Re: Fiction Shmiction and Media Shmedia
The extent of my liking "sci-fi" as a media (as opposed to literary) genre runs to three and a half of the Star Trek series (original series, Next Generation, some of DS9 and any Voyager episode involving Q), and Star Wars. Mostly what I like for television is the crime drama stuff.
When it comes to books, I generally like cloak-and-dagger fantasy and fantasy based in real-world mythology. I also read some supernatural romance (the Southern Vampire novels - that's True Blood to those of you who haven't read the books) and teen fiction (Tamora Pierce) and some Asimov when the mood strikes me.
ANYways, much of what I read in the fantasy genre is slow-paced to start (especially the stuff involving political intrigue, because they have to set up the court situation before they do anything fun :D) and, well, fantasy as a rule doesn't generally use much realism. That's just how fantasy IS.
No, I just couldn't invest myself in the characters within a few chapters. That was my problem. If I don't like the characters quickly, then I won't keep reading. In my opinion, a good author only needs one or two chapters to let you know everything you need to about the characters central to the plot. If they keep too much back, then you can't identify with them, and if they tell you everything, then there's just no reason to continue reading.