Not particularly recent, and middle grade/YA, but L. J. Smith's Night of the Solstice is an ensemble piece -- five kids of varying ages who carry the story collectively. And see also parts of the Madeleine L'Engle canon; while there's usually at least a nominal lead in most of her books, she was very good at writing large families and putting the entire family onstage throughout the story.
In terms of "grownup" books nearer the center of the genrescape (is that a word?), there's S. M. Stirling's Nantucketer trilogy, starting with Island in the Sea of Time; the related "Change" books beginning with Dies the Fire are also ensemble pieces, but not quite to the same degree.
The other series I'd recommend looking at is that beginning with Windmaster's Bane by Tom Deitz, and running to nine volumes -- happily, the first book at least appears to be back in print via small press; I just found the new edition in my local library this past week. While Deitz labels the cycle "the tales of David Sullivan", there is a large cast that functions in many respects as a true ensemble, and not just over the life of the series.
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Date: 2007-10-08 06:30 am (UTC)In terms of "grownup" books nearer the center of the genrescape (is that a word?), there's S. M. Stirling's Nantucketer trilogy, starting with Island in the Sea of Time; the related "Change" books beginning with Dies the Fire are also ensemble pieces, but not quite to the same degree.
The other series I'd recommend looking at is that beginning with Windmaster's Bane by Tom Deitz, and running to nine volumes -- happily, the first book at least appears to be back in print via small press; I just found the new edition in my local library this past week. While Deitz labels the cycle "the tales of David Sullivan", there is a large cast that functions in many respects as a true ensemble, and not just over the life of the series.