Play Book Tag discussion

So many of us like long books but with challenges and life, we don't seem to delve into them, Here we have a space to encourage each other to do so.

ETA: SUMMARY OF RULES - Starts Jan 1:
1 book a quarter*
At least 500 pages - for NF that includes notes, prologues and epilogues, indices, maps, etc.
You pick your book, post title, author, # pages, start date, and reason for starting.
Post progress periodically including abadonment.
Add encouragement to others, share fat book reading tips from time to time.

*we are flexible here - need longer, want to start later, need to swap out choice, want to read more than one a quarter, or only one all year - go for it.


The goal is on a quarterly basis, you read one book 500 pages or longer. You post the title here with progress reports and thoughts about it as it goes, hidden behind spoilers where appropriate. That's it.

It's a book of your choice. You can do something really long or slow going, and it spreads over 2 quarters. That's fine. Maybe you read the one you pick very quickly - some long crime fiction and fantasy are read quickly even if 800 pages. You can then add in another if you want.

It can be a book from your TBR or one your IRL book club is reading to discuss (mine is that). It can be a long expected new book in a series you love - such as a new Robert Galbraith.

The idea is to encourage those who love long books, to get back into the rhythm of reading them regularly.

Start thinking about what you want to read in that 1st quarter, post it here, and tell us why you have picked it.

ETA: you are not committed to stick with what you announce here. Other shiny or mouthy books have a way of asserting themselves.

I will personally probably read 2 in the first quarter.

First up is my IRL Feminerdy Book Club read for January 12th: Labyrinth's Heart, the 3rd in the M.A. Carrick Rook & Rose trilogy that we have spaced out reading all year. It's an outstanding fantasy series and I'm eager to see how it ends. Oh and the book is 678 pages.

Not sure yet what the second will be. I have several very fat books sitting around here glaring at me from my TBR Towers -- a couple non-fiction like A Promised Land, the Obama autobiography, but Dickens is also calling to me, and many many others. Might just let the second one be guided by whim, not advance planning.

I have so many long books that I want to read. I'm going to choose Once an Eagle for my first one. I have both the book and the audio so my plan is to do a slow and steady audio trip.

Love this, Theresa! I do love a longer book. I even managed to clear The Secret Commonwealth from my shelves under the ‘steampunk’ tag - at close to 700 pages - and had a couple of other chunksters during the year.

In 2025 I want to read the last three books in the Mistwraith series by Janny Wurts (which probably means picking up #1 and reading through - there are #13 all told. I’ll scatter them through the year so this is ideal.

This one is easy for me! I will take the first three months of 2025 to listen to Outlander Book Seven - An Echo in the Bone. My plan is to walk the track at the JCC and listen. Its something like a 45-60 hour audio.

I also want to read long Lucinda Riley books.... I have the feeling one or more of those will take up a quarter or two of the rest of 2025.

I think I will read The Bee Sting. It was on a lot of Best Of 2023 lists and I picked up a hardcover which looked brand-new at a thrift store earlier this year for 5.00 - 656 pages.

I had thought of one long book per month, but I think per quarter is more doable, especially if I travel. Thanks, Theresa, for getting this started!

Brilliant idea, Amy. I haven’t finished that series either. And listening while walking is an excellent incentive

I will be joining in, but no idea what I will read. I have to take a look and see what is on my shelf that I have been yearning to read.

I'll plan to join in. I have some Mieville China, Ken Follett, Adrian Tchaikovsky and James S.A. Corey series I want to catch up on.

Settling into a long book from an author I already love is like the hot chocolate and warm slippers of reading. Something I really need right now.

Oh yes, Sue, James Corey works too - I can blame Jason for adding that lot to my TBR!!!

Looking like my whole year will be long books round about now 🤣

@Katrine - one of my BFFs is a huge fan of the Mistwraithe series, and reread all of them over several months anticipation of the final book being published. And she readit not long after it came out. She had a blast. Enough was forgotten that the felt fresh too.

Personally any book under 500 pages is a non-busty read to me. But if a book is just a bit under, that's fine. But only by a dozen pages or so.

Very excited for this one! I plan to start this month with The Ninth Rain which I meant to read earlier in the year and catch up on some Cosmere reads (Brandon Sanderson) with the latest Stormlight Archive book coming out.

“Other shiney or mouthy books have a way of asserting themselves.”

So true!

