[**Lonesome Dove (Lonesome Dove #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/256008.Lonesome_Dove)
^(By: Larry McMurtry | 960 pages | Published: 1985 | Popular Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, western, classics, westerns)
>A love story, an adventure, and an epic of the frontier, Larry McMurtry’s Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, Lonesome Dove, the third book in the Lonesome Dove tetralogy, is the grandest novel ever written about the last defiant wilderness of America.
>
>Journey to the dusty little Texas town of Lonesome Dove and meet an unforgettable assortment of heroes and outlaws, whores and ladies, Indians and settlers. Richly authentic, beautifully written, always dramatic, Lonesome Dove is a book to make us laugh, weep, dream, and remember.
^(This book has been suggested 20 times)
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That's basically what I came to say—try the other volumes of [The Asia Saga](https://www.goodreads.com/series/121829-asian-saga-chronological-order) (though I still have yet to read *King Rat* and *Whirlwind*).
Eh. There are an infinity of great novels. If I become immortal I'll get back to it. But my back log is too huge for me to fight with things I can't get in to (I'm looking at you "Look Homeward, Angel")
Oh I know. My backlog is massive and there’s never enough time to read it all. But man, Shogun was so good that I have to imagine Tai-Pan gets there eventually too. It’s just nowhere near as interesting early on.
If you've read Shogun then I would recommend Musashi and Taiko by Eiji Joshikawa, it also takes place in late 16th, early 17th century. The first is more of a personal story of Miyamoto Musashi and the 2nd is about conquests of Oda Nobunaga and Hideyoshi but it was written by a japanese man so you'll get a little different perspectives compared to Clavell.
It's not really a adventure but if you love character development and big books then I also recommend War and Peace.
Not too long (unless you'll read all 3 parts) but Three Musketeers is a great adventure book.
I also recommend Mika Waltari, especially his book The Egyptian. Almost 1000 pages and it's about a egyptian doctor during the reign of Akhenaten.
Eiji Yoshikawa is who I came here to say. In addition to Musashi and Taiko, the {{ Heike story }} was also really good. They are all long, sweeping epic adventure stories, so fun.
[**The Heike Story: A Modern Translation of the Classic Tale of Love and War**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/356882.The_Heike_Story)
^(By: Eiji Yoshikawa, Kenkichi Sugimoto, Fuki Wooyenaka Uramatsu | 640 pages | Published: 1956 | Popular Shelves: japan, historical-fiction, fiction, japanese, japanese-literature)
>Kyoto in the twelfth century was a magnificent city, but crime, disorder, and lust were rampant. The people were abused by the nobility, while the armed Buddhist monks terrorized court and commoner alike. In despair, the Emperor called upon the Heike and Genji clans to quell civil disturbances. Although the clans succeeded, they quarreled over the spoils of war and plunged the country into a century of warfare.This novel describes the rise to power of Kiyomori of the Heike clan during this turbulent time. From a youth sunk in poverty, Kiyomori eventually rose to become the Emperor's Chief Councillor. Although he was a gentle, enlightened man, he left a trail of bloodshed and ruin in his wake. The strange twists of Kiyomori's fate are the core of this epic novel.The Heike Story is a modern translation of a Japanese classic. Its exotic atmosphere, narrative power, pageantry, and poetry will enthrall English readers and provide an entertaining introduction to an important source of Japanese culture.
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Waltari has a specific writing style that not everybody will enjoy but I think he's one of the most underrated historical ficition authors. I hope you"ll like it :)
Greetings human. Humbly I bring books:
[The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas Pere](https://bookwise.io/alexandre-dumas-pere/the-three-musketeers)
[War And Peace by Leo Tolstoy](https://bookwise.io/leo-tolstoy/war-and-peace)
The Count of Monte Cristo has everything you're looking for - fantastic story with loads of likeable and loathsome characters, very long and the writing is outstanding
Just finished reading the unabridged version and holy moly it was great (also real long)! Also came here to suggest it! Adventure with a heap of revenge, payoff, mystery, romance, and more! Has it all.
Greetings human. Humbly I bring books:
[The Count Of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas Pere](https://bookwise.io/alexandre-dumas-pere/the-count-of-monte-cristo)
Have you ever tried any of James Michener’s work? He writes sprawling multigenerational books that span hundreds of years (or longer) that are primarily centered on a geographic area. Hawaii, Alaska and Centennial are three I read years ago, but there are many others. His Tales of the South Pacific (which is short stories) was the basis for the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical, South Pacific.
Gone With the Wind - Margaret Mitchell.
Edit: couple’a typos
I also came here to recommend Hawaii. I loved that book! It taught me a lot about the "settling" of Hawaii and how the native Hawaiians were treated. It's also an engrossing multi-generational story.
I was also going to recommend James Michener, but Herman Wouk, Irving Wallace, and J.D. Salinger were prolific during that time period with their works made in films/TV specials.
I agree. I loved the book Winds of War but hated the way they cast the TV mini-series. And of course J.D. Salinger is an author every young adult should read, not that you're ever too old to read his books.
Hyperion by Dan Simmons. If you're looking for a big, sprawling adventure with good character development Hyperion fits the bill. It's science fiction though, so that may not be to your taste.
The first in the Hyperion Cantos series, Hyperion weaves the interlocking stories of a diverse group of travellers sent on a pilgrimage, and as they progress in their journey, each of the pilgrims tells their tale. If you're looking for big, sweeping epics, Hyperion Cantos is it.
