11-09-2012, 01:00 PM | #31 |
Omnivorous
Posts: 3,281
Karma: 27978909
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Rural NW Oregon
Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1
|
I'm trudging through Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898 right now. Count Pages plugin for Calibre reports it being a bit over 3000 pages. I'm actually enjoying the book, but I've been reading it off and on for ages and am only about 7% into it, so it's a bit depressing. That said, it's an enjoyable non-fiction and I'll just keep trudging.
I tend to not read short stories and novellas. I like my fiction in the 400 page range. |
11-09-2012, 01:53 PM | #32 |
Wizard
Posts: 2,145
Karma: 11174187
Join Date: Jan 2011
Device: Sony 350, K3-3G, K4SO, KPW
|
My problem with books that are too long (for me) is that, by the time I've reached the end, I've forgotten a lot of what the beginning was. but then, I have a compromised short-term memory from a (relatively minor) closed head injury.
This didn't happen with Name of the Wind, but I was listening to that in audio on a long trip down to Florida, so the listening time was compressed into just a few days. I rarely get a chance to read/listen that intensely. |
Advert | |
|
11-09-2012, 02:34 PM | #33 | |
Guru
Posts: 802
Karma: 4727110
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Sweden
Device: Iriver Story
|
Quote:
|
|
11-09-2012, 03:19 PM | #34 |
Wizard
Posts: 4,812
Karma: 26912940
Join Date: Apr 2010
Device: sony PRS-T1 and T3, Kobo Mini and Aura HD, Tablet
|
Definitely. Not quite the same as breaking a long book into 4 equal chunks though. A really good series IMO the books can be read standalone and there is a conclusion to each book. If God forbid, the series ends at that point you may wish for more but you aren't left hanging.
When I first got my ereader and found I could get whole series I read a lot of series books in a row. Unfortunately I burnt out on most after book 10 approximately so I changed my reading habits. If I broke a 1000 page book into 4 equal parts I would most likely be left hanging, in which case I would continue on or abandon the book. And I hate abandoning a book unless it offends me or is total drek. I read a lot right now, probably 1200 pages a week or more. Even so I find the thought of reading massive tomes a bit appalling or intimidating. I am reading a Nero Wolfe book right now which by todays standards would be considered a novella. But I have never felt let down by a Nero Wolfe book. I also completed a John Lescroart novel of 640 pages which I had been reading for 2 days. Enjoyed both thoroughly. I guess my point is, if I even have one, is who would I be fooling by breaking a big book into 4 parts. Would it make it a better book if I read one part a day? Would I breath a big sigh of relief as I completed each segment. Not likely. helen |
11-09-2012, 05:23 PM | #35 | |
Member Retired
Posts: 1,999
Karma: 11348924
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Limbo
Device: none
|
I can actually be attracted to long books. I've fully read Stephen King's the Stand uncut, Tolkien's The lord of the Rings, Jenning's Raptor etc ... It takes me time to finish those but I don't shy away from a book just cause it's long to read.
Quote:
|
|
Advert | |
|
11-09-2012, 08:04 PM | #36 |
Enthusiast
Posts: 45
Karma: 480620
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Idaho, USA
Device: Nook Tablet
|
|
11-10-2012, 03:21 AM | #37 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 5,100
Karma: 24047426
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Utrecht, the Netherlands
Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition
|
If I'm sure I'm going to like a book I don't mind it if it's long. If I'm not sure I'm going to like it I'm hesitant starting it. For instance, I've been putting off A Feast of Crows by George R.R. Martin for ages because a lot of people say it's a long long read.
If I start to burn out a bit when reading a long book I take a break by reading something complete different which is usually quick and easy. |
11-14-2012, 10:15 AM | #38 |
Maria Schneider
Posts: 3,746
Karma: 26439330
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Near Austin, Texas
Device: 3g Kindle Keyboard
|
I prefer medium books. I'll read a short story or novella once in a while, but I generally don't go looking for them. I very much avoid books that are over 450 pages. Seriously. I don't want that kind of time commitment. I read them when I was younger, but I loathe the idea now. It's crazy, I know. I recently got a print book that was 3 books in one at the library. I couldn't read it. Yes, I know. It was 3 separate books (fantasy series). I started it, but it wasn't compelling enough that I could see myself reading that much material about the characters...
