Do long books put you off reading?

[Larry Phillips]

Depends on the topic. I have no interest in reading War and Peace.
However, in retirement I plan to attack Moby Dick.

[Mike_Lang]

I have been reading on Stephen King's 11/22/63 and I am really excited about finally being able to finish it soon!

That's the exact book I was thinking of when I read this thread. At 800-something pages it's the longest book I've read in quite some time. I wanted to read it from the moment I heard of it, then when I got a copy from my local library I put off cracking it open for several days because of the length...once I started reading I was pretty much caught up in the story.

I wouldn't say long books put me off, they do make me more ... hmm ... what's the word I want here ... particular? Judicious? I am less likely to reach outside of my genre comfort zone when it comes to longer books. I'm much more likely to take a chance on something I might not normally be interested in if it's in the 300-page max range.

[ESpurgeon82]

I have honestly put off reading the Game Of Thrones books. I know as soon as an I do get into them, I won't be able to put them down!

[doyle5]

No...well it depends if its a decent book. I tent to live long reads. If the book doesn't have a redeeming quality about it I won't read it. I haven't found one yet.

[Sarah G]

I love big books. Normally it means that it has a more complex story and it becomes more immersion as you are reading it for longer

[tinmmm]

Long books actually make me eager to start on them. However, I lose interest if the pacing's too slow for no reason...

[doyle5]

It depends on how good it is. I have this thing where if I start reading book I have to finish it and I only read one book at a time. So in order to move on to a book that interests me I have to finish reading the book that I currently reading. I've tried moving on from books that aren't appealing to me, but it always bugs me that I don't know what happens.

[Gnj]

I am far more attracted towards thick books than I am towards thin ones. I personally find, that with longer books, there is more time to allow the story to develop and for the characters to grow. I often find that once you are immersed within such an in depth journey, you really get a lot out of the countless chapters and pages. I often feel rejuvenated after reading a well-detailed tomb.

Not that short novels aren't good of course - there are some fantastic ones out there. I just often time that I am not given enough time to sink my teeth into the characters before the chapters come to an end.

[Mntgrl1969]

If a book of over 500 pages peaks my interest, I will read it but maybe take a break halfway through unless it is so interesting that I can't put it down. I am usually reading 2 or 3 books at any one time so this works for me.

-- 03 Jan 2016, 10:17 --

If a book of over 500 pages peaks my interest, I will read it but maybe take a break halfway through unless it is so interesting that I can't put it down. I am usually reading 2 or 3 books at any one time so this works for me.

[KateNox]

Never! If book is good, no length can put me off. I'm more skeptical towards "skinny" books.

[falloutlunartic]

It depends on the book, because sometimes the book is NOT LONG ENOUGH even if it has 800 pages... Other times a book can't be short enough, you just want it to end!

[Bookaholic14]

I don't consider the length of a book or series when deciding to read it. If its a good book, and as long as the plot moves at a reasonable pace and it's well written, I will read the book. The quality, rather than the length, is what usually makes it easier or harder for me to read. Over the past three years most of the books I've purchased have been digital, so I don't see the physically large (and perhaps intimidating) size of the novel, which I think is a good thing. I would have missed out on some wonderful books and series if I had turned them down solely based on length. Likewise, I would have missed out on some great books if I had rejected short stories, novellas, or anything without a larger page count. Fahrenheit 451 is only 159 pages but it was an amazing and thought provoking story.

[ryne_57]

I usually prefer longer books, but I agree with a lot of the other respondents that it depends a lot on the author and the genre. Stephen King has gotten mentioned a lot, but, when you pick up a 1,000 page King novel, you know what you're in for. For some people who enjoy his writing style, that's the enticement to pick it up right there. If you're on the fence about him, you may want to put that one down and pick up one of his short story collections. Some authors just use a lot of words to set the scene. They know what they want to convey to the readers and they want to convey it with as little ambiguity as possible. Therefore, they craft detailed and elaborate landscapes and characters and backstories. Other authors provide a framework for their stories, choosing to provide the readers with a compelling story and let them fill in the details however they see fit. Neither is right or wrong, because it ultimately comes down to the writing style.

If I'm looking for something to read in my spare time during a week where I think I might be particularly busy, I'd probably shy away from the longer books and just pick up something shorter since I know I'll be reading it in shorter spurts. However, if I've got a weekend free and the weather has turned cold and blustery, I'm kicking back in my recliner with a cup of hot chocolate and the biggest, thickest novel I can get my hands on, and I'm fully immersing myself in that world.

I think of it as planning your meals. Sometimes you just want to grab a quick bite just to tide you over, but, at other times, you want to sit down to a Thanksgiving feast.

[Stari]

Not unless it was unnecessarily long. Even then it just puts me off the author, never reading.

[tracey clark]

if I love the author/genre then the longer the better... and at the end I always want more