What kind of fantasy beginning hooks you the most?

[[deleted user]]

All authors have some way of drawing the reader in. What kind do you like? A "hook" that establishes the setting (e.g. describing the surroundings of the world or, if it opens with a scene, describing the specific setting of the scene taking place), a kind of philosophical one when the narrator muses about something interesting, or one that establishes the MC's personality?

Personally, I like having the characters established first, then the setting, so I'd say I like ones when the author introduces the MC's personality. If I don't get to know the characters well enough, I get bored easily.

[Razmatus]

I like all kinds of beginnings as long as the rest proves their relevancy lol... but I also liked Erikson's and Esslemont's beginnings which werent in fact beginnings but confusion-machines to most ppl :)))

[Megan]

Oddly enough, a well thought-out map of the world or region. It gives me a sense of place or a physical starting point.

[Linguana]

Hmm... a difficult question. There are so many great beginnings that are nothing at all alike.

If a writer throws me straight into an action scene or a situation where the protagonist is in danger, then I need to care about the character first - otherwise, what do I care if they bite it on page one?

I'd say, an interesting world would work for me. A short "history of the land" type of paragraph that introduces me to an interesting magic system, culture, political system, or geographical setting.
I may change my mind on this in a few seconds, though...

[DavidO]

Either start poetically or with a problem, or both. If you start with a description of geography or sunsets, I probably won't be happy.

[[deleted user]]

Actually I am just delving back into the fantasy genre again after a long hiatus. The character usually makes the difference for me. I read Stephen King's "The Gunslinger" this month and now I am reading the whole series, Roland's attitude drew me in, his determination to reach the Dark Tower hooked me.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

It depends. I think I like fantasy that starts with a climatic or intense event, which hooks you into the story the best. I also like coming of age, so I like seeing the character as a young person and then how they grow into the mature main character of the novel.

[Elise]

A hook (in other words, the first sentence is how I define it) that gets me curious enough to read on and wonder at where the story will take me, or maybe it starts off with the character being in an unusual situation. Something that is exciting.

[[deleted user]]

Jester Girl wrote: "On that note: Over description definitely kills a hook, as does too much emotional distress which just comes off as melodramatic if I don't know the characters."

Well said. Like in Fifty Shades of Grey the first line is Ana complaining about her hair. All I could think was, "why am I supposed to give a damn?"

[Sandra]

Jocelyn wrote: "Jester Girl wrote: "On that note: Over description definitely kills a hook, as does too much emotional distress which just comes off as melodramatic if I don't know the characters."

Well said. Lik..."

Well no one reads Fifty Shades of Gray for descriptions of hair, lol.

[Aaron]

For me the first thing I want to know is who I am going to be reading about. I want the character's personality. I find that I really don't want to hear anything about the world or the conflict unless I like the character first.

[Elizabeth]

I was going to say that I like beginnings that start with the characters. But then I remembered The Sword Of Shannara that begins with setting. And Gardens of the Moon that starts with total Chaos. So I'm not sure anymore! There has to be a hint of something not quite right, something to keep me hooked.

[S.J.]

I have to say that there has to be some hint of a problem or conflict in the beginning to grab me. An intriguing problem is even better. I don't necessarily need to know much about the character(s) at first, only enough to know that he/she/they is/are in some kind of trouble. If the question "why"? or "what's going on here"? doesn't pop into my head within the first few pages, I'm likely to put the book down and not go back to it.

[Todd]

Jester Girl wrote: "Definitely establishing a conflict, but with enough visual information that I don't feel disoriented."

Ditto. Early conflict, vivid though efficient world building, maybe the beginnings of a mystery? Humor is great when appropriate.

Prologues piss me off sometimes when I want to get into the action, but a good one can really add to the experience like in A Game of Thrones.

[Elizabeth]

Todd wrote: Prologues piss me off sometimes when I want to get into the action.

Prologues can be pretty hit and miss. Often I can't remember what happened in the prologue once I'm into the story. However, ones that add backstory can be good, especially if they contain some threat or mystery that needs to be solved. I like the one at the start of The Wheel of Time, even though it was overly long.

[T.P.]

I like a beginning to put you into the shoes of a character, to speak from their point of view. I don't like to be put into an action scene, but to start off with the calm before a storm, or a character preparing for an action scene.

I like to learn about the world by slowly piecing together different perspectives and experiences of different characters. I prefer there to be no epic world-building prologue, unless it is absolutely necessary for the reader to understand the world. But keep it minimal.

