Looping Wor(l)d

Updated:
Feb 2024 – Modesitt – all of Recluce // Abercrombie Age of Madness
Nov 2023 – Hamilton more precise counts Reality Dysfunction 385k > 372k, Neutronium Alchemist 393k > 378k, Naked God 452k > same
Oct 2023 – Michelle West
Jun 2023 – Esslemont, Forge of the High Mage
Sep 2022 – Solzhenitsyn, not fantasy but epic in all the wrong ways
July 2022 – Into the Narrowdark, Tad Williams
May 2022 – Jenn Lyons, complete
Jan 2022 – Jenn Lyons, A Chorus of Dragons
Dec 2021 – The Expanse, complete
Nov 2021 – Diana Gabaldon – Go Tell the Bees that I am Gone
July 2021 – Added Instrumentalities series by Glen Cook (sadly suspended after book 4) + David Hair Sunsurge Quartet complete
May 2021 – Erikson’s latest (is quite “short”)
December 2020 – Recalculated Hamilton’s The Naked God, since it didn’t seem likely after looking again at the physical book in my hands. Updated from the previous 469k down to the corrected 452k. Not a big change actually.
November 2020 – Rhythm of War, Sanderson
August 2020 – Gap Cycle, Donaldson
July 2020 – Upcoming Sanderson
12 January 2020 – Neal Asher & 8th Expanse
Jun 2019 – Tad Williams & latest Esslemont
11 December 2018 – Anniversaries – Uwe Johnson
27 November 2018 – Martin’s Fire and Blood
05 February 2018 – Tchaikovsky + Peake + Expanse 7
29 November 2017 – Deadhouse Landing (definitive)
16 November 2017 – Oathbringer
29 October 2017 – Deadhouse Landing, Esslemont (approx)
21 October 2017 – The Expanse 6th
14 October 2017 – Janny Wurts Destiny’s Conflict & Sanderson

When this post was originally written I used it just to track an handful of authors, then I kept adding stuff along the years. There’s no real order to this list, it simply grew in a haphazard way. The selection of authors also simply follows my curiosity and nothing else. The numbers are approximate and should omit indexes, appendices and stuff not directly belonging to the text itself.

To have an idea of a standard pagecount you can use this model:
100k = 250 pages
200k = 500 pages
400k = 1000 pages
(it’s 400 words on a single page, on average. Which is both a good overall average of a default layout being generally used and an easy calculation too)

Lord of the Rings – J. R. R. Tolkien

The Fellowship of the Ring: 186k
The Two Towers: 154k
The Return of the King: 130k

Total: 470k

Wheel of Time – Robert Jordan

The Eye of the World: 301k
The Great Hunt: 261k
The Dragon Reborn: 244k
The Shadow Rising: 386k
The Fires of Heaven: 346k
Lord of Chaos: 395k
A Crown of Swords: 289k
The Path of Daggers: 223k
Winter’s Heart: 239k
Crossroads of Twilight: 265k
Knife of Dreams: 314k

Total: 3M 263k

New Spring: 121k

Brandon Sanderson takeover

The Gathering Storm: 296k
Towers of Midnight: 325k
A Memory of Light: 355k

Total global: 4M 360k

Stormlight Archives – Brandon Sanderson

The Way of Kings: 380k
Words of Radiance: 400k
(Edgedancer): 39k (bridging novella)
Oathbringer: 450k (Nov 2017)
Rhythm of War: 453k (Nov 2020)
Book 5: (fall 2024)

A Song of Ice And Fire – George R. R. Martin

Fire and Blood: 250k (not counted in total)

A Game of Thrones: 295k
A Clash of Kings: 322k
A Storm of Swords: 419k
A Feast for Crows: 298k
A Dance with Dragons: 415k

Total: 1M 749k

Malazan Cycle – Steven Erikson & Ian C. Esslemont

Malazan Book of the Fallen – Steven Erikson

Gardens of the Moon: 204k
Deadhouse Gates: 267k
Memories of Ice: 355k
House of Chains: 302k
Midnight Tides: 267k
The Bonehunters: 358k
Reaper’s Gale: 382k
Toll the Hounds: 389k
Dust of Dreams: 370k
The Crippled God: 380k

Total: 3M 274k

Kharkanas Trilogy – Steven Erikson

Forge of Darkness: 293k
Fall of Light: 356k
A Walk in Shadow: ? (stalled & postponed)