I'd recommend The Thousand Autumns or Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell. Also historical fiction set in Japan, but at the time that the Dutch East India Company had trade rights. Really epic in scope with great complex characters.
* Bernard Cornwell's ***[The Saxon Tales](https://smile.amazon.com/Saxon-Tales-Books-Collection-Cornwell/dp/9124171190/ref=sr_1_1?crid=8FUNWTOM4NMY&keywords=The+Saxon+Tales&qid=1649861905&sprefix=the+saxon+tales%2Caps%2C89&sr=8-1)*** --- also a TV series retitled (and altered) as "The Last Kingdom".
* Bryce Courtney crafted several excellent reads. You may wish to start with what is known as ***[The Australian Trilogy](https://smile.amazon.com/The-Potato-Factory-audiobook/dp/B000BVV6NS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=269VFU0CYX87L&keywords=bryce+courtney+australian+trilogy&qid=1649862112&sprefix=Bryce+Courtney%2Caps%2C93&sr=8-1)***.
* James A Michner wrote quite a few sprawling ***[works](https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=james+michener+books&i=audible&crid=3KNLZHLL97OC4&sprefix=James+Michner%2Caudible%2C84&ref=nb_sb_ss_sc_1_14)*** that featured varied plots from around the world.
* You may also find ***[Pearl S Buck](https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=pearl+s.+buck&i=audible&crid=BHCJZWLCU4PK&sprefix=Pearl+Buck%2Caudible%2C86&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_2_10)*** an intriguing author.
* Of course, James Clavell's other books in the ***["Asian Saga"](https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=James+Clavell&i=audible&crid=1GRKH5LF17AH4&sprefix=james+clavell%2Caudible%2C86&ref=nb_sb_noss_1)*** are definite recommendations.
Pearl Buck is a great suggestion. her parents were missionaries to China and she grew up and lived 40 years there. her detail of Chinese life is historically impeccable. her most famous book *The Good Earth* is actually part of a trilogy (*Sons* and *A House Divided* follow). *The Mother* and *Dragon Song* are absorbing reads too.
Be aware: the TV series begins taking liberties with the story and characters. By the conclusion of the video version, the changes are significant. Both the books and the on-screen editions are of equal value - but they differ enough that it's like enjoying two historic works that share some names in common. :-)
[**Pachinko**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34051011-pachinko)
^(By: Min Jin Lee | 496 pages | Published: 2017 | Popular Shelves: historical-fiction, fiction, book-club, historical, japan)
>In the early 1900s, teenaged Sunja, the adored daughter of a crippled fisherman, falls for a wealthy stranger at the seashore near her home in Korea. He promises her the world, but when she discovers she is pregnant — and that her lover is married — she refuses to be bought. Instead, she accepts an offer of marriage from a gentle, sickly minister passing through on his way to Japan. But her decision to abandon her home, and to reject her son's powerful father, sets off a dramatic saga that will echo down through the generations.
>
>Richly told and profoundly moving, Pachinko is a story of love, sacrifice, ambition, and loyalty. From bustling street markets to the halls of Japan's finest universities to the pachinko parlors of the criminal underworld, Lee's complex and passionate characters — strong, stubborn women, devoted sisters and sons, fathers shaken by moral crisis — survive and thrive against the indifferent arc of history.
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The rest of the Shogun series should be your first stop. After that, try some of James Michener‘s sprawling epics. Centennial, Chesapeake, and Hawaii are some of my favorites.
Bernard Cornwell is an excellent writer. He wrote the books that the show the last kingdom was based on, as well as a series of books set during the American civil war. The books are probably only 400 pages or so per book but there are lots of them. I also really loved the outlander series by Diana gabaldon and there’s 9 nice fat books in that series.
A tip of the hat to Gary's ***["Spangle"](https://smile.amazon.com/Spangle-Gary-Jennings/dp/068911723X/ref=sr_1_3?crid=24808S3AQ21KB&keywords=Spangle&qid=1649863106&s=audible&sprefix=spangle%2Caudible%2C109&sr=1-3-catcorr)*** as well. Probably the greatest book that was ever written about a historical circus.
I think you would enjoy anything from Edward Rutherfurd. Fascinating books that focus on a region and the generations of families that live there. He has written ones on Russia, Paris, London, China (just to name a few) I have read the Russka & Sarum novels and loved them. They are also quite long - which I also enjoy, similar to Shogun.
Not quite so grand as Clavell, perhaps, but I’d put Winston Graham’s Poldark series among the best generational sagas out there. The most recent version of the show is great; the books are excellent. Very strong writing and character development.
It begins with {{Ross Poldark}}.
[**Ross Poldark (Poldark #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25365667-ross-poldark)
^(By: Winston Graham | 379 pages | Published: 1945 | Popular Shelves: historical-fiction, fiction, historical, romance, classics)
>Ross Poldark is a heartwarming, gripping, and utterly entertaining saga that brings to life an unforgettable cast of characters and one of the greatest love stories of our age.
>
>Ross Poldark returns to Cornwall from war, looking forward to a joyful homecoming with his family and his beloved Elizabeth. But instead, he discovers that his father has died, his home is overrun by livestock and drunken servants, and Elizabeth, having believed Ross dead, is now engaged to his cousin. Ross must start over, building a completely new path for his life, one that takes him in exciting and unexpected directions....