[Terri]

Diving right into the action.

[[deleted user]]

Terri wrote: "Diving right into the action."

Completely agree. This was the reason I like Gardens of the Moon, despite the fact that a lot of people have trouble with it: it jumps straight to the action. Another example: Mistborn: The Final Empire.

[Terri]

Evgeny wrote: "Terri wrote: "Diving right into the action."

Completely agree. This was the reason I like Gardens of the Moon, despite the fact that a lot of people have trouble with it: it jumps straight to the ..."

Never heard of Gardens of the Moon. I'm off to check it out right now. Thanks!

[[deleted user]]

Terri wrote: "Evgeny wrote: "Terri wrote: "Diving right into the action."

Completely agree. This was the reason I like Gardens of the Moon, despite the fact that a lot of people have trouble with it: it jumps s..."

Make sure you know what you are about to do: this is the first book of Malazan epic, not an easy read or fast read, but worth it in the end.

[Mach]

I like to be just trown right into the plot no background or setting information beforehand, almost like i am just entering a world where alot has already happened and i just happened upon it at a random moment. The less explanation and lecturing in the beginning the better.

[[deleted user]]

Mach wrote: "I like to be just trown right into the plot no background or setting information beforehand, almost like i am just entering a world where alot has already happened and i just happened upon it at a ..."

I hate to repeat myself, but Malazan is what you are looking for; also Amber by Roger Zelazny from older books.

[Mach]

Evgeny wrote: "Mach wrote: "I like to be just trown right into the plot no background or setting information beforehand, almost like i am just entering a world where alot has already happened and i just happened ..."

Already read the first two Malazan.

[Nichelle]

I would have to say I need a conflict first. I need to know the situation a character is facing. Depending on what that situation is and how interesting it is will decide if I keep reading or not. The Wizards First Rule is an exception though. Just looking at a vine isn't real interesting but somehow it grabbed my attention. That's my favorite book of all time.

[Greg]

What has always hooked me is after the first chapter I find myself saying "what's going on?" or "why did they do that?". While I love character background I want to get into the heart of the action early.

[Marc]

Aaron wrote: "For me the first thing I want to know is who I am going to be reading about. I want the character's personality. I find that I really don't want to hear anything about the world or the conflict u..."

Yes. Put him in motion, even in a small way, to let me know something about him, and build on that. Too much action or conflict early on can overwhelm me, but a little thing at the beginning can become a vast avalanche at the end. Or the middle!

[Marc]

Elizabeth wrote: "Todd wrote: Prologues piss me off sometimes when I want to get into the action.

Prologues can be pretty hit and miss. Often I can't remember what happened in the prologue once I'm into the story. ..."

What do you think a prologue is supposed to be, and how long? For me it should always be short, less than a page, and should be about something small but important that affects the whole book but not any particular part.

[Todd]

Good prologues are one of those "I know it when I see it" kind of deals for me. I have read good long ones and bad short ones. Regardless of length it needs to be the keystone of the story - if taken out the whole thing falls apart. Otherwise why have it?

Disappointing prologues read like a pointless first chapter, too long and lacking conflict. I do not think a prologue is the time for long introductions.

[Jeff]

I like to have a decent amount of info about the main characters pretty early on. If I don't know anything about them it is pretty hard for me to care about what is going on.

On the other hand some of my favorite books start with very little background info and start with conflict. They were hard to get into at first but as I went I really enjoyed them. I suppose it depends on how good a writer the author is.

[Jonathan]

Nice to see that someone enjoyed Sanderson's prologue to Mistborn. For me that's kind of spot on - introduces Kelsier as a bit of a rogue, introduces the Imperial structure nicely as well as the magic system.

Having said that I think that my favourite hook has to be the one in Eye of the World, where Lews Therin is experiencing his part during the breaking.

Great thread btw - I was probably going to start a thread like this in one of the Author's groups to take the pulse of the discerning fantasy reader so thanks for beating me to it :)

[Lady*M]

Jester Girl wrote: "For example: One of my favorite fantasy novels opens with a description of slaves being viewed by their overlords and beaten periodically. As the overlord is looking at them, one of them raises his head, looks him right in the eye, and grins."

This sounds very familiar. Remind me what book that was. Thanks.

[[deleted user]]

Lady*M wrote: "Jester Girl wrote: "For example: One of my favorite fantasy novels opens with a description of slaves being viewed by their overlords and beaten periodically. As the overlord is looking at them, on..."

