So, with the aid of the good folk on the Fantasy-Faction facebook group, I've compiled this list of popular fantasy books below 100,000 words just for you.
I've gone down to 15,000 words which is where a short story becomes a novella. Technically, books begin at 40,000 words.
Novellas
Sixth of the Dusk - Sanderson- 16,000
Legion - Sanderson - 18,000
The Knight of the Swords - Moorcock - 28,000
The Emperor's Soul - Sanderson - 32,000
The Slow Regard of Silent Things - Rothfuss - 32,000
The Builders - Polansky - 33,000
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - Lewis - 38,000
Thief of Always - Barker - 38,000
Books
Nine Princes in Amber - Zelazny - 48,000
Elric of Melnibone - Moorcock - 48,000
Alanna: The First Adventure - Pierce - 49,000
The Ocean at the end of the Lane - Gaiman - 50,000
Stardust - Gaiman - 50,000
Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH - O'Brien - 53,000
The Gunslinger - King - 55,000
A Wizard of Earthsea - Le Guin -57,000
Keturah and Lord Death - Leavitt - 63,000
The Armoured Saint - Cole - 63,000
The Last Unicorn - Beagle - 68,000
Storm Front - Butcher - 70,000
The Colour of Magic - Pratchett - 73,000
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - Rowling - 77,000
Prince of Thorns - me!!! - 82,000
Half a King - Abercrombie - 82,000
Dragonflight - McCaffrey - 84,000
The First Book of Swords - Saberhagen - 85,000
Sabriel - Nix - 90,000
The Queen's Poisoner - Wheeler - 91,000
The Princess Bride - Goldman - 91,000
The Last Wish - Sapkowski - 91,000
The Hobbit - Tolkien - 95,000
Neverwhere - Gaiman - 99,000
Where the number is green it indicates a children's book.
Where the number is bold it indicates a standalone book.
More on book length in general and word counts for my books in particular ... here.
Great list. Very useful. Thanks Mark.
ReplyDeleteOne thing is, if The Emperor's Soul is a standalone then shouldn't Sixth of Dusk be as well? They're both part of the same universe, but tell a unique story.