What, for you, can constitute a good "in media res" debut for a novel, when you can't count on a really dramatic action to start.
What elements do you think is interesting to put in that kind of beginning, so your first sentences can catch the attention.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_medias_res
How about starting off with the action, but immediately having the lead character question how they found themselves in that situation?
e.g. the bomb ticked down below one minute mark but all John could think about was how he'd ended up in that situation. If his parachute hadn't caught on that bloody skylight he'd have been out of there ages ago. But there was no point running now!
That sort of thing?