I recently found myself in a bit of a reading rut. I have managed to stay ahead of the pace I hoped for – I like to read at least 12 books a year – but have had problems with some of the things I read.

I found myself under whelmed with back-to-back novels. The first one had been on my reading list for a number of years. I now wish I had left it there. The second was by an author whose first book really entertained me. He failed this time.

I didn’t know what to do. This time of year helps me easily meet my reading goals because our porch offers the perfect place to escape into a book. I didn’t want to just throw my arms up in frustration.

I had started and set aside a book I purchased years ago at a used book sale. The story actually got better as it went along, which helped kick me out of the rut a little bit, but I needed more. I needed something really spectacular to get me on a roll for the summer reading season.

Somehow, I remembered a prize-winning book from a few years back, “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay.” Michael Chabon, the author, has had an acclaimed career, and I really enjoyed his debut novel from many years ago.

None of his other works had made it on my reading list since then, but I had heard so many good things about this one particular book, I decided to give it a shot.

I checked the library database – I am becoming a skin flint these days and supporting our local branch – and saw a copy available right here in town. My wife offered to pick it up since she had to swing by the library herself. I agreed and made plans to hunker down on the porch that night.

Then something happened. Something potentially bad happened.

When I saw the book, I realized that I did not do enough detective work. The thing was huge. Well, not huge by normal standards, but huge by my reading standards. The book checked in at 636 pages.

I don’t want to sound like a lazy whiner, but I am. In a perfect world, 636 pages would cover three books for me. Two, tops. I just have some sort of aversion to books that long. Part of me thinks that if the author can’t wrap things up in under 400 pages, maybe the story needs a little work.

For a change, I actually got past my prejudices and sat down with the book. If things got too tedious, I could always just send it back to the library, although I am a bit of a glutton for punishment sometimes with bad books, hence the back-to-back duds.

Much to my surprise, I have had no problems plowing through the thing. I had the luxury of heading down to Washington, D.C., for work and rolled through a bunch of it on the train to my destination.

I’m not sure if I am ready to declare victory over long books. This may have been a fluke. I’m just glad that I finally read something good for a change. In fact, I might count this as two good books.

I at least deserve that for passing the 600-page mark.