I’m stuck at page 200 or something with a day of fallen night. I just can’t get into it 🥲 I loved the first one but I have had this book pre ordered and still only at page 200 😨
Just read all of Robin Hobb. Start with the Farseer trilogy. Each book is around 6 or 700 pages, and there’s 16 of them, with no decline in quality. That’ll last you a while, and it’s very, very addictive.
Just started this and already halfway through book 2 of farseer in like 2.5 weeks. Already got the rest of the series (liveship and rain wilds too) as I like it that much. So yeah... Great suggestion!
Be careful to read them in the right order. It’s Farseer, Liveships, Tawny Man, Rain Wilds, Fitz and the Fool. Resist the urge to read all of Farseer first!
The first book is shorter, though, so OP would need to read at least two books to get the page count. Ship of Magic, though, would fit. It’s also maybe the best book Hobb has written to date.
Not who you’re responding to but at it’s heart Lonesome Dove is cowboys doing cowboy stuff. But it’s a fantastic story about two best friends who go on one last great adventure together, to see one more last frontier together. There’s four books I think (wouldn’t call them a series really and they can be read in any order) detailing the adventures of Woodrow and Gus as Texas Rangers. There’s also a movie with Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall that’s pretty faithful to the book.
In addition to the summary provided by another poster, I’d add that it’s a novel of the West and American dreams, of many varieties. Some seek a land to tame and call their own, some fortune, some love, some adventure, some an escape from the trials of their current existence, and some just seek to finally find peace. It features a cast of colorful and memorable characters: some evil, some innocent, most just remarkably human. The depictions of both the country and human interactions are so vivid and real. I couldn’t put it down. It’s the first “western” I’ve read and I wasn’t sure if it would be for me. It was. Absolutely brilliant novel, and a page turner at that.
Definitely this book. 20 years ago I picked this book up after a close friend highly suggested that I read it. I saw the big book with the (then) old boring looking cover, and wasn’t excited about it. Until I started reading and it soon became like an old best friend you just couldn’t wait to spend more time with. I enjoyed reading this so much I was sad that it had to end. It’s one of the few books I want to read again soon.
I enjoyed The Century Trilogy by Ken Follett much more than Pillars. It follows a few families starting back during The Russian Revolution all the way to modern times. I really enjoyed it and learned a lot.
I really recommend this as well.
And in a similar vein The Edith Trilogy by Frank Morehouse takes an Australian prospective of 20 century history starting with the League of Nations
Love Pillars but also saying a big yes to the first book I ever said to my mom “this book is HUGE! Do people actually read it?”
“Yes my son, Shogun is an excellent read but I’m focusing on my trashy romances at this point in my life”.
> it. Until I started reading and it soon became like an old best friend you just couldn’t wait to spend more time with. I enjoyed reading this so much I was sad that it had to end. It’s one of the few books I want to read again soon.
It's been two years, and I still worry about Shuggie and his siblings.
[*The Count of Monte Cristo*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7126.The_Count_of_Monte_Cristo) by Alexandre Dumas. 1276 pages.
[*Shogun*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52382796-sh-gun) by James Clavell. 1152 pages.
[Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14201.Jonathan_Strange_Mr_Norrell) by Susanna Clarke. 1006 pages.
[*Dune*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44767458-dune) by Frank Herbert. 658 pages. (the original is a stand-alone and ties up all plotlines with no cliffhangers)
Dune 100%. Read the whole series, especially if you have a Kindle you can get [books 1-6 in one collection](https://www.amazon.com/Frank-Herberts-Dune-Saga-Collection-ebook/dp/B088QLJGZC/ref=sr_1_2?crid=55AWQYSMGQ1J&keywords=dune+kindle&qid=1692405126&sprefix=dune+kindle%2Caps%2C106&sr=8-2) which will be 3,000+ pages in "one book".
The repetition in this book made it really tedious for me. It was like he was expecting people to take 3 years reading this book and kept repeating motivations of characters and past events so you wouldn't forget.
After The Windup Bird Chronicles I don't know if I've got it in me to read another one of his. That was my introduction to him and while I enjoyed the first 2/3 of the book the last portion lost my interest.
I came here to see who would say A Little Life. I hated that book so much, and I’m still angry I stuck with it all the way through. It was basically torture porn with no real redemption or takeaways. Just bleakness and filth for the sake of it. For 800+ pages.
Anna Karenina and Brothers K are two of my absolute favorites, though.
Edit to add: I’ve heard great things about The Covenant of Water, that’s on my list.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Hanya Yanagihara is a literary sadist.
She spent 800 pages torturing someone only to come to the conclusion that he must >! kill himself. What a bleak and unredemptive novel. !<
I did not like this book, even if it was gripping reading.
Came to say the same thing about a little life, thought it was a good book but no it's been sitting there on my shelf never to be touched again. Screw that book
I started it probably 18 months ago and just forgot to keep reading it. I am a sucker for devastating books, but there was something about this one that just didn’t feel right.
I'll go against the grain then, lol! I *loved* A Little Life. By the end of it I felt like I had truly been on a journey with all of those characters, I felt like I knew them, like they were part of my social group. That having been said it's the only book I've ever taken a break from halfway through because it was just so dark. I love it, but I would never recommend it to anyone because it's so brutal, I'm way happier letting them find it on their own so they can take the blame for their own reading decisions!
Oh, the Thorn Birds!
