h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Perhaps these days, we all suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder. Our attention spans are shortening, because we're too used to the immediate satisfaction of clicking on a link and finding a picture.

I agree the description in the HG Wells story is too detailed. But, to be honest I find the Philip K Dick story bewildering. Where are we? What are we looking at? Who are the soldiers and what are they doing there?

I might decide to read on, but I might think I don't like being bewildered and read something else.

You have made an excellent point. I'm used to PKD, and I tend to think, 'Okay, this is going to be a weird trip, but...', and I find overdescribed settings kind of tedious unless the writer's going to use every single item in the description in some way. Otherwise, I feel imposed upon.

There was a reason PKD languished in pulp for so long, and that may have been it.

My point overall, though, is that you need to know how much background, description, etc to include at any given time. Too little, you may have a frustrated reader. Too much, and you may have no reader at all.

Quite right. And the decision how much is right may vary from story to story.

I agree - some stories require more setup than others.