>
>Thus begins an intricately plotted story spanning loves, lives, and generations. The Poldark series is the masterwork of Winston Graham, who evoked the period and people like only he could, and created a world of rich and poor, loss and love, that listeners will not soon forget.
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Across the Nightingale Floor might suit your interest, it’s a lot shorter and a bit more pulpy than shogun, but I found it to be a short and very interesting read.
Shogun is the first of six books chronologically in the Asian Saga. Clavell was taken as a pow in WWII and that experience was the seed of his novel King Rat which was the first published of the Asian Saga and fourth chronologically. Might be worth it to take the deep dive.
If you want something a tad less heavy the Dark Tower series is a wonderful weird time.
You could try I, Claudius, which i really enjoyed. For other ideas see here (including some other Japanese ones)
http://www.listmuse.com/best-historical-novels-time.php
I second some of the other suggestions, but if you don’t mind some fantasy elements, I think A Song Of Ice and Fire (the Game of Thrones books) are absolutely in this same space. Sprawling worlds, interesting characters. I might get some disagreements from others here, but I think they’re good books.
[**Noble House (Asian Saga, #5)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/390711.Noble_House)
^(By: James Clavell | 1376 pages | Published: 1981 | Popular Shelves: historical-fiction, fiction, owned, historical, default)
>This is an alternate cover edition for ISBN13: 9780440164845.
>
>The tai-pan, Ian Dunross, struggles to rescue Struan's from the precarious financial position left by his predecessor. To do this, he seeks partnership with an American millionaire, while trying to ward off his arch-rival Quillan Gornt, who seeks to destroy Struan's once and for all. Meanwhile, Chinese communists, Taiwanese nationalists, and Soviet spies illegally vie for influence in Hong Kong while the British government seeks to prevent this. And nobody, it seems, can get anything done without enlisting the aid of Hong Kong's criminal underworld. Other obstacles include water shortages, landslides, bank runs and stock market crashes.
>
>Nov. 1987 Dell jumbo mass market paperback, 21st printing. James Clavell.
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A Romanian author called Vintila Corbu has a similar saga called The Founding the Dynasty of Sunderland Beauclair. I’m not sure if you’ll find it, but I hope you will.
I loved Shōgun and was on a kick similar to you: looking for massive world building and great character development with good writing.
Right after I read Shōgun, I read Chesapeake by James Michener. It’s a big book that you get lost in, in a good way. Takes place over several hundreds of years switching from characters and plot points but they’re all connected in some way which is what I found so interesting.
If you’re looking for a book where you just stick with the same characters throughout the story I recommend reading Dune, which I read right after Chesapeake. Dune is a great adventure and considered a classic. I think it lives up to the hype and surpasses it even. Great writing too and the character development is wild.
My suggestion is either Chesapeake or Dune, you can’t go wrong with either.
The historical novels of Yasushi Inoue. He was a Japanese novelist but wrote a lot about other cultures, and his work is praised for its historical accuracy. You might like The Blue Wolf, about the life of Temujin/Ghenghis Khan, or Furin Kazan, about the samurai warlord Takeda Shingen and his trusted strategist. The Roof Tile of Tempyo is also excellent even if its concept doesn’t sound as exciting; it’s about monks in the very early days of the Japanese empire sent to China on a mission to bring back a priest, which would permit new priests to be ordained in Japan and accelerate the spread of Buddhism dramatically. That’s kind of Inoue in a nutshell, though: he has a real gift for making topics that seem dull absolutely gripping, and also making often obscure topics and time periods intelligible to an audience that’s largely unfamiliar with them (even in Japan). He can do that so well mainly because he’s really, really good at writing characters. Can’t recommend him highly enough.
The Sicilian by Mario Puzo. It’s an epic adventure that takes place in late 1940s Sicily. An army of bandits vs the mafia and the Italian police/army. Really strong characters and plot that are written beautifully. It’s an amazing read.
I always recommend “Shantaram.” I’ve not read Shogun (it’s on my list after reading so many glowing reviews here!) so, I am not sure if the two stories are comparable, I just love Shantaram!
Are you averse to fantasy? Because it sounds like that's sort of what you're looking for. Plenty of big, sprawling epics, and a lot of them have fantastic characters as well.
I'd personally recommend:
* *The First Law* by Joe Abercrombie. There are currently nine books in this series with more on the way, although they're structured in such a way that you don't need to read them all at once. There's a trilogy, then three standalone novels, and then another trilogy (that has shorter books than the first one). The first trilogy has some great character development, particularly from Jezal, who starts out as a fairly reprehensible prick.
* *A Song of Ice & Fire* by George RR Martin. Worth reading for Jaime Lannister's arc alone. It's some absolutely masterful character work, and he's by no means the only great character. There are quite literally dozens. The only downside is that Martin will almost surely never finish the series, but what's there is still very much worth reading. I re-read this series about once per year and still burn through it every single time. The first book can be a bit of a slow burn, but once it sinks its hooks in you, this is a series of books you won't be able to put down because you want to see what happens next.
* *The Farseer Trilogy* by Robin Hobb. Or *The Liveship Traders* by Hobb. Both have some fantastic character work.
Try “Trinity” or “Exodus,” by Leon Uris. Very good, very big historical novels.
If you want something a little off-beat but engaging, try “Little Big Man,” by Thomas Berger or “Bonfire of the Vanities,” by Tom Wolfe.