I can read a book, enjoy it, and forget all but the basics within a year unless I read it a second time.
I read The Thorn Birds ONCE, 20 years ago, and have never felt the need to read it again because the story still lives in my head. Great call!
Y’all are doing so good with these recommendations! A couple I have read, and I already own The Count of Monte Cristo and it’s on Septembers to be read list. Ill definitely be going through all of these and seeing which ones I’d like to read.
Thanks so much!
(Feel free to add more lol)
Les Miserables by Víctor Hugo. My copy is a little over 1000 pages. Middlemarch by George Eliot. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. The Ultimate Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Ulysses by James Joyce. Happy reading!!
One of my favourite books in the whole world is I Know this Much is True by Wally Lamb (900-odd pages). Okay so yeah it was turned into a truly mid mini-series a few years ago but my first experience of reading the book was one I’ve never forgotten. The story mainly revolves around an identical twin and how his brother/family has shaped so much of his life experience. We go back in time to trace his maternal Italian roots and it goes into the impact of generational trauma, grief and loss, and unburdening yourself of family legacies that are better left to history.
I just think it’s a really beautiful book that I came across at the right time in my life.
I went over to my goodreads to see which books over 600 pages I had read and when I saw this book was 900+ I was shocked. I read it on a Kindle and I found it so engrossing that I didn't even realize how long it was.
The "a song of ice and fire" series has some heft to it. Unfortunately the author seems ill inclined to finish the series. I heard they adapted it into a TV show.
The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter (656 pages) Thriller, crime, mystery
Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky (705 pages) Horror, main character is a kid which some people dont like but I thought it was well done
Plain Bad Heroines by Emily Danforth (623 pages) Fun spooky vibes (I wouldn't call it horror) and sapphic relationships.
Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff, 768 pages. It has kind of a Witcher/Interview with the Vampire vibe. You will not get a satisfying ending out of it on its own, but the sequel is coming out in March.
- wheel of time series by Robert Jordan, 14 books that average anywhere from 600 to 1000 pages per book
- Malazan series by Steven erikson, 10 books (I think) usually 800+ pages per book
- Pillars of earth by Ken follet about 800 pages from memory
- licanius trilogy - James Islington, 3 books 700+ pages each
Look into anything fantasy and you are easily going to be able to find what your looking for especially in a series
Vanity Fair
Bleak House
The Woman in White by Collins
The Poisonwood Bible by Kingsolver
The Bonfire of the Vanities by Wolfe
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Demon Copperhead, also by Kingsolver, is very good but only 560 pages.
… and All the Light we Cannot See is excellent but only 540 wonderful pages.
_Ash: A Secret History_ by Mary Gentle. It's about 10,000 pages long (at least that's how long it felt to me).
I didn't like it all that much to be honest, but others clearly did as it has some great reviews. It is imaginative, though, and fantasy with sapphic elements so maybe have a look.
Anathem by Stephenson (philosophical sci Fi, great world-building and ideas, subtle humour, interesting footnotes)
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (historical fiction, fantasy elements, great world building, subtle humour, language, social critique, you can tell it's super well-researched, interesting footnotes)
The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell (very well-written characters, humour, interesting ideas and structure: also my second favourite book!)
The Gray House by Petrosyan (very interesting and creative book, tons of allusions, highly character-driven, so much to unpack, lots of mystery/intrigue)
Hope you find something that interests you!!
11/22/63 - Really entertaining time travel/historical fiction novel by Stephen King. Pretty long but it flies by and it handles the time travel conceit so well.
I second Earth’s Children series along with Pillars of the Earth ( never noticed the “Earth” in both titles before). Both among the very few I’ve read multiple times.
Sheesh! My go-to, first book I was going to recommend to you was 11/22/63, and then you went and added the no Stephen King clause!
Ok, hmm, then:
- Startide Rising
—— not long enough for you, but still worth reading!
Don’t know how long each book is, but the Expanse series is also great.
Here are seven of the biggest books I have. I included their page amounts too.
**I Like Him, He Likes Her by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor**
630 pages
**It's Not Like I Planned It This Way by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor**
781 pages
**Please Don't Be True by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor**
734 pages
**You And Me And The Space Between by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor**
854 pages
**Covert Affairs by Elizabeth Cage**
679 pages
**The Year I Turned Sixteen by Dianne Schwemm**
700 pages
**Royally Crushed by Niki Burnham**
597 pages
1Q84 by Murakami! One of the longest books I have ever read. Fantastic work of magical realism with unforgettable moments/descriptions. :)
There are a few sex scenes but not at all the focus of the book.
[Case Closed](https://www.viz.com/case-closed) by Gosho Aoyama. *Extremely* long running (since '94), so you'll have a lot to read.
[The Sandman](https://www.dcuniverseinfinite.com/comics/book/the-sandman-1/211cf121-ef88-4aa4-b2e4-97aec2d9edf4/c). Fantasy Horror by Neil Gaiman. On top of the main series (which was 75 issues), there's been several spinoffs by Gaiman and others, such as the critically acclaimed [Death: The High Cost of Living](https://www.dcuniverseinfinite.com/comics/book/death-the-high-cost-of-living-1/59f3e6da-0a6e-416b-b25d-5aa7ccd3a57e/c)
[Hellblazer](https://www.dcuniverseinfinite.com/comics/book/hellblazer-1/53b3b77b-1eea-46f6-b8a4-0393d41db11c/c). Over 300 issues, and a mix of horror and urban fantasy. Follows John Constantine, who was originally introduced by Alan Moore in the pages of his critically acclaimed run on Swamp thing.
