diff --git a/bookwyrm/templates/edit_author.html b/bookwyrm/templates/edit_author.html
index b08aa983e..de028d85f 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/templates/edit_author.html
+++ b/bookwyrm/templates/edit_author.html
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 </div>
 {% endif %}
 
-<form class="block" name="edit-author" action="/edit-author/{{ author.id }}" method="post">
+<form class="block" name="edit-author" action="{{ author.local_path }}/edit" method="post">
     {% csrf_token %}
     <input type="hidden" name="last_edited_by" value="{{ request.user.id }}">
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/urls.py b/bookwyrm/urls.py
index 186a0d946..260164b7b 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/urls.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/urls.py
@@ -96,12 +96,13 @@ urlpatterns = [
     re_path(r'^resolve-book/?$', views.resolve_book),
     re_path(r'^switch-edition/?$', views.switch_edition),
 
-    re_path(r'^author/(?P<author_id>[\w\-]+)/edit/?$', vviews.edit_author_page),
+    # author
+    re_path(r'^author/(?P<author_id>\d+)(.json)?/?$', views.Author.as_view()),
+    re_path(r'^author/(?P<author_id>\d+)/edit/?$', views.EditAuthor.as_view()),
 
     re_path(r'^tag/?$', actions.tag),
     re_path(r'^untag/?$', actions.untag),
 
-    re_path(r'^author/(?P<author_id>[\w\-]+)(.json)?/?$', vviews.author_page),
     re_path(r'^tag/(?P<tag_id>.+)\.json/?$', vviews.tag_page),
     re_path(r'^tag/(?P<tag_id>.+)/?$', vviews.tag_page),
     re_path(r'^%s/shelf/(?P<shelf_identifier>[\w-]+)(.json)?/?$' % \
@@ -111,8 +112,6 @@ urlpatterns = [
 
     re_path(r'^search/?$', vviews.search),
 
-    re_path(r'^edit-author/(?P<author_id>\d+)/?$', actions.edit_author),
-
     re_path(r'^edit-readthrough/?$', actions.edit_readthrough),
     re_path(r'^delete-readthrough/?$', actions.delete_readthrough),
     re_path(r'^create-readthrough/?$', actions.create_readthrough),
diff --git a/bookwyrm/view_actions.py b/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
index f24564913..c349f3f91 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/view_actions.py
@@ -2,10 +2,9 @@
 import dateutil.parser
 from dateutil.parser import ParserError
 
-from django.contrib.auth.decorators import login_required, permission_required
+from django.contrib.auth.decorators import login_required
 from django.http import HttpResponseBadRequest, HttpResponseNotFound
 from django.shortcuts import get_object_or_404, redirect
-from django.template.response import TemplateResponse
 from django.utils import timezone
 from django.views.decorators.http import require_POST
 
@@ -13,27 +12,6 @@ from bookwyrm import forms, models, outgoing
 from bookwyrm.broadcast import broadcast
 from bookwyrm.vviews import get_user_from_username, get_edition
 
