ALYSSA LOST IN SPACE

SFF books tend to be big. Most fantasies are 100,000 words or more, which is a lot. And it makes sense when you think about it. There’s usually a lot of worldbuilding and set up in these sorts of novels, and that takes words. Lots of ’em.

But even among the beefy fantasy and science fiction books out there, there are some that are almost ridiculous in their length. These are the chunky boys – the massive tomes you could use to hammer nails with, and they are usually, by nature of their length, far more intimidating. But I wouldn’t be a true SFF fan if I didn’t at least try to sink my teeth into some of those tomes, am I right?

So here are the top five big science fiction and fantasy books that I want to read:

1. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

Sanderson is a big author right now, and I’ve only heard amazing things about the Stormlight Archive, of which The Way of Kings is the first instalment. But the books are huge. And from what I’ve heard, it’s going to be a ten-book series, with every book (at least thus far) of about the same size. And that is super intimidating to say the least, but Sanderson is a master of worldbuilding so this is probably the book (and the series) I want to read most.

2. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

I’m not even sure what genre this book is, and somehow that only makes me want to read it more. I’ve heard it’s magical realism which can be really hit or miss with me, and it’s probably the most intimidating book on this list. But I definitely want to give it a try.

3. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

If you’ve been hanging out on my blog for a while, you know that this is the number one book on my shame list. Just in case you were unaware, The Lord of the Rings is actually one complete novel that was split into three – so it’s a big one. And my feelings there remain – I’m admittedly overly worried about my ultimate opinion on a staple of the fantasy genre. I want to love it, but I’m also worried I won’t. Regardless, I still really want to read it.

4. Dune by Frank Herbert

Another classic, this time of science fiction. And another long series to boot. Even though I’ve heard mixed things about this series I’m fairly sure I’ll be on the side that enjoys it, if I ever find the willpower to start reading it. It’s another big series, so it’s going to be quite an endeavour.

5. Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

This happens to be the most recent release and one of my most anticipated books of 2019. Shannon also happens to be among one of my favourite writers. But the book is a whopping 848 pages, which is a lot of story to get through. I’ve heard so many fantastic things about it though, so I can’t wait to read it!

Got Any Recommendations?

These are just some of the many books on my TBR, but I’m always looking for more tomes. There’s just something about sinking your teeth into a complex story and world that is really exciting to me. Are there any big SFF books you want to read? Are there any you would recommend? Let me know in the comments!