HarperCollins wins epic novel

An untitled, 1,225-page epic set in India and billed as a combination of “The Godfather” and a Victorian Gothic novel will be released next year by HarperCollins after a bidding war involving six publishers.

A source close to the negotiations, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the deal was worth $1 million.

Author Vikram Chandra’s previous books include “Red Earth and Pouring Rain” and “Love and Longing in Bombay.” He worked seven years on his current novel, which centers on organized crime in modern Bombay and takes on “religion, politics, money, corruption, idealism, family, loyalty, and betrayal,” according to a HarperCollins statement released this week.

Such girth may appear a commercial risk, but, like “Gone With the Wind,” “Gandhi” and other marathon movies, length can be an advantage, giving the project the aura of an “event,” a mountain to climb. David Foster Wallace’s “Infinite Jest,” Vikram Seth’s “A Suitable Boy” and Norman Mailer’s “Harlot’s Ghost” are among the 1,000-page novels that have made bestseller lists.

From Associated Press