I seem to be geared to 250 to 350 pages. I know about how long it will take and can set aside that amount of time to read in one or two sittings. |
11-14-2012, 10:35 AM | #39 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 11,305
Karma: 43993832
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Monroe Wisconsin
Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)
|
As far as book length I think it often runs along the same lines of what Mozart (Tom Hulce) said in the movie 'Amadeus' when someone said there were too many notes in a piece of his music. He said, "I have used just as many as were needed, neither more nor less" and I think the same applies to the number of pages in a book. The author uses that number of pages which are necessary to tell his/her story, neither more nor less than that. Besides with a longer story you get to see a writer's craft at its best I think. Anyone could throw together a short story or a novella but to put together a 600 + page novel that keeps its focus and develops its story properly is another thing. And besides as mentioned already with ebook tech. you don't notice the additional heft of a longer book. It's not unwhieldy to carry due to being too thick either. The modern ereader makes all books equal in that way I think.
|
11-14-2012, 10:36 AM | #40 |
Zealot
Posts: 129
Karma: 3000000
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Canada
Device: Kindle Keyboard, Asus Transformer
|
With rare exceptions ('The Stand' being one of them) life's too short for thousand page doorstops. I'd rather read four 40-60,000 word novels than one 200-250,000.
|
11-14-2012, 07:06 PM | #41 | |
Addict
Posts: 208
Karma: 1203096
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Device: Nexus 7, Blackberry PlayBook, Nexus 4, ChromeBook
|
Quote:
There are no page numbers, and unless I keep referring back to the ToC, I really have no idea how far along I am at any particular time. As long as I'm enjoying the story I just keep goin' along for the ride, no matter how long it is - until, all to soon, it's over. |
|
11-14-2012, 09:40 PM | #42 |
Indie Advocate
Posts: 2,863
Karma: 18794463
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Device: Kindle
|
Hmmmm - I shouldn't be concerned because book length certainly has no bearing on whether I BUY a book or not.
However, I tend to find that I a bunch of reading commitments that sometimes get in the way of me picking that huge tome that I purchased - think Neal Stephenson, Peter Hamilton, Patrick Rothfuss etc.. I'm not as good at reading multiple books in parallel otherwise I'd read the bigger books in the background while powering through some of the books I feel the need to complete in a specific timeframe. I have promised myself that I'm going to tackle some of my bigger books next year. Of course, I could always dedicate a lot more time to reading and the size of a book becomes less of a factor. Sounds like infallible reasoning to me. |
11-15-2012, 01:30 AM | #43 | |
Award-Winning Participant
Posts: 7,316
Karma: 67862884
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: NJ, USA
Device: Kindle
|
Quote:
|
|
11-15-2012, 06:52 AM | #44 |
Guru
Posts: 649
Karma: 5632362
Join Date: Dec 2011
Device: Kindle PW 4, Oasis 2
|
I read long novels and short novels, but the frequency with which I read a certain sized novel is inversely proportional to the size of the novel. I read many more short novels than I do long ones. It's easier to get cozy with long novels or series in the summer, right now I'm too busy for that kind of commitment.
|
11-15-2012, 09:57 AM | #45 | |
Well trained by Cats
Posts: 29,801
Karma: 54830978
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: The Central Coast of California
Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A
|
Quote:
the progress indicator is not visible while reading on my PEz (Adobe). I have to bring up a menu to see anything available , other than the book. |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Nemesis by Philip Roth book length question | alstein | Kobo Reader | 2 | 09-15-2011 10:59 PM |
Which length of fiction? | crich70 | Writers' Corner | 12 | 06-03-2011 06:27 PM |
Do you ever choose a book to read based on its length? | ficbot | General Discussions | 54 | 05-12-2011 09:22 PM |