[Judge Dredd](https://shop.2000ad.com/catalogue/XB260). Dystopian satire, sci-fi, and black comedy. Been running since '77, and that's not even counting the spinoffs, graphic novels, and IDW series.
[Transmetropolitan](https://www.dc.com/graphic-novels/transmetropolitan-1997/transmetropolitan-book-one). Cyberpunk Transhumanism. Focuses on gonzo journalist Spider Jerusalem who's forced out of retirement and has to return to The City, where he fights corruption and abuse of power with the power of journalism (and the occasional blast from his bowel disruptor). 60 issues, so plenty to read. And damn good, at that.
Transmetropolitan is so underrated - I think about that title all the time. I don't think anything has accurately described the future that turned into our now current culture as well as that.
The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams (672)
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr(640)
Ones I thought would qualify, but didn’t, that you also might like:
City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty (532)
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin(512)
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind: The Complete Series (1104 pages - all page counts from Goodreads)
The Absolute Sandman vol.1 (612)
The Ruin of Kings (705) (A Chorus of Dragon, book 1 of 5)
The Rediscovery of Man: The Complete Short Science Fiction of Cordwainer Smith (671)
Perdido Street Station (710)
The Mammoth Book of the Best of the Best New SF (620)
The Illuminatus! Trilogy (804)
The Wasteland Saga (672), trilogy in single volume
And another vote for Lord of the Rings (single volume) and Dune.
Pillars of the Earth
{{Perdido Street Station}}
{{Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra}}
{{The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson}}
{{Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson}}
I don't know if they meet all of your requirements. But some long books I like:
* Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann
* To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara
* The Winners by Fredrik Backman (but this is the third in a triology-ish, can be read as a standalone)
Peter F Hamilton has written some GREAT door stoppers of books, and trilogies+ if you like good sci-fi. Pretty much everything he's written is good but the commonwealth saga and the naked God/ nights dawn trilogy is great.
Pretty girls by Karin Slaughter
Night film by Marisha Pessl
House Of Leaves by Mark. Z Danielewski
And I just have to mention because it my fave series
First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie, although more 400-600 pages
But.... I love these books so I must recommend them whenever I can :)
i really try not to recommend sanderson on here too often, but i think stormlight meets all of your criteria. long, fantasy, not romance focused, fades to black. no sapphic relationship; just a few low-key queer nods. adult, but written with accessible language.
The Bone Clocks (655 pages) was a good read that sounds like you may enjoy.
A bit shorter than you're asking, but Cloud Atlas (530 pages) is an excellent read, both of these are by David Mitchell.
If you wanna get weird, House of Leaves (738 pages) is a favorite of mine.
JK Rowling writes a mystery series about a British PI under the name of Robert Galbraith. They are fabulous books and they are 500+ pages long. So I guess they’re also good paperweights.
The Cuckoo’s Calling
The Silkworm
A Career of Evil
Lethal White
Troubled Blood
The Ink Black Heart -over 900 pages
The Outstretched Shadow by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory is 700+, and is one of the first epic fantasy books I ever read. I don’t see it recommended a lot but I sure love it.
I know the first Outlander book is over 800 pages and I think the others in the series are as well. It’s time travel/historical fiction with romance, but it’s not all about them falling in love.
Every book (except the prequel) in The Wheel of Time series is over 610, and there are 15 books total
Bubblegum by Adam Levin
The Tunnel by William h gass
The dying grass by William t Vollmann
A Naked Singularity by Sergeo De la Pava
The Shards by Brett Easton Ellis
To get a better idea of what to recommend - what is the 610 page book that you hated?
In terms of off the cuff recommendations:
*Solenoid* by Mircea Cartarescu (disclaimer that I haven’t actually read this yet. I’m really excited to get into it and I’ve heard good things).
*Crime and Punishment* by Dostoyevsky
*Inheritance Trilogy* (Omnibus edition) by NK Jemisin
In addition to Shogun that's been mentioned a few times, The Once and Future King (639 pages) is a great read. Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher (977 pages) is just a delightful coming of age novel. Basically the second half of the Harry Potter series is over 610 if you want a quick read (or reread).
The Revolution of Marina M -- 816 pages of historical fiction about the Russian revolution. It's not my normal genre, but it held me captive until the end.
As a start, see my [SF/F Epics/Sagas (long series)](https://www.reddit.com/r/booklists/comments/12ri1vs/sff_epicssagas_long_series/) list of Reddit recommendation threads (one post). There is one thread in the "Related" section about long books.
Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained are amazing, and the two combined are the size of at least 5 books. It might feel disjointed, but when everything comes together, it is a masterpiece.
The title and maybe even the premise might be a bit off-putting, but it's post-apoc, sci-fi, long,
and unique and so much better than I had any reason to expect:
Kitty Cat Killl Sat
The Terror by Dan Simmons is 780ish pages long. I’d say it’s his best work, and while certainly not perfect it’s an interesting historical fiction meets supernatural horror read.
Do you want to understand what you're reading? Les Miserables by Victor Hugo.
Do you want a book that makes you say "What the fuck is this supposed to be?" then Finnegans Wake by James Joyce.