I have the same Outlander book that Amy has, but I may be tempted by something else.

This should give me the encouragement to finally read the book I got in the 2023 Book Swap, The Big Rock Candy Mountain. I also have The Casual Vacancy and Paris on my bookshelf. Maybe I will get to all three next year, that would be great.

I love long books. I've read 25 books over 500 pages in 2024 and currently reading two more.

My 2024 Long Books

I also have 49 books on my TBR that is over 500 pages.

I have a couple contenders for the first quarter.
1) Familiaris - Prequel to The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
2) The Covenant of Water
3) Shōgun (my brother-in-law's favorite book)

Edit: I decided to go with Familiaris.

KateNZ wrote: "Oh yes, Sue, James Corey works too - I can blame Jason for adding that lot to my TBR!!!

Looking like my whole year will be long books round about now 🤣"

It's a fun series. I just finished it. On one had, I am glad, on the other...Its over :(

Sue wrote: "I'll plan to join in. I have some Mieville China, Ken Follett, Adrian Tchaikovsky and James S.A. Corey series I want to catch up on..."

I really like the Ken Follett Century and Pillars of the Earth series. Never is the only other book I have read of his outside those series. Which books are you reading by Follet.

Enjoy the Expanse Series. It's a fun ride. I look forward to starting their new series next year.

I have so many long books I want to get to next year! I'll definitely be joining here.

I loved Red Mars and want to read Green Mars and Blue Mars.

There are also a bunch of non-fictions on my list.

I'm going to shoot for one per month.

I went through my personal library and found a book I have wanted to read since I got it-The Invisible Bridge-I started it last night. I know Amy will be thrilled I that I am finally going to read this.

Jason wrote: "Sue wrote: "I'll plan to join in. I have some Mieville China, Ken Follett, Adrian Tchaikovsky and James S.A. Corey series I want to..."

I read his Century trilogy and really enjoyed it. Pillars of the Earth is the series I'm going to start this year. I'll probably start with the book that I think is the prequel The Evening and the Morning. At over 900 pages, definitely qualifies as a long book!

I found the Century books so enjoyable I finished them really quickly - one a month for three months.

I have 3 possibles but I am sure I will add more as we get closer to the new year.

Fourth Wing
A Brief History of Seven Killings
Look Homeward, Angel

This might be the time to finally read Wolfe's book about growing up in Asheville

Meli and I did a buddy read of the brilliant A Brief History of Seven Killings a few years ago. We spread the reading over 3 months because we needed breaks from it, or book club and other reading needed to happen. Counting up actual reading time it took me no more than 3 weeks, probably less.

Joy D wrote: "I have so many long books I want to get to next year! I'll definitely be joining here.

I loved Red Mars and want to read Green Mars and Blue Mars.

There ar..."

I keep fighting with myself about reading Green and Blue mars. I didn't love Red Mars but I read it years ago and it, along with the Ringwold series, was my first Space Scifi books. I wounder if I would like it better now.

I will also try the one per month. We will see.

Theresa wrote: "Meli and I did a buddy read of the brilliant A Brief History of Seven Killings a few years ago. We spread the reading over 3 months because we needed breaks from it, or book club an..."

Theresa, I know how highly you have written about this one. I have a "dead tree" version on my bookshelf. But I know it is not an easy read (none of his books are easy) so I haven't had the push needed to finally read it.

I am definitely in on this challenge! I have slews of books that fit as well as trilogies that I'd like to get to.

Not sure where I will start, but some leading contenders are: Middlemarch, Lonesome Dove, The Best Minds: A Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions, and American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer

Anita, my choice for my first book included Lonesome Dove. I will probably read that second.

Be careful, Lonesome Dove is so good, you will add the next three to your TBR

Lonesome Dove is wonderful, even if you don't particularly care about Westerns. It's really about life. I tried a couple of the sequels and couldn't get into them. Maybe I should have tried harder. The movie/TV production was really good too. Public libraries probably have it. I used to have a VHS of it, I think!

Middlemarch is also excellent, though of course very different. What struck me when I read it was that the fascination of the villagers for the inhabitants of the "big house" was just like the interest in celebrities today. There's also a feminist message and psycologically realistic characters.

I’m definitely going to join in with this. I’m planning on reading my way through the Cormoran Strike books for Decembers tag, but if I don’t finish the series this month, I’ll probably use the next one in the series as my long book.

