For quite some time, I only read epic-length stories. Anything above 150-200k words or 1000kb.
But surely, I overlooked some great stories that are over the threshold but cut up into shorter segments.
Looking through the Universe and Series categories is tedious and not always successful. Also, I want a somewhat coherent series that has an overarching plot or consistent cast. So, something like "Naked in School Universe" wouldn't fit.
Are you looking for any long stories at all, or can you narrow it down a bit to genres and tags you're interested in? Because there are alot of 1000kb+ stories out there, and it would be easier to recommend something good if you tell us something more than that series and universes should be coherent. If you don't care about what kind of story you read, I can just make a long list, but I wouldn't personally recommend some of them. Like you, I much prefer to read 1000kb+ stories, but I've found myself running out of those I find interesting.
Until you post some more specifics of what you're looking for, I'll just throw out some of my favourites.
Bowling for Hearts by Rare Dream
https://storiesonline.net/s/41850/bowling-for-hearts
https://storiesonline.net/a/Rare_Dream
Regan Riley and Andy Drayton by Jay Cantrell
https://storiesonline.net/series/1279/regan-riley-and-andy-drayton
https://storiesonline.net/a/Jay_Cantrell
Sea King universe by colt45
https://storiesonline.net/s/44463/sea-king
https://storiesonline.net/s/51360/quest-for-knowledge
https://storiesonline.net/a/colt45
Runaway Train by Jay Cantrell
https://storiesonline.net/s/13709/runaway-train
https://storiesonline.net/a/Jay_Cantrell
That's exactly what I don't want. I can search for big stories, like the mentioned, just fine.
I want to know big stories that are big or epic but not easily found as such, because they are divided into parts.
Let's take @gruntsgt recommendation Florida Friends. (I know about it, but not read yet.) It has over 20,000kb divided over a dozen smaller stories. If someone was looking for stories above 5,000kb, he/she would not easily find it.
I want to know big stories that are big or epic but not easily found as such, because they are divided into parts.
Then you may need to be looking in what's listed as a series. My Clan Amir series is a mix of short stories, novellas, and novels for 41 individual stories totalling 349,198 words of action. I've a few stories where there are sequels like Survivor and Survivor: Moving On, the Chaos Calls series of stories. Some of the stories in the Rivers Region series link in together, while most don't - some future stories will link in further. I also have some sequels planned for other stories, too. There are a number of authors who do that, and most have set up a Series or Universe within the Sol system.
But is your Series a coherent continued story with an overarching plot or a set cast of characters?
Like I said, looking at the Series and Universes is easy, finding the right type of story, not.
So, Series/Universes like MORFS, NiS, Swarm, Blues, etc. are not what I want.
More like Florida Friends, AWLL, OSL, etc. but are harder to find because the individual stories are under 1000kb.
But is your Series a coherent continued story with an overarching plot or a set cast of characters?
Most of the stories focus on events in the life of the one main character, but there are a couple of chronologically earlier events that deal with his grandparents, parents, and a mentor.
If you enjoy the concept of NiS, then cautron and Don Lockwood both have several stories involving the same group of people. The three completed NiS stories by cautron have the same main character, while those by Don are centered around a group of friends, and at least some plots start in one story and continue to the next.
If you enjoy the concept of NiS, then cautron and Don Lockwood both have several stories involving the same group of people. The three completed NiS stories by cautron have the same main character, while those by Don are centered around a group of friends, and at least some plots start in one story and continue to the next.
Also, Don Lockwood is the one who came up with the Partners concept in NIS; previously you were completely on your own.
And genre or tags are irrelevant. I was surprised by the stuff I enjoyed over the last years and the stuff I can't stand anymore. It is fluid.
If you haven't read SeaLife's World of Light stories (starting with The Light Behind the World) then I'd suggest that. It sounds very much like what you're thinking of, though some of the stories aren't *that* short to begin with.
Celtic Cowboy's Love West of the Pecos stories.
Brian in the Dark's Dizyntk Imperium stories.
