Two of my all time favourites are the Gormenghast series and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. Also pretty keen on Discworld, favourites are probably Thud and Going Postal, but I also have fond memories of Pyramids and Hogfather among the earlier books, although I haven’t read those ones since I was a kid. I’m not particularly bothered by time period or setting, I do prefer the world have at least a hint of magic in it. Also preferably nothing too self-serious, at least a little comedy. But my main concern is that it be a hefty tome that could cause series injury when swung or dropped on the head. (Discworld gets a pass for the series as a whole being so massive)
I am aware of and/or have already read LotR, WoT, ASoIaF, hoping to find something I’ve never heard of.
Thank you!
by MitterMak
4 Comments
I don’t know if it counts as not being too serious, but I definitely recommend [The Hands of the Emperor](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/551cbb9f-e1fb-45c6-9aaf-f04282e088a2) by Victoria Goddard! It’s a beautifully written slice of life book about the personal secretary to the emperor of the world, with a heavy focus on platonic relationships. And the hardcover edition has 899 pages (I have the paperback copy at 738 pages, and it definitely qualifies as “a hefty tome that could could cause serious injury when swung or dropped on the head”)
Gormenghast is so weird and cool.
Stephenson’s Baroque Cycle ticks the length & density boxes but the fantastical element is very, very low key – more in the historical fiction vein – so might not be what you’re after.
I seem to be recommending this a lot, but Victoria Goddard’s “Nine Worlds” series includes two very substantial and intricate books, “The Hands of the Emperor” and “At the Feet of the Sun”, together with a whole host of short stories.
RJ Barker is a writer of fairly massive tomes, and his books are really good [and you may not have heard of him.] In the same sort of range of medieval type fantasy as LOTR but imo, better [more interesting characters.] The Wounded Kingdom trilogy, Tidechild trilogy. Short on humour, though.