Recommend me a good thick book

Sqwonk · 27-09-2008, 2:51 PM

As the title suggests i am an avid reader and enjoy nothing more than to get stuck into the meatier epic type books (800+ pages). I have read the thicker James A Michener novels and enjoyed them very much, also the classic James Clavells "Shogun" and "Noble House". So can anyone point me toward a thicker type book that they have enjoyed and that i may have missed? or indeed an author that may have escaped me that writes the larger novel.

Thanks

**Steven** · 27-09-2008, 3:00 PM

Not thick but Oliver Twist will be hard for you - just so boring for me to get through! Returning the book as Dickens has crushed my spirit and I cannot be bothered with Great Expectations

wellladida · 27-09-2008, 3:54 PM

Yellow pages?

Pbryanw · 27-09-2008, 4:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LFC_SL

Not thick but Oliver Twist will be hard for you - just so boring for me to get through! Returning the book as Dickens has crushed my spirit and I cannot be bothered with Great Expectations

That's a shame as Great Expectations is one of my favourite books. I agree though that some of Dicken's other works can be a bit of a slog. A Tale of Two Cities springs to mind.

As far as 800+ page books, I can only think of the obvious ones like the LOTR and the Dark Materials trilogies which, when all the books in the trilogy are combined, should equal more then 800 pages.

I've also got A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth waiting for me on my bookshelf and that's 1300+ pages long, but I can't imagine reading a book so long. I admire Sqwonk's reading stamina

dunks517 · 27-09-2008, 4:15 PM

May I heartily recommend 'The Seven Pillars of Wisdom' by T E Laurence, South by Sir Ernest Shackleton, The Journals of Capt R F Scott RN or finally
A Bridge Too Far by Cornelius Ryan.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pillars-Wisd...2531951&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/South-Endura...2531800&sr=1-3

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Journals-Cap...2531868&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bridge-Too-W...2532069&sr=1-4

Classic books that put the Great back into Britain!

Edit: I've just finished reading Great Expectations but it wasn't all I hoped for.....

Sqwonk · 27-09-2008, 5:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wellladida

Yellow pages?

Thanks but i've read it.......plot is very frustrating and hard to follow

Sqwonk · 27-09-2008, 5:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pbryanw

That's a shame as Great Expectations is one of my favourite books. I agree though that some of Dicken's other works can be a bit of a slog. A Tale of Two Cities springs to mind.

As far as 800+ page books, I can only think of the obvious ones like the LOTR and the Dark Materials trilogies which, when all the books in the trilogy are combined, should equal more then 800 pages.

I've also got A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth waiting for me on my bookshelf and that's 1300+ pages long, but I can't imagine reading a book so long. I admire Sqwonk's reading stamina

Hmm "A suitable boy" i'll check it out, thanks for the pointer

Razor · 27-09-2008, 5:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wellladida

Yellow pages?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sqwonk

Thanks but i've read it.......plot is very frustrating and hard to follow

I am still on letter B

dUnKle · 27-09-2008, 6:08 PM

Tom Clancy and his Jack Ryan world novels ?

wellladida · 27-09-2008, 6:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razor

I am still on letter B

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sqwonk

Thanks but i've read it.......plot is very frustrating and hard to follow

Suave · 27-09-2008, 7:08 PM

Hi,

How about "War & Peace" Leo Tolstoy or "The Gulag Archipelago" by Alexander Solzhenitsyn?

Suave!

Reign-Mack · 27-09-2008, 7:11 PM

Jade from big brother wrote an auto bio i think ...she's pretty thick so I assume the book is pretty thick ...ok it may not be good.

Sqwonk · 27-09-2008, 7:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suave

Hi,

How about "War & Peace" Leo Tolstoy or "The Gulag Archipelago" by Alexander Solzhenitsyn?

Suave!

Thanks...The Gulag Archipelago, indeed a great book (read some time ago) war and peace i have attempted twice over the years and just cant seem to manage that one.

Sqwonk · 27-09-2008, 7:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reign-Mack

Jade from big brother wrote an auto bio i think ...she's pretty thick so I assume the book is pretty thick ...ok it may not be good.

Jade wrote that huh? hmmm

nheather · 27-09-2008, 7:56 PM

Quote:

Tom Clancy and his Jack Ryan world novels ?

Red Storm Rising is my favourite.

Cheers,

Nigel

signs · 27-09-2008, 8:02 PM

Not a big fan myself ,but you could try the Bible

Reign-Mack · 27-09-2008, 8:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sqwonk

Jade wrote that huh? hmmm

True she probably had a ghost writer

sstorrow · 27-09-2008, 8:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by signs

Not a big fan myself ,but you could try the Bible

I quickly flicked through it, but it seems bit too far fetched.

Peridot · 27-09-2008, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pbryanw

I've also got A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth waiting for me on my bookshelf and that's 1300+ pages long, but I can't imagine reading a book so long.

I thought the same when Mrs Peridot told me 'you must read this' but when I got around to it my life was enriched by being taken over by that book for a few weeks.

Wild Swans is another epic well worth the time invested

pringtef · 27-09-2008, 10:40 PM

Cant go far wrong with The Count of Monte Cristo, Dumas, brilliant book.

FazerThou · 27-09-2008, 10:48 PM

Stephen Kings - The Stand - if you like that sort of thing at 1300+

Sqwonk · 27-09-2008, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peridot

I thought the same when Mrs Peridot told me 'you must read this' but when I got around to it my life was enriched by being taken over by that book for a few weeks.

Wild Swans is another epic well worth the time invested

"Wild Swans" Just checked it out on Amazon...looks very interesting...thanks given

Sqwonk · 27-09-2008, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FazerThou

Stephen Kings - The Stand - if you like that sort of thing at 1300+

Nice one thanks...i always seem to overlook Stephen King, i'll give it a whirl.
Thanks given

indianwells · 28-09-2008, 7:17 AM

The Pillars Of The Earth-Ken Follet. It's superb.

**fizl** · 28-09-2008, 8:40 AM

If you like fantasy novels, there is the wheel of time series - i think about 13 big books!

Whether you like sci fi or not, I would suggest Dune as a very good book to read.

Is it only fiction you are looking for or non fiction as well?

Shaz

ChrisWV10 · 28-09-2008, 10:26 AM

The Far Pavilions, MM Kaye. I read this one summer when I was a student being short of reading material I picked this up and was engrossed. Not my typical choice of reading at the time (sci-fi, fantasy, horror, crime) but a good read.

from Amazon but probably available cheaper.

Sqwonk · 28-09-2008, 2:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fizl

If you like fantasy novels, there is the wheel of time series - i think about 13 big books!

Whether you like sci fi or not, I would suggest Dune as a very good book to read.

Is it only fiction you are looking for or non fiction as well?

Shaz

Thanks for this suggestion, looks like a some great reading here...

Thanks given.

Sqwonk · 28-09-2008, 2:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisWV10

The Far Pavilions, MM Kaye. I read this one summer when I was a student being short of reading material I picked this up and was engrossed. Not my typical choice of reading at the time (sci-fi, fantasy, horror, crime) but a good read.

from Amazon but probably available cheaper.

Thank you, but alas read it.

**fizl** · 28-09-2008, 2:16 PM

If its decent fantsy and sci - fi, cavern of black ice and fortress of grey ice are very good, as are the song of fire and ice books. They are a bit more gritty than the sweetness and light style you will get in many other books

Shaz

Sqwonk · 28-09-2008, 2:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by indianwells

The Pillars Of The Earth-Ken Follet. It's superb.

Thank you i'll check it out