Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Express Yourself: Book Openers


The Express Yourself Weekly Meme is hosted by Jackie @ Bouquet of Books and Dani @ Entertaining Interests.

This week's prompt: Share some 1st line book openers that you adore.

I enjoy a book opening that makes me curious about what's going on, or an opening that has a an enjoyable tone.

Each of the openings succeed for me because they engage me with their voice or simply make me want to know more.

"The night before he went to London, Richard Mayhew was not enjoying himself."
-Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

"The Deliverator belongs to an elite order, a hallowed subcategory."
-Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson

"'Where is Leovinus?' demanded the Gat of Blerontis, Chief Quantity Surveyor of the entire North Estarn Gas District of the planet of Blerontin."
-Douglas Adams's Starship Titanic by Terry Jones

"The sun rose slowly, as if it wasn't sure it was worth all the effort."
-The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett

"In a distant and secondhand set of dimensions, in an astral plane that was never meant to fly, the curling star-mists waver and part . . ."
-The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett

What book openers do you enjoy?  What do you think the 1st line of a book should accomplish?

5 comments:

  1. Great opening lines here. I agree that first lines should make you go "Wha?" and want to read on to find out. :D

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  2. I like the fourth one - it has attitude.

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  3. Oh, I just love Neil Gaiman. I always hear his books read in his voice, and it's awesome.

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  4. Terry Pratchett is a master at opening lines.

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  5. Great openers here! I especially like #4!

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