AC: books with a great beginning

[Tamahome]

I think this book has the most memorable first two chapters I've ever read. Check out the kindle sample if you haven't read them (you can use the cloud or pc reader). I won't spoil it here. What other sff novels have a great beginning?

[Joanna Chaplin]

Sometimes I go back to John Scalzi's The Android's Dream just for its hilarious first chapter.

Many of the Dresden Files books start with a cold open, but Blood Rites starts with Harry running from a fire-throwing demon (was there more than one demon? Maybe I should re-read) while carrying a box of puppies.

[Joe Informatico]

Snow Crash still has the best opening chapter of any book I can remember.

[Joanna Chaplin]

Joe Informatico wrote: "Snow Crash still has the best opening chapter of any book I can remember."

I never read any farther than the first chapter of Snow Crash. The world presented actively repulsed me, and there wasn't anything particular about the protagonist that kept me interested. The messenger with the grappling hook was kind of cool. But I dropped the book at that point.

[Tamahome]

I loved the beginning of Snow Crash. But I was so disappointed the pizza person wasn't there in the next chapter I stopped.

[Alan]

Tamahome wrote: "I loved the beginning of Snow Crash. But I was so disappointed the pizza person wasn't there in the next chapter I stopped."
Hiro wasn't in the next chapter? (It's been so long since I read the book that I can't tell if you're making a joke.)

I thought the opening chapters of Neuromancer and Lord Foul's Bane were really strong.

[Leesa]

I really loved the opening to The Ghost Brigades. Even explaining why I loved it would be a spoiler.

[Tamahome]

Come to think of it, I thought Scalzi's Old Man's War and Heinlein's Have Space Suit Will Travel were really interesting in the beginning, if not the best parts of the book. (Old Man's War up to the boot camp.)

[Dara]

The Martian really pulled me in from the beginning.

The first two or so chapters of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince are really great. The perspective of Muggle Prime Minister was interesting and enlightening. The conversation that take place at Snape's house is really interesting as well.

[Serendi]

YT was the pizza delivery girl in Snow Crash, and she did show up later in the book. (I wonder if I still have it... been a decade or two at least since I read it. Hope I have the details right.) It's the only fiction of Stephenson's I mostly liked. (Cryptonomicon made my stomach hurt.)

[Alan]

Serendi wrote: "... It's the only fiction of Stephenson's I mostly liked. (Cryptonomicon made my stomach hurt.) "

Then you might like Zodiac, which is even leaner than Snow Crash.

I thought Hiro was the delivery guy and that YT was a skateboarder type who harpooned him during the delivery. But it's been forever since I read it also. Either way, they are the two main characters of the book (well, more Hiro than YT) so they certainly show up a lot later.

[Rick]

Hiro was The Deliverator, doing one of the three things the US still did best (music, code and pizza delivery). He crashed and, since Uncle Enzo got pissed if the pizza wasn't delivered in 30 minutes and Uncle Enzo was Mafia, YT's bailing out of Hiro established some stuff that was expanded on later in the book. Also, of course, Hiro's full name is amusing to anyone who's taken English 101... Hiro Protagonist...

[Warren]

Ditto on Snow crash.
I like to read an entire book just about that aspect of the story. Uncle Enzo: "we're gonna make you a pizza you can't refuse."

[Wil]

I love that Joanna mentioned Blood Rites. Sooo memorable. I know I went out of order but I happened across it and wanted to check it out to see what all the fuss over the Dresden books was about. Now, I'm working my way through them in proper order, but I think of that 1st part she mentioned all the time.
Of the others mentioned that I read (Snow Crash and Old Man's War), I agree with also. Both of them capture you from page one and I can still see my mental images of them!

Some of my other most memorable beginnings include:
Theft of Swords/The Crown Conspiracy
Harry Potter
The Gunslinger
A song of Ice and Fire

Of course there are other books I enjoyed more than these and there are books that I "feel" like had a great beginning, but off the top of my head these are the ones that I can absolutely envision page one of.

[Tamahome]

Bester's The Stars My Destination has kind of a shocking explanation of 'jaunting', and then a super classic scene on a space ship right after that.

[AndrewP]

I agree with Snow Crash. It's the most descriptive and eye opening first paragraph I have ever encountered. It just defines cyberpunk. Don't believe me, take a peek next time you are in your local bookstore.

[Tamahome]

There should be a 'best kindle sample' award.

[Joe Informatico]

Dara wrote: "The Martian really pulled me in from the beginning."

I just started it this weekend and I agree completely. It's a great modern example of hard SF and definitely feels like the best parts of Robinson Crusoe.

[Dokkoisho]

I have to go with Snow Crash too - I remember making a note in my Kindle edition at the end of the chapter, telling myself it was possibly the best opening chapter I had ever read, just in case I ever forgot.

[Jenny (Reading Envy)]

<3 Snow Crash

It's the reason I'm here.

Sword and Laser, I mean. It was my bridge, my gateway.