Sequel Trilogy

The God is not Willing: 190k

Bauchelain & Korbal Broach novellas – Steven Erikson

Blood Follows: 21k
The Lees of Laughter’s End: 23k
The Healthy Dead: 23k

Crack’d Pot Trail: 50k
The Wurms of Blearmouth: 41k
The Fiends of Nightmaria: 26k (April 2016)

Total novellas: 184k

Total Erikson: 4M 297k

Ian C. Esslemont:

Night of Knives: 86k
Return of the Crimson Guard: 275k
Stonewielder: 234k
Orb Sceptre Throne: 218k
Blood and Bone: 227k
Assail: 207k

Sub-series total: 1M 247k

Prelude Trilogy

Dancer’s Lament: 145k (25 Feb 2016)
Deadhouse Landing: 130k (Nov 2017)
Kellanved’s Reach: 112k
Forge of the High Mage: 150k

Total Esslemont: 1M 784k

Total global: 6M 81k

The Second Apocalypse – R. Scott Bakker

Prince of Nothing Trilogy

The Darkness that Comes Before: 175k
The Warrior-Prophet: 205k
The Thousandfold Thought: 139k

Total: 519k

The Aspect-Emperor Trilogy(?)

The Judging Eye: 151k
The White-Luck Warrior: 202k
The Great Ordeal: 160k
The Unholy Consult: 150k (225k total, 5k summary, 12k short stories, 58k glossary)

Total: 663k

Total cycle: 1M 182k

Solar Cycle – Gene Wolfe

The Book of the New Sun

Shadow and Claw: 195k
Sword and Citadel: 195k

The Urth of the New Sun: 117k

Total: 507k

The Book of the Long Sun

Litany of the Long Sun: 203k
Epiphany of the Long Sun: 259k

Total: 462k

The Book of the Short Sun

On Blue’s Waters: 128k
In Green’s Jungles: 123k
Return to the Whorl: 148k

Total: 399k

Total cycle: 1M 368k

The Acts of Caine – Matthew Stover

Heroes Die: 209k
Blade of Tyshalle: 289k
Caine Black Knife: 128k
Caine’s Law: 142k

Total: 768k

The First Law – Joe Abercrombie

The Blade Itself: 191k
Before They Are Hanged: 196k
Last Argument of Kings: 231k

Total: 618k

(standalones)
Best Served Cold: 225k
The Heroes: 201k
Red Country: 172k (official)

A Little Hatred: 175k
The Trouble With Peace: 192k
The Wisdom of Crowds: 197k

Total: 564k

Total First Law: 1M 780k

Instrumentalities of the Night – Glen Cook

The Tyranny of the Night: 170k
Lord of the Silent Kingdom: 192k
Surrender to the Will of the Night: 189k
Working God’s Mischief: 159k

Total: 710k

A Land Fit for Heroes(?) – Richard Morgan

The Steel Remains: 141k
The Cold Commands: 165k
The Dark Defiles: 243k

Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne – Brian Staveley

The Emperor’s Blades: 179k
The Providence of Fire: 228k
The Last Mortal Bond: 290k (March 2016)

The Moontide – David Hair

Mage’s Blood: 233k
Scarlet Tides: 220k
Unholy War: 264k
Ascendant’s Rite: 270k

Total: 987k

Empress of the Fall: 227k
Prince of the Spear: 214k
Hearts of Ice: 211k
Mother of Demons: 216k

Total: 868k

Series total: 1M 855k

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever – Stephen R. Donaldson

The First Chronicles

Lord Foul’s Bane: 163k
The Illearth War: 177k
The Power That Preserves: 166k

Total: 506k

The Second Chronicles

The Wounded Land: 184k
The One Tree: 182k
White Gold Wielder: 182k

Total: 548k

The Last Chronicles

The Runes of the Earth: 231k
Fatal Revenant: 277k
Against All Things Ending: 263k
The Last Dark: 237k

Total: 1008k

Total Cycle: 2M 62k

The Gap Cycle – Stephen R. Donaldson

The Gap into Conflict: The Real Story: 44k
The Gap into Vision: Forbidden Knowledge: 139k
The Gap into Power: A Dark and Hungry God Arises: 164k
The Gap into Madness: Chaos and Order: 233k
The Gap into Ruin: This Day all Gods Die: 235k

Total Gap: 815k

The Wars of Light and Shadow – Janny Wurts

Curse of the Mistwraith: 226k

Ships of Merior: 200k
Warhost of Vastmark: 152k

Fugitive Prince: 214k (1997)
Grand Conspiracy: 228k
Peril’s Gate: 292k
Traitor’s Knot: 212k
Stormed Fortress: 239k (2007)