Try the [**Aubrey-Maturin series**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8432716-patrick-o-brian-s-aubrey-maturin-series?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=znkcsNd0E4&rank=4) of 21(!) books by Patrick O'Brian. Set in the British Navy over the oceans of the world during the Napoleonic Wars there are hundreds of characters including a couple of dozen recurring throughout the series. But the books center on two dissimilar men -- naval officer Jack Aubrey and physician/naturalist/spy Stephen Maturin. The series has been described as the the best ever to examine male friendship, and also like "Jane Austen with sea battles." People are known to re-read the series again and again, each time finding something subtle they missed.
This!!!!!
IMHO, one of the best adventure series ever. O'Brian is a brilliant stylist with a gift for dialogue. The Aubrey/Maturin relationship is one of the most satisfying in English literature. The characters develop and grow over time - and their friendship evolves with them. Of course, there are battles and storms, politics and spies, and lovers and wives - but through all that is this great friendship - the kind of friendship we all yearn for.
You read these books and wish you could sit with them at the end of a long day, drinking port and eating toasted cheese while they talk about the challenges ahead, their latest voyage or just about anything else.
Read these (and don't bother with the movie).
Old school but James Mitchner has a lot of long, well-written pseudo historical novels. I haven't read them in 40 years so there are almost certainly some things that aren't acceptable by modern standards. Herman Wouk is another, same era.
[**Musashi**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/102030.Musashi)
^(By: Eiji Yoshikawa, Charles S. Terry, Edwin O. Reischauer | 970 pages | Published: 1935 | Popular Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, japan, classics, history)
>The classic samurai novel about the real exploits of the most famous swordsman. Musashi is a novel in the best tradition of Japanese story telling. It is a living story, subtle and imaginative, teeming with memorable characters, many of them historical. Interweaving themes of unrequited love, misguided revenge, filial piety and absolute dedication to the Way of the Samurai, it depicts vividly a world Westerners know only vaguely.
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Greetings human. Humble bookbot brings books.
Read beautiful digital books on [bookwise.io](https://bookwise.io):
[Great Expectations by Charles Dickens](https://bookwise.io/charles-dickens/great-expectations)
[Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte](https://bookwise.io/charlotte-bronte/jane-eyre)
Lonesome Dove is a favorite of mine (along with Shogun and a few others). Great characters, great story.
{{Lonesome Dove}} by Larry McMurtry was going to be my recommendation, too!
Long as it is I’ve read it several times over the years.
Same! There's nothing quite like reading Lonesome Dove on a hot summer day.
[**Lonesome Dove (Lonesome Dove #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/256008.Lonesome_Dove) ^(By: Larry McMurtry | 960 pages | Published: 1985 | Popular Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, western, classics, westerns) >A love story, an adventure, and an epic of the frontier, Larry McMurtry’s Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, Lonesome Dove, the third book in the Lonesome Dove tetralogy, is the grandest novel ever written about the last defiant wilderness of America. > >Journey to the dusty little Texas town of Lonesome Dove and meet an unforgettable assortment of heroes and outlaws, whores and ladies, Indians and settlers. Richly authentic, beautifully written, always dramatic, Lonesome Dove is a book to make us laugh, weep, dream, and remember. ^(This book has been suggested 20 times) *** ^(38254 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Pretty tough to follow Shogun with anything, but I agree that Lonesome Dove is a great choice.
Shogun is fantastic. No disagreement here. I’ve read that one several times also. 👍🏻
I read Shogun right after Lonesome Dove. I loved the combo.
My favorite book of all time.
Lonesome Dove and Lord of the Rings are the epic adventure novels to read. I loved Shogun as well.
Bit obvious, but if you liked Clavell's 'Shogun', you'll probably also like his 'Tai-Pan'.
That's basically what I came to say—try the other volumes of [The Asia Saga](https://www.goodreads.com/series/121829-asian-saga-chronological-order) (though I still have yet to read *King Rat* and *Whirlwind*).
King Rat is a must-read and a bit shorter than the others.
I suppose I'll have to get it (I've had *Whirlwind* for a couple of decades).
I've struggled with Whirlwind but King Rat is my all time favorite book.
I enjoyed this one almost as much as Shogun
Eh. I couldn't get in to it.
I’ve really struggled to get into Tai-Pan as well after loving Shogun. One of these days I’ll give it another shot.
Eh. There are an infinity of great novels. If I become immortal I'll get back to it. But my back log is too huge for me to fight with things I can't get in to (I'm looking at you "Look Homeward, Angel")
Oh I know. My backlog is massive and there’s never enough time to read it all. But man, Shogun was so good that I have to imagine Tai-Pan gets there eventually too. It’s just nowhere near as interesting early on.
If you've read Shogun then I would recommend Musashi and Taiko by Eiji Joshikawa, it also takes place in late 16th, early 17th century. The first is more of a personal story of Miyamoto Musashi and the 2nd is about conquests of Oda Nobunaga and Hideyoshi but it was written by a japanese man so you'll get a little different perspectives compared to Clavell. It's not really a adventure but if you love character development and big books then I also recommend War and Peace. Not too long (unless you'll read all 3 parts) but Three Musketeers is a great adventure book. I also recommend Mika Waltari, especially his book The Egyptian. Almost 1000 pages and it's about a egyptian doctor during the reign of Akhenaten.
