I can see your point about the 1st person narratives, it can get really annoying. I was talking about that with my friend ilistine concerning the True Blood / Sookie Stackhouse Novels - it really began to grate on my nerves in the series and I think it does venture into the authorial masturbation you mentioned. LOL

I much prefer the rhid person POV, I tend to write that way myself unless the piece I write has more of a poignant hit to it by doing it in 1st POV.