Character driven sagas

You might like the Cazalets series by Elizabeth Jane Howard. They are a series of five family centred novels, starting with The Light Years. Or perhaps the rather more ascerbic and edgy Patrick Melrose series by Edward St Aubyn, beginning with Never Mind?

The Spoils of Time trilogy by Penny Vincenzi is brilliant. I was heartbroken when I finished the last book.

I've also just started the Morland Dynasty series by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles but be warned there are 35 books in the series, I'm on book 2!

I would reiterate Mermaid's choices. Susan Howatch's thumpers (loosely based on historical dynasties but transplanted into family sagas) such as The Wheel of Fortune, Penmarric and The Rich are Different are also worth looking at - they are great reads - lots of sex, intrigue, affairs and family tragedy.

Also meant to recommend The Forsythe Saga by John Galsworthy - if you can get through the first few chapters that are overstuffed with family members you never hear of again, it really picks up and turns into a cracking tale through a few generations.