EzzyB's Chaos stories
Lordshipmahem's Manetee Bay stories may not add up to that length all total but they are coherent and contain many of the same characters.
Oyster50's Smart girl universe are mostly well connected (except Nina)
"Smart Girls" by Oyster50.
I added the sizes of all 13 Smart Girls stories and got 10,527 KB. Three of the stories are still in progress.
I thought of todd_d172's "Tales From The Shack" but it's only 727 KB.
HM.
Have you tried "Playing the Game" trilogy by Rev.Cotton Mather
https://storiesonline.net/series/1235/playing-the-game-parables
Although this is an older story(2007-8), in my opinion it has withstood the passage of time better than the two well known and highly regarded "coming of age" stories of the same era.
Although this is an older story(2007-8), in my opinion it has withstood the passage of time better than the two well known and highly regarded "coming of age" stories of the same era.
What are the "two well known and highly regarded" coming of age stories of the same era?
@pigs41
Although this is an older story(2007-8), in my opinion it has withstood the passage of time better than the two well known and highly regarded "coming of age" stories of the same era.
What are the "two well known and highly regarded" coming of age stories of the same era?
I am not pigs41, but I though of Adventures of Me and Martha Jane (https://storiesonline.net/s/30002/adventures-of-me-and-martha-jane). But, it's actually more than a decade older than 2007-8.
Summer Camp by Nick Scipio is of epic length, but as it's still ongoing, I am not sure what "era" it belongs to.
Thanks. I know Summer Camp is set in 70s and 80s. I don't remember the era of Me and Martha Jane.
Unless there's another book on its way, Nick Scipio's Summer Camp finished half a year ago.
Unless there's another book on its way, Nick Scipio's Summer Camp finished half a year ago.
That was book 4; book 5 isn't here, but is posting on his site
ok, I gave up on it when it became one 1MB chapter a year and I had to reread the preceding 1MB chapter to remember what was going on.
Yes - the chapters were probably only around 150KB.
Book 4 of Summer Camp is finished and posted. I think I recall that he posted something here saying he would eventually post Book 5 to SOL, and IIRC, he said 5 would be the final Book.
Book 5 on his site is behind a paywall. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I'd like to see it for free on SOL. Do you have any idea when he's going to do that?
And who wrote the trilogy about Sean Porter the soccer player? In a similar vein and very good.
Lazlo Zalezac's Jade Force series https://storiesonline.net/series/1106/jade-force-of-misera also seems to fit - book 14 now being published.
edit - or maybe not, at 2200kb for the 13 completed stories it is shorter than requested. Even so it is a consistent series which I find is a good read.
Lubrican has a series of interconnected stories that can be considered one story titled Making Of A Gigolo. The 16 individual stories total over 4,100 kb and fit your original requirements.
In dead-tree,
David Weber's Honor Harrington series, the first 2 books are in Baen's Free Library;
Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series;
Bernard Cornwell's Richard Sharpe series (20 books), set in the napoleonic era;
HM.
Frank Miller Sin City series of graphic novels and the movies are a great example of storylines that intersect various characters and places like the bar that Nancy Callahan dances at. what happens in the background in one comic is the main thing in another and so on.
George R R Martins Wild Cards series of novels is also a good read
In dead-tree:
Alan Dean Foster's Humanx Commonwelth universe with it's main series about Flinx and his mini-dragon Pip.
John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee novels.
HM.
Have you read the stories over over on weavespinner? Tarrin Kael is probably his best work and generally unknown by the majority of lite readers.
Have you read the stories over over on weavespinner? Tarrin Kael is probably his best work and generally unknown by the majority of lite readers.
Is Tarrin Kael really that good? I liked (the first 2 (? I don't remember which one I was at when I quit reading)) Subjugation and considered trying his other work, but like you say it's generally unknown by alot of people and what little I've heard about it were complaints about both plot holes where he could've overcome situations easily but just doesn't for no apparent reason, and that he's unreasonably angry all the time if I recall. This is a first where I actually hear someone say something good about Tarrin Kael.
