I'll begin with C.S. Lewis. In his essay On Stories, he postulated that there are basically two kinds of books and subsequently two kinds of readers. One style of story is the fast-paced page-turner with ceaseless excitement and a constant rush of nerves, yet there is little depth to give it any meat or substance. To paraphrase Lewis, this sort of book leaves readers breathless and touseled but it lacks an underlying tone and mood, and gives no impression that London is different than Paris.

The second type of book is exactly the opposite, less concerned about the action and more about the setting and environment. It, as Lewis said, "lays a hushing spell."

So with that in mind, which type of book do you write?

On the other hand, the story I feel called to tell is certainly in the second category, which makes my task a difficult one.

In my opinion, the best kind of book is the one that manages to bring the two elements together in a harmonious balance that keeps the pace exciting but pauses for needed rests and explanations along the way. LOTR is the best example of this that I know of.