The most important thing to a 'fictional' book is the 'story'.
Moby Dick - listed as America's Greatest Novel has a bloody good story, because it is based on 'facts' (In the Heart of the Sea - to which a movie of it done a good job of being factual as much as it could fit in with Hemingsworth in it as well).
But Herman Melville is a 'tedious' Writer who wrote to be as 'sophisticated' as all the other great writers of whom he studied. So great story, but it was so over-done in it's writing style. Just like Umberto Eco, Tolstoy and other over-achiever writers that write books that can only entertain someone doing a year in a prison cell with no-where to go.
Over-complicated drivel.
If the first few chapters don't grab me or insinuate better to come, then its not worth finishing, because the ending will be just as boring.
I love originality of course, something that I haven't read before. Stories with innovative concepts are great. But hey, I've always enjoyed the light fast paced and simple Mills & Boone on a nightshift. Nice to get a book done on a shift (yep - I got paid to read books once
).
Non-fictional books are more of the domain of good writers as facts and delivery are important to keep the reader going.
One of the best (short) stories I've read is the Intro to a Literary Collection Book that told of Sylvestor Stallone's pursuit to sell his story (while homeless on a park bench) of ROCKY to Movie Producers. Sly Stallone has to sell his dog for $125 to push it and although he was offered a sum of $100,000 (If I remember correctly) - he refused (although hungry) because he bargained that he must be the Star of the Movie. Three times they refused him and each time offering more money for the Rights until eventually they caved in and made the movie with him in it. Well the rest is history as he made MILLION$ from the movie and went and bought his dog back... alas he had to pay something like $115,000 for it. The story of Rocky is also considered one of the best stories in America.