Bryan's Big Books 2021.

Thanks john for setting up this group, great to see so many people here already.
I managed 42 big books at an average of 673 pages last year and hope to have a similar year of reading in 2021.
Hope we all have a big year of big book reading !

Hi Bryan, here we go again. Good to see you in 2021.

Nice numbers for last year.

Thanks connie, you too.

Hi Bryan mate, nice to see you here again, hope you have a good reading year. I may not post as much but i will be visiting the threads to see how everyone is going on.

Cheers John, happy reading !

1. The Complete Poems by Emily Dickinson, 717 p.

I am not such a keen reader of poetry but this book came next on my 'The Greatest Books'.org challenge, so I read maybe 15 pages a day since mid December. Plenty of clever rhymes but nothing like the awe that Walt Whitman inspires.

2. Rabbit Angstrom. The Four Novels by John Updike, 1516 p.

Another book from my 'Greatest Books' challenge, a long but quite engaging story of the life of Harry Angstrom, an American man who finds much of life frustrating. Harry is not the most likeable character but I could identify with some of his angst and enjoyed this book.

2 big books ; 2233 total pages ; average 1,116.5 pages.

3. East of Eden by John Steinbeck, 728 p.

This is a big novel with an epic story of two families, the Hamiltons and the Trasks who live in rural California in the 18th to 19th century. Themes of family, love, hate, and redemption in the lives of ordinary people made this a very good read for me.

3 big books ; 2,961 total pages ; average 987 pages.

You're making amazing progress with your BFBs!

Hi Bryan mate, awesome reading progress so far.

Thanks MissWatson and John, being on holidays helps !

Am enjoying a fantasy Return of the Crimson Guard at 1054 pages, fairly light read, but have The Complete Fiction of H.P. Lovecraft 1101 pages coming up, not a light read.
Cheers and happy reading.

4. Return of the Crimson Guard by Ian C. Esslemont, 1054 p.

I really enjoyed Steven Erikson's Malazan 10 volume series and Esslemont has continued the series, his writing is no where near as good as Erikson's (so far) but I'll read anything about The Malazan Books of the Fallen.

4 big books ; total pages 4,015 ; average 1004 pages.

5. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak, 584 pages.

Reread and very happy to be reminded of how good this novel is.

5 big books ; total pages 4599 ; average 920 pages.

6. Stonewielder by Ian C. Esslemont, 884 p.

Next in Esslemont's Malazan series, always enjoy spending time in this world.

6 big books ; total pages 5,483 ; average 914 pages.

7. Malice by John Gwynne, 628 p.

John Gwynne's debut novel is a enjoyable coming-of-age fantasy with engaging characters. It is the first of a 4 book series, apparently the writing/story improves greatly in the next book Valour so i am looking forward to it.

7 big books ; total pages 6,111 ; average 873 pages.

8. The Complete Fiction of H.P. Lovecraft, 1102 p.

Though little appreciated during his life, Lovecraft is now regarded as one of the most original and significant writers of weird, supernatural fiction.
My favourites of his short stories and novellas ; 'Herbert West-Reanimator',' The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath', 'The Case of Charles Dexter Ward', 'The Shadow Over Innsmouth', 'The Quest of Iranon', and the delightful parody 'Sweet Ermengade'.

8 big books ; total pages 7,213 ; average 901 pages.

9. The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh, 552 p.

Friend lent me this historical fictional account of South East Asia from the late 1800s to the late 1900s, I found the historical aspects interesting, the characters not so much.

9 big books ; total pages 7,765 ; average 863 pages.

10. The Tibetan Book of the Dead, 515 p.

11. Valour by John Gwynne, 648 p.

Second in Gwynne's The Faithful and the Fallen series, engaging story and characters and I'm looking forward to Ruin and Wrath.

11 big books ; total pages 8,928 ; average 811 pages.

12. Ruin by John Gwynne, 746 p.

Next in The Faithful and the Fallen series, enjoying the series and will go straight onto Wrath, fourth and final book.

12 big books; total pages 9,674; average 806 pages.

13. Wrath by John Gwynne, 685 p.

Finale of the Faithful and the Fallen series, an enjoyable fantasy story with many engaging characters, happy to recommend it.

13 big books ; 10,359 total pages ; average 797 pages.