Reading: Stardust

As I mentioned in the previous Book Meme, I'm reading Stardust by Neil Gaiman.
A friend called last night with the usual greeting, "What are you doing?". When I answered "reading" he asked me what I was reading and if it was good. It was hard for me to answer that question.
I'm about halfway through and the fact that I'm still reading it means it's pretty good so far. I don't have a lot of patience with books so if I get through the first few chapters, that says a lot.
I'm finding it hard to read and that happens a lot with sci fi/fantasy books. I think it's because the author has to create this alternate world with new names for creatures and trees and other surroundings. I have to actually stop and read some things a few times to get a mental picture of it.
That's the key. The mental picture. For me to truly enjoy a book, I have to see it in my mind. I have to put myself into their world and live it through the word of the narrator. Fantasy novels make that just a little more difficult because it makes me step outside of my familiar world and into something completely different.

It's a short book so it shouldn't take me much longer to finish it.
I don't know when I'll see the movie but I will definitely finish the book first.

I hate ruining a good book by seeing the movie first.