diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cache.py b/src/calibre/db/cache.py
index 31659a9131..6612b72d60 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cache.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cache.py
@@ -3300,14 +3300,21 @@ class Cache:
                 report_progress(i+1, len(book_ids), mi)
 
     @read_api
-    def get_last_read_positions(self, book_id, fmt, user):
-        fmt = fmt.upper()
-        ans = []
-        for device, cfi, epoch, pos_frac in self.backend.execute(
-                'SELECT device,cfi,epoch,pos_frac FROM last_read_positions WHERE book=? AND format=? AND user=?',
-                (book_id, fmt, user)):
-            ans.append({'device':device, 'cfi': cfi, 'epoch':epoch, 'pos_frac':pos_frac})
-        return ans
+    def get_last_read_positions(self, book_id, fmt='', user='', order_by='', limit=0):
+        q = 'SELECT device,cfi,epoch,pos_frac,format,user FROM last_read_positions WHERE book=?'
+        bindings = [book_id]
+        if fmt:
+            q += ' AND format=?'
+            bindings.append(fmt.upper())
+        if user:
+            q += ' AND user=?'
+            bindings.append(user)
+        if order_by in ('pos_frac', 'epoch'):
+            q += f' ORDER BY {order_by} DESC'
+        if limit:
+            q += f' LIMIT {int(limit)}'
+        return tuple({'device':device, 'cfi': cfi, 'epoch':epoch, 'pos_frac':pos_frac, 'format': format, 'user': user}
+            for device, cfi, epoch, pos_frac, format, user in self.backend.execute(q, tuple(bindings)))
 
     @write_api
     def set_last_read_position(self, book_id, fmt, user='_', device='_', cfi=None, epoch=None, pos_frac=0):
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/tests/reading.py b/src/calibre/db/tests/reading.py
index 367474c55f..d4eb723585 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/tests/reading.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/tests/reading.py
@@ -813,7 +813,8 @@ class ReadingTest(BaseTest):
         epoch = time()
         cache.set_last_read_position(1, 'EPUB', 'user', 'device', 'cFi', epoch, 0.3)
         self.assertFalse(cache.get_last_read_positions(1, 'x', 'u'))
-        self.assertEqual(cache.get_last_read_positions(1, 'ePuB', 'user'), [{'epoch':epoch, 'device':'device', 'cfi':'cFi', 'pos_frac':0.3}])
+        self.assertEqual(cache.get_last_read_positions(1, 'ePuB', 'user'), ({
+            'epoch':epoch, 'device':'device', 'cfi':'cFi', 'pos_frac':0.3, 'format': 'EPUB', 'user': 'user'},))
         cache.set_last_read_position(1, 'EPUB', 'user', 'device')
         self.assertFalse(cache.get_last_read_positions(1, 'ePuB', 'user'))
     # }}}
@@ -836,12 +837,22 @@ class ReadingTest(BaseTest):
         db = self.init_cache(self.library_path)
         db.create_custom_column('mult', 'CC1', 'composite', True, display={'composite_template': 'b,a,c'})
         db.create_custom_column('pages', 'Pages', 'int', False)
-
-        # need an empty metadata object to pass to the formatter
-        db = self.init_legacy(self.library_path)
-        db.new_api.set_field('#pages', {1: '11', 2: '22', 3: '33'})
-        mi = db.get_metadata(1)
-
+        db.set_pages(2, 100, format='FMT1')
+        db.set_pages(2, 100, format='FMT2')
+        db.set_last_read_position(2, 'FMT1', pos_frac=0.25, cfi='epubcfi(/2)', epoch=2)
+        db.set_last_read_position(2, 'FMT2', pos_frac=0.35, cfi='epubcfi(/2)', epoch=1)
+        db.close()
+        db = self.init_cache(self.library_path)
+        db.set_field('#pages', {1: '11', 2: '22', 3: '33'})
+        mi = db.get_metadata(2)
+        # test reading_progress
+        def trp(expected, args=''):
+            self.assertEqual(expected, formatter.safe_format(f'{{id:reading_progress({args})}}', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi))
+        trp('25 / 100')
+        trp('25%', ',percent')
+        trp('25%', '_,percent')
+        trp('0.35', ',pos_frac,furthest')
+        trp('0.25', ',pos_frac,furthest,fmt1')
         # test width_from_pages
         v = formatter.safe_format('{#pages:width_from_pages(2,2,0.5)}', {}, 'TEMPLATE ERROR', mi)
         self.assertEqual(v, '1.0')
diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/formatter_functions.py b/src/calibre/utils/formatter_functions.py
index 4e4a2c22a8..19b18bc0d7 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/formatter_functions.py
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/formatter_functions.py
@@ -3267,6 +3267,80 @@ This function works only in the GUI and the content server.
             raise ValueError(str(e))
 
 
+class BuiltinReadingProgress(BuiltinFormatterFunction):
+    name = 'reading_progress'
+    arg_count = -1
+    category = DB_FUNCS
+    def __doc__getter__(self): return translate_ffml(
+r'''
+``reading_progress(book_id, [user, output_fmt, which, fmt])`` -- returns the reading progress, in the specified ''
+output format.[/]The ``user`` parameter defaults to match any user. Use the value ``local`` to match reading progress in
+the calibre e-book viewer. Use ``_`` to match reading progress for anonymous users of the Content server viewer.
+Any other value matches the correcsponding username as used in the Content server.
+
+The ``output_fmt`` paramter controls the format of the text returned by this function. It takes three values:
+[LIST]
+[*] ``page_count`` - the default outputs ``pages read / total pages``. If page counting is not enabled outputs percent read.
+[*] ``percent`` - outputs percent read
+[*] ``pos_frac`` - outputs a fraction between zero and one.
+[/LIST]
+
+The ``which`` parameter controls how the specific reading progress record for the specified ``user`` is selected.
+There can be more than one record if the no user is specified or if the book has been read in multiple formats.
+It accepts two values:
+[LIST]
+[*] ``most_recent`` - the progress of the most recent reader of the book (the default value)
+[*] ``furthest`` - the furthest progress of all matching records
+[/LIST]
+
+The ``fmt`` parameter controls which book format is used. The default is to return records for all formats, the specific
+record is then selected by the ``which`` parameter.
+
+Some examples:
+[CODE]
+{id:reading_progress()} -- the reading progress as pages read / total pages
+                           for the most recent reading session of this book
+{id:reading_progress(,percent)} -- same as above, but as a percentage
+{id:reading_progress(,pos_frac,furthest)} -- same as above, but as a fraction and using the
+                                             furthest progress on this book.
+{id:reading_progress(bob,pos_frac,furthest,EPUB)} -- for the user "bob" and the "EPUB format
+[/CODE]
+''')
+
+    def evaluate(self, formatter, kwargs, mi, locals, book_id, *args):
+        if len(args) > 4:
+            raise ValueError(_('Incorrect number of arguments for function {0}').format('reading_progress'))
+        book_id = int(book_id)
+        for_user, output_fmt, which, fmt = '', 'page_count', 'most_recent', ''
+        match len(args):
+            case 4:
+                for_user, output_fmt, which, fmt = args
+            case 3:
+                for_user, output_fmt, which = args
+            case 2:
+                for_user, output_fmt = args
+            case 1:
+                for_user = args[0]
+        order_by = 'pos_frac' if which in ('furthest', 'farthest') else 'epoch'
+        pos_frac = 0
+        with (db := self.get_database(mi, formatter=formatter).new_api).safe_read_lock:
+            if records := db._get_last_read_positions(book_id, fmt=fmt, user=for_user, order_by=order_by, limit=1):
+                pos_frac = records[0]['pos_frac']
+                fmt = records[0]['format']
+            match output_fmt:
+                case 'percent':
+                    return f'{pos_frac:.0%}'
+                case 'page_count':
+                    page_count = 0
+                    if pages := db._get_pages(book_id):
+                        page_count = pages.pages
+                    if page_count > 0:
+                        return f'{int(pos_frac * page_count)} / {page_count}'
+                    return f'{pos_frac:.0%}'
+                case _:
+                    return str(pos_frac)
+
+
 class BuiltinIsDarkMode(BuiltinFormatterFunction):
     name = 'is_dark_mode'
     arg_count = 0