Books tagged with: epic length
-
![Carrion ComfortDan Simmons]()
Science FictionCarrion Comfort is a Dan Simmons horror novel, best known for the Hyperion and Endymoin series. Except for the stories in Dark Visions this is the first horror by Dan Simmons that I've read. I'm not sure what kind of expectations I had for this book before I started on it, but I can't say that I wa...
-
![CryptonomiconNeal Stephenson]()
Science FictionCryptonomicon is a speculative fiction novel by the American author Neal Stephenson. I've been a bit apprehensive about starting on Cryptonomicon. Neal Stephenson is a bit like Vernon Vinge – they both make wonderful books, and they both take their time about it. Also Cryptonomicon is about mathema...
-
![QuicksilverNeal Stephenson]()
Science FictionQuicksilver is the first volume of The Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson. The thing about Neal Stephenson is that he usually presents something new and fantastic that runs as the core of his books. Diamond Age has the Primer, Cryptonomicon has the economics of virtual money (or cryptography if you w...
-
![Spaceship EarthTom Schwartz]()
Science FictionSpaceship Earth is a science fiction novel by Tom Schwartz. Scientists have discovered that the universe is a "closed system" and that the rate of expansion is slowing. This means that eventually the universe will stop expanding and begin collapsing upon itself, ultimately resulting in the opposite...
-
![The Abyss Beyond DreamsPeter F Hamilton]()
Science FictionPeter Hamilton doesn't just write Space Opera, he defines it. The Abyss Beyond Dreams is the start of a new series that takes place in his wonderfully rich Commonwealth universe. It's no secret that we love the works of Peter Hamilton at SFBook and The Abyss beyond Dreams is no exception. To co-insi...
-
![The Boat of a Million YearsPoul Anderson]()
Science FictionThe Boat of a Million Years is a science fiction novel by Poul William Anderson. Starting in the year 310BC and taking us beyond our present day, The Boat of a Million Years takes on one of Poul Anderson's favourite topics, namely longevity. Most of the book follows Hanno as he lives through a cou...
-
![The Company of the DeadDavid Kowalski]()
Science FictionThe 15th April 2012 marks a century after the RMS Titanic (operated by the White Star Line) sank after colliding with an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York. 1517 people died in those freezing waters. It's as much a lesson in human arrogance as it is in maritime disasters...
-
![The Medusa ChroniclesAlastair Reynolds]()
Science FictionA collaboration between Science Fiction greats, Stephen Baxter and Alastair Reynolds, The Medusa Chronicles picks up the story of Arthur C. Clarke's A Meeting with Medusa a Nebula Award winning novella published in Playboy in 1971. It takes the story of Howard Falcon, from his shattered afterma...
-
![The Naked GodPeter F Hamilton]()
Science FictionThe Naked God is the third novel in the Nights Dawn Trilogy by Peter F Hamilton. Sitting with the final and conclusive volume of The Nights Dawn and looking at it's massive 1150 pages (at 1.5Kg it's just about the heaviest book I've ever read), I felt kind of intimidated. My faith in Hamilton and h...
-
![The PassageJustin Cronin]()
HorrorI've been aware of The Passage for years but never had chance to pick it up - even though I have family connections to the Cronin surname (although doubtfully any connection to the author!). Recently the final novel in the series was released which prompted me to begin reading. The book descr...
-
![The Reality DysfunctionPeter F Hamilton]()
Science FictionThe Reality Dysfunction is the first volume in the Nights Dawn Trilogy by Peter Hamilton. In the far future, humanity has divided along a single major line. The Edenists are genetically engineered space-dwellers with telepathic affinity to their biotechnological homes and ships. Adamists are effect...
-
![A Crown Of SwordsRobert Jordan]()
FantasyA Crown of Swords is the seventh volume in Robert Jordans epic fantasy series, the Wheel of Time. Following on from the events in The Lord of Chaos, the book begins with the aftermath of the battle at Dumai's Wells. Elayne, Nyneave and Mat manage to finally locate the legendary "Bowl of the Winds" t...
-
![A Heist Too FarRob Knipe]()
FantasyA Heist Too Far is a fantasy novel by Rob Knipe. Mallik is a skilled assassin who is very quick on his feet with an even quicker temper, he travels with Dick Swede (aka The Black Moustache) who is nearly famous as a highwayman and Jules Van Jives - a quickly bored elf with an unhealthy obession for...
-
![Druid's BanePhillip Henderson]()
FantasyDruid's Bane is the first volume in the Arkaelyon Chronicles, written by Phillip Henderson. The Illandian Spring Tournament is about to reach its crescendo. With the king’s only daughter, Danielle de Brie, and her twin brother, Kane, preparing to face each other in the tourney ring for the deciding...
-
![Knife of DreamsRobert Jordan]()
FantasyKnife of Dreams is the eleventh volume in the epic Wheel of Time series and is the last full volume written by Robert Jordan. If you have like me arrived here after reading the first 10 volumes then you will appreciate this moment, a long journey, hugely rewarding and it is with a sense of trepidat...
-
![Out of OzGregory Maguire]()
FantasyI must admit that I missed the first 3 novels in this series although I have heard a lot about them (all good) and remember hearing about the (Tony winning) Broadway musical that was based on the first book "Wicked". The books themselves are inspired by Frank Baum's childrens classic "The Wonderfu...
