Fantasybooks tend to run long, so it’s rare to find ones that would benefit frommorepages — but there are a few that left me wanting just that.Lengthy fantasy booksare the norm, and some don’t necessarily need 800+ pages to tell their stories. But to achieve immersive world-building, believably complex characters, and a well-paced plot, many authors give themselves more space to cover everything. In some cases, thesefantasy books are scarier than they look, and they move at a satisfying pace despite being overwhelmingly large.
Of course, there are plenty of fantasy novels that run shorter, and that can sometimes prove a smart decision. These books will be more likely to appeal to beginners, and they’re often faster to get through, especially if they deliver on great pacing and twists. I don’t often have complaints about a fantasy book’s length — and when I do, it’s usually that it’s a little too long — but there are a few gems that left me wondering why they didn’t have more pages.
8Faebound (2024)
By Saara El-Arifi
Saara El-Arifi’sFaeboundhas a fascinating magic system and world, and both could easily be explored more deeply in the 2024 release.Faeboundis fast-paced and has an entertaining plot, but that just made me want more of this story. The drum magic and obeah deserve more attention on their own. WhileFaebound’s sequels will no doubt show more of both, I do think the novel would benefit from spending more time (and pages) on its world-building.
Faebound’s sapphic romance is compelling, but it would be even more so with another hundred pages dedicated to it.
Additionally,Faebound’s sapphic romance is compelling, but it would be even more so with another hundred pages dedicated to it. Things move quickly when Yeeran arrives in Mosima, and all the political intrigue and murder doesn’t leave enough time to focus on her blossoming bond with Furi. Their relationship takes a backseat to the plot, and it feels underwhelming at times — even when emotions should be running high. Since both characters are fascinating on their own,I wouldn’t have minded seeing much more of them together.
7Five Broken Blades (2024)
By Mai Corland
Five Broken Bladesis a fast-paced and entertaining read — and agreat replacement forSix of Crows— butit’s hard to do its cast of characters justice with six POVs squeezed into just under 500 pages. With its constant twists and turns,Five Broken Bladesis supposed to be a shorter and snappier addition to the genre. However, given how complex its leads are, it would actually benefit from longer chapters that allow readers to spend more time with them. It would also be great to explore the dynamics outside the three main pairings.
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Additionally,Five Broken Bladesfeatures a rich world inspired by Korean folklore, and I wish we’d been able to slow down and learn more about it. While the sequel,Four Ruined Realms,digs deeper into the titular kingdoms and the magical artifacts that exist there, they could have been better established in book 1. King Joon also makes for an intriguing villain, but we see far too little of him. Needless to say,I would have devoured a much longer version ofFive Broken Bladesjust as happily.
6The Gilded Wolves (2018)
By Roshani Chokshi
Another multi-POV heist story,The Gilded Wolveswould benefit from more pages for the same reason asFive Broken Blades.Although I appreciate the quick pacing and non-stop action, the characters are the true highlight of Roshani Chokshi’s 2018 novel. And since it jumps from perspective to perspective, readers end up wanting more of all of them. Fortunately, the book has two sequels, but even they’re on the short side compared to typical fantasy fare.
2018
3.71
2020
4.08
2021
4.05
The Gilded Wolvesalso has a unique world and magic system, but they get lost within the heist story and character arcs at times. More space would enable the book to flesh them out further. Additionally, the fact that much of the plot depends on bad blood from something that happened years earlier lends itself to a lengthier run. As much as I loveThe Gilded Wolves,there are a lot of elements of the book that deserve more page time.
5Vicious (2013)
By V.E. Schwab
One of the best V.E. Schwab books out there,Viciousleaves its mark even at around 400 pages. However, its villainous main characters could fill more space with their layered motivations and personalities, as well as their engrossing connection to one another.I’d have loved to see more of Eli and Victor’s relationship beforeVicious’inciting incident; it would have added tension to their already compelling enmity.
