Can you list more famous openings from novels?

One famous opening is 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...' from Charles Dickens' 'A Tale of Two Cities'. This opening immediately sets a contrast and draws the reader into the complex world of the story.

Well, from '1000 famous openings to novels', we can get inspiration for our own writing. If we study how the best authors start their novels, we can use similar techniques. We might learn how to create suspense quickly, or how to introduce a character in an engaging way.

Sure. 'Lolita' by Vladimir Nabokov opens with 'Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul.' It's a very distinctive and controversial opening. Another is 'The Catcher in the Rye' which begins 'If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like.'

One famous opening is 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times' from 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens. This immediately sets a contrastive and complex tone for the story.

Sure. 'The Hobbit' by J.R.R. Tolkien starts with 'In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.' It's simple yet very effective. It draws the reader into the world of hobbits which is a unique and fascinating one. A beginner would easily be able to picture this hole and the hobbit, making them eager to read more.

'1984' by George Orwell is extremely famous. It depicts a dystopian future where the government has total control over people's lives. Big Brother is always watching, and the idea of thoughtcrime is very chilling.

A foreboding dream. 'He had the same dream every night for a week. In it, he was in a dark, endless corridor with doors on either side. Each door had a strange symbol, and a cold wind blew from behind him, urging him forward, but he knew that whatever lay beyond those doors was something terrifying.'

Here's a more complex opening. 'In the middle of the bustling city square, a woman suddenly collapsed. As she hit the ground, a small, leather - bound book slipped from her purse. No one noticed it at first, but when they did, they saw strange markings on the cover. Those who looked closer seemed to be overcome with a sense of dread.' This opening combines a sudden event, an unexpected object, and a reaction from those who encounter it, all of which are great for setting up a mystery.

A long, lonely road in the middle of nowhere. The headlights of the car are the only source of light as the driver hears a strange thumping on the roof of the vehicle.

Starting with a mysterious statement works well. For instance, 'The old house on the corner had a secret that no one knew, until now.' This piques the reader's interest as they want to uncover what that secret is. It can lead to a story full of mystery and discovery.