What are some great opening lines of science fiction novels?

In 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' by Douglas Adams, the opening line 'Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun.' is great. It throws the reader right into the vastness of the galaxy, showing that the story is going to be set in a huge and perhaps strange cosmos. It has a touch of humor and irreverence as it describes the location as 'uncharted backwaters' and 'unfashionable', which is characteristic of Adams' writing style.

Ray Bradbury's 'Fahrenheit 451' has an impactful opening line: 'It was a pleasure to burn.' This short and simple line is so powerful. It immediately makes the reader wonder why burning would be a pleasure. Is it some sort of sadistic pleasure? Or is there a more complex reason related to the society in the book? It draws the reader in and sets the tone for the dark and thought - provoking story that follows.

One of the best opening lines is from 'Dune' by Frank Herbert: 'A beginning is the time for taking the most delicate care that the balances are correct.' It immediately sets a tone of precision and importance, hinting at the complex world of politics and ecology in the story.

One great opening line is from 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen: 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.' This line immediately sets the tone for the story which is often about marriage and social status in 19th - century England.

A classic opening line might be 'The graveyard was filled with an unnatural stillness as the moon hung low in the sky.' This not only gives a spooky setting but also creates a sense of unease. The graveyard is a typical horror setting, and the description of the moon and the stillness draws the reader in, making them wonder what lurks within that stillness.

Well, some opening lines create mystery. For example, if it starts with something really strange like in 'Neuromancer' by William Gibson, it makes you want to find out more. His opening line has this cool, cyberpunk vibe that draws you in.

One great opening line is from 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen: 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.' This line immediately sets the stage for the story's focus on marriage and social status in the society of that time.

One great opening line is from 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen: 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.' This line sets the tone for the whole story which is centered around marriage and social status in the 19th - century English society.

In '1984' by George Orwell, the opening line 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' is very striking. It creates an immediate sense of unease and a feeling that something is amiss in this dystopian world. The abnormal time - keeping makes the reader curious about what kind of world this is where the rules are so different from our own.

A good one is 'On the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much - the wheel, New York, wars and so on - whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man - for precisely the same reasons.' It starts with a thought - provoking comparison between humans and dolphins, and makes you anticipate a story that might question our assumptions of intelligence. Another great opening line is 'The Time Traveler (for so it will be convenient to speak of him)' which sets up a story about time travel in a very matter - of - fact way, getting you ready for an adventure through time.