My other options are: The Winds of War, The Crimson Petal and the White, Outlander, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, The Revolution of Marina M., The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois, The Armour of Light, The Shadow Sister and King: A Life.

I’ve got so many options that I’m tempted to try to read one a month.

Shelly wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Meli and I did a buddy read of the brilliant A Brief History of Seven Killings a few years ago. We spread the reading over 3 months because we needed breaks from it,..."

I too read the "dead tree" version - my suggestion is to pace yourself through it. It's broken into sections so actually quite easy to do.

I also listened to my collection of Bob Marley CDs while reading. Meli's husband made here a playlist of suitable Jamaican music to listen to as she read. Oh, and Google was my friend - I ended up down a couple of rabbit holes looking up the political situation of that time. It was a time period I lived through so allusions to world and US events were familiar.

And I'm happy to help you through it. In fact, this whole thread could really be a good way to help each other pace through these books.

Sue wrote: "Jason wrote: "Sue wrote: "I'll plan to join in. I have some Mieville China, Ken Follett, Adrian Tchaikovsky and James S.A. Corey se..."

I loved the Century Trilogy. I also read all three quickly while waiting for A Column of Fire to be released.

Lordy, I have so many of the same books as many of you sitting around in my TBR Towers! I think this is going to be a fantastic ongoing thread that we repeat year after year.

But let's get through 2025 first.

Any who decide to read one a month - just remember that if you fall off the schedule, come back here at any point. You know I'll be posting reminders quarterly. Might have to bring the Cabana Boys in occasionally to keep things lively. AND there will be celebrations when you have finished one of your honkers (as another friend calls them).

Welcome all! Anita - I am especially pleased to see you joining a challenge! It's long overdue!

I loved Lonesome Dove! And I agree, you don't need to be a fan of westerns (I'm certainly not).

The presidential biographies I've been reading are definite chunky books and I'm bound to read at least one chunkster a quarter so I'm in. Maybe I'll actually pick up a few chunkster fiction books too. First up will be Rutherford B. Hayes: Warrior and President at 712 pages. My fiance saw the book I'm reading for Grant and asked why all presidential biographeis are so huge :-).

Hannah wrote: "I’m definitely going to join in with this. I’m planning on reading my way through the Cormoran Strike books for Decembers tag, but if I don’t finish the series this month, I’ll probably use the nex..."

Winds of War is one of my favorites-I just re-read the series last year and this. I also have The Armor of Light on to be TBR

I have a shelf for 500+ page books, many of which I have given 5 stars.

Here are a few:
Covenant of Water and Cutting for Stone both by Verghese
Andersonville
Dune
The Hearts Invisible Furies
Lonesome Dove
Demon Copperhead
Babel
The Stand
The Wolf in the Whale

Books of 450 pages or more that I rated 5 stars
( I am a tough rater, very few receive that from me)

In no particular order - I don't think these were mentioned above

The Far Pavilions
The Game of Kings (not same as Game of Thrones) and the rest of the series by Dorothy Dunnett
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
Tigana
The Mists of Avalon
The Three Musketeers
Twenty Years After
American Gods
To Serve Them All My Days
Blackout/All Clear - a 2-part story where the 2nd book just continues from the first with no recap
Snow Falling on Cedars
Doomsday Book
Still Life - not the Louise Penny mystery of that name
Facing the Mountain: A True Story of Japanese American Heroes in World War II
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents
Possession
This Tender Land

I have to agree with some of Robin's recommendations -- though I read them long long before GR and ratings here so I am just going by my ongoing memories:

Possession
The Game of Kings and entire Dorothy Dunnett series. All the titles reference chess and there is in fact in one of them a very crucial dangerous Chess Match on a lawn chessboard with humans.
Tigana

I would add:

A Song of Ice and Fire series by George RR Martin - which of course starts with A Game of Thrones
The Casual Vacancy which I have reviewed here
A Brief History of Seven Killings - also reviewed here

And you know this one is going to be here:

Remembrance of Things Past: Volume I - Swann's Way & Within a Budding Grove - the entire work - all volumes. It took me 9 months, a discussion group, and reading an average of 400 pages a month - it would take about 2.5 weeks each month to read those 400 pages but also that left time for easier reading and challenges and bookclubs. It was an effective way to read long and even difficult books.