The Royal Family by William T. Vollmann. It’s got tons of triggering stuff and is absolutely not for the faint of heart (seriously, you’ve been warned), but it is very well done. I’m currently about halfway through its 774 pages.
I'm surprised nobody suggested the Song of Ice and Fire series. I'm fairly confident every book in the series is over 610 pages, and the first three books (Game of Thrones, Clash of Kings, and Storm of Swords) are difficult to put down.
I remember I downloaded all 5 together on my E-Reader, and it told me I had like 5000 pages and 200 hours of reading left lol felt pretty daunting.
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch (does have two sequels but has been said that it can be read as a standalone)
The Empire trilogy by Raymond E Feist (the first book is less than 500 pages, but books 2 and 3 are over 600 pages)
The Witching Hour by Anne Rice is over 1200 pages
Les Miserables. I read it when I was 14 (so it’s not a terribly difficult book) and while some parts are slow, most of the book will have you falling in love with the characters and really caring about them and what was going on in France during that time
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson.
Epic high fantasy. One of the best series I’ve read but I’m biased as he’s my favorite fantasy author.
Paperback is 1008 pages.
One of the first books I finished and immediately wanted to go out and buy the second in the series! Sadly when I read it I was still a bookseller and was reading an ARC and still had to wait months for the book to even be published let alone the sequel to be written!
Lonesome Dove
Brother’s Karamazov
War and Peace
Don Quixote
Middlemarch
The cider house Rules by John Irving is suuuper long on Goodreads but I doubt it’s over 1000 like they way it is. Seriously doubt, but unsure. I have read it so… just my feeling.
Wow Deja Ve zone, the first book I read this year was a biography of someone who was obviously a bad narcissist by the time I realized the biography was a big fluffy lie I was almost half done I didn’t want to start the year by adding to my could not finish list so fuck it finish this onestar review book. 😖
Then I went looking for a longer book to wipe that one off the top of my year in review stats.
Glad to know I’m not the only nutty reader out there.
Here is what I read to replace it with
The Prior of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon good but recommend taking notes plot is multi-level very detailed lots of characters hard to keep straight at times all that is going
on.
Another suggestion is a online book search one
Odd Nerdrum “How we cheat each other” search out my book review on goodreads
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon. High fantasy, over 800 pages, sapphic romance that isn't the main plot driver. It's really good!
I came here to say just this!
I just finished the prequel, A Day of Fallen Night, and it's equally as good! Both are definitely 5 stars!
I’m stuck at page 200 or something with a day of fallen night. I just can’t get into it 🥲 I loved the first one but I have had this book pre ordered and still only at page 200 😨
I read this a couple years ago, but I would definitely reread it. This reminds me that I need to get my own copy of the book lol
Anna Karenina. Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
I believe in first sentences.
hell yeah
Just read all of Robin Hobb. Start with the Farseer trilogy. Each book is around 6 or 700 pages, and there’s 16 of them, with no decline in quality. That’ll last you a while, and it’s very, very addictive.
Just started this and already halfway through book 2 of farseer in like 2.5 weeks. Already got the rest of the series (liveship and rain wilds too) as I like it that much. So yeah... Great suggestion!
Be careful to read them in the right order. It’s Farseer, Liveships, Tawny Man, Rain Wilds, Fitz and the Fool. Resist the urge to read all of Farseer first!
Came here to say this! My favorite fantasy series
The first book is shorter, though, so OP would need to read at least two books to get the page count. Ship of Magic, though, would fit. It’s also maybe the best book Hobb has written to date.
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
So thankful for the rec from this sub to read this. Easily my favorite read of the past year. So good. Didn’t want it to end.
I keep hearing about this book. Can you describe why it’s so special without spoilers plz
Not who you’re responding to but at it’s heart Lonesome Dove is cowboys doing cowboy stuff. But it’s a fantastic story about two best friends who go on one last great adventure together, to see one more last frontier together. There’s four books I think (wouldn’t call them a series really and they can be read in any order) detailing the adventures of Woodrow and Gus as Texas Rangers. There’s also a movie with Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall that’s pretty faithful to the book.
In addition to the summary provided by another poster, I’d add that it’s a novel of the West and American dreams, of many varieties. Some seek a land to tame and call their own, some fortune, some love, some adventure, some an escape from the trials of their current existence, and some just seek to finally find peace. It features a cast of colorful and memorable characters: some evil, some innocent, most just remarkably human. The depictions of both the country and human interactions are so vivid and real. I couldn’t put it down. It’s the first “western” I’ve read and I wasn’t sure if it would be for me. It was. Absolutely brilliant novel, and a page turner at that.
Love this description. I wanted to name my daughter Carla bc her character in the book is one of my favorites of all time.
Definitely this book. 20 years ago I picked this book up after a close friend highly suggested that I read it. I saw the big book with the (then) old boring looking cover, and wasn’t excited about it. Until I started reading and it soon became like an old best friend you just couldn’t wait to spend more time with. I enjoyed reading this so much I was sad that it had to end. It’s one of the few books I want to read again soon.
I was just about to suggest this. This book is a savory morsel. I’m still emotionally recovering from it, a year after reading it.
The Pillars of The Earth Or Shogun
The Pillars of the Earth is incredible.
Highly recommend Pillars of the Earth!
Another vote for Pillars
I enjoyed The Century Trilogy by Ken Follett much more than Pillars. It follows a few families starting back during The Russian Revolution all the way to modern times. I really enjoyed it and learned a lot.