-@login_required
-@permission_required('bookwyrm.edit_book', raise_exception=True)
-@require_POST
-def edit_author(request, author_id):
-    ''' edit a author cool '''
-    author = get_object_or_404(models.Author, id=author_id)
-
-    form = forms.AuthorForm(request.POST, request.FILES, instance=author)
-    if not form.is_valid():
-        data = {
-            'title': 'Edit Author',
-            'author': author,
-            'form': form
-        }
-        return TemplateResponse(request, 'edit_author.html', data)
-    author = form.save()
-
-    broadcast(request.user, author.to_update_activity(request.user))
-    return redirect('/author/%s' % author.id)
-
-
 @login_required
 @require_POST
 def create_shelf(request):
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/__init__.py b/bookwyrm/views/__init__.py
index 52f4f36fa..0d01fb566 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/views/__init__.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/__init__.py
@@ -11,3 +11,4 @@ from .status import Status, Replies, CreateStatus, DeleteStatus
 from .interaction import Favorite, Unfavorite, Boost, Unboost
 from .books import Book, EditBook, Editions
 from .books import upload_cover, add_description, switch_edition, resolve_book
+from .author import Author, EditAuthor
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/author.py b/bookwyrm/views/author.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ad9d18731
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/author.py
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+''' the good people stuff! the authors! '''
+from django.contrib.auth.decorators import login_required, permission_required
+from django.db.models import Q
+from django.shortcuts import get_object_or_404, redirect
+from django.template.response import TemplateResponse
+from django.utils.decorators import method_decorator
+from django.views import View
+
+from bookwyrm import forms, models
+from bookwyrm.activitypub import ActivitypubResponse
+from bookwyrm.broadcast import broadcast
+from .helpers import is_api_request
+
+
+# pylint: disable= no-self-use
+class Author(View):
+    ''' this person wrote a book '''
+    def get(self, request, author_id):
+        ''' landing page for an author '''
+        author = get_object_or_404(models.Author, id=author_id)
+
+        if is_api_request(request):
+            return ActivitypubResponse(author.to_activity())
+
+        books = models.Work.objects.filter(
+            Q(authors=author) | Q(editions__authors=author)).distinct()
+        data = {
+            'title': author.name,
+            'author': author,
+            'books': [b.get_default_edition() for b in books],
+        }
+        return TemplateResponse(request, 'author.html', data)
+
+
+@method_decorator(login_required, name='dispatch')
+@method_decorator(
+    permission_required('bookwyrm.edit_book', raise_exception=True),
+    name='dispatch')
+class EditAuthor(View):
+    ''' edit author info '''
+    def get(self, request, author_id):
+        ''' info about a book '''
+        author = get_object_or_404(models.Author, id=author_id)
+        data = {
+            'title': 'Edit Author',
+            'author': author,
+            'form': forms.AuthorForm(instance=author)
+        }
+        return TemplateResponse(request, 'edit_author.html', data)
+
+    def post(self, request, author_id):
+        ''' edit a author cool '''
+        author = get_object_or_404(models.Author, id=author_id)
+
+        form = forms.AuthorForm(request.POST, request.FILES, instance=author)
+        if not form.is_valid():
+            data = {
+                'title': 'Edit Author',
+                'author': author,
+                'form': form
+            }
+            return TemplateResponse(request, 'edit_author.html', data)
+        author = form.save()
+
+        broadcast(request.user, author.to_update_activity(request.user))
+        return redirect('/author/%s' % author.id)
diff --git a/bookwyrm/views/books.py b/bookwyrm/views/books.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..553c74781
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/views/books.py
@@ -0,0 +1,228 @@
+''' the good stuff! the books! '''
+from django.core.paginator import Paginator
+from django.contrib.auth.decorators import login_required, permission_required
+from django.db import transaction
+from django.db.models import Avg, Q
+from django.http import HttpResponseNotFound
+from django.shortcuts import get_object_or_404, redirect
+from django.template.response import TemplateResponse
+from django.utils.decorators import method_decorator
+from django.views import View
+from django.views.decorators.http import require_POST
+
+from bookwyrm import forms, models
+from bookwyrm.activitypub import ActivitypubResponse
+from bookwyrm.broadcast import broadcast
+from bookwyrm.connectors import connector_manager
+from bookwyrm.settings import PAGE_LENGTH
+from .helpers import is_api_request, get_activity_feed, get_edition
+
+
+# pylint: disable= no-self-use
+class Book(View):
+    ''' a book! this is the stuff '''
+    def get(self, request, book_id):
+        ''' info about a book '''
+        try:
+            page = int(request.GET.get('page', 1))
+        except ValueError:
+            page = 1
+
+        try:
+            book = models.Book.objects.select_subclasses().get(id=book_id)
+        except models.Book.DoesNotExist:
+            return HttpResponseNotFound()
+
+        if is_api_request(request):
+            return ActivitypubResponse(book.to_activity())
+
+        if isinstance(book, models.Work):
+            book = book.get_default_edition()
+        if not book:
+            return HttpResponseNotFound()
+
+        work = book.parent_work
+        if not work:
+            return HttpResponseNotFound()
+
+        reviews = models.Review.objects.filter(
+            book__in=work.editions.all(),
+        )
+        # all reviews for the book
+        reviews = get_activity_feed(
+            request.user,
+            ['public', 'unlisted', 'followers', 'direct'],
