Setting or Characters?

[John Crichton]

But that does not mean you should neglect the setting as well. After all, the character must interact with the surrounding. The more I can envision the world, the more I can immerse myself in it.

Well said. Characters come first and always drive the story forward. But the setting, while secondary, is still important.

I'll simply refer to popularity at this point: Harry Potter. It's the characters (the trio plus Dumbledore, Snape, Voldemort, etc) that keep me coming back but the setting works on many levels as well. Both are in concert. But if the characters weren't complelling than the setting would be lacking.

I'll quote JMS (Babylon 5) here: "Know the characters well enough so that they do all the writing for you." It's something that has stuck with me and that I have found to be true much more often than not.

 

[Thanee]

Setting is important, but characters are more important.

The best example for character-focused writing would be the Song of Ice and Fire series.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Hand of Evil]

Both Character and setting, they build each other and feed each other, the reader has to care or have some form of emotional involvment in what the writer is telling us.

 

[Captain Tagon]

Neither. Story is the most important factor to me.

 

[Mad Hatter]

Bitter Rant: Drizzt he sucks he's a horrible character and shouldn't be used as an example infact nothing RA Salvatore ever did should be as an example.

Have you tried reading the Crimson Shadow series by Salvatore?

Sword of Bedwyr
Luthien's Gamble
The Dragon King

I thought the series was good.

 

[RaceBannon42]

Both setting and characters are important to the overall story. I need both.
Character is probably more important to me though. as Thanee said GRRM's song of fire and ice has incredible characters in it. The setting is certainly secondary, and that is my favorite series. on the other hand RS Bakker has a very cool interesting world, but the characters just didnt grab me, therefore I really struggled with the book.

 

[Just_Hal]

It's all about the characters. The setting is also important but compelling characters will always keep me reading.

Couldn't say it better myself so I wont.