Please recommend long books

[Rollermum]

Hello, I'm looking for a good long fiction book to get into or a series that reads chronologically.

The longer the better! Be good to hear why you liked it too.

Yes to, 'This Thing of Darkness' and the Dark Tower series and, 'The Stand.'

'No Name' or, 'The Woman In White' by Wilkie Collins.

'A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius' by Dave Eggers.

How about Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts? A real doorstop of a book...

Gone with the Wind? Forever Amber? Back I the day I did used to like Barbara Erskine but either I've grown up and my tastes have changed a lot, or she has gone seriously off the boil.

1Q84 by Haruki Murakami. I'm on the last third and finding it intriguing.

Agree that 'This Thing of Darkness' is a superb read.

Kevin my DH adored Shantaram.

I'm going to second sggestions upthread;

Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies.

Anna Kareninna.

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clark
About Victorian London in a sort of alternative reality, where magic was real.

A song of Ice and Fire series by George R R Martain.
Set in a medieval fantasy world about civil war over the fight for the iron throne. Brilliant characters.

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet Set in the 12th century during the building of a cathedral and love story.

I just re-read the Thornbirds which was great.

And have been reading some Susan Howatch again - Wheel of Fortune is long and entertaining read - family saga against backdrop of historical fiction.

Not sure about IQ84 Indridcold . Got to the end and felt like it didn't really deliver - an awful lot of reading for a lot of loose ends. Would recommend the Wind-up Bird or Hard-boiled Wonderland over IQ84.

I loved Pillars of the Earth but hated Wolf Hall.
To tick both boxes of Long and a Series - The Bronze Horseman trilogy by Paullina Simons

I am just reading Edward Rutherfurd's Paris - only at bedtime as it's a massive hardback and won't take it anywhere...

his other stuff - Sarum, London, Dublin, are all good...

Series - Rebus...

Definitely read This Thing of Darkness, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, and Anna Karenina.

Also:

Foucault's Pendulum - Umberto Eco
Anathem - Neal Stephenson
Carrion Comfort - Dan Simmons
Millenium trilogy - Stieg Larsson (Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, etc)
Umbrella - Will Self

We Speak No Treason by Rosemary Hawley Jarman - another RIII novel.

New York by Rutherford. Or London by the same author. Both riviting and long reads. American Gods by Neil Gaiman, amazing book.

Riveting. not whatever i put the first time.

DH recommends Proust and Moby Dick

I have somewhat less refined tastes and would recommend Strange & Norrell, Game of Thrones, and Wolf Hall/Bring Up The Bodies.

Not recommended yet, in the science fiction line, isDan Simmonds' Hyperion series, Connie Willis's Blackout/All Clear and Doomsday Book, and any of Neal Stephenson's doorstops.

I'm marking this as I'm going to steal all the ideas!

My favourite long book is Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese.
So engrossing I just couldn't put it down and when I wasn't reading it I thought about the characters all the time. It is set in Ethiopia and the US and follows the life of twin boys. I don't want to say more as it is so captivating is best not to know the story before you get there.

'American Gods' is good, but not what I'd class as long - it's a light and easy read. When I think of 'long' I expect it to last me at least 6 hours!

Capital by John Lanchester is around 579 pages, really enjoyed it.

Oh and I second the Cutting for Stone recommendation. Definitely one of my favourite books, I've been recommending it to all my friends and family!

That's interesting Stokey, I sort of feared that might be the case re how it all ends. I'll definitely read more Murakami, though. I'll look out for the ones you recommend .

I also loved Jonathan Strange BTW...