diff --git a/include/Athena/BinaryReader.hpp b/include/Athena/BinaryReader.hpp
index b1f8255..e12c6f6 100644
--- a/include/Athena/BinaryReader.hpp
+++ b/include/Athena/BinaryReader.hpp
@@ -267,14 +267,14 @@ public:
      *  \return std::string The value at the current address
      *  \throw IOException when address is out of range
      */
-    std::string readUnicode();
+    std::string readUnicode(atInt32 maxlen = -1);
 
     /*! \brief Reads a string and advances the position in the file
      *
      *  \return std::string The value at the current address
      *  \throw IOException when address is out of range
      */
-    std::string readString();
+    std::string readString(atInt32 maxlen = -1);
 
     void setProgressCallback(std::function<void(int)> cb);
 protected:
diff --git a/include/Athena/FileReader.hpp b/include/Athena/FileReader.hpp
index 2b5d09e..d99111a 100644
--- a/include/Athena/FileReader.hpp
+++ b/include/Athena/FileReader.hpp
@@ -60,9 +60,9 @@ public:
     double readDouble();
     float  readFloat();
     bool   readBool();
-    std::string readString();
-    std::string readUnicode();
-private:
+    std::string readString(atInt32 maxlen = -1);
+    std::string readUnicode(atInt32 maxlen = -1);
+protected:
     std::string  m_filename;
     FILE*        m_fileHandle;
     Endian       m_endian;
@@ -74,9 +74,9 @@ private:
 } // Athena
 
 #ifndef FILEREADER_BASE
-#define FILEREADER_BASE \
+#define FILEREADER_BASE() \
 private: \
-    typedef Athena::io::FileReader base;
+    typedef Athena::io::FileReader base
 
 #endif // FILEREADER_BASE
 
diff --git a/include/Athena/Stream.hpp b/include/Athena/Stream.hpp
index 3c3a9c4..a7cc069 100644
--- a/include/Athena/Stream.hpp
+++ b/include/Athena/Stream.hpp
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ protected:
     virtual double readDouble()      {THROW_NOT_IMPLEMENTED_EXCEPTION();}
     virtual float  readFloat()       {THROW_NOT_IMPLEMENTED_EXCEPTION();}
     virtual bool   readBool()        {THROW_NOT_IMPLEMENTED_EXCEPTION();}
-    virtual std::string readUnicode(){THROW_NOT_IMPLEMENTED_EXCEPTION();}
-    virtual std::string readString() {THROW_NOT_IMPLEMENTED_EXCEPTION();}
+    virtual std::string readUnicode(atInt32){THROW_NOT_IMPLEMENTED_EXCEPTION();}
+    virtual std::string readString(atInt32) {THROW_NOT_IMPLEMENTED_EXCEPTION();}
     // Writing
     virtual void writeBit   (bool){THROW_NOT_IMPLEMENTED_EXCEPTION();}
     virtual void writeUByte (atUint8){THROW_NOT_IMPLEMENTED_EXCEPTION();}
diff --git a/src/Athena/BinaryReader.cpp b/src/Athena/BinaryReader.cpp
index 84bf950..76f155c 100644
--- a/src/Athena/BinaryReader.cpp
+++ b/src/Athena/BinaryReader.cpp
@@ -403,34 +403,45 @@ bool BinaryReader::readBool()
     return ret;
 }
 
-std::string BinaryReader::readUnicode()
+std::string BinaryReader::readUnicode(atInt32 maxlen)
 {
     if (!m_data)
         loadData();
     std::string ret;
     std::vector<short> tmp;
     atUint16 chr = readUint16();
+
+    atInt32 i = 0;
     for(;;)
     {
+        if (maxlen >= 0 && i >= maxlen - 1)
+            break;
+
         if (!chr)
             break;
         tmp.push_back(chr);
         chr = readUint16();
+        i++;
     }
 
     utf8::utf16to8(tmp.begin(), tmp.end(), back_inserter(ret));
     return ret;
 }
 
-std::string BinaryReader::readString()
+std::string BinaryReader::readString(atInt32 maxlen)
 {
     std::string ret = "";
     atUint8 chr = readByte();
 
+    atInt32 i = 0;
     while (chr != 0)
     {
+        if (maxlen >= 0 && i >= maxlen - 1)
+            break;
+
         ret += chr;
         chr = readByte();
+        i++;
     }
 
     return ret;
diff --git a/src/Athena/FileReader.cpp b/src/Athena/FileReader.cpp
index 5b7fd09..fc4ee00 100644
--- a/src/Athena/FileReader.cpp
+++ b/src/Athena/FileReader.cpp
@@ -298,21 +298,26 @@ bool FileReader::readBool()
     return (readByte() != 0);
 }
 
-std::string FileReader::readString()
+std::string FileReader::readString(atInt32 maxlen)
 {
     std::string ret = "";
     atUint8 chr = readByte();
 
+    atInt32 i = 0;
     while (chr != 0)
     {
+        if (maxlen >= 0 && i >= maxlen - 1)
+            break;
+
         ret += chr;
         chr = readByte();
+        i++;
     }
 
     return ret;
 }
 
-std::string FileReader::readUnicode()
+std::string FileReader::readUnicode(atInt32 maxlen)
 {
     if (!isOpen())
         THROW_INVALID_OPERATION_EXCEPTION("File not open for reading");
@@ -320,13 +325,18 @@ std::string FileReader::readUnicode()
     std::string ret;
     std::vector<short> tmp;
 
+    atInt32 i = 0;
     for(;;)
     {
+        if (maxlen >= 0 && i >= maxlen - 1)
+            break;
+
         short chr = readUint16();
         if (chr)
             tmp.push_back(chr);
         else
             break;
+        i++;
     };
 
     utf8::utf16to8(tmp.begin(), tmp.end(), back_inserter(ret));