For previous posts and future FFF topics check out my Friday Favorite Five page here.
Favorite Five Novels Over 500 Pages
Most of these you’ve probably seen me mention here before and won’t be surprises, but I actually am very picky about reading super chonky books because sometimes I’d rather spend time reading two or three stories instead of one giant one. But every now and then I get in the mood and pick up a tome.
A quick note that page counts vary by edition and also are not that accurate a judge of length due to formatting things such as line spacing and font. (Page counts listed below were pulled from goodreads, whichever edition came up first.) That being said, a tome is a tome is a tome. Picking up a big thicc chonker, well, you know you’re in for the long haul. So, without further ado, here we go!
1. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss – 662 pgs
This is a story that relies on and plays with a lot of standard fantasy tropes. In the end, I think to subvert expectations, but we’ll see how it goes. I’m a huge fan of this series and I’m really looking forward to the conclusion, whenever it eventually comes out. Until then I’m happy to revisit the first two and dive into all of the theories of how the last book is going to wrap up all of the story threads. 🙂
2. Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey – 1015 pgs
I think anyone that has followed me for a while knows what a huge fan of this book and series I am. I love this because it hits a lot of my sweet spots – court intrigue, political manuevering, diplomacy, a female protagonist, a bit of enemies to lovers romance, a journey, adventure, characters go through some crap and come through the other side, etc. Honestly, just a great epic.
3. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova – 704 pgs
I just mentioned this one back in September because of the unique story structure, but one thing I think I failed to mention was the length. This is a hefty chonk. But because of the way the story flows it doesn’t feel very long, there are natural breaks here and there that keep the pace flowing. Like interesting stories about vampires, traveling, and generational histories? Check this one out!
4. The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu – 640 pgs
I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned this one here before, which is a shame because it’s a fantastic read. I don’t read a ton of epic fantasy, I’m pretty picky with it, but I chose to dig into this one (despite its length as well) because the premise was so fascinating. Partly based on The Three Kingdoms and taking some influence from the Iliad and The Odyssey? Yes please, sign me right up. You can definitely see the influences, but there’s some really unique things going on here too. I love the world building, setting on archipelago was interesting and there is so much war strategy, which I love. I think I just love strategizing in general. So, yeah, this book is fantastic.
5. Inda by Sherwood Smith – 576 pgs
Inda is another one I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned here before. I read this one because one of my friends loves it and apparently I give into peer pressure really fast. 😉 But honestly am glad I read this one because I love this world! This is a true epic. It starts off kind of coming of age, there’s a military school our protagonist goes to and then the crap hits the fan and we’re off to the races. The world building here is some of the richest I’ve come across, the characters are beautifully nuanced, and there are some really practical uses of magic which I can appreciate.
Well, those are my picks this week! What are some of your favorite chonkers? Thoughts on my picks? Leave a note in the comments, I’d love to chat!
Way Too Fantasy 
Kushiel’s Dart!! It has been high on my TBR for years and I’m kicking myself every year for not having read it yet LOL. Super glad to see it mentioned, sounds awesome as always. 😀
For such a thick book I found it a surprisingly quick read. It’s one of those books that I just found hard to put down. Hope you try it some day. 🙂
Oh I love the name of the wind!
I really need to pick up the grace of kings as well!
(www.evelynreads.com)
I really loved The Grace of Kings! I didn’t expect to, there is a lot of military strategy and stuff after a while, never realized before that I enjoyed that lol.
Haha if it is done well I can really like it!
Same, apparently haha
Grace of Kings is so good! Kushiel’s Dart is definitely one I need to give a try one of these days….
Right?!?! I wish it got talked about more but I think because we have been waiting a while for book 3 no one hardly brings up The Grace of Kings anymore.
If you try KD hope you love it!
The Name of the Wind! I also loved The Starless Sea, which is a bit larger.
Oh, I didn’t realize The Starless Sea was bigger, I don’t have a copy yet. Hoping to get that one in the next few months, it looks so good!
It is fantastic!
Nice!
I like this topic. Five more you didn’t list that I loved:
1. Outlander (850 pages) – I love the main couple so much, I forget that I don’t actually like time travel or historical fiction/fantasy.
2. A Discovery of Witches (592 pages) – Witches. Vampires. Forbidden love. A lost book. What more can I ask for?
3. The Gray House (732 pages) – A school, a secret, some really weird goings on, and a bunch of teenagers.
4. Feed by Mira Grant (609 pages) – I don’t typically care for zombies, but a bunch of bloggers following a presidential campaign through a zombie infested country? Uh, that one worked.
5. Twilight (544) YOU CAN TAKE TWILIGHT FROM MY COLD DEAD HANDS
Somehow I forgot about Outlander! Also, I didn’t realize that Twilight was over 500, it just seems so much shorter? LOL I loved A Discovery of Witches, I need to finish that series.
Twilight as a series is a surprising beast. It is so much longer than it appears because it is so easy to read through each book.
Oh man. A Discovery of Witches was good, but books two and three were so much better. I love that series so much.
I need to reread the first book of Witches before I continue because I kind of remember what happens but some things are vague, it’s been a while lol.
Some of my fave books are 500+ pages, including Grace of Kings and Kushiel’s Dart! It takes talent to write big books that are good, imo. Speaking of doorstopper epics, have you checked out The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson? I highly recommend it 🙂
“It takes talent to write big books that are good, imo.” Yes!
I haven’t yet, it’s actually in my TBR pile though and I have a plan for next year to get through some things so maybe 2020 will be the year it finally gets read haha. 🙂
Great list. The only one I’ve not read is Inda – Love the other four and agree with Mogsy about Way of Kings.
Lynn 😀
I really loved Inda and I am pretty picky about huge epic fantasy novels. I need to finish this series but the books are all so long and really that’s the only thing stopping me lol. I really need to read more Sanderson too.
I want to read all of them!
They’re all ones I really loved!