# Recommend me a page-turner of an epic book **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 22, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175 "2003-09-22T20:42:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175/21 "2003-09-23T01:38:36Z")
**The Sunne in Splendour** by Sharon Kay Penman. A wonderful historical novel set at the end of the Wars of the Roses and recounting the life of Richard III (who comes off rather different in Penman’s account than he does in Shakespeare’s famous play). It’s a long novel, but a real page-turner. ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175/22 "2003-09-23T02:21:45Z")
Maia by Richard Adams. A Song for Arbonne (or Tigana) by Guy Gavriel Kay. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. A lot of my favorites were already mentioned like Mists of Avalon, Shogun and Pillars of the Earth. ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175/23 "2003-09-23T02:28:56Z")
Oh, I forgot good old John Jakes: North and South; Love and War and the Kent Family Chronicles. Clan of the Cave Bear as well, the rest of the series quickly degenerated but man, I loved the first one. ---
**Author:** ![Glassy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ea666f/32.png) [@Glassy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glassy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175/24 "2003-09-23T02:54:24Z")
The Doomesday Book by Connie Willis. Everything she writes is good, but this was un-put-downable. One of my favorite books ever. I also second the recommendation for Outlander by Gabaldon, especially if you’re in the mood for some love story with your epic. **Mr. Blue Sky** , I enjoyed Owen Meany from cover to cover, but I have to admit when I was done I wasn’t sure what I’d just read. I’ve mentally wrestled with it a lot since then; it is a very thought-provoking book. Glad I read it. ---
**Author:** ![stinkykitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@stinkykitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stinkykitty)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175/25 "2003-09-23T03:16:16Z")
A wonderful book I am reading right now is titled, A Boy Called H: A Childhood in Wartime Japan by Kappa Senoh. Its a memoir of Senoh’s childhood in war time Japan written in 50 short chapters that are like in a day of a 10 year old boy. A book that I thought was superior to A Fine Balance was The Death of Vishnu by Manil Suri. Excellent writing, could be a companion book to A Fine Balance. Both give detail that fills the senses and are worth reading. I really love Leon Uris, anything by him is captivating. I second any book by Sharon Kay Penman, you can’t go wrong with her. Good Luck and thanks for letting me contribute to your book list! 🙂 Marla A Boy Called H A Fine Balance The Death of Vishnu ---
**Author:** ![non-native](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@non-native](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/non-native)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175/26 "2003-09-23T03:16:43Z")
**Dune** by Frank Herbert. You can stop after the first book because Herbert’s declining sanity is noticeable in the rest of the series. I’d also like to add I enjoyed it a lot more than reading Lord of the Rings. ---
**Author:** ![Horseflesh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horseflesh/32/7502_2.png) [@Horseflesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horseflesh)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175/27 "2003-09-23T05:01:32Z")
If you’re into sci-fi, then look no further than the _Night’s Dawn_ trilogy by Peter F. Hamilton, consisting of _The Reality Dysfunction, The Neutronium Alchemist,_ and _The Naked God_. The first two novels are split into two books each and the last is a massive 1000 page single volume (about 3000 pages overall). Don’t let the size fool you though; each one is a page-turner that will have you going to work in the morning bleary-eyed. It’s the only space opera I feel that outdoes _Dune_ in it’s scope, story, and fleshed out interstellar societies. I’d put it on par with _Lord of the Rings_ but it falls short of the emotional highs. It is _very_ high energy though, and the imaginative uses of high technology are well done. ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175/28 "2003-09-23T12:12:09Z")
[Watership Down](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0380002930/qid=1064319101/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/103-8234355-8334202) by Richard Adams. One of my all-time favorites, and the origin of my username. There’s also a sequel, “Tales From Watership Down”, which gives a little bit of information on what happened to the rabbits after the events of the first book, but mostly it’s a collection of the stories and myths the rabbits tell. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175/29 "2003-09-23T12:20:59Z")
Epics, eh? A bunch come to mind: - **Pillars of the Earth** by Follet - second that recommendation. Never aspires to literature, per se, but well researched, a page turner and epic by most definitions. A fun read. - **Shogun** by Clavell - second that rec, too. Haven’t read it in years, but very much puts you with Blackthorne the sailor in old Japan. - **Dune** - by Herbert - last second I will offer, but have to agree that it is epic and amazing. A personal fave. - **War and Peace** by Tolstoy. Pretty much the standard against which all epics are measured. Arguably one of the greatest novels ever written. Once you get past the tough Russian names, amazingly readable (okay, I only skimmed the parts about war strategy - go figure) - **Masters of Rome** by McCullough - first book of the currently 6-book series = First Man in Rome. Set in Roman right before the fall of the Republic and the rise of Caesar’s Empire, you get very well-researched history with compelling story-telling. Also a fave **The Source** by Michener - he’s been recommended in this thread, but I find this one to be his best. Plenty of others, but this is a good start. ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175/30 "2003-09-23T12:48:16Z")
Since you started off with **Lonesome Dove** that pretty much killed my contribution. But I have to share my favorite joke, which no one ever gets. Our cat, Jacques, has a habit of biting unexpectedly; it’s an act of betrayal, really, since it happens so often and without warning. We’ve tried & tried and cannot break him of this. So I find myself saying “Oh he’s a biter”. Which no one appreciates. Damnit, that’s funny![/hijack] Anyway, if you want a tacky, lusty epic, **The Thorn Birds** is kinda fun. And sleazy. I’m nervous about recommending **Gone With the Wind** because the racism is so appalling, but if you learn to skip paragraphs it’s my absolute favorite novel. It helps to follow it up with **Roots** , another great epic. And while it’s not really an epic, **Bonfire of the Vanities** is really engrossing, as is Wolfe’s **The Right Stuff**. ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175/31 "2003-09-23T13:14:56Z")