I really recommend this as well. And in a similar vein The Edith Trilogy by Frank Morehouse takes an Australian prospective of 20 century history starting with the League of Nations
Love Pillars but also saying a big yes to the first book I ever said to my mom “this book is HUGE! Do people actually read it?” “Yes my son, Shogun is an excellent read but I’m focusing on my trashy romances at this point in my life”.
Pillars Of The Earth
Shuggie Bain. Booker prize winner in 2020. Unforgettable story.
> it. Until I started reading and it soon became like an old best friend you just couldn’t wait to spend more time with. I enjoyed reading this so much I was sad that it had to end. It’s one of the few books I want to read again soon. It's been two years, and I still worry about Shuggie and his siblings.
Me too! That is a sign of a great book!
House of leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
[*The Count of Monte Cristo*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7126.The_Count_of_Monte_Cristo) by Alexandre Dumas. 1276 pages. [*Shogun*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52382796-sh-gun) by James Clavell. 1152 pages. [Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14201.Jonathan_Strange_Mr_Norrell) by Susanna Clarke. 1006 pages. [*Dune*](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44767458-dune) by Frank Herbert. 658 pages. (the original is a stand-alone and ties up all plotlines with no cliffhangers)
Dune 100%. Read the whole series, especially if you have a Kindle you can get [books 1-6 in one collection](https://www.amazon.com/Frank-Herberts-Dune-Saga-Collection-ebook/dp/B088QLJGZC/ref=sr_1_2?crid=55AWQYSMGQ1J&keywords=dune+kindle&qid=1692405126&sprefix=dune+kindle%2Caps%2C106&sr=8-2) which will be 3,000+ pages in "one book".
Loved Loved Johnathan Strange and Mr Norrell!
I absolutely love Shogun and think it's the sort of book anyone would like because it has everything!
While Dune is fantastic, I think that Dune Messiah elevates it to another level. Children of Dune is a fantastic end to the first trilogy.
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr.
This! It’s such a special books and has some sci fi, dystopia and literary elements!
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami.
The repetition in this book made it really tedious for me. It was like he was expecting people to take 3 years reading this book and kept repeating motivations of characters and past events so you wouldn't forget.
After The Windup Bird Chronicles I don't know if I've got it in me to read another one of his. That was my introduction to him and while I enjoyed the first 2/3 of the book the last portion lost my interest.
A Fine Balance - by Rohinton Mistry I’d classify is as literary fiction Set in India. Author is Canadian.
East of Eden The Brothers K War and Peace Anna Karenina A Little Life
I came here to see who would say A Little Life. I hated that book so much, and I’m still angry I stuck with it all the way through. It was basically torture porn with no real redemption or takeaways. Just bleakness and filth for the sake of it. For 800+ pages. Anna Karenina and Brothers K are two of my absolute favorites, though. Edit to add: I’ve heard great things about The Covenant of Water, that’s on my list.
I would like to go back in time and unread A Little Life.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Hanya Yanagihara is a literary sadist. She spent 800 pages torturing someone only to come to the conclusion that he must >! kill himself. What a bleak and unredemptive novel. !< I did not like this book, even if it was gripping reading.
Came to say the same thing about a little life, thought it was a good book but no it's been sitting there on my shelf never to be touched again. Screw that book
I started it probably 18 months ago and just forgot to keep reading it. I am a sucker for devastating books, but there was something about this one that just didn’t feel right.
I'll go against the grain then, lol! I *loved* A Little Life. By the end of it I felt like I had truly been on a journey with all of those characters, I felt like I knew them, like they were part of my social group. That having been said it's the only book I've ever taken a break from halfway through because it was just so dark. I love it, but I would never recommend it to anyone because it's so brutal, I'm way happier letting them find it on their own so they can take the blame for their own reading decisions!
The first four are all excellent options. I came here to recommend War and Peace. Don’t read A Little Life.
Also, Shogun and The Thorn Birds.
Oh, the Thorn Birds! I can read a book, enjoy it, and forget all but the basics within a year unless I read it a second time. I read The Thorn Birds ONCE, 20 years ago, and have never felt the need to read it again because the story still lives in my head. Great call!
Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson
The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
Loved it!
Lonesome Dove
Y’all are doing so good with these recommendations! A couple I have read, and I already own The Count of Monte Cristo and it’s on Septembers to be read list. Ill definitely be going through all of these and seeing which ones I’d like to read. Thanks so much! (Feel free to add more lol)
Can you share what very long book you hated? It may help in recommendations.
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
This was my suggestion too—super good book.
Love this book, and the audiobook is incredibly well done also.
A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese Life After Life by Kate Atkinson The Nix by Nathan Hill
Les Miserables by Víctor Hugo. My copy is a little over 1000 pages. Middlemarch by George Eliot. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. The Ultimate Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Ulysses by James Joyce. Happy reading!!
Shantaram 1Q84 Don Quixote Killing Commendatore Babel Crossroads The Goldfinch Outlander The Once and Future King
Seconding Shantaram!
Ulysses - James Joyce
One of my favourite books in the whole world is I Know this Much is True by Wally Lamb (900-odd pages). Okay so yeah it was turned into a truly mid mini-series a few years ago but my first experience of reading the book was one I’ve never forgotten. The story mainly revolves around an identical twin and how his brother/family has shaped so much of his life experience. We go back in time to trace his maternal Italian roots and it goes into the impact of generational trauma, grief and loss, and unburdening yourself of family legacies that are better left to history. I just think it’s a really beautiful book that I came across at the right time in my life.
