What makes a good read?

Of course, there are as probably as many answers to this question as there are readers, but it's one I especially ask myself when I abandon a book.

This morning I tried Spy Shadow by Tim Sebastian (published 1989). He's a hugely successful British broadcaster, and an expert on Eastern Europe. And I love Soviet-type spy stories of the Le Carré school.

Having nothing else to hand as a substitute, I gave it until about page 20 - twice as much as my normal cut-off limit. But still I knew I was swimming against the tide - all those great books washing past that could keep me afloat.

I'll stick with a novel if one of the story, the subject or the style appeals. In 'subject' I include characters, and perhaps that's where this one fell down.

In the absence of a story (the promise of which the author can't always convey in a few opening pages), and when style raises barriers to comfortable reading, characters can come to the rescue.

If you meet someone whose company you enjoy, or whose hopes you can share, you'll perhaps persist.

I've heard some authors say 'character is everything'. While I don't entirely agree (we mostly like a resolution), I can see their importance.

I just checked on Goodreads, and Spy Shadow is rated 2.43 - so it appears I'm not alone.