Supersize is the new default

Back when vending machines dispensed eight ounce cups of soda or twelve ounce cans, and the adjective quarter-pounder was used to describe an extra large hamburger, it was common to see F&SF and mystery titles around 300 pages long, or about 75K. Think of Patricia McKillip's Riddle-Master of Hed series (originally three separate books), Sharyn McCrumb's early mysteries, or the even shorter books from the sixties and early seventies-- Marion Zimmer Bradley's first Darkover novels, Roger Zelazny's first Amber series, Gordon Dickson's original Dorsai novels, Dorothy Gilman's bestselling Mrs. Pollifax mysteries, etc.

But just as food portions (and waistlines) have expanded in recent decades, so too has the average size of a genre novel. 100K seems to be the new minimum standard, and fatter fantasy books are common.

Some of my favorite books are shorter novels from the past, yet when I recently purchased a 300 page hardcover, I'll admit to feeling cheated--as if I'd accidentally been given a lite beer. As I read the book, I agreed that the length was just right, but there's still that initial impression to get past.

Which makes me wonder, is there still a place for the 75K F&SF novel? Or have we grown so accustomed to doorstoppers that anything less feels a novella?