I picked "title" but really it's other reasons for me; I'll read up on the book, and check user reviews on Amazon.com.

lol...i wouldn't think length to affect anyones decision but i guess if they only like short books (or long) then it would...

Usually title recognition and reccomendations.

its actually a combination of all of these for me.... i just kind of get drawn to things and if i get drawn to it i kind of feel its a cosmic thing so i should read the book...

most likely my subconcious is just saying "ooooooooo perty pictures!!!!" and i dont realize it.... i like the cosmic explaination better....

I've got a select group of Authors that I really enjoy reading from. They include the likes of David Michaels, Harlan Coben, Tom Clancy, Michael Crichton, and Lee Child to name off a few. Im always up for a good book, but if I lose interest.. I'll never pick up another book from that specific author.

None of the above. I sit around in the fantasy/sf section of bookstores and pull out books at random. I mean, I often go look to see if they have anything that I don't by my favorite authors first. But I spend a lot more time reading the back of books than looking at the cover or the title or for author names.

AEH

Usually when I head to the bookstore, I already know exactly which book I am going to pick up...either because it was recommended to me or because I like the author. Sometimes it's fun though to try to discover a new author or some wonderful book that hardly anyone knows about. I've found some of my favorite books that way. I'll just walk down the aisle, looking for interesting cover art or titles, and then when something catches my eye, I'll read the back to see if it's something I'd be interested in. That's how I discovered Jacqueline Carey, now one of my favorite authors. The cover was of a half naked woman with a rose tattoo on her back, so it caught my attention...now I'm hooked, and have gotten many of my friends hooked on the Kushiel series as well.

Same here...the last couple of fantasy novels I picked up were just from random browsing. One was a great choice; haven't read the other yet.

I think the synopsis on back and editorial comments are some of the best ways to judge.