Since you started off with **Lonesome Dove** that pretty much killed my contribution. But I have to share my favorite joke, which no one ever gets. Our cat, Jacques, has a habit of biting unexpectedly; it’s an act of betrayal, really, since it happens so often and without warning. We’ve tried & tried and cannot break him of this. So I find myself saying “Oh he’s a biter”. Which no one appreciates. Damnit, that’s funny![/hijack] Anyway, if you want a tacky, lusty epic, **The Thorn Birds** is kinda fun. And sleazy. I’m nervous about recommending **Gone With the Wind** because the racism is so appalling, but if you learn to skip paragraphs it’s my absolute favorite novel. It helps to follow it up with **Roots** , another great epic. And while it’s not really an epic, **Bonfire of the Vanities** is really engrossing, as is Wolfe’s **The Right Stuff**. ---
**Author:** ![paulberserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@paulberserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulberserker)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175/32 "2003-09-23T14:13:23Z")
how about **The Descent** by Jeff Long? it took me about 3 days to read it, and its about 600 pages. enjoyable. or the **illuminatus trilogy**.although it really takes some getting in to. ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175/33 "2003-09-23T14:19:55Z")
Twenty books rather than one, but it’s all one epic story, beginning with _Master and Commander_: The Aubrey and Maturin series by Patrick O’Brian. ---
**Author:** ![YoudNeverGuess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a587f6/32.png) [@YoudNeverGuess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YoudNeverGuess)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175/34 "2003-09-23T14:28:23Z")
I’d second **War and Peace** (Leo Tolstoy), **Bonfire of the Vanities** (Tom Wolfe) and **Middlemarch** (George Elliott). You might also like: **Anna Karenina** - also by Tolstoy but less war stuff to wade through… **A Man in Full** - also Tom Wolfe - very good **Doctor Zhivago** - Boris Pasternak - brilliant story of love, war and revolution and the human spirit/ desire. He manages to tell a story of the Russian Revolution without castigating anyone but instead, delving into the human reasons and motivation behind their actions - showing characters’ flaws as well as their strengths. **A Suitable Boy** - Vikram Seth - VERY long but very readable and funny/ sad in parts - makes you want to go to India Not quite so long but I found it a real page turner and very enjoyable: **The True History of the Kelly Gang** - Peter Carey - the story of Ned Kelly the infamous Australian outlaw. Read it quick before the film comes out with Heath Ledger and Orlando Bloom (swoon…) ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175/35 "2003-09-23T14:33:45Z")
Time and Again, by Jack Finney. [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0684801051/qid=1064328038/sr=2-1/ref=sr\_2\_1/104-9433974-4851910](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0684801051/qid=1064328038/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/104-9433974-4851910) This book takes you back to turn-of-the-century New York. It is simply mesmerising. If you don’t love this book, I’ll buy it from you. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175/36 "2003-09-23T14:42:50Z")
Another vote for **A Suitable Boy** - one of my favourite books ever. Something like 1600 pages long. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175/37 "2003-09-23T16:35:56Z")
Very strange. I posted to this last night, and received an e-mail this morning that the thread had responses, etc., so I come back and my post isn’t here. Weird. Maybe I posted in the wrong thread. Oh well. I’m surprised then that there are new posts and no one has mentioned **Aztec** by Gary Jennings. That one usually pops up when someone puts epic and page-turner in the same sentence. If you like westerns (and it seems you do), then **Heart of the Country** by Greg Matthews would suit you. Great story and an anti-hero like no other. Another fat epic western but with maybe too much romance was **Wanderers Eastward, Wanderers West** by Kathleen Winsor. It might be hard to find though. ---
**Author:** ![RogueRacer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@RogueRacer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RogueRacer)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175/38 "2003-09-23T16:49:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Prospector \* > “Atlas Shrugged” is the best fiction book I’ve ever read! > > \*Originally posted by Bren\_Cameron \* > \*\*What was the other one? \*\* ROFL! Too funny! Although I have to say it was a real page turner for me. You go through pages fast skipping 20 or 30 at a time. With that one, you don’t have to worry about missing anything. Anyway, here’s a few… YMMV. Red Storm Rising & Hunt For Red October by Tom Clancy Another vote here for A Game of Thrones and its sequels by George R. R. Martin. Another great page turner is the Harry Potter series. Yes, they are very enjoyable even for adults. ---
**Author:** ![Wrenchslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/94ad74/32.png) [@Wrenchslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenchslinger)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175/39 "2003-09-23T16:52:17Z")
I’ll third \*\* War and Peace \*\*, second \*\* Anna Karenina \*\*, plus add \*\* The Brothers Karamotzov \*\* for the perfect Russian epic trifecta. (BTW, get the Peavar/Volokhonsky translations of Anna and Bros. K, they well worth the extra few bucks.) For literature closer to home, I always tell people to read any Mark Helprin novel they can get their hands on. His best by far are \*\* Winter’s Tale \*\* and \*\* A Soldier of the Great War \*\*. If you’re not in the mood for fiction but want a really good long history to fill up lonely winter nights try \*\* From Dawn to Decadence \*\* by Jaques Barzun. 800 pages of Western history fun! ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175/40 "2003-09-23T16:58:24Z")
Did you read the prequels and sequel to Lonesome Dove. I don’t believe they’re _as_ good, but they’re interesting and quite long! It would probably be helpful if I could remember what they’re called… **Dead Man’s Walk** **Comanche Moon** and the sequel is **Streets of Laredo** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-page-turner-of-an-epic-book/203175.md?page=3)