The Bibliophile's Best Books of Each Genre: Epics

And so we come to the final genre in this list - epics. More specifically, epic fiction. While many associate this primarily with fantasy novels, you'll see from the list that the genre ranges far wider than that, and I'm particularly fond of generational narratives that follow the trials and tribulations of a family over a long span of time. The Forsyte Saga, East of Eden and A Dance to the Music of Time come to mind. Historical epics such as Shogun, Gone with the Wind and, of course, both The Iliad and The Odyssey, are also favourites. Then there are novels like A Little Life and Lonesome Dove which are epic in their scope and make readers inhabit their worlds. I don't think I've ever been as affected by a book as A Little Life - it was almost traumatic in how it pulled you in and then made you endure ordeals beyond imagining. Suffice it to say, I hope someone out there has enjoyed these lists - I will have a final list with all the genres and books.