Amazon has unveiled an innovative artificial intelligence (AI) feature for its Kindle devices aimed at enhancing the reading experience for users engaged in book series. Revealed on Wednesday, the new feature, named Recaps, offers a concise, AI-generated summary of previously read books in a series, enabling readers to catch up effortlessly before diving into the next installment. The rollout is currently being implemented via an over-the-air (OTA) update across the United States. This move follows Amazon’s previous introduction of a similar X-Ray Recaps function on its Prime Video streaming service in November 2024.
Kindle Devices Will Now Provide an AI-Generated Book Recap
In a post from its newsroom, Amazon elaborated on this new feature, which aims to assist Kindle users in the U.S. The AI-powered Recaps tool is particularly beneficial for readers who struggle to reengage with a book series without re-reading earlier entries to remember essential plot elements.
This challenge often arises when a series remains incomplete and the next book release is delayed, leading to a lapse in the reader’s recollection of previous events. Many readers prefer to read series in order, which can lead to fatigue and boredom associated with extended periods of reading within the same genre.
Amazon’s latest tool addresses this issue by offering a brief recap that includes key plot points, narrative summaries, and character developments from the previously read books. However, users should note that the recaps may contain spoilers. Currently, the feature is limited to English language eBooks that are part of a defined series.
Importantly, Amazon only recognizes books as part of a series if they have been purchased or borrowed from its own digital marketplace. Therefore, any titles acquired from external sources will not qualify, and the Recaps feature will be inoperative for those entries.
For those users who can access the feature, the “View Recaps” button can be found on the series page within their Kindle Library. It is also available through the options menu indicated by three dots in the series grouping. Users are required to update their devices before the feature becomes accessible. As of now, Amazon has not provided any timeline for the feature’s availability in other regions.