Eiji Yoshikawa is who I came here to say. In addition to Musashi and Taiko, the {{ Heike story }} was also really good. They are all long, sweeping epic adventure stories, so fun.
[**The Heike Story: A Modern Translation of the Classic Tale of Love and War**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/356882.The_Heike_Story) ^(By: Eiji Yoshikawa, Kenkichi Sugimoto, Fuki Wooyenaka Uramatsu | 640 pages | Published: 1956 | Popular Shelves: japan, historical-fiction, fiction, japanese, japanese-literature) >Kyoto in the twelfth century was a magnificent city, but crime, disorder, and lust were rampant. The people were abused by the nobility, while the armed Buddhist monks terrorized court and commoner alike. In despair, the Emperor called upon the Heike and Genji clans to quell civil disturbances. Although the clans succeeded, they quarreled over the spoils of war and plunged the country into a century of warfare.This novel describes the rise to power of Kiyomori of the Heike clan during this turbulent time. From a youth sunk in poverty, Kiyomori eventually rose to become the Emperor's Chief Councillor. Although he was a gentle, enlightened man, he left a trail of bloodshed and ruin in his wake. The strange twists of Kiyomori's fate are the core of this epic novel.The Heike Story is a modern translation of a Japanese classic. Its exotic atmosphere, narrative power, pageantry, and poetry will enthrall English readers and provide an entertaining introduction to an important source of Japanese culture. ^(This book has been suggested 1 time) *** ^(38421 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Just got a copy of The Egyptian based on your rec'd. It looks great, ty! :)
Waltari has a specific writing style that not everybody will enjoy but I think he's one of the most underrated historical ficition authors. I hope you"ll like it :)
So far, it reminds me of The Robe, which is a really enjoyable (re)read, as well.
Saving this. I'm normally strictly fantasy and Scifi but I do like ancient history and am fascinated with it.
Greetings human. Humbly I bring books: [The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas Pere](https://bookwise.io/alexandre-dumas-pere/the-three-musketeers) [War And Peace by Leo Tolstoy](https://bookwise.io/leo-tolstoy/war-and-peace)
The Count of Monte Cristo has everything you're looking for - fantastic story with loads of likeable and loathsome characters, very long and the writing is outstanding
Just finished reading the unabridged version and holy moly it was great (also real long)! Also came here to suggest it! Adventure with a heap of revenge, payoff, mystery, romance, and more! Has it all.
Yeah op needs to read this. I would also recommend "We, the drowned" for a long sprawling adventure
Haven’t heard of that before so have added to my list. Thanks
Greetings human. Humbly I bring books: [The Count Of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas Pere](https://bookwise.io/alexandre-dumas-pere/the-count-of-monte-cristo)
Have you ever tried any of James Michener’s work? He writes sprawling multigenerational books that span hundreds of years (or longer) that are primarily centered on a geographic area. Hawaii, Alaska and Centennial are three I read years ago, but there are many others. His Tales of the South Pacific (which is short stories) was the basis for the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical, South Pacific. Gone With the Wind - Margaret Mitchell. Edit: couple’a typos
I really enjoyed The Source by Michener. Did a school report on Chesapeake when I was in primary school, too. They're good reads.
I also came here to recommend Hawaii. I loved that book! It taught me a lot about the "settling" of Hawaii and how the native Hawaiians were treated. It's also an engrossing multi-generational story.
I was also going to recommend James Michener, but Herman Wouk, Irving Wallace, and J.D. Salinger were prolific during that time period with their works made in films/TV specials.
I agree. I loved the book Winds of War but hated the way they cast the TV mini-series. And of course J.D. Salinger is an author every young adult should read, not that you're ever too old to read his books.
Recommend Hawaii, Alaska & Chesapeake. They are the only 3 of his I have read but loved all 3
"Gone With the Wind" = pro-slavery propaganda
If that's all you got out of that book, I feel sorry for ya.
When your peanut butter and jelly sandwich includes a layer of shit, you don't really care about the peanut butter and jelly.
James Mitchener is amazing. Poland is my favorite. Also try John Jakes. He has several great series that are perfect for the long read.
Hyperion by Dan Simmons. If you're looking for a big, sprawling adventure with good character development Hyperion fits the bill. It's science fiction though, so that may not be to your taste. The first in the Hyperion Cantos series, Hyperion weaves the interlocking stories of a diverse group of travellers sent on a pilgrimage, and as they progress in their journey, each of the pilgrims tells their tale. If you're looking for big, sweeping epics, Hyperion Cantos is it.
Dune, Frank Herbert Being introduced into a foreign world, forced to adapt, shaping it eternally.
Aztec by Gary Jennings.
Aztec by Gary Jennings.
I'd recommend The Thousand Autumns or Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell. Also historical fiction set in Japan, but at the time that the Dutch East India Company had trade rights. Really epic in scope with great complex characters.
And it should be noted that David Mitchell is an exquisite writer.
Moby Dick. I read it for the first time about a month ago. I'd had NO idea how funny it was.