-
![River of Blue FireTad Williams]()
FantasyRiver of Blue Fire is the second volume in Tad Williams Otherland series. I'm unsure as to why I brought this the second volume in Tad Williams Otherland series (which has just been concluded in a forth volume). I wasn't that impressed with the first volume, which i found to long and lacking in any...
-
![Swan SongRobert R McCammon]()
FantasySwan Song is a classic horror novel by Robert R McCammon. Having seen endless recommendations for this book in the alt.books.stephen-king newsgroup, every time somebody asked for something similar to The Stand by Stephen King, I fearlessly grabbed it when I found a cheap used copy at my local book...
-
![The Dragon RebornRobert Jordan]()
FantasyThe Dragon Reborn — the leader long prophesied who will save the world, but in the saving destroy it; the savior who will run mad and kill all those dearest to him — is on the run from his destiny. Able to touch the One Power, but unable to control it, and with no one to teach him how &m...
-
![The Great HuntRobert Jordan]()
FantasyFor centuries traveling gleemen have told the tales of The Great Hunt of the Horn. So many tales about each of the Hunters, and so many Hunters to tell of . . . Now the Horn itself is found: the Horn of Valere long thought only legend, the Horn which will raise the dead heroes of the ages. Rand al...
-
![The Order of the PhoenixJ K Rowling]()
FantasyThe latest book in the Harry Potter series is twice as long as the previous one (which was twice as long as the one before it), it darker and somebody actually dies in it. Somebody not evil. That doesn't make it worth reading though. The fact that it's well written and highly entertaining, does mak...
-
![The Path Of DaggersRobert Jordan]()
FantasyThe Path of Daggers is the eighth volume in Robert Jordans fantasy epic, the Wheel of Time series. Following the events in A Crown of Swords, Elayne, Nyneave, Aviendha and a coalition of women who can channel the one power finally manage to use the "Bowl of the Winds" to reverse the un-natural heatw...
-
![The ScarChina Mieville]()
FantasyThe Scar returns us to the wonderful world of Bas Lag, first encountered in the award winning novel Perdido Street Station. This time however we are far removed from the dirty, winding streets of New Crobuzon and thrust into the wider world, adrift on strange tides and weird seas. The floating metr...
-
![The Splintered GodsStephen Deas]()
FantasyBook six of the Memory of Flames series picks up right from the moment book five – Dragon Queen ends. This time we’re in the ruined aftermath of Zafir’s ride to destroy the city of Dhar Thosis and Baros Tsen T’Varr is contemplating the ruination of his plans. This is not a book to read without the...
-
![The Way of Kings Part 1Brandon Sanderson]()
FantasyReleased in hardback last year, The Way of Kings was such a weighty tomb that it was decided it would need to be split into two volumes for the paperback version, lest people developed a bad back carrying it home. Reviewed here is the first part of the first novel in the Stormlight Archive, written...
-
![Towers of MidnightRobert Jordan]()
FantasyTowers of Midnight is the penultimate novel in the Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan and completed by Brandon Sanderson. The Last Battle has begun and the seals on the Dark One's prison continue to crumble to dust. The very pattern itself is unravelling and the armies of the Shadow are boldly m...
-
![ITStephen King]()
HorrorProbably one of the best King books ever written. No that isn’t the review although if it was that would still sum the book up pretty easily. So great I’ve now read it four times, although admittedly never as fast as that first hungry initial reading. With every read, certain elements jump out at yo...
-
![WanderersChuck Wendig]()
Science FictionThere seem to be a worryingly large number of ways we, as a species, could become extinct. From huge extra terrestrial rocks hurtling through space or climate change making our world uninhabitable to Trump pressing the wrong button at the wrong time. A virus that seems to strike at random, causing t...
-
![The Pillars of the earthKen Follett]()
General FictionFair warning, this isn't going to be a normal review, it's the first one I've written post-covid and is much more personal than usual. Some years ago, my father started reading again. Previous to that he hadn't read much for the last few decades outside of Haynes manuals and instruction leaflets (a...
-
![Sons of DarknessGourav Mohanty]()
FantasyFantasy is a wonderful genre, and it has become more so in recent years as it has grown in diversity. It felt for a while that fantasy was always epic and set in some sort of alternative Europe. There were plenty of alternatives to find if you looked, but today theses are abundant and that is fantas...
-
![The Sun and The VoidGabriela Romero Lacruz]()
FantasyFor a long time, the Fantasy genre felt very Western European. So many of the fantasy worlds seemed to be based on a version of Medieval Europe, but that has not been the case for some time now. It does not take much searching to find a book that very much still feels like fantasy but has a differen...
-
![The KindnessJohn Ajvide Lindqvist]()
HorrorI like to think that the world is built upon small acts of kindness. Whilst nation states and some individuals may be doing their best to destroy the world, the rest of us are just trying to get by. This can be helped with a please or a thank you. If you see someone drop their credit card, you would...
-
![Lives of Bitter RainAdrian Tchaikovsky]()
FantasyWe only have so many books in us, and an author may just not have the time to experiment with different formats or genres, unless they are very prolific. They do not come much more prolific than Adrian Tchaikovsky, a writer who dabbles in various types of genre fiction, always bringing high quality....
Book of the month
