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Original poster

Big fat juicy sagas

117 replies

WiltonGal · 19/08/2026 15:02

I am re-reading some Penny Vincenzi novels and thoroughly enjoying them. I think I have read all the popular saga books (one I have yet to read is The Chamomile Lawn) but it got me thinking….nobody writes (or wants to publish more like) these big fat sagas anymore. I know fashions wax and wane but wondering if our addiction to tech has meant that fat books like these are no longer seen as viable?

Are there any authors still writing these types of books?

OP posts:
TheOtterly · 19/08/2026 20:13

Most of the suggestions are great, but old. OP is after newer authors.

I second Ken Follet. I'm just re-reading the Century trilogy. Three doorsteps dramatising the 20th century through several families.
The Pearlers Wife by Roxane Dhand.
Cynthia Harrod eagles has written a lot of sagas.

shellyleppard · 19/08/2026 20:11

jilly cooper and riders was one of my favourites. jo jo moyes me before you, after you and still me aew the closest modern ones. not a bonk a thon like dear jillys books but still an engrossing read,

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 19/08/2026 20:10

I guess Game of Thrones is kind of saga-ish. I found them very boring - got to about book 4 and realised that despite a lot of gore, battles, sex and sadism, not a lot had actually happened. And there was virtually no character development.

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 19/08/2026 20:06

And of course Joanna Trollope for Aga sagas.

CurlewKate · 19/08/2026 20:06

And there’s Marian Keyes. Each book isn’t hugely long, but there are a lot of connected stories. And don’t forget Elisabeth Jayne Howard’s Cazalet chronicles. Her live is fascinating, by the way-she had affairs with EVERYONE!!!

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 19/08/2026 20:05

Susan Howatch’s Starbridge novels were my favourite. Theological discussion, seasoned with a generous sprinkling of illicit sex, and a surprising number of extremely sexy clergymen.

CurlewKate · 19/08/2026 20:03

Have you thought of going back in time to Shirley Conran? Judith Krantz? Jilly Cooper? If you want something less overtly sexy, how about Maeve Binchey? They are lovely and long!(I love a saga!)

dreamingofgoodhair · 19/08/2026 20:00

Might not be what you mean but A Covenant of Water ?

BendyDickCumbInMySnatch · 19/08/2026 19:24

Also lonesome dove is an absolute stonking 10/10 novel

sweeping and epic with amazing characters who I will remember forever. Sparse writing so definitely not over emotional. Its
about a group of cowboys who go on a cattle drive to Montana in approx 1870.

also have about cloudstreet? Tim Winton. About two families who live together in a large house. That's it - it's about decades of life! Wonderful.

wally lamb you might want to look at as well

Ilovemyshed · 19/08/2026 19:22

WiltonGal · 19/08/2026 16:55

Maeve Binchy leaves me cold. I tried one recently. I find Jilly Cooper jolly silly now but loved them back in the day. Cynthia Harrod Eagles is a new one on me.

When I was a teenager I remember reading a series of books by Claire Rayner that I loved. All named after places - Paddington Green, Gower Street etc. Quite a long series. I wonder if they are worth a reread?

Cynthia Harrod Eagles is excellent. There is a good series on WW1, another 36 ish book series called Morland Dynasty, and the Russian books starting with Anna. Plus Cavendon Hall.

Ilovemyshed · 19/08/2026 19:20

MaryasBible · 19/08/2026 16:24

Have you read any of Ken Follett @WiltonGal ? I think I know the kind of book you mean. Susan Howatch wrote loads, my particular favourites were Cashelmara and Penmaric. I recently enjoyed Anna by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles and Csardas by Diane Pearson.

I'm always on the look out for other recommendations.

Anna has two sequels: Fleur and Emma

BendyDickCumbInMySnatch · 19/08/2026 19:19

ThesophisticatedJY · 19/08/2026 19:15

What’s ACOTAR?

A court of thorns and roses

BendyDickCumbInMySnatch · 19/08/2026 19:18

Lace!!!! It's a big book I loved it years ago might give it another go. There was one she wrote about a plane crash as well savages. I think that was her. Shirley conran!

ThesophisticatedJY · 19/08/2026 19:15

What’s ACOTAR?

TonTonMacoute · 19/08/2026 19:11

Howard Spring might be worth a look, Fame is the Spur and My Son My Son are two titles I remember. The obvious one is John Galsworthy's Forsyte Saga of course.

Something similar I enjoyed recently are Tim Pears In a Land Of Plenty and Philip Henscher's The Northern Clemency

Firebox64 · 19/08/2026 18:50

The Whiteoaks of Jalna. I actually moved to Ontario and became a Canadian citizen because of these books! Devoured them in my teens after my mum bought me Return to Jalna. And Ontario was pretty much as described, amazingly.

IsItAllMenopause · 19/08/2026 18:44

Definitely try the Poldark books.

RaininSummer · 19/08/2026 18:39

I think you might enjoy Jeffrey Archer books.

BrandiedAromatics · 19/08/2026 18:24

This is a bit different .... but I have read all the David Mitchell books, I think eight. Cloud Atlas is the most well-known. They all have an interconnected narrative - so sometimes a minor character, from a novel, can be the main character in one of his short stories ....

FoxandDuck · 19/08/2026 18:10

I was going to suggest the Lucinda R books as someone suggested them to me recently when we were having a moan about the lack of sagas these days. I did get about twenty pages into the first of the Seven Sisters books found it a bit over the top. I will read on as I wasn’t sure if that was because they are or if it is because I am now a jaded & cynical 40 something rather than a late teen/early 20 something who is happy to get swept up in it all.

Needmorelego · 19/08/2026 18:04

WiltonGal · 19/08/2026 17:48

Sorry to be a Debby Downer but not keen on Lucinda R books. I will look at Santa M!

Oh dear 🙁
My mother in law has just read a couple of Lucinda Riley books and she said they were good and was going to pass them on to me.

Original poster
WiltonGal · 19/08/2026 17:48

Sorry to be a Debby Downer but not keen on Lucinda R books. I will look at Santa M!

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 19/08/2026 17:07

@WiltonGal another author I haven't read but have eyed up is Santa Montefiore.

Needmorelego · 19/08/2026 17:05

@WiltonGal I haven't read any myself but Lucinda Riley books are more recently published and possibly might count in this genre.

Original poster
WiltonGal · 19/08/2026 16:57

I want new authors really who right this type of genre @MrsMoastyToasty- I have read the Thornbirds.

OP posts: