# tickmao/Novel: importing book sources into Legado and reading apps

> tickmao/Novel is a Python repository that aggregates book sources, cleaning rules, TTS settings, fonts, and themes for Legado, Xiangse GuiGe, and iRead Shuxiang. It is useful for readers who manage mobile reading clients through imported JSON, XBS, and theme files, but it is not a reader application or a content library.

**tickmao/Novel** — 📚 Novle setting | 小说书源及软件整理 爱阅书香 / 香色闺阁 / 阅读（含字体、净化规则、TTS配置） 

- Repository: https://github.com/tickmao/Novel
- Website: https://novel.tickmao.com/
- Stars: 1,993 · Forks: 87
- Language: Python
- License: not declared
- Published: 2026-10-16 · Updated: 2026-10-16 · Language: en
- Canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/tickmao-novel

## What tickmao/Novel actually provides

tickmao/Novel solves a configuration problem rather than the broader problem of reading books. Mobile reading apps need parsers, site definitions, cleanup expressions, text-to-speech settings, and presentation files that are normally supplied as app-specific data. This repository collects those assets in directories organized by reader, with separate areas for sources, rules, themes, fonts, scripts, documentation, and validation data.

The documented targets are Legado on Android and iOS, Xiangse GuiGe on iOS, and iRead Shuxiang on iOS. The README lists 1,000 Legado sources, 1,274 Xiangse GuiGe sites, and an iRead Shuxiang source whose status is marked as pending update. These are repository-maintained counts in the README, not guarantees about the number of sites that will always respond.

The intended user is therefore someone who already uses one of these apps and needs a larger or more configurable source list. It does not store a conventional catalog of books, run an ebook reader, or explain how a particular site maps every request into a book and chapter. The source definitions do that work inside the compatible app. The primary language is Python, but the documented import procedure does not ask users to install Python or run a package. The repository instead exposes files through GitHub-backed CDN URLs, with some resources linked by repository path.

## Repository structure and import formats

The directory layout separates app compatibility from resource type. `sources/legado/` and `sources/xsreader/` contain the main source collections, while `sources/ifreetime/` represents resources for iRead Shuxiang. Rules such as purification and text-to-speech configuration live under `rules/legado/`. Themes are divided into `themes/legado/` and `themes/ifreetime/`, while the font is stored separately in `fonts/`.

That separation matters because a book source and a theme are not interchangeable. Legado imports the all-in-one collection as `full.json`, but its purification and TTS files are separate JSON documents. Xiangse GuiGe uses `full.xbs`, which is a different import artifact from the Legado collection. iRead Shuxiang points to a third-party `.ibs` file rather than a file served from this repository.

Based on the documented layout, the import flow is data-driven. A reader application fetches a URL, parses the corresponding JSON or native configuration format, and then applies those definitions when browsing sites, retrieving chapters, cleaning text, or presenting the interface. Novel does not describe the internal fields of the source definitions, nor does it claim that every third-party site uses the same extraction mechanism.

The repository also contains `scripts/`, `tests/`, `reports/`, and `validation_report.json`, but the README does not document commands for running them. Their presence indicates supporting maintenance and validation work, yet it would be incorrect to infer a public CLI or a complete local deployment process from those directories alone.

## Importing sources into Legado and Xiangse GuiGe

Legado users import the main collection through the path `我的 -> 书源管理 -> 右上角菜单 -> 网络导入`. The README then provides the full collection and two optional resources, each as a distinct CDN URL.

For the main source set, paste this address into Legado's network import screen:

```text
https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/tickmao/Novel@master/sources/legado/full.json
```

The reader should display the imported source collection after confirming it in the source manager. The same procedure can be used for the documented cleanup rules and TTS configuration:

```text
https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/tickmao/Novel@master/rules/legado/purify.json
```

```text
https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/tickmao/Novel@master/rules/legado/tts.json
```

Importing all three addresses produces different categories of configuration in Legado. The README does not document conflict resolution when an existing source has the same identity as an imported source, so users should inspect the app's confirmation and import settings rather than assume merge behavior.

Xiangse GuiGe follows a different path: `站点 -> 导入`. Its full collection contains 1,274 sites according to the README and is imported from:

```text
https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/tickmao/Novel@master/sources/xsreader/full.xbs
```

This is a concrete format boundary. An `.xbs` file from Xiangse GuiGe should not be treated as a Legado `full.json` file merely because both are called book sources.

## iRead Shuxiang, font, and theme resources

iRead Shuxiang has a narrower documented path. The README directs users to `同步 -> 粘贴链接` and links to a third-party repository file:

```text
https://github.com/shidahuilang/shuyuan/raw/shuyuan/aiyueshuxiang.ibs
```

This address is not under the Novel repository. That distinction affects ownership, availability, and change control: Novel documents the import route, but a failure or modification of the linked third-party source is outside what the README explains. The platform table also marks the iRead Shuxiang source count as pending update, so the project should not be presented as offering the same catalog size or current status for that app.

