And same passage in active voice:
Quote:
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I sat relaxing at home in my armchair. Suddenly the doorbell rang. I answered it - my next-door neighbor stood there. "Hello", he said, "how are you today?" "Fine", I replied.
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I'm still mulling over the topic. I know that I don't like a lot of description that doesn't advance the plot. I like it when an author shows me their world as part of the story, such as when a character experiences the smells and notes things about their surroundings, as opposed to the author simply describing them.
Present tense is a little jarring to me, though I understand why an author would use it. I'm not truly a bystander in the scene, thus whatever is happening isn't current. This is especially jarring to me in fantasy or sci fi. I recognize this is really a function of my own possibly faulty or overactive logic circuits, and less about the author's writing abilities.
Some of my preferences - or I should say tolerances - shift with the wind. Sometimes I'm fine with flowering prose, and sometimes it just annoys me. I haven't pinpointed what triggers this. I know it isn't simply if the flowery prose is well done or not, as there have been books that I passed over only to enjoy them thoroughly later when I was "in the mood".