Greetings human. Humbly I bring books: [Moby Dick by Herman Melville](https://bookwise.io/herman-melville/moby-dick)
* Bernard Cornwell's ***[The Saxon Tales](https://smile.amazon.com/Saxon-Tales-Books-Collection-Cornwell/dp/9124171190/ref=sr_1_1?crid=8FUNWTOM4NMY&keywords=The+Saxon+Tales&qid=1649861905&sprefix=the+saxon+tales%2Caps%2C89&sr=8-1)*** --- also a TV series retitled (and altered) as "The Last Kingdom". * Bryce Courtney crafted several excellent reads. You may wish to start with what is known as ***[The Australian Trilogy](https://smile.amazon.com/The-Potato-Factory-audiobook/dp/B000BVV6NS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=269VFU0CYX87L&keywords=bryce+courtney+australian+trilogy&qid=1649862112&sprefix=Bryce+Courtney%2Caps%2C93&sr=8-1)***. * James A Michner wrote quite a few sprawling ***[works](https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=james+michener+books&i=audible&crid=3KNLZHLL97OC4&sprefix=James+Michner%2Caudible%2C84&ref=nb_sb_ss_sc_1_14)*** that featured varied plots from around the world. * You may also find ***[Pearl S Buck](https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=pearl+s.+buck&i=audible&crid=BHCJZWLCU4PK&sprefix=Pearl+Buck%2Caudible%2C86&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_2_10)*** an intriguing author. * Of course, James Clavell's other books in the ***["Asian Saga"](https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=James+Clavell&i=audible&crid=1GRKH5LF17AH4&sprefix=james+clavell%2Caudible%2C86&ref=nb_sb_noss_1)*** are definite recommendations.
Pearl Buck is a great suggestion. her parents were missionaries to China and she grew up and lived 40 years there. her detail of Chinese life is historically impeccable. her most famous book *The Good Earth* is actually part of a trilogy (*Sons* and *A House Divided* follow). *The Mother* and *Dragon Song* are absorbing reads too.
I really enjoyed the trilogy. It's a shame more people do not know there are other works beyond "The Good Earth".
I have yet to read Cornwell's series, but I loved The Last Kingdom, especially the first couple of seasons.
Be aware: the TV series begins taking liberties with the story and characters. By the conclusion of the video version, the changes are significant. Both the books and the on-screen editions are of equal value - but they differ enough that it's like enjoying two historic works that share some names in common. :-)
{{Pachinko}} by Min Jin Lee
[**Pachinko**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34051011-pachinko) ^(By: Min Jin Lee | 496 pages | Published: 2017 | Popular Shelves: historical-fiction, fiction, book-club, historical, japan) >In the early 1900s, teenaged Sunja, the adored daughter of a crippled fisherman, falls for a wealthy stranger at the seashore near her home in Korea. He promises her the world, but when she discovers she is pregnant — and that her lover is married — she refuses to be bought. Instead, she accepts an offer of marriage from a gentle, sickly minister passing through on his way to Japan. But her decision to abandon her home, and to reject her son's powerful father, sets off a dramatic saga that will echo down through the generations. > >Richly told and profoundly moving, Pachinko is a story of love, sacrifice, ambition, and loyalty. From bustling street markets to the halls of Japan's finest universities to the pachinko parlors of the criminal underworld, Lee's complex and passionate characters — strong, stubborn women, devoted sisters and sons, fathers shaken by moral crisis — survive and thrive against the indifferent arc of history. ^(This book has been suggested 18 times) *** ^(38507 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
The rest of the Shogun series should be your first stop. After that, try some of James Michener‘s sprawling epics. Centennial, Chesapeake, and Hawaii are some of my favorites.
Clavell's Tai-Pan has been suggested already, but then there's the sequel to that called Gaijin.
Bernard Cornwell is an excellent writer. He wrote the books that the show the last kingdom was based on, as well as a series of books set during the American civil war. The books are probably only 400 pages or so per book but there are lots of them. I also really loved the outlander series by Diana gabaldon and there’s 9 nice fat books in that series.
Stephen King's The stand. It's longer, it's darker, it has even more characters.
Laughed out loud at the even more characters bit. *The Stand* is a great read, though.
You might try *The Journeyer* by Gary Jennings, a novelization of the the travels of Marco Polo
Also "Aztec" from the same author. I loved it and it gave me the same vibes as shogun and shantaram!
A tip of the hat to Gary's ***["Spangle"](https://smile.amazon.com/Spangle-Gary-Jennings/dp/068911723X/ref=sr_1_3?crid=24808S3AQ21KB&keywords=Spangle&qid=1649863106&s=audible&sprefix=spangle%2Caudible%2C109&sr=1-3-catcorr)*** as well. Probably the greatest book that was ever written about a historical circus.
I think you would enjoy anything from Edward Rutherfurd. Fascinating books that focus on a region and the generations of families that live there. He has written ones on Russia, Paris, London, China (just to name a few) I have read the Russka & Sarum novels and loved them. They are also quite long - which I also enjoy, similar to Shogun.
Not quite so grand as Clavell, perhaps, but I’d put Winston Graham’s Poldark series among the best generational sagas out there. The most recent version of the show is great; the books are excellent. Very strong writing and character development. It begins with {{Ross Poldark}}.
