Well, novels usually focus on a continuous narrative. They tend to be more elaborate and can span a long period of time, like years or even generations in the story. Fiction books are a more inclusive category. Fiction can be experimental in form, such as some post - modernist fictions which might break the traditional narrative rules. Novels are more likely to follow a more or less traditional storytelling structure. For example, a detective novel has a common structure of introducing a crime, the investigation process, and finally the solution. But in some fictional works, the structure can be very loose or even non - existent in a traditional sense.
The difference between novel and fiction books lies in several aspects. Firstly, length is a factor. Novels are typically longer, often hundreds of pages, allowing for a more detailed exploration of characters, settings, and plots. Fiction books can be much shorter, like a short story collection. Secondly, the scope of the story. Novels usually have a more comprehensive and continuous story arc. They build a world that readers can immerse themselves in for an extended period. Fiction can be more fragmented, with each piece having its own independent idea or concept. Also, the way they are marketed and categorized can be different. Novels are often grouped by genre like historical novels, romance novels etc., while fiction can be more loosely grouped, sometimes just as 'contemporary fiction' which might include a variety of different types of fictional works.