Seciond (or third) on Tigana

Robin P wrote: "Books of 450 pages or more that I rated 5 stars
( I am a tough rater, very few receive that from me)

In no particular order - I don't think these were mentioned above

[book:The Far Pavilions|10..."

I've been considering a re-read of The Far Pailions. I read it when it came out. Hard to believe that was over 45 years ago!

But...always nervous doing a re-read of an old favorite. What if I don't like it this time?

Theresa wrote: "Shelly wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Meli and I did a buddy read of the brilliant A Brief History of Seven Killings a few years ago. We spread the reading over 3 months because we needed ..."

I had to give up on A Brief History of Seven Killings - just far too graphic and violent for me. I'd have to be in just the right mood to try again.

Also would have to be audio - so I can close my eyes at the really rough spots. (I have no explanation for why that helps, but I've gotten through some gruesome scenes that way.)

@Sue -

I read that while visiting a friend while in law school - it was the mass market paperback so that would be somewhere around 1984. As I remember so little about it, I have thought of a re-read but there are other such books that call to me more strongly.

Know though what you mean. I usually find though that I pick up on far more than I did when I read them that long ago. I was leary about re-reading Gone with the Wind a few years ago but it ended up being a far richer experience than the first time through when I was in high school.

Sue wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Shelly wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Meli and I did a buddy read of the brilliant A Brief History of Seven Killings a few years ago. We spread the reading over 3 months be..."


Maybe you just take a little nap during the roughest scenes? 😉

I rarely have a problem reading ugly violent or just tough scenes. I might have to put the book down and walk away from it for a bit, eat some chocolate or read something light before going back to it. This was a book with so much that is humorous, and all while you are cringing in horror and thus being appalled that you can find something so funny given what's happening with the plot.

I suspect the audio, for those who like audiobooks, would be outstanding as there are so many different voices (litterally - accents, slang, gang language) with so many characters that if the reader is really skilled, it will be really good. But you might want the 'dead tree' version in hand as the formating and chapter headings and all were to me important too.

Everything by Guy Gavriel Kay is wonderful, others aren't quite as long as Tigana.

Lengthy books I liked a long time ago and I don't know if they will hold up are

The Thorn Birds
Five Smooth Stones
Roots: The Saga of an American Family

Then there is
...And Ladies of the Club. The author was in her '80's when she wrote it, so she didn't have to do a lot of historical research, she just had to remember her own life! She was born in 1895 and the book came out in 1982!

Also, for those doing ...And Ladies of the Club will fit a Popsugar 2025 challenge prompt I believe - book by an older author or something like that. I never read it though I am pretty sure there is a mass market paperback on my shelves somewhere. I acquired it just as I started law school and that ended any reading for enjoyment for 3 full years. It got buried in a box stored at the farm for several years too. Of course, I could no more read the print in that mass market paperback than I could read something fun during law school. If I finally read it, it will be the ebook version, thank you.

Yes Joanne, I thought Invisible Bridge was beautifully written. I predict you will love it.

Hannah wrote: "I’m definitely going to join in with this. I’m planning on reading my way through the Cormoran Strike books for Decembers tag, but if I don’t finish the series this month, I’ll probably use the nex..."

The Winds of War and its sequel, War and Remembrance, are two of my lifetime favorites. I've read them both three times since 1971, the last time in 2020. I even had the VHS tape (and then traded it for the DVD) when they made a miniseries from the books. I'm 70, now so I'm hoping to read it again for my 75th birthday.

Hannah wrote: "I’m definitely going to join in with this. I’m planning on reading my way through the Cormoran Strike books for Decembers tag, but if I don’t finish the series this month, I’ll probably use the nex..."

The Cormoran Strike books are wonderful. I know some people have problems with the author's views, but I will never give up this series. As with so many series, the books get longer and longer as you go on. I happened to do the first one on audio and really liked the narration so I have done them all that way. That took many hours but I didn't begrudge them and I never speed them up as I do with some audiobooks. Some of the plots are quite dark, but I am so committed to the characters that I will follow them anywhere. The last one ended on a personal cliffhanger (that is, the mystery is solved but there are ongoing story arcs about characters). So I am eagerly awaiting the next one, which has a name but no release date. The title is The Hanged Man, and there are already multiple books by other authors with that title, one of which I own.

I just realized I book that I started

The Plantagenets: The Warrior Kings and Queens Who Made England

is just over 500 pages, so I now have two to start off with.