This week's Top Five Wednesday challenge is for books over 400 pages long. I decided to pick only five-star books that I haven't featured lately in reviews or discussions.
1. Lilith by George MacDonald (1895) 800 pages (my review is here)
This is a masterfully written allegorical Christian fantasy that is dark, dense, mentally-stimulating, and memorable. C.S. Lewis referred to MacDonald as his "master", saying “indeed I fancy I have never written a book in which I did not quote from him.”
2. In the Woods by Tana French (2007) 431 pages (my review is here)
This is the first in French's Dublin Murder Squad series, and she started out with a real winner. I found it to be a riveting and impressive read -- the rest of the series does not disappoint, either. When you go to read the series, though, be forewarned and don't expect happy endings and neat solutions; French leaves the reader disturbed and ruminating on the book for days.
3.The Explorers Guild: A Passage to Shambhala by Jon Baird and Kevin Costner, with illustrations by Rick Ross (2015) 770 pages
Oh my gosh, y'all, I loved this novel! It's a magnificent, ambitious book -- part graphics, part words -- which kept me riveted throughout the entire 770 pages. The story itself is reminiscent of H. Rider Haggard, with larger than life characters and thrilling adventures. The visual details enrich the story immensely, and while the prose was dense, it was well-written and captivating. I am saddened that, despite being labeled the first in a series, no other volumes were written. I don't recommend it universally, as it will be too much of a commitment for some readers, but I, personally, found it enthralling. (Disclaimer: my husband did NOT love it.)
4.The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (2015) 608 pages (my review is here)
This is an outstanding YA sci-fi, told in a variety of formats; it's well-written, original, creative, fully engrossing, and accessible despite it's length.
5. Heartless Marissa Meyer (2016) 464 pages (my review here)
This is a prequel to my favorite duology, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Meyer skillfully blends her original ideas with Carroll's characters/plot, and creates a masterpiece for Alice fans. You need to be familiar with the two books, though, to appreciate it. I recommend a reread immediately before starting this one.
And one more:
The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack by Mark Hodder (2010) (my review here)
Here's one more five-star favorite that falls a bit under the 400 page mark, depending on which edition you read. It's the first in the Burton & Swinburne series, an amazing faux-Victorian, alternate history, steampunk-fantasy adventure that is well-written, engrossing, and exceptionally good. Bonus: it features my historical crush, Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton (below).
