> In novels, I like hideously complicated plots. Tie them in knots and put them in the dryer on high, add a dash of reversals and a pinch of revelations, serve with a steady rise in interest utilizing several mini-climaxes, followed by relief sequences, but in an unmistakeably relentless upward progression culminating in a ridiculously nerve-wracking and giddy climax with a tidy wrap-up of all but one or two loose ends at the end. Leave a few mysteries unexplained flatly in the text, but hide adequate clues in the form of scattered details.
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> I like unique and engaging characters. Characters are vital--they can hold up a lousy story or sink a great one. Each should have a perceptibly different style of speech and modus operandi which matches the characterization given them. Don't go overboard with outrageous or farcical characters, but don't underwhelm by making them too ho-hum. Then again, if a character is only a device for symbolism or foreshadowing, it's perfectly fine and necessary to make them dominated by a single attribute. Thus, the character should be no one we've ever met, but someone whom we certainly might.
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> [snip]
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> The text should not draw attention to itself; it should be the window between the reader and what is happening. Use the best word available, but avoid high-flown constructions. Metaphors are wonderful as long as they aren't contrived or clichéd. Make sure word choice fits the setting!
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> gab"I know what it is I like, now I just have to find it"by

I think the criteria you've provided would pretty well fit *any* good book, fiction or non-fiction, and especially ones with a deep historical and literary basis. So... How about the Bible? That would fit your description of the perfect novel to a T, yes? :-)

Wolfspirit