+            queryset=reviews
+        )
+
+        # the reviews to show
+        paginated = Paginator(reviews.exclude(
+            Q(content__isnull=True) | Q(content='')
+        ), PAGE_LENGTH)
+        reviews_page = paginated.page(page)
+
+        user_tags = readthroughs = user_shelves = other_edition_shelves = []
+        if request.user.is_authenticated:
+            user_tags = models.UserTag.objects.filter(
+                book=book, user=request.user
+            ).values_list('tag__identifier', flat=True)
+
+            readthroughs = models.ReadThrough.objects.filter(
+                user=request.user,
+                book=book,
+            ).order_by('start_date')
+
+            user_shelves = models.ShelfBook.objects.filter(
+                added_by=request.user, book=book
+            )
+
+            other_edition_shelves = models.ShelfBook.objects.filter(
+                ~Q(book=book),
+                added_by=request.user,
+                book__parent_work=book.parent_work,
+            )
+
+        data = {
+            'title': book.title,
+            'book': book,
+            'reviews': reviews_page,
+            'review_count': reviews.count(),
+            'ratings': reviews.filter(Q(content__isnull=True) | Q(content='')),
+            'rating': reviews.aggregate(Avg('rating'))['rating__avg'],
+            'tags':  models.UserTag.objects.filter(book=book),
+            'user_tags': user_tags,
+            'user_shelves': user_shelves,
+            'other_edition_shelves': other_edition_shelves,
+            'readthroughs': readthroughs,
+            'path': '/book/%s' % book_id,
+        }
+        return TemplateResponse(request, 'book.html', data)
+
+
+@method_decorator(login_required, name='dispatch')
+@method_decorator(
+    permission_required('bookwyrm.edit_book', raise_exception=True),
+    name='dispatch')
+class EditBook(View):
+    ''' edit a book '''
+    def get(self, request, book_id):
+        ''' info about a book '''
+        book = get_edition(book_id)
+        if not book.description:
+            book.description = book.parent_work.description
+        data = {
+            'title': 'Edit Book',
+            'book': book,
+            'form': forms.EditionForm(instance=book)
+        }
+        return TemplateResponse(request, 'edit_book.html', data)
+
+    def post(self, request, book_id):
+        ''' edit a book cool '''
+        book = get_object_or_404(models.Edition, id=book_id)
+
+        form = forms.EditionForm(request.POST, request.FILES, instance=book)
+        if not form.is_valid():
+            data = {
+                'title': 'Edit Book',
+                'book': book,
+                'form': form
+            }
+            return TemplateResponse(request, 'edit_book.html', data)
+        book = form.save()
+
+        broadcast(request.user, book.to_update_activity(request.user))
+        return redirect('/book/%s' % book.id)
+
+
+class Editions(View):
+    ''' list of editions '''
+    def get(self, request, book_id):
+        ''' list of editions of a book '''
+        work = get_object_or_404(models.Work, id=book_id)
+
+        if is_api_request(request):
+            return ActivitypubResponse(work.to_edition_list(**request.GET))
+
+        data = {
+            'title': 'Editions of %s' % work.title,
+            'editions': work.editions.order_by('-edition_rank').all(),
+            'work': work,
+        }
+        return TemplateResponse(request, 'editions.html', data)
+
+
+@login_required
+@require_POST
+def upload_cover(request, book_id):
+    ''' upload a new cover '''
+    book = get_object_or_404(models.Edition, id=book_id)
+
+    form = forms.CoverForm(request.POST, request.FILES, instance=book)
+    if not form.is_valid():
+        return redirect('/book/%d' % book.id)
+
+    book.cover = form.files['cover']
+    book.save()
+
+    broadcast(request.user, book.to_update_activity(request.user))
+    return redirect('/book/%s' % book.id)
+
+
+@login_required
+@require_POST
+@permission_required('bookwyrm.edit_book', raise_exception=True)
+def add_description(request, book_id):
+    ''' upload a new cover '''
+    if not request.method == 'POST':
+        return redirect('/')
+
+    book = get_object_or_404(models.Edition, id=book_id)
+
+    description = request.POST.get('description')
+
+    book.description = description
+    book.save()
+
+    broadcast(request.user, book.to_update_activity(request.user))
+    return redirect('/book/%s' % book.id)
+
+
+@require_POST
+def resolve_book(request):
+    ''' figure out the local path to a book from a remote_id '''
+    remote_id = request.POST.get('remote_id')
+    connector = connector_manager.get_or_create_connector(remote_id)
+    book = connector.get_or_create_book(remote_id)
+
+    return redirect('/book/%d' % book.id)
+
+
+@login_required
+@require_POST
+@transaction.atomic
+def switch_edition(request):
+    ''' switch your copy of a book to a different edition '''
+    edition_id = request.POST.get('edition')
+    new_edition = get_object_or_404(models.Edition, id=edition_id)
+    shelfbooks = models.ShelfBook.objects.filter(
+        book__parent_work=new_edition.parent_work,
+        shelf__user=request.user
+    )
+    for shelfbook in shelfbooks.all():
+        broadcast(request.user, shelfbook.to_remove_activity(request.user))
+
+        shelfbook.book = new_edition
+        shelfbook.save()
+
+        broadcast(request.user, shelfbook.to_add_activity(request.user))
+
+    readthroughs = models.ReadThrough.objects.filter(
+        book__parent_work=new_edition.parent_work,
+        user=request.user
+    )
+    for readthrough in readthroughs.all():
+        readthrough.book = new_edition
+        readthrough.save()
+
+    return redirect('/book/%d' % new_edition.id)
diff --git a/bookwyrm/vviews.py b/bookwyrm/vviews.py
index befdca2d2..3d78a2777 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/vviews.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/vviews.py
@@ -1,18 +1,15 @@
 ''' views for pages you can go to in the application '''
 import re
 