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The science behind Victor and Eli’s powers is also intriguing, andViciouscould add to its length by elaborating on it further. It by no means needs to — what’s there works on its own — but I still found myself wanting more details. There’s a reasonVengefulwas such a coveted sequel, even years later.Viciousis great as it is, but the 2013 novel could add a couple of hundred pages without it hurting the story. In many ways, I believe it would benefit it.
4Divine Rivals (2023)
By Rebecca Ross
Divine Rivalstook BookTok by stormupon its 2023 release, but it’s a story that’s very light on the fantasy elements. The romance between Iris and Kitt is front and center, and even the book’s newsroom narrative gets plenty of detail, giving it a unique and atmospheric spin. However, when it comes to the conflict betweenDivine Rivals’gods, the book leaves something to be desired. The entire story hinges on the enmity between Dacre and Enva — and the war that unfolds because of it — but it doesn’t touch on their history or characterization nearly enough.
Kitt and Iris' relationship is also incredibly compelling before they get together, but things move quickly once they do.
Ruthless Vowsmakes up for this to an extent, butDivine Rivalswould have had a better balance of fantasy and romanceif it had tackled those things earlier. Kitt and Iris' relationship is also incredibly compelling before they get together, but things move quickly once they do. I’d have loved to see them sit in their feelings a bit longer, allowing readers to truly savor the romance portion of the novel.
3Reckless (2024)
By Lauren Roberts
Recklessis noticeably shorter than bothPowerlessandFearless, and it does suffer slightly as a result. Although the second book in thePowerless Trilogyhas great romance and banter, it doesn’t do enough to move the plot forward. Paedyn and Kai spend much of the sequel outside Ilya, leaving readers to wonder what happens to the kingdom on the heels of book 1’s big death and rebellion.Fearlessfills in the blanks, but it would have been nice to actually see some of this firsthand —especiallysinceRecklessutilizes Kitt as a POV character.
2023
4.17
2024
4.07
2025
4.45
AndKitt’s chapters feel disjointed, with their only purpose seemingly being to showcase his grief. His perspective chapters are too short to give readers a good grip on his development or how he comes back from his loss. We also don’t get to see him make the decision that leads toReckless’cliffhanger. Properly fleshing out Kitt’s chapters alone would have benefitedReckless,even if it made the book longer as a result.
2Heartless Hunter (2024)
By Kristen Ciccarelli
There are few flaws to be found inHeartless Hunterby Kristen Ciccarelli, but theromantasy book has one of the coolest takeson witches and blood magic — and those are aspects of the story I’d happily take more of. While we obviously get that in its sequel,Rebel Witch,there just isn’t enough of this great magic system in book 1. This is somewhat inevitable, as Rune’s abilities are limited; she can’t risk scarring her skin. But the book’s ending could have unfolded with more action, or it could have delivered more magic scenes through flashbacks or rogue witches.
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Additionally,Heartless Hunterbenefits from both of its leads being likable and having chemistry, but the supporting characters deserve more page time. This is especially true of Alex, who makes up the novel’s central love triangle, and Verity, whose final twist would be even more devastating if we spent more time with her. In general, Ciccarelli’s world is ripe for expansion.The Crimson Mothcould easily be more than a duology, and its first book could be longer without losing its appeal.
1The Atlas Six (2020)
By Olivie Blake
The Atlas Sixis yet another multi-POV story with morally bereft characters that could benefit from being slightly longer. Given how few redeeming qualities some ofThe Atlas Six’s leadshave, it’s difficult to get attached to them. By expanding their chapters or even adding more,Olivie Blake’s novel could give readers a real reason to feel invested in this story. As it stands, the atmospheric setting and mind-bending magic system overshadow most of the people involved in this book.
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And even the setting and magic ofThe Atlas Sixcould use more elaboration. While both are fascinating, they don’t necessarily get the level of attention they deserve, especially considering the way they’re portrayed. The book’s magic is fairly complex and scientific, so more attention would give readers a chance to understand it better. And the Alexandrian Society could be fleshed out further, but thefantasybook doesn’t have the space to do so.