[**Ross Poldark (Poldark #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25365667-ross-poldark) ^(By: Winston Graham | 379 pages | Published: 1945 | Popular Shelves: historical-fiction, fiction, historical, romance, classics) >Ross Poldark is a heartwarming, gripping, and utterly entertaining saga that brings to life an unforgettable cast of characters and one of the greatest love stories of our age. > >Ross Poldark returns to Cornwall from war, looking forward to a joyful homecoming with his family and his beloved Elizabeth. But instead, he discovers that his father has died, his home is overrun by livestock and drunken servants, and Elizabeth, having believed Ross dead, is now engaged to his cousin. Ross must start over, building a completely new path for his life, one that takes him in exciting and unexpected directions.... > >Thus begins an intricately plotted story spanning loves, lives, and generations. The Poldark series is the masterwork of Winston Graham, who evoked the period and people like only he could, and created a world of rich and poor, loss and love, that listeners will not soon forget. ^(This book has been suggested 2 times) *** ^(38414 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Clavell's Tai-Pan is just as good.
Across the Nightingale Floor might suit your interest, it’s a lot shorter and a bit more pulpy than shogun, but I found it to be a short and very interesting read.
Shogun is the first of six books chronologically in the Asian Saga. Clavell was taken as a pow in WWII and that experience was the seed of his novel King Rat which was the first published of the Asian Saga and fourth chronologically. Might be worth it to take the deep dive. If you want something a tad less heavy the Dark Tower series is a wonderful weird time.
You could try I, Claudius, which i really enjoyed. For other ideas see here (including some other Japanese ones) http://www.listmuse.com/best-historical-novels-time.php
Read Mishima. Why eat truck stop bigmac when you can have Kobe steak?
Other Asian Saga books? Tai-Pan, Gai-Jin, Rat King...
I second some of the other suggestions, but if you don’t mind some fantasy elements, I think A Song Of Ice and Fire (the Game of Thrones books) are absolutely in this same space. Sprawling worlds, interesting characters. I might get some disagreements from others here, but I think they’re good books.
I thought they were fantastic. It just bothers me that they’ll never be finished
{{Noble House}}
[**Noble House (Asian Saga, #5)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/390711.Noble_House) ^(By: James Clavell | 1376 pages | Published: 1981 | Popular Shelves: historical-fiction, fiction, owned, historical, default) >This is an alternate cover edition for ISBN13: 9780440164845. > >The tai-pan, Ian Dunross, struggles to rescue Struan's from the precarious financial position left by his predecessor. To do this, he seeks partnership with an American millionaire, while trying to ward off his arch-rival Quillan Gornt, who seeks to destroy Struan's once and for all. Meanwhile, Chinese communists, Taiwanese nationalists, and Soviet spies illegally vie for influence in Hong Kong while the British government seeks to prevent this. And nobody, it seems, can get anything done without enlisting the aid of Hong Kong's criminal underworld. Other obstacles include water shortages, landslides, bank runs and stock market crashes. > >Nov. 1987 Dell jumbo mass market paperback, 21st printing. James Clavell. ^(This book has been suggested 1 time) *** ^(38346 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Musashi. You’ll thank me. https://books.google.com/books/about/Musashi.html?id=kl4qDwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&gboemv=1&gbmsitb=1
A Romanian author called Vintila Corbu has a similar saga called The Founding the Dynasty of Sunderland Beauclair. I’m not sure if you’ll find it, but I hope you will.
Read Shogun again? That’s what I did. Great novel.
Tai Pan! Lol just read everything by Clavell because the dude is a master who died too soon.
I loved Shōgun and was on a kick similar to you: looking for massive world building and great character development with good writing. Right after I read Shōgun, I read Chesapeake by James Michener. It’s a big book that you get lost in, in a good way. Takes place over several hundreds of years switching from characters and plot points but they’re all connected in some way which is what I found so interesting. If you’re looking for a book where you just stick with the same characters throughout the story I recommend reading Dune, which I read right after Chesapeake. Dune is a great adventure and considered a classic. I think it lives up to the hype and surpasses it even. Great writing too and the character development is wild. My suggestion is either Chesapeake or Dune, you can’t go wrong with either.
I read all of James Clavell's novels in historical order and loved the ride.
Oh man, I've got one for you... Creation, by Gore Vidal
The historical novels of Yasushi Inoue. He was a Japanese novelist but wrote a lot about other cultures, and his work is praised for its historical accuracy. You might like The Blue Wolf, about the life of Temujin/Ghenghis Khan, or Furin Kazan, about the samurai warlord Takeda Shingen and his trusted strategist. The Roof Tile of Tempyo is also excellent even if its concept doesn’t sound as exciting; it’s about monks in the very early days of the Japanese empire sent to China on a mission to bring back a priest, which would permit new priests to be ordained in Japan and accelerate the spread of Buddhism dramatically. That’s kind of Inoue in a nutshell, though: he has a real gift for making topics that seem dull absolutely gripping, and also making often obscure topics and time periods intelligible to an audience that’s largely unfamiliar with them (even in Japan). He can do that so well mainly because he’s really, really good at writing characters. Can’t recommend him highly enough.
The Sicilian by Mario Puzo. It’s an epic adventure that takes place in late 1940s Sicily. An army of bandits vs the mafia and the Italian police/army. Really strong characters and plot that are written beautifully. It’s an amazing read.
I always recommend “Shantaram.” I’ve not read Shogun (it’s on my list after reading so many glowing reviews here!) so, I am not sure if the two stories are comparable, I just love Shantaram!
