Often times many of the "novels" written today have the focus of a telephone directory. The short stories I have read in the past few years seem like a rifle shot by contrast -- sharp, direct, and on target.
Many writers seem to rejoice in their own words. They love to pile on excessive detail to the point that we forget why we started this paragraph two pages ago under the peeling wallpaper applied several generations before by an out of work accountant wearing shoes cobbled with square nails forged on Second Avenue in Troy, New York.
There are bright spots in modern novels.
Steve Jordan's works are right sized. I enjoy his works and they are one of the best deals in ebooks other than the free downloads at MobileRead.