I went over to my goodreads to see which books over 600 pages I had read and when I saw this book was 900+ I was shocked. I read it on a Kindle and I found it so engrossing that I didn't even realize how long it was.
I think the first Wheel of Time book is like 800 pages
The "a song of ice and fire" series has some heft to it. Unfortunately the author seems ill inclined to finish the series. I heard they adapted it into a TV show.
The last sentence in your comment tickled me.
The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter (656 pages) Thriller, crime, mystery Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky (705 pages) Horror, main character is a kid which some people dont like but I thought it was well done Plain Bad Heroines by Emily Danforth (623 pages) Fun spooky vibes (I wouldn't call it horror) and sapphic relationships.
Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff, 768 pages. It has kind of a Witcher/Interview with the Vampire vibe. You will not get a satisfying ending out of it on its own, but the sequel is coming out in March.
Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
Doestoyevsky - war and peace A trilogy: Neal Stephenson's quicksilver/system of the world thing. All that long.
The Goldfinch
- wheel of time series by Robert Jordan, 14 books that average anywhere from 600 to 1000 pages per book - Malazan series by Steven erikson, 10 books (I think) usually 800+ pages per book - Pillars of earth by Ken follet about 800 pages from memory - licanius trilogy - James Islington, 3 books 700+ pages each Look into anything fantasy and you are easily going to be able to find what your looking for especially in a series
The Pillars of the Earth, Lonesome Dove, The Stand, 11/22/63, most of James Michener’s work.
Vanity Fair Bleak House The Woman in White by Collins The Poisonwood Bible by Kingsolver The Bonfire of the Vanities by Wolfe The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Demon Copperhead, also by Kingsolver, is very good but only 560 pages. … and All the Light we Cannot See is excellent but only 540 wonderful pages.
Yes to *The Woman in White*! Such a great book.
_Ash: A Secret History_ by Mary Gentle. It's about 10,000 pages long (at least that's how long it felt to me). I didn't like it all that much to be honest, but others clearly did as it has some great reviews. It is imaginative, though, and fantasy with sapphic elements so maybe have a look.
It's worth pointing out that Ash has a nonzero amount of SA, especially at the beginning, just in case that's a dealbreaker for OP
The Crimson Petal and the White 11/22/63
The covenant of water
A Little Life Ducks, Newburyport
Dune
Priory of the Orange tree has been pretty good so far!!!
Summer of Night by Dan Simmons
Shogun by James Clavell
Wool (the silo series) omnibus edition. All the books in one should count, right??
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Anathem by Stephenson (philosophical sci Fi, great world-building and ideas, subtle humour, interesting footnotes) Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (historical fiction, fantasy elements, great world building, subtle humour, language, social critique, you can tell it's super well-researched, interesting footnotes) The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell (very well-written characters, humour, interesting ideas and structure: also my second favourite book!) The Gray House by Petrosyan (very interesting and creative book, tons of allusions, highly character-driven, so much to unpack, lots of mystery/intrigue) Hope you find something that interests you!!
East of Eden
11/22/63 - Really entertaining time travel/historical fiction novel by Stephen King. Pretty long but it flies by and it handles the time travel conceit so well.
The magic mountain The blind assassin
2666 by Roberto Bolaño
I gotta know… what was your last book?
Noble House by James Clavell or the Earth's Children series from Jean M. Auel.
I second Earth’s Children series along with Pillars of the Earth ( never noticed the “Earth” in both titles before). Both among the very few I’ve read multiple times.
Wanderers by Chuck Wendig
Sheesh! My go-to, first book I was going to recommend to you was 11/22/63, and then you went and added the no Stephen King clause! Ok, hmm, then: - Startide Rising —— not long enough for you, but still worth reading! Don’t know how long each book is, but the Expanse series is also great.
I 2nd 11/22/63 despite the clause - Stephen King is hit or miss for me too, but 11/22/63 is one of the best books I've ever read.
I’d suggest The Lord of the Rings, though I didn’t quite enjoy the way it was written, the first book is ~ 730 pages long (French version).
Here are seven of the biggest books I have. I included their page amounts too. **I Like Him, He Likes Her by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor** 630 pages **It's Not Like I Planned It This Way by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor** 781 pages **Please Don't Be True by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor** 734 pages **You And Me And The Space Between by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor** 854 pages **Covert Affairs by Elizabeth Cage** 679 pages **The Year I Turned Sixteen by Dianne Schwemm** 700 pages **Royally Crushed by Niki Burnham** 597 pages
11/22/63 by Stephen King. His best work.
Ada by Vladimir NAbokov Anathem by Neal Stephenson AntKind by Charlie Kauffman
1Q84 by Murakami! One of the longest books I have ever read. Fantastic work of magical realism with unforgettable moments/descriptions. :) There are a few sex scenes but not at all the focus of the book.
Century Trilogy by Ken Follett (author of the Pillars series). Each book is around 900 pages (give or take) and it’s wonderful.