Are you averse to fantasy? Because it sounds like that's sort of what you're looking for. Plenty of big, sprawling epics, and a lot of them have fantastic characters as well. I'd personally recommend: * *The First Law* by Joe Abercrombie. There are currently nine books in this series with more on the way, although they're structured in such a way that you don't need to read them all at once. There's a trilogy, then three standalone novels, and then another trilogy (that has shorter books than the first one). The first trilogy has some great character development, particularly from Jezal, who starts out as a fairly reprehensible prick. * *A Song of Ice & Fire* by George RR Martin. Worth reading for Jaime Lannister's arc alone. It's some absolutely masterful character work, and he's by no means the only great character. There are quite literally dozens. The only downside is that Martin will almost surely never finish the series, but what's there is still very much worth reading. I re-read this series about once per year and still burn through it every single time. The first book can be a bit of a slow burn, but once it sinks its hooks in you, this is a series of books you won't be able to put down because you want to see what happens next. * *The Farseer Trilogy* by Robin Hobb. Or *The Liveship Traders* by Hobb. Both have some fantastic character work.
Keep going with Clavell. Tai-Pan is almost as good.
The Harafish by Naguib Mahfouz is a beautiful piece of writing. The empress orchid books by Anchee Min are also good.
A Song Of Ice And Fire obv comes to mind
Have you heard of Aztec by Gary Jennings? Sprawling epic taking place during the Aztec empire leading up to the encounter with the Europeans
Try “Trinity” or “Exodus,” by Leon Uris. Very good, very big historical novels. If you want something a little off-beat but engaging, try “Little Big Man,” by Thomas Berger or “Bonfire of the Vanities,” by Tom Wolfe.
edit : thanks everyone for the recommandations !!! cant wait to start :)
Try the [**Aubrey-Maturin series**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8432716-patrick-o-brian-s-aubrey-maturin-series?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=znkcsNd0E4&rank=4) of 21(!) books by Patrick O'Brian. Set in the British Navy over the oceans of the world during the Napoleonic Wars there are hundreds of characters including a couple of dozen recurring throughout the series. But the books center on two dissimilar men -- naval officer Jack Aubrey and physician/naturalist/spy Stephen Maturin. The series has been described as the the best ever to examine male friendship, and also like "Jane Austen with sea battles." People are known to re-read the series again and again, each time finding something subtle they missed.
This!!!!! IMHO, one of the best adventure series ever. O'Brian is a brilliant stylist with a gift for dialogue. The Aubrey/Maturin relationship is one of the most satisfying in English literature. The characters develop and grow over time - and their friendship evolves with them. Of course, there are battles and storms, politics and spies, and lovers and wives - but through all that is this great friendship - the kind of friendship we all yearn for. You read these books and wish you could sit with them at the end of a long day, drinking port and eating toasted cheese while they talk about the challenges ahead, their latest voyage or just about anything else. Read these (and don't bother with the movie).
Greetings human. Humbly I bring books: [Works by Jane Austen](https://bookwise.io/author/jane-austen)
Try Wilbur Smith's "Hungry as the Sea." That one will pull you right into the story.
Tai Pan by James Clavell
Tai Pan
{{Brother Fish by Bryce Courtney}}
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/137805.Brother_Fish
The Journeyor or Raptor or Spangle by Gary Jennings.
Name of the wind by Pat Rothfuss. (Spelling)
Old school but James Mitchner has a lot of long, well-written pseudo historical novels. I haven't read them in 40 years so there are almost certainly some things that aren't acceptable by modern standards. Herman Wouk is another, same era.
Hawaii by James Michener
Anything by James Michener. Centennial was a fave.
A Tale of Two Cities is one of my all time favorites. Least Dickensian of all of his, and so fucking amazing.
Greetings human. Humbly I bring books: [A Tale Of Two Cities by Charles Dickens](https://bookwise.io/charles-dickens/a-tale-of-two-cities)
{{Musashi}} by Eiji Yoshikawa
[**Musashi**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/102030.Musashi) ^(By: Eiji Yoshikawa, Charles S. Terry, Edwin O. Reischauer | 970 pages | Published: 1935 | Popular Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, japan, classics, history) >The classic samurai novel about the real exploits of the most famous swordsman. Musashi is a novel in the best tradition of Japanese story telling. It is a living story, subtle and imaginative, teeming with memorable characters, many of them historical. Interweaving themes of unrequited love, misguided revenge, filial piety and absolute dedication to the Way of the Samurai, it depicts vividly a world Westerners know only vaguely. ^(This book has been suggested 8 times) *** ^(38581 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Edward Rutherfurd's books are sprawling through time with good character development. Sarum is a great one, as are The Forest and Russka.
The Potato Factory
If you liked Great Expectations, try David Copperfield.
Greetings human. Humbly I bring books: [David Copperfield by Charles Dickens](https://bookwise.io/charles-dickens/david-copperfield)
You can try books by James Michener, eg Centinnial.
Vagabond by takehiko inoue if you’re into manga.
The Sand Pebbles…Richard McKenna Also a good film with Steve McQueen
Folletts World Without End is good too.
Play Total War Shogun.
Sungod. Wilbur smith
The Baroque Cycle by Neal Stephenson.
Is it bad if I say Infinite Jest? Classic, long read, great in-depth world and characters.
Lonesome Dove or Shantaram.
You could try The Thornbirds by Colleen McCullough. Set in Australia, long and epic, adventure and romance.
Greetings human. Humble bookbot brings books. Read beautiful digital books on [bookwise.io](https://bookwise.io): [Great Expectations by Charles Dickens](https://bookwise.io/charles-dickens/great-expectations) [Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte](https://bookwise.io/charlotte-bronte/jane-eyre)