One of the best opening lines is from 'The Hobbit' by J.R.R. Tolkien: 'In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.' It immediately creates a sense of mystery and makes you wonder about this 'hobbit' creature. It's simple yet so effective in drawing the reader into the world of Middle - earth.
The opening line of 'A Game of Thrones' by George R.R. Martin, 'We should start back,' Gared urged as the woods began to grow dark around them. This line sets a mood of unease and danger right from the start. It makes the reader curious about who Gared is, why they are in the woods, and what the impending darkness might bring.
One of the best opening lines is from 'The Hobbit' by J.R.R. Tolkien: 'In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.' It's simple yet immediately draws you into the unique world of hobbits and Middle - earth.
One great opening line is 'In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.' from 'The Hobbit' by J.R.R. Tolkien. It immediately creates a sense of mystery and makes you wonder about this hobbit and its hole.
By creating mystery. For example, an opening line like 'The old book smelled of secrets long forgotten.' makes readers wonder what those secrets are. They'll keep reading to find out.
Some opening lines in novels are really captivating. For example, in 'Pride and Prejudice', '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 about marriage and social class in that era. Another great one could be from '1984' which starts with a rather gloomy and controlling atmosphere description, making readers immediately feel the oppressiveness of the world Orwell is about to show.
The opening line 'Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice' from 'One Hundred Years of Solitude'. This complex line jumps through time, giving a sense of the non - linear nature of the story. It also creates an air of mystery and doom, as we start with the character facing a firing squad and then go back in time. It's a very effective way to start a novel that is full of magic realism.
The opening line 'All children, except one, grow up' from 'Peter Pan' is very engaging. It focuses on the concept of growing up, which is a central theme in the story. By highlighting that one child doesn't grow up, it piques our curiosity. We want to know who this special child is and why they are different, leading us to explore the magical world of Neverland along with Peter Pan.
One of the well - known opening lines is 'Call me Ishmael' from 'Moby - Dick' by Herman Melville. This simple yet powerful line gives the character a voice right from the start. It's like an invitation for the reader to follow Ishmael's story. It's also a bit mysterious as we don't know much about Ishmael yet, but we are intrigued to find out more about him and his adventures.
They can also set the tone. In '1984' with 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' This opening creates an immediate sense of unease. The abnormal 'clocks were striking thirteen' gives a feeling that this is a world that is different and perhaps dystopian. It's a very effective way to start a story that is about a totalitarian regime.