diff --git a/include/extern.h b/include/extern.h
index 3a0535cf0..9de55e169 100644
--- a/include/extern.h
+++ b/include/extern.h
@@ -753,7 +753,7 @@ E void NDECL(really_close);
 #ifdef DEBUG
 E boolean FDECL(showdebug, (const char *));
 #endif
-E void FDECL(read_tribute, (const char *,const char *,int));
+E boolean FDECL(read_tribute, (const char *,const char *,int));
 
 /* ### fountain.c ### */
 
diff --git a/src/files.c b/src/files.c
index 8e942f757..37af6e9c1 100644
--- a/src/files.c
+++ b/src/files.c
@@ -3331,13 +3331,17 @@ const char *filename;
 
 /* ----------  BEGIN TRIBUTE ----------- */
 
-/* 3.6 tribute code */
+/* 3.6 tribute code
+ *
+ * Returns TRUE if you were able to read something.
+ *
+ */
 
 #define SECTIONSCOPE 1
 #define TITLESCOPE   2
 #define PASSAGESCOPE 3
 
-void
+boolean
 read_tribute(tribsection, tribtitle, tribpassage)
 const char *tribsection, *tribtitle;
 int  tribpassage;
@@ -3351,12 +3355,13 @@ int  tribpassage;
     const char *badtranslation = "an incomprehensible foreign translation";
     boolean matchedsection = FALSE, matchedtitle = FALSE;
     winid tribwin = WIN_ERR;
+    boolean grasped = FALSE;
 
     /* check for mandatories */
     if (!tribsection || !tribtitle) {
 	pline("It's %s of \"%s\"!",
 		badtranslation, tribtitle);
-	return;
+	return grasped;
     }	
 
     debugpline3("read_tribute %s, %s, %d.", tribsection, tribtitle, tribpassage);
@@ -3365,7 +3370,7 @@ int  tribpassage;
     if (!fp) {
     	/* this is actually an error - cannot open tribute file! */
     	pline("You feel too overwhelmed to continue!");
-	return;
+	return grasped;
     }
 
     /*
@@ -3465,13 +3470,13 @@ cleanup:
 		display_nhwindow(tribwin, FALSE);
 	destroy_nhwindow(tribwin);
 	tribwin = WIN_ERR;
-	u.uconduct.literate++;
+	grasped = TRUE;
     } else {
     	pline("It seems to be %s of \"%s\"!",
 		badtranslation, tribtitle);
     }
 
-    return;
+    return grasped;
 }
 /* ----------  END TRIBUTE ----------- */
 
diff --git a/src/objects.c b/src/objects.c
index d64649519..b4c26041a 100644
--- a/src/objects.c
+++ b/src/objects.c
@@ -829,7 +829,7 @@ SPELL("freeze sphere",   "hardcover",   P_MATTER_SPELL, 20,  2, 1, 1, NODIR, CLR
 SPELL("blank paper",     "plain",       P_NONE, 18,  0, 0, 0, 0,         HI_PAPER),
 /* tribute book for 3.6 */
 OBJECT(OBJ("novel", "paperback"), BITS(0,0,1,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,P_NONE,HI_PAPER), 0,
-	SPBOOK_CLASS, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 20, CLR_BRIGHT_BLUE),
+	SPBOOK_CLASS, 0, 0, 0, 20, 0, 0, 0, 1, 20, CLR_BRIGHT_BLUE),
 /* a special, one of a kind, spellbook */
 OBJECT(OBJ("Book of the Dead", "papyrus"), BITS(0,0,1,0,1,0,1,1,0,0,0,P_NONE,PAPER), 0,
 	SPBOOK_CLASS, 0, 0,20, 10000, 0, 0, 0, 7, 20, HI_PAPER),
diff --git a/src/spell.c b/src/spell.c
index a9a9d7fb4..fe0741d2f 100644
--- a/src/spell.c
+++ b/src/spell.c
@@ -452,10 +452,12 @@ register struct obj *spellbook;
 
 		/* 3.6.0 tribute */
 		if (booktype == SPE_NOVEL) {
-		    /* Obtain current Terry Pratchett book
-			title for the current game. */
+		    /* Obtain current Terry Pratchett book title */
 		    const char *tribtitle = noveltitle(&spellbook->novelidx);
-		    read_tribute("books", tribtitle, 0);
+		    if (read_tribute("books", tribtitle, 0)) {
+		    	u.uconduct.literate++;
+		    	check_unpaid(spellbook);
+		    }
 		    return(1);
 		}