It would be Mistborn: The Final Empire, unless I am mistaken.

[Alison]

I like to see the protagonist put into some type of setting where the character's personality traits are immediately evident by the way the character handles the situation. Personally, I like to know right away whether the main character is strong or weak, good or evil, etc. If I don't get a good feeling for who the character is, the book is usually a floor model for me (read the first few chapters, then toss the book onto the floor and pick up the next book in the pile)

[Alyssa]

I like a beginning that starts at childhood, like the beginning of the Belgariad or Talon of the Silver Hawk. You can't embark on a good adventure without first experiencing the comfort of home.

[Lady*M]

Evgeny wrote: "It would be Mistborn: The Final Empire, unless I am mistaken."

Yes, yes it is. Thank you!

[Shelley]

My favourite opening line of a fantasy novel, is actually from the first one I ever read, and it has stayed with me all this time, I'm not gonna say how many years. 'Magician' Raymond E Feist "The storm had broken." For some reason, the simplicity and immediate sense of action drew me in. It's still one of my most favoured series ever.

[Mark]

Character-based fiction always does it for me.

[Sadie]

"Prince Raoden of Arelon awoke early that morning completely unaware that he had been damned for all eternity." - my favorite opening line ever! (Elantris, Brandon Sanderson)

[Alyssa]

Sadie wrote: ""Prince Raoden of Arelon awoke early that morning completely unaware that he had been damned for all eternity." - my favorite opening line ever! (Elantris, Brandon Sanderson)"


LOL, sounds like a good book!

[Ken]

I like to see some sense of jeopardy, even if it's not the main theme of the book.

[Heather]

Nichelle wrote: "I would have to say I need a conflict first. I need to know the situation a character is facing. Depending on what that situation is and how interesting it is will decide if I keep reading or not. ..."

I will agree with you completly.

[Gavin]

A picture of mediocrity. What's normal to the character? Before everything.

[Heather]

Shelley wrote: "My favourite opening line of a fantasy novel, is actually from the first one I ever read, and it has stayed with me all this time, I'm not gonna say how many years. 'Magician' Raymond E Feist "The ..."

what was the series called?

[Alyssa]

The Riftwar Saga

[Michael]

I need to be asking questions within the first couple pages. My fav opening ever is probably Zelazny's "Nine Princes in Amber." I was hooked within the first couple paragraphs. But of course a good 'ol fashioned battle is nice too, especially if someone gets cut down right off the bat!

[[deleted user]]

I like a first chapter/prologue that introduces an intriguing character (doesn't need to be the protagonist)

[Geoffrey]

I've been thinking about this lately because many of the books that people are talking about, I just can't get into.

I really prefer an descriptive opener, a few passages where my mind can start to imagine the world I'm entering and the people I'm likely to meet. I rarely get hooked on books that jump straight into dialogue - that just doesn't do it for me. I want to get a feel for a place first rather than be bombarded with characters I don't even have a setting for.

[Kris43]

Something that is concentrated on the main character, that shows me who he/she is or some motivation important to him, or something in the past that shaped him.

Or if the book isn't really concentrating on the main character, then something that gives me a good feel of the place and what the problem is.

[Jefferson]

I can't think of a single trope for openings that I especially love. What generally hooks me is when the author grabs my attention in some way, rising up out of the sea of mediocrity all books swim in. It might be an unusual image, or a strange situation, or even just a great turn of phrase, but I definitely want to get an immediate impression that it'll be worth my time to let down my guard with this author, and let them in to take the wheel of my brain for a while and steer me through an exotic adventure. The opening paragraph is a travel brochure for the quality of the adventure I'm about to go on.

Sadly, however, I find that the opening paragraph has yet another new job to do these days - one it didn't have five years ago. It has to convince me that the author can write coherent sentences and that an editor was involved in the production process. I'm happy to read self published books right along side the traditionally published stuff - there are some terrific authors working in self publihing - but the biggest problem with the field as a whole is the inconsistency of professionalism and quality control. And since most writers know this, the opening scene usually gets a lot of polish and attention, so flipping the book open to a random page or two in the middle is now an important part of that assessment. So now, the middle of the book is part of the beginning, too. For me, anyway.

[Emma Deplores Goodreads Censorship]

I want to see a character in an interesting situation. Doesn't need to be action and probably shouldn't be (I like character-based fiction), but there needs to be something that makes me think, "Hmm, I'd like to know more about that." I'm also looking for how well the author can put sentences together; if the writing is clunky I'm not going to read it.