Writing Update and Writing an Epic

First of all... I'm tired. Not sleepy tired, but just tired tired. You know. It's a combo of lots of things like waiting... and the waiting. Oh... and waiting.

To counter this, I have been hard at work editing, I'm hoping I'll have BOGUS (I prefer this title to HONESTLY BOGUS) finished and sent to Mr. McVeigh and maybe a few other readers in a week or so.

Sometimes... okay, MOST times, when I read my first drafts, I want to do this...

  (Toss my Cookies)

But, so far (knock on wood, kiss a rock) I still sorta love this book. I'm a little leery about the ending, but I have alternatives if this one doesn't hit the mark.

WRITING AN EPIC:

Have you ever tried to write, or written, an Epic? You know, one of those books that sweeps the reader away through long periods of time or huge disasters (internal or external)  or from one far away place to another?

Reading a really good Epic Book is one of my favorite things as a reader. A nice thick book or a trilogy that I want to savor. But trying to write one of those books is frightening. So much history in the madeup world, so many characters, so much time passing, so much research and trying to keep tabs on it all. Don't get me wrong, I think it'd be a blast... but as a first novel or debut novel, it doesn't make sense to write. At least to me. Spending years on a novel that may never see the light of day is hard for me to fathom (but I give props to those who have attempted or succeeded at that).

I have an idea for an epic, but it's only a little kernal and not worth the effort right now. Someday, when I get a few books on the shelves (my own books, dammit), I would love to write this one or some other Epic. At least give it a try.
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I was putting together a list of all the Epics that I've actually read. The few I could think of are...

Under the Dome - Stephen King
Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien
The Stand - Stephen King
Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy - Tad Williams
Lucifer's Hammer - Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
The Passage - Justin Cronin
 Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norrell - Susana Clarke
Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling

Would you consider 'The Hunger Games' an Epic? What other books have you read that you'd consider an Epic?