Big fat juicy sagas

[WiltonGal]

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?

No one is writing big fat books? Have you seen the ACOTAR books!? I appreciate not to everyone's taste but they're definitely selling!

Just looked them up, not my cup of tea unfortunately. Big fat juicy saga books were all you could buy at one point but they don’t seem to write these type of sagas anymore. Blockbusters, I think they were called. There aren’t any modern day equivalents.

They were called Bonkbusters weren't they 😁

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.

Have you read A Woman of Substance?

I think the big bonkbusters will see a revival because of Rivals (tv series) leading new generations to discover Jilly Cooper’s books.

Which Penny Vincenzi are you reading? I bought An Absolute Scandal recently, specifically to read on holiday because it was 800+ pages and it did not disappoint! I was living & working in London in the years it covered & recognised some of the types of characters described in it.

Coincidentally, I also read The Chamomile Lawn this year. It’s not as long, but does otherwise fits the bonkbuster moniker!

I've just bought Tangled Webs by Callie Coles on kindle. I read a free sample and thought it really good. It's the first of 3 she is writing so could be described as a saga?.........

Have you read the Cazalet books? Also the 13ish Poldark books.

I've recently been eyeing up this genre too.
I bought a copy of the first Cazelets book the other week - but then decided it was too heavy to pack in my suitcase for my holiday 😂
I thinking of maybe going for the Poldark books (I didn't watch the TV version so it's all new to me).
@WiltonGal I did read The Camomile Lawn back in the 90s but I oddly have had the urge to re-read it lately.

@KnickerlessParsons I just saw your post after I wrote mine 😂
Should I give Poldark a go?

I don't think the Cazalets are bonkbusters in the tradition of Jilly Cooper. Much more literary.

I quite like Maeve Binchy's books when I am in the mood for a saga. Or Rosamund Pilcher. If you like history, Cynthia Harrod Eagles has a series called the Morland dynasty with 35 odd books about the same family (loosely) from medieval times to WW2.

I think the books by Lesley Lokko might fit the bill. I enjoyed Sundowners for example, but have heard them described as 'glam lit' which wouldn't usually be my thing.

@cheapskatemumI am on the third of a trilogy called The Spoils of Time. I have read them before years ago but bought the set secondhand recently and have been reading them one after the other. They are about a publishing firm called Lyttons. Because I have read them one after the other I feel like I am à Lytton myself! So immersed am I!

I have read the Cazelets, loved them all but the last one. I actually prefer tge Vincenzi trilogy. I read loads of these types of books back when they were popular but new authors they don’t seem to write this type of books back when now! I am going to reread a few more of the Vincenzi ones. Maybe I have to resign myself to just reading old titles!

Love the Cazalet Chronicles (a new one is coming out soon, written by EJH's niece) and grew up on the Poldark series and one set in Canada by Mazo de la Roche - haven't seen them in years although Amazon has them on Kindle

What about The Thornbirds?

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?

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

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

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

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.

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.

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 ....

I think you might enjoy Jeffrey Archer books.