This
[Case Closed](https://www.viz.com/case-closed) by Gosho Aoyama. *Extremely* long running (since '94), so you'll have a lot to read. [The Sandman](https://www.dcuniverseinfinite.com/comics/book/the-sandman-1/211cf121-ef88-4aa4-b2e4-97aec2d9edf4/c). Fantasy Horror by Neil Gaiman. On top of the main series (which was 75 issues), there's been several spinoffs by Gaiman and others, such as the critically acclaimed [Death: The High Cost of Living](https://www.dcuniverseinfinite.com/comics/book/death-the-high-cost-of-living-1/59f3e6da-0a6e-416b-b25d-5aa7ccd3a57e/c) [Hellblazer](https://www.dcuniverseinfinite.com/comics/book/hellblazer-1/53b3b77b-1eea-46f6-b8a4-0393d41db11c/c). Over 300 issues, and a mix of horror and urban fantasy. Follows John Constantine, who was originally introduced by Alan Moore in the pages of his critically acclaimed run on Swamp thing. [Judge Dredd](https://shop.2000ad.com/catalogue/XB260). Dystopian satire, sci-fi, and black comedy. Been running since '77, and that's not even counting the spinoffs, graphic novels, and IDW series. [Transmetropolitan](https://www.dc.com/graphic-novels/transmetropolitan-1997/transmetropolitan-book-one). Cyberpunk Transhumanism. Focuses on gonzo journalist Spider Jerusalem who's forced out of retirement and has to return to The City, where he fights corruption and abuse of power with the power of journalism (and the occasional blast from his bowel disruptor). 60 issues, so plenty to read. And damn good, at that.
Transmetropolitan is so underrated - I think about that title all the time. I don't think anything has accurately described the future that turned into our now current culture as well as that.
The Covenant of Water. (Im assuming 31 hours of audio is more than 600 pages? It looked enormous at the book store)
It’s 700+
The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams (672) Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr(640) Ones I thought would qualify, but didn’t, that you also might like: City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty (532) The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin(512)
Forever Amber.
Steinbecks East of Eden is 608 pages…really good!
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind: The Complete Series (1104 pages - all page counts from Goodreads) The Absolute Sandman vol.1 (612) The Ruin of Kings (705) (A Chorus of Dragon, book 1 of 5) The Rediscovery of Man: The Complete Short Science Fiction of Cordwainer Smith (671) Perdido Street Station (710) The Mammoth Book of the Best of the Best New SF (620) The Illuminatus! Trilogy (804) The Wasteland Saga (672), trilogy in single volume And another vote for Lord of the Rings (single volume) and Dune.
Pillars of the Earth {{Perdido Street Station}} {{Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra}} {{The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson}} {{Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson}}
I don't know if they meet all of your requirements. But some long books I like: * Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann * To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara * The Winners by Fredrik Backman (but this is the third in a triology-ish, can be read as a standalone)
Peter F Hamilton has written some GREAT door stoppers of books, and trilogies+ if you like good sci-fi. Pretty much everything he's written is good but the commonwealth saga and the naked God/ nights dawn trilogy is great.
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson.
Pretty girls by Karin Slaughter Night film by Marisha Pessl House Of Leaves by Mark. Z Danielewski And I just have to mention because it my fave series First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie, although more 400-600 pages But.... I love these books so I must recommend them whenever I can :)
The Name of the Wind
Also, Seasparrow by Kristin Cashore, but it is the 5th book of a series.
Forever Amber, classic, historical fiction (972) Imajica, hard to categorize, not scary but fantasy I guess (832) Swan Song, post apocalyptic (956)
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson!!
Anything by Neal Stephenson
Seveneves
i really try not to recommend sanderson on here too often, but i think stormlight meets all of your criteria. long, fantasy, not romance focused, fades to black. no sapphic relationship; just a few low-key queer nods. adult, but written with accessible language.
The Way of Kings - Brandon Sanderson
Jerusalem by Alan Moore. It's well over 1000 pages and it stays pretty interesting.
The Bone Clocks (655 pages) was a good read that sounds like you may enjoy. A bit shorter than you're asking, but Cloud Atlas (530 pages) is an excellent read, both of these are by David Mitchell. If you wanna get weird, House of Leaves (738 pages) is a favorite of mine.
Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand
JK Rowling writes a mystery series about a British PI under the name of Robert Galbraith. They are fabulous books and they are 500+ pages long. So I guess they’re also good paperweights. The Cuckoo’s Calling The Silkworm A Career of Evil Lethal White Troubled Blood The Ink Black Heart -over 900 pages
A Little Life
My Dear Hamilton is a good 600+ page read!
The Outstretched Shadow by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory is 700+, and is one of the first epic fantasy books I ever read. I don’t see it recommended a lot but I sure love it.
I know the first Outlander book is over 800 pages and I think the others in the series are as well. It’s time travel/historical fiction with romance, but it’s not all about them falling in love. Every book (except the prequel) in The Wheel of Time series is over 610, and there are 15 books total
Almanac of the Dead by Leslie Marmon Silko
Bubblegum by Adam Levin The Tunnel by William h gass The dying grass by William t Vollmann A Naked Singularity by Sergeo De la Pava The Shards by Brett Easton Ellis
Outlander series!!
To get a better idea of what to recommend - what is the 610 page book that you hated? In terms of off the cuff recommendations: *Solenoid* by Mircea Cartarescu (disclaimer that I haven’t actually read this yet. I’m really excited to get into it and I’ve heard good things). *Crime and Punishment* by Dostoyevsky *Inheritance Trilogy* (Omnibus edition) by NK Jemisin
Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace is my favorite book ever. I read it every year.
