Convert FB2 to EPUB

Why Convert FB2 to EPUB?

Converting FB2 ebooks to EPUB format dramatically expands device compatibility and makes your books accessible on virtually any e-reader, tablet, or smartphone worldwide. While FB2 is excellent for Russian and Eastern European markets, EPUB is the global standard supported by Apple Books, Google Play Books, Kobo, Nook, and countless reading apps.

FB2 (FictionBook 2) is an XML-based ebook format created in Russia that excels at storing fiction with rich metadata. It's the dominant format in CIS countries and supported by popular readers like FBReader and Cool Reader. However, FB2's limited adoption outside Eastern Europe means your books won't work on most mainstream e-readers and reading platforms.

EPUB (Electronic Publication) is the international standard ebook format maintained by the W3C. It's based on web technologies (HTML, CSS, XML) packaged in a ZIP container, making it universally compatible. EPUB supports advanced features like custom fonts, complex layouts, embedded multimedia (in EPUB3), and professional-grade styling. Major publishers, libraries, and bookstores worldwide use EPUB as their primary format.

Key Benefits of Converting FB2 to EPUB:

• Universal Compatibility: Works on Apple Books, Google Play, Kobo, Nook, and more
• Professional Publishing: Industry standard for commercial ebook distribution
• Better Styling: Advanced CSS support for professional typography
• Device Flexibility: Read on any smartphone, tablet, or e-reader
• Library Support: Compatible with library lending systems worldwide
• Multimedia Support: Embed audio, video, and interactive content (EPUB3)
• Accessibility: Better support for screen readers and accessibility features
• Future-Proof: Actively maintained with regular updates and improvements

Practical Examples

Example 1: Book Structure Conversion

Input FB2 file (book.fb2):

<section>
  <title>Chapter 1: The Beginning</title>
  <p>It was a dark and stormy night.</p>
  <p>The wind howled through the trees.</p>
  <emphasis>Important text</emphasis>
</section>

Output EPUB file structure:

chapter1.xhtml:
<h1>Chapter 1: The Beginning</h1>
<p>It was a dark and stormy night.</p>
<p>The wind howled through the trees.</p>
<em>Important text</em>

(Plus metadata, navigation, CSS)

Example 2: Metadata Mapping

Input FB2 metadata:

<title-info>
  <book-title>The Great Adventure</book-title>
  <author>
    <first-name>John</first-name>
    <last-name>Smith</last-name>
  </author>
  <date>2024</date>
  <lang>en</lang>
</title-info>

Output EPUB metadata (content.opf):

<metadata>
  <dc:title>The Great Adventure</dc:title>
  <dc:creator>John Smith</dc:creator>
  <dc:date>2024</dc:date>
  <dc:language>en</dc:language>
  <dc:identifier>uuid:...</dc:identifier>
</metadata>

Example 3: Cover Image Handling

Input FB2 with embedded cover:

<binary id="cover.jpg"
        content-type="image/jpeg">
  /9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQEA... (Base64)
</binary>

Output EPUB with extracted cover:

images/cover.jpg (extracted file)

content.opf:
<meta name="cover" content="cover-img"/>
<item id="cover-img"
      href="images/cover.jpg"
      media-type="image/jpeg"/>

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is FB2 format?

A: FB2 (FictionBook 2) is an XML-based ebook format created in Russia in 2004. It's designed for storing fiction with rich metadata including author info, genres, cover images, and structured content. FB2 is extremely popular in Eastern Europe and CIS countries, supported by readers like FBReader, Cool Reader, and Calibre.

Q: What is EPUB format?

A: EPUB (Electronic Publication) is the global standard ebook format maintained by the W3C. It's a ZIP container holding HTML/XHTML files, CSS stylesheets, images, and metadata. EPUB is supported by virtually all e-readers, tablets, and smartphones worldwide, making it the industry standard for ebook publishing and distribution.

Q: Will my book look the same after conversion?

A: Yes! The conversion preserves your book's structure, formatting, chapter divisions, and metadata. Text formatting (bold, italic), paragraphs, and basic tables are maintained. Cover images and inline images are extracted from FB2 and properly embedded in the EPUB. The reading experience will be equivalent or better due to EPUB's advanced styling capabilities.

Q: Can I read EPUB files on my device?

A: Almost certainly yes! EPUB works on: Apple Books (iPhone, iPad, Mac), Google Play Books (Android, iOS), Kobo e-readers, Barnes & Noble Nook, Adobe Digital Editions, and countless reading apps. The only major exception is Amazon Kindle, which requires conversion to MOBI/AZW3 or using the Send to Kindle email service.

Q: What happens to images and cover art?

A: FB2 stores images as Base64-encoded data within the XML. During conversion, all images (cover, illustrations) are extracted, decoded, and saved as separate files within the EPUB package. The EPUB metadata properly references the cover image, ensuring it displays correctly in e-readers and library systems.

Q: Will chapter navigation work in EPUB?

A: Yes! FB2 section elements are converted to separate XHTML chapter files in EPUB. A navigation document (NCX for EPUB2, NAV for EPUB3) is automatically generated, creating a table of contents that works in all e-readers. You'll be able to jump between chapters easily.

Q: Can I convert EPUB back to FB2?

A: Yes, using tools like Calibre. However, some EPUB-specific features (custom CSS, embedded fonts, multimedia) may not translate perfectly to FB2's simpler structure. FB2 is primarily designed for text-based fiction, so complex layouts might be simplified during reverse conversion.

Q: Which EPUB version will be created?

A: Most converters create EPUB 2.0 for maximum compatibility with older devices. EPUB 2.0 works on all e-readers and supports all essential features for text-based books. EPUB 3.0 may be used if you need advanced features like multimedia, but EPUB 2.0 is generally sufficient for fiction converted from FB2.

Q: Will Cyrillic text and Russian language be preserved?

A: Absolutely! Both FB2 and EPUB use UTF-8 encoding, which fully supports Cyrillic characters and all languages. Your Russian, Ukrainian, or other Cyrillic text will be perfectly preserved. Language metadata is also transferred, helping e-readers apply correct hyphenation and text processing.