# Long stories



## JamesTFHS (Jan 3, 2013)

So i read some review or view if you will on some pretty lengthy books and series that ive enjoyed. to name them A song of ice and fire and the wheel of time. Alot of people complain about the length of these books and the overall series. Is there a decreased interest in long books or stories lately? I get being daunted by the wheel of time but i dont get people dislike ASOIAF its only going to be seven(pray to the gods only seven) books what is the big deal? Do you still like longer stories?

Im a little concerned do to the fact im planning a 10 book story all of them with large page numbers but lets focus on published works not my rough draft.


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## Ireth (Jan 3, 2013)

I don't think it's a problem with long series in and of themselves; it seems to be that some authors stretch and drag out their stories for a maximum number of books (and maximum *profit*) when it could easily be condensed into something a fraction of the size, and lose none of the plot.


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## Sheriff Woody (Jan 3, 2013)

Many people like or dislike things for very stupid reasons. 

Nothing wrong with a long book or a long story, as long as it's good.


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## kayd_mon (Jan 3, 2013)

I love A Song of Ice and Fire, and even though there is criticism for the "bloating" in the last two books, I ate them up. I love the world and all the details. 
I haven't read The Wheel of Time, but I plan on starting the long haul, perhaps this spring. 

A long series is great for me. I tend to get really into stories, and the more I can get, the better (provided that the stories remain engaging).


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## T.Allen.Smith (Jan 3, 2013)

Personally I don't mind it a bit. In fact I prefer serial stories in the 3 to 8 book range (WoT dragged on a bit long for me and in directions I didn't care for so I stopped reading at 10...). Nor do I mind lengthy books if that's what the story calls for 800+ pages is no concern for me as long as I'm enjoying the work.

Some readers, choose not to read a series until it is fully completed. This comes from a desire not interrupt the storyline with years in between or see authors die before completion. I get that, yet I don't mind the wait or anticipation.


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## Ankari (Jan 3, 2013)

I have a habit of *only* buying novels that belong to a serial story.  The length of the series doesn't matter, as long as every book is full of _story_ and not just filler.  Steven Erikson's _Malazan Book of the Fallen_ spanned over 10 books.  I never though it was too long (In fact, I was upset that so many threads were unaddressed by the end of the series).  I should place another requirement on long serials: the author needs to produce the novels in a reasonable time frame.  GRRM started writing is ASOIF series well before Steven Erikson wrote his series and GRMM is still stuck on book 6!

Uh oh.  /rantoff


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## Devor (Jan 3, 2013)

I don't mind the length of the series, so long as it's _intended_ to be a lengthy series and structured accordingly.  Harry Potter, for instance, was clearly always planned for seven books, with each book moving through a clear story arc, and the overall story developing at a smooth pace.  Song of Ice and Fire - while it has many strengths - had book four split in half, and the second half didn't even _finish_ the storyline GRRM was building up to.  That's a pretty big pacing problem.

Other series go on without an end in sight.  Sometimes the only connection between books is the setting, and I can respect that approach.  Other times there's a building story arc that starts strong and weakens or feels stretched after a few books.  I think that's when there's a problem.


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## MadMadys (Jan 3, 2013)

As long as I'm never aware that I'm reading a long story, I don't mind.  The moment I have the thought "wow, this is long" it's usually because I've been taken out of the story and I'm disappoint


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