Initiate’s Trial: 243k
Destiny’s Conflict: 189k

Song of the Mysteries: ? (May 2024)

Total: 2M 195k

Essalieyan universe? – Michelle West

The Sun Sword

The Broken Crown: 266k
The Uncrowned King: 252k
The Shining Court: 273k
Sea of Sorrows: 279k
The Riven Shield: 244k
The Sun Sword: 353k
Total: 1M 667k

The House War

The Hidden City: 230k
City of Night: 178k
House Name: 246k
Skirmish: 224k
Battle: 268k
Oracle: 269k
Firstborn: 228k
War: 223k
Total: 1M 866k

The Burning Crown

Hunter’s Redoubt: 299k (October 2023)

Total Cycle: 3M 829k

The Saga of Recluce – L. E. Modesitt Jr.
(publishing order is not internal chronological order, but the intended reading order)

The Magic of Recluce: 159k (Jan 1, 1991)
The Towers of the Sunset: 148k
The Magic Engineer: 201k
The Order War: 182k
The Death of Chaos: 211k
Fall of Angels: 180k
The Chaos Balance: 182k
The White Order: 145k
Colors of Chaos: 248k
Magi’i of Cyador: 166k
Scion of Cyador: 209k
The Wellspring of Chaos: 136k
Ordermaster: 175k
Natural Ordermage: 178k
Mage-Guard of Hamor: 214k
Arms-Commander: 185k
Cyador’s Heirs: 189k
Heritage of Cyador: 188k
The Mongrel Mage: 211k
Outcasts of Order: 244k
The Mage-Fire War: 192k
Fairhaven Rising: 190k
From the Forest: 184k (Jan 23, 2024)
Overcaptain: (forthcoming Nov 12, 2024)
Sub-Majer’s Challenge: (forthcoming 2025)
Last of the First: (forthcoming 2025)

Total Recluce: 4M 317k

Memory, Sorrow and Thorn – Tad Williams

The Dragonborne Chair: 286k
Stone of Farewell: 264k
To Green Angel Tower: 522k

Total: 1M 72k

The Last King of Osten Ard

The Witchwood Crown: 338k
Empire of Grass: 305k
Into the Narrowdark: 272k
The Navigator’s Children: (now late 2024)
The last two were meant as one volume, but the publisher decided to split it in two smaller books

Osten Ard Total: 1M 987k

Otherland – Tad Williams

City of Golden Shadow: 297k
River of Blue Fire: 258k
Mountain of Black Glass: 275k
Sea of Silver Light: 359k

Total: 1M 189k

Greater Foundation – Isaac Asimov

(ideal reading order, not chronological)

The Complete Robot: 191k

Caves of Steel: 70k
The Naked Sun: 67k
The Robots of Dawn: 140k
Robots and Empire: 139k

The Currents of Space: 69k
The Stars, Like Dust: 69k
Pebble in the Sky: 70k

Foundation: 66k
Foundation and Empire: 72k
Second Foundation: 70k

Foundation’s Edge: 134k
Foundation and Earth: 142k

Prelude to Foundation: 129k
Forward the Foundation: 120k

Total: 1M 548k

Dune – Frank Herbert

Dune: 188k
Dune Messiah: 60k
Children of Dune: 148k
God Emperor of Dune: 138k
Heretics of Dune: 164k
Chapterhouse Dune: 141k

Total: 839k

The Night’s Dawn Trilogy – Peter F. Hamilton

The Reality Dysfunction: 372k
The Neutronium Alchemist: 378k
The Naked God: 452k

Total: 1M 202k

Polity Universe – Neal Asher

(chronological order)

Prador Moon: 63k
—
Shadow of the Scorpion: 92k
—
Gridlinked: 132k
The Line of Polity: 173k
Brass Man: 150k
Polity Agent: 150k
Line War: 152k
—
The Technician: 145k
—
Dark Intelligence: 143k
War Factory: 161k
Infinity Engine: 166k
—
The Soldier: 136k
The Warship: 137k
The Human: (forthcoming)
—
The Skinner: 151k
The Voyage of the Sable Keech: 158k
Orbus: 136k
—
Hilldiggers: 145k

Total Polity cycle: 2M 390k

The Expanse – James S. A. Corey

Leviathan Wakes: 166k
Caliban’s War: 171k
Abaddon’s Gate: 165k
Cibola Burn: 171k
Nemesis Games: 161k
Babylon’s Ashes: 167k
Persepolis Rising: 169k
Tiamat’s Wrath: 164k
Leviathan Falls: 159k