What makes Tarrin Kael his best work in your opinion? I'm genuinely curious as it looks like a story I might like but have put off since I have really heard nothing good about it so far.
It is a good fantasy story. If you like furry/werepeople, it will give you more joy.
But it HAS massive plotholes and inconsistencies.
Timeline of past events changes from book to book, Reason for plot X changes from book to book (instead of "we wanted to be near you" it changed to "Our house was raided and we had to flee")
Is Tarrin Kael really that good? I liked (the first 2 (? I don't remember which one I was at when I quit reading)) Subjugation and considered trying his other work, but like you say it's generally unknown by alot of people and what little I've heard about it were complaints about both plot holes where he could've overcome situations easily but just doesn't for no apparent reason, and that he's unreasonably angry all the time if I recall. This is a first where I actually hear someone say something good about Tarrin Kael.
The series is excellent. It has become very tech-heavy over the last couple of books, but the characters are generally interesting and the plot is still intriguing to keep me interested. All in all quite enjoyable.
The series is excellent. It has become very tech-heavy over the last couple of books, but the characters are generally interesting and the plot is still intriguing to keep me interested. All in all quite enjoyable.
I've read the first book now, and it was as you say, quite enjoyable.
I'm really struggling with the second book though. I don't mind the threat of going mad trope when it's done right, but it isn't very good in Tarrin Kael. Rather than making my sympathize with him, he's making me actively dislike him. His version of madness is that he's easy to use violence and other than that he spends his time sulking about how no one in the world understands him. Rather than some madness, he's more like a violent child.
How long does this "emo-phase" last if you don't mind me asking? No need for spoilers of what happens, I just want to know if he stops acting like a man-child anytime soon, because if he won't, I don't think I can force myself through all five books.
How long does this "emo-phase" last if you don't mind me asking? No need for spoilers of what happens, I just want to know if he stops acting like a man-child anytime soon, because if he won't, I don't think I can force myself through all five books.
Considering his world is invaded by aliens, I feel many of his actions are justified. the MC does wrestle with his feelings for one (actually several, as he has platonic feelings for others) of the invaders versus his desire to free his people. Without offering spoliers, I can tell you that aside from his bouts of rebellious behavior, the MC does care about ALL of his friends (including the aliens). Read into that as you may, but the plot takes on a more universal approach in future books.
Considering his world is invaded by aliens, I feel many of his actions are justified. the MC does wrestle with his feelings for one (actually several, as he has platonic feelings for others) of the invaders versus his desire to free his people. Without offering spoliers, I can tell you that aside from his bouts of rebellious behavior, the MC does care about ALL of his friends (including the aliens). Read into that as you may, but the plot takes on a more universal approach in future books.
I was talking about Tarrin Kael, it sounds like you're talking about Subjugation, I didn't have any problems with the protagonist of Subjugation.
I was talking about Tarrin Kael, it sounds like you're talking about Subjugation, I didn't have any problems with the protagonist of Subjugation.
Sorry, you are right, of course (You had mentioned Subjugation and for some reason, that stuck in my head). I don't think I've read Tarrin Kael.
The Emo phase as you call it pretty much lasts the first part of book 2 alteast that's the part when it annoyed me.
He stays a bit of an asshole with trust issues a mile wide but he gets less mopey
But let's be honest, it kinda fits, cats are one of the few "casually cruel" animals.
sometimes series overlap in the way Jay Cantrell's do
-actually the overlap can be rather more intimate than that, for instance the last chapter of Square One covers the same meeting as appears in the first chapter of Hiding Patty, from a different viewpoint.
At about 4MB, The Bec Series by BarBar is worth a look.
In dead-tree, C.J.Cherryh's Foreigner series, 18 books so far at about 700-800KB each (a new book every year or so) with the same main characters and a developing political situation
At about 4MB, The Bec Series by BarBar is worth a look.
The Bec series is more than worth a look, IMO; one of the best-written tales on this site. Bec/2/3/4 comprise a single witty, moving, quirky, and beautifully-written coming-of-age story; strongly recommended to those who are not here just for the stroke stories.