-from django.contrib.auth.decorators import login_required, permission_required
 from django.contrib.postgres.search import TrigramSimilarity
-from django.db.models import Q
 from django.db.models.functions import Greatest
 from django.http import HttpResponseNotFound, JsonResponse
-from django.shortcuts import get_object_or_404
 from django.template.response import TemplateResponse
 from django.views.decorators.csrf import csrf_exempt
 from django.views.decorators.http import require_GET
 
 from bookwyrm import outgoing
-from bookwyrm import forms, models
+from bookwyrm import models
 from bookwyrm.activitypub import ActivitypubResponse
 from bookwyrm.connectors import connector_manager
 from bookwyrm.utils import regex
@@ -90,38 +87,6 @@ def search(request):
     return TemplateResponse(request, 'search_results.html', data)
 
 
-@login_required
-@permission_required('bookwyrm.edit_book', raise_exception=True)
-@require_GET
-def edit_author_page(request, author_id):
-    ''' info about a book '''
-    author = get_object_or_404(models.Author, id=author_id)
-    data = {
-        'title': 'Edit Author',
-        'author': author,
-        'form': forms.AuthorForm(instance=author)
-    }
-    return TemplateResponse(request, 'edit_author.html', data)
-
-
-@require_GET
-def author_page(request, author_id):
-    ''' landing page for an author '''
-    author = get_object_or_404(models.Author, id=author_id)
-
-    if is_api_request(request):
-        return ActivitypubResponse(author.to_activity())
-
-    books = models.Work.objects.filter(
-        Q(authors=author) | Q(editions__authors=author)).distinct()
-    data = {
-        'title': author.name,
-        'author': author,
-        'books': [b.get_default_edition() for b in books],
-    }
-    return TemplateResponse(request, 'author.html', data)
-
-
 @require_GET
 def tag_page(request, tag_id):
     ''' books related to a tag '''