide you with a lifetime of learning and enjoyment.
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How to get books back
Books in Mount & Blade can be very useful as they boost your skills or attributes without having to level up. However, books are expensive and can be taken from you if you lose a battle. If this happens, the books are gone for good unless more than one copy existed at the beginning of the game (by starting as a University Student) or if more than one Book Merchant has a copy. You can also try to fight the party that took your book.
Book Merchants can be found in taverns and peddle books to those wishing to better themselves. Their inventories never update and are persistent with each individual merchant. Books can be purchased from them and provide a bonus by simply being in your inventory—you do not have to read them. However, if you lose the book, you will lose the bonus.
Other books must be read to receive the bonus, but the bonus is permanent. To read a book, go to the camp menu and choose "take an action". From there, select the option to "select a book to read", which will allow you to pick a book from your inventory. You will slowly read the book while camping or staying in a town or village. Once the book is finished, you will receive a boost to a certain skill or attribute. These types of books typically take around 143 hours to read.
It is important to note that you can only read each book type once, and re-reading a book will not provide additional benefits. If you sell a book back to the merchant after reading it, it will show in their inventory as having 100% reading progress.
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Frequently asked questions
To start reading a book, go to the Camp menu and choose "Take an action", then "Read a book" and finally select the book you want to read. You can only read one book at a time, but you can change between books if you wish to, and you will keep your progress.
Books can be purchased from Book Merchants, who are found in taverns. There are two different Book Merchants, each carrying different titles. No one Vendor has all the books, so you will need to visit multiple taverns if you want to collect them all.
The primary purpose of books in Mount & Blade is to give boosts to your skills or attributes without having to level up. Reference books provide this bonus by simply being in your inventory, while other books must be read to receive the bonus. Once a book is finished, you will receive a boost to a certain skill or attribute, and the bonus is permanent.

