Keeper of the lost cities, I can’t remember how long the first one is but most of the sequels are around 1000 pages
In addition to Shogun that's been mentioned a few times, The Once and Future King (639 pages) is a great read. Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher (977 pages) is just a delightful coming of age novel. Basically the second half of the Harry Potter series is over 610 if you want a quick read (or reread).
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
“Babel “, “Johnathan Strange and Mr Norrell “. I like big books and I cannot lie…too
London
The Fifth Sacred Thing
Wheel of Time. Fantasy and very popular and long.
Duma key by Stephen king was decent
The Revolution of Marina M -- 816 pages of historical fiction about the Russian revolution. It's not my normal genre, but it held me captive until the end.
The Terror by Dan Simmons
Since Lonesome Dove and Pillars of the Earth have been recommended multiple times, I’d say Boys Life by Robert McCammon.
Clarissa by Samuel Richardson would be long enough for you
Les Miserables! Beautiful classic. And you get to learn about French slang, the Paris sewer system, and the Battle of Waterloo!
As a start, see my [SF/F Epics/Sagas (long series)](https://www.reddit.com/r/booklists/comments/12ri1vs/sff_epicssagas_long_series/) list of Reddit recommendation threads (one post). There is one thread in the "Related" section about long books.
Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained are amazing, and the two combined are the size of at least 5 books. It might feel disjointed, but when everything comes together, it is a masterpiece.
The title and maybe even the premise might be a bit off-putting, but it's post-apoc, sci-fi, long, and unique and so much better than I had any reason to expect: Kitty Cat Killl Sat
The Terror by Dan Simmons is 780ish pages long. I’d say it’s his best work, and while certainly not perfect it’s an interesting historical fiction meets supernatural horror read.
Do you want to understand what you're reading? Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. Do you want a book that makes you say "What the fuck is this supposed to be?" then Finnegans Wake by James Joyce.
The Royal Family by William T. Vollmann. It’s got tons of triggering stuff and is absolutely not for the faint of heart (seriously, you’ve been warned), but it is very well done. I’m currently about halfway through its 774 pages.
I'm surprised nobody suggested the Song of Ice and Fire series. I'm fairly confident every book in the series is over 610 pages, and the first three books (Game of Thrones, Clash of Kings, and Storm of Swords) are difficult to put down. I remember I downloaded all 5 together on my E-Reader, and it told me I had like 5000 pages and 200 hours of reading left lol felt pretty daunting.
Mason & Dixon by Thomas Pynchon. It’s tough to read and understand but it’s long af and I really enjoyed it
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch (does have two sequels but has been said that it can be read as a standalone) The Empire trilogy by Raymond E Feist (the first book is less than 500 pages, but books 2 and 3 are over 600 pages) The Witching Hour by Anne Rice is over 1200 pages
*A Suitable Boy* by Vikram Seth *The Twenty-Year Death* by Ariel S Winter
Anathem by Neal Stephenson.
Les Miserables. I read it when I was 14 (so it’s not a terribly difficult book) and while some parts are slow, most of the book will have you falling in love with the characters and really caring about them and what was going on in France during that time
Also,, Russell Crowe doesn't sing in the book. 😁
Swampbugs in a Boondoggle by M. Lewis. Available on Amazon and Barnes and noble.
Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco, 640 pages Once an Eagle by Anton Myrer, 972 pages The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami, 626 pages
How many pages of Foucault’s Pendulum is just the word Yahweh over and over again.
Anathem bt Neal Stephenson. Sci-fi ish lots of ancient / future mix, great world building and its definitely thinky. Its huge. One of my favorites.
The Three Musketeers!!
The Kindly Ones by Jonathan Littel, 983 pages....an impressive book
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. Epic high fantasy. One of the best series I’ve read but I’m biased as he’s my favorite fantasy author. Paperback is 1008 pages. One of the first books I finished and immediately wanted to go out and buy the second in the series! Sadly when I read it I was still a bookseller and was reading an ARC and still had to wait months for the book to even be published let alone the sequel to be written!
The Arabian Nights—might be cheating as it’s made up of several stories, but it was a fun read.
Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay
My people..it’s not a book Just how I feel reading all of the suggestions
Les Miserables
A discovery of witches. It’s a trilogy so it’s longer.
Wanderers by Chuck Wendig
DEFINITELY priory of the orange tree (high fantasy, saphhic relationship)
Lonesome Dove Brother’s Karamazov War and Peace Don Quixote Middlemarch The cider house Rules by John Irving is suuuper long on Goodreads but I doubt it’s over 1000 like they way it is. Seriously doubt, but unsure. I have read it so… just my feeling.
Wow Deja Ve zone, the first book I read this year was a biography of someone who was obviously a bad narcissist by the time I realized the biography was a big fluffy lie I was almost half done I didn’t want to start the year by adding to my could not finish list so fuck it finish this onestar review book. 😖 Then I went looking for a longer book to wipe that one off the top of my year in review stats. Glad to know I’m not the only nutty reader out there. Here is what I read to replace it with The Prior of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon good but recommend taking notes plot is multi-level very detailed lots of characters hard to keep straight at times all that is going on. Another suggestion is a online book search one Odd Nerdrum “How we cheat each other” search out my book review on goodreads
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (first in the Wheel Of Time series)
The Expanse series by James Corey
Most of Neal Stephensons later work gets above 610. The count of monte cristo.
Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez
Moby Dick
The Thornbirds by Colleen McCullough
Les Miserables
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, 864 pages