Total: 1M 493k

Baroque+Crypto – Neal Stephenson

Cryptonomicon: 415k

Quicksilver: 390k
The Confusion: 348k
The System of the World: 387k

Total: 1M 540k

The Dark Tower – Stephen King

The Gunslinger: 55k
The Drawing of the Three: 123k
The Waste Lands: 173k
Wizard and Glass: 256k
Wolves of the Calla: 241k
Song of Susannah: 129k
The Dark Tower: 279k

Total: 1M 256k

The Realm of the Elderlings – Robin Hobb

The Farseer Trilogy

Assassin’s Apprentice: 157k
Royal Assassin: 260k
Assassin’s Quest: 339k
Total: 756k

Liveship Traders Trilogy

Ship of Magic: 310k
The Mad Ship: 310k
Ship of Destiny: 305k
Total: 925k

The Tawny Man Trilogy

Fool’s Errand: 239k
The Golden Fool: 255k
Fool’s Fate: 325k
Total: 819k

The Rain Wild Chronicles

Dragon Keeper: 179k
Dragon Haven: 180k
City of Dragons: 137k
Blood of Dragons: 169k
Total: 665k

The Fitz and the Fool Trilogy

Fool’s Assassin: 257k
Fool’s Quest: 292k
Assassin’s Fate: 357k
Total: 906k

Total cycle: 4M 61k

A Chorus of Dragons – Jenn Lyons

The Ruin of Kings: 208k
The Name of All Things: 208k
The Memory of Souls: 214k
The House of Always: 223k
The Discord of Gods: 201k

Total: 1M 54k

Shadows of the Apt – Adrian Tchaikovsky

Empire in Black and Gold: 190k (+30k short stories)
Dragonfly Falling: 209k
Blood of the Mantis: 132k
Salute the Dark: 140k
The Scarab Path: 218k
The Sea Watch: 215k
Heirs of the Blade: 200k
The Air War: 210k
War Master’s Gate: 214k (+18k short story)
Seal of the Worm: 196k

Total cycle: 1M 924k

Lymond + Niccolò – Dorothy Dunnett

The Game of Kings: 205k
Queens’ Play: 195k
The Disorderly Knights: 230k
Pawn in Frankincense: 232k
The Ringed Castle: 235k
Checkmate: 273k

Total Lymond: 1M 370k

Niccolò Rising: 224k
Spring of the Ram: 220k
Race of Scorpions: 244k
Scales of Gold: 223k
The Unicorn Hunt: 269k
To Lie with Lions: 264k
Caprice and Rondo: 242k
Gemini: 307k

Total Niccolò: 1M 993k

Total Lymond + Niccolò: 3M 363k

Outlander – Diana Gabaldon

Outlander: 305k
Dragonfly in Amber: 339k
Voyager: 382k
Drums of Autumn: 401k
The Fiery Cross: 502k
A Breath of Snow and Ashes: 501k
An Echo in the Bone: 402k
Written in My Own Heart’s Blood: 395k
Go Tell the Bees that I am Gone: 441k

Total: 3M 668k

Gormenghast Trilogy Mervyn Peake

– 466k (of which the last volume is 90k)

Ash: A Secret History – Mary Gentle

– 500k (of which 7k are notes)

Imajica – Clive Barker

– 354k

Infinite Jest – David Foster Wallace

– 545k (484k without notes)

William Gaddis

– The Recognitions: 419k
– JR: 344k

Parallel Stories – Peter Nadas

– 550k

Against the Day – Thomas Pynchon

– 443k

Jerusalem – Alan Moore

– 615k

Anniversaries – Uwe Johnson

– 660k (recent unabridged English translation)

Bottom’s Dream – Arno Schmidt

– 1M 325k (source) (not sure how accurate)

Solzhenitsyn (all refers to published english wordcounts)

The Red Wheel (wrote 4 volumes… of a planned 20)

First Node – August 1914: 410k
Second Node – (October) November 1916: 480k
Third Node – March 1917: (split in 4 volumes, only first 3 out) roughly 200-250k each?
Fourth Node – No english version

The Gulag Archipelago

Volume 1: 226k
Volume 2: 243k
Volume 3: 202k

In the First Circle: 297k

Italian Epic

OGA MAGOGA, cunto di Rizieri, di Orì e del Minatòtaro – Giuseppe Occhiato: 600k~

Chinese Classics

Dream of the Red Chamber/The Story of the Stone: 850k~ (rather inaccurate)
Romance of the Three Kingdoms: 700k~ (rather inaccurate)

Indian Epic

The Mahabharata: 2M 539k (free english version)