Novel also publishes a LXG WenKai font file:

```text
https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/tickmao/Novel@master/fonts/LXGWWenKai.ttf
```

The README names LXG WenKai as a recommended font, but it does not explain how the font is installed in each reader. The documented theme paths are repository-relative, `themes/legado/tickmao.json` and `themes/ifreetime/tickmao.itcs`. The README lists their locations but does not give menu steps for importing either theme. Those files should therefore be treated as available assets with undocumented app-specific import handling, not as turnkey themes with a complete supported procedure.

## Reliability limits and the wrong use case

The central limitation is that source availability depends on external sites. Novel aggregates definitions, but the README gives no uptime information, probe results, update schedule, or guarantee that every listed source will continue to return searchable books and readable chapters. A source that worked when it was added may fail because the target site changed its pages, redirects, scripts, access rules, or response format.

There is also no documented rollback procedure for a failed import. The README points to `CHANGELOG.md` for updates, which is useful for reviewing repository changes, but it does not say how to restore an earlier source collection inside any supported app. Users who depend on a stable production workflow should preserve their existing app configuration before importing a full collection.

Novel is the wrong tool for someone who wants a standalone reader with downloadable books. It is also unsuitable for a commercial catalog unless the rights position of each included source has been checked. The repository states that it does not own the copyright in the sources, directs readers to `CREDITS.md`, limits use to study and exchange, and asks users not to use it commercially. Those statements are repository policy, not proof that every imported definition can be redistributed or used without restrictions.

The repository metadata does not provide a recognized license value, while the README's author line says the project was released under the MIT License. That inconsistency should be resolved from the repository files before redistribution or integration into another product. The README also says there are no GitHub releases, so release tags are not an available upgrade path.

## Novel compared with manually configured readers

The practical alternative is configuring a small set of sources inside the reader app itself. Legado, Xiangse GuiGe, and iRead Shuxiang already accept source definitions through their own management interfaces. A manual workflow gives the reader direct control over which site definitions are installed and avoids importing a large aggregate collection, but it also requires locating compatible definitions and maintaining each one when a site changes.

Novel takes the opposite approach. It provides a centralized collection in the formats its documented apps expect, including 1,000 Legado sources and 1,274 Xiangse GuiGe sites. This reduces the initial search for compatible definitions, but makes the user dependent on the repository's curation and on all third-party sites represented in the file. A manually maintained setup can be smaller and easier to diagnose, while a bulk import can expose the app to more stale or incompatible entries.

Python is the repository's primary language, but that does not make it a Python library or command-line tool based on the published instructions. There is no documented `pip install`, executable entry point, or API in the README. Treat Novel as a repository of application configuration assets, then select only the resource type that the target reader can import.

## Maintenance history and upgrade expectations

The repository is not archived, and its last push was on 2026-10-15. That indicates recent repository activity, but the README does not establish how often source definitions are individually reviewed or whether every supported app is updated at the same rate. The pending update label for iRead Shuxiang is a concrete sign that maintenance coverage is not uniform.

Upgrades appear to be file-based. The URLs point at the `master` branch through jsDelivr, so fetching the documented URL gives the current branch version rather than a named release. The absence of GitHub releases means there is no documented versioned artifact for pinning a known configuration. Users who need repeatable imports should record the file date or preserve a local copy, although the README does not prescribe a specific workflow.

The README states that Tickmao released the project under the MIT License, but the repository information supplied for this review has no recognized license field. For an engineer evaluating dependencies or redistribution, that mismatch is more relevant than the star chart. Review `README.md`, `CREDITS.md`, `CHANGELOG.md`, and the target app's import behavior before adopting the collection.

## Conclusion

Readers who already use Legado, Xiangse GuiGe, or iRead Shuxiang and want a maintained collection of importable resources may find Novel useful after checking CREDITS.md, the referenced site rules, and their willingness to accept third-party source maintenance. It does not suit users who need a self-contained ebook reader, licensed commercial content, or a formally verified catalog. The first check should be whether the imported format matches the target app and whether every source has acceptable rights and stability terms.

## FAQ

### How do I import Novel into Legado?

Open Legado, go to `我的 -> 书源管理 -> 右上角菜单 -> 网络导入`, and paste the documented `full.json` URL. The repository also provides separate URLs for purification rules and TTS configuration.

### Which reading apps does tickmao/Novel support?

The README lists Legado for Android and iOS, Xiangse GuiGe for iOS, and iRead Shuxiang for iOS. The listed source counts are 1,000, 1,274, and pending update, respectively.

### Can I use Novel's book sources commercially?

The repository declaration says it does not own the copyright in the sources, asks users to consult `CREDITS.md`, and says the collection is for study and exchange rather than commercial use. Check the rights of each source before redistribution or commercial integration.

## Sources

- [Issues](https://github.com/tickmao/Novel/issues)
- [Project website](https://novel.tickmao.com/)
- [README](https://github.com/tickmao/Novel/blob/master/README.md)
- [tickmao/Novel on GitHub](https://github.com/tickmao/Novel)

---

Hysen Labs editorial analysis, written from the project's own repository and release notes. Cite the canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/tickmao-novel