First & Last Lines Follow-up

Thanks for all the comments on Wednesday's first and last lines. Everyone has unique preferences for what they like and look for - though people seemed to enjoy #10 for the opening. The answers for your favorite ending were pretty varied.

It’s also really interesting that there wasn’t a book that stood out as a clear winner for both opening AND closing.

Here are the mystery books I used with the corresponding numbers of their openings and closings.

Dragonflight, Anne McCaffrey
 #9 Lessa woke, cold.
#3 Mother of us all, he was glad that now, of all times conceivable, he, F’lar, rider of bronze Mnementh, was a dragonman of Pern.


Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, J.K. Rowling
#1 Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.
#7 “They don’t know we’re not allowed to use magic at home. I’m going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer…”


Twilight, Stephenie Meyer
#11 I’d never given much thought to how I would die—though I’d had reason enough in the last few months—but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this.
 #9 And he leaned down to press his cold lips once more to my throat.


The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins
#4 When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold.
#3 I take his hand, holding on tightly, preparing for the cameras, and dreading the moment when I will finally have to let go.


The Curse of Chalion, Lois McMaster Bujold
 #5 Cazaril heard the mounted horsemen on the road before he saw them.
 #1 His ladies would be waiting.


Mistborn, Brandon Sanderson
 #7 Ash fell from the sky.
#5 Vin closed her eyes, simply feeling the warmth of being held. And realized that was all shehad  ever really wanted.


Fool Moon, Jim Butcher
 #8 I never used to keep close track of the phases of the moon.
 #6 I settled back to ask Susan over, and enjoyed the warmth of the fire.


The Demon’s Lexicon, Sarah Rees Brennan
 #2 The pipe under the sink was leaking again.
 #8 He felt grounded and at home already under his brother’s gentle human hands.


The Ten Thousand, Paul Kearney
 #3 By the sea, Rictus had been born, and now it was by the sea that he would die.
#10 Her mule was hobbled on the hill behind, and upon it Jason’s black armour glittered cold in the sun.


A Devil in the Details, K.A. Stewart
 #10 There’s a certain sound the human head makes when it hits the trunk of a tree.
 #11 Have I mentioned how much I love my wife?


Bloodfever, Karen Marie Moning
#12 All of us have our little problems and insecurities.
#4 What had changed was me.


The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley
#6 Even in high summer, Tintagel was a haunted place; Igraine, Lady of Duke Gorlois, looked out over the sea from the headland.
#12 Her work was done.


The Name of the Wind, Patrick Rothfuss
 #13 It was night again.
 #13 It was the patient, cut-flower sound of a man who is waiting to die.

11 comments:

  1. Thanks for putting the pieces together, Nicole! There are some of these I have not read, and the one that really jumps out at me is "A Devil in the Details." What a captivating and intriguing bookend of lines!

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  2. Some of these books I've never heard of before, I will have to check em out!

    Andrea

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  3. Wow! That's a lot of work making that list. So awesome! And so cool to see the lines together like that!

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  4. Chris, Andrea and Peggy - Thanks! Hope the lines lead you to a new read. :)

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  5. Was reading over the list and realized that of the books I have read - Harry Potter is the only one I would recognize. Guess first lines don't stick with me :) I will have read the books I haven't from this list and make the first lines stick.

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  6. Was reading over the list and realized that of the books I have read - Harry Potter is the only one I would recognize. Guess first lines don't stick with me :) I will have read the books I haven't from this list and make the first lines stick.

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  7. I was correct on the ones I have read, but now I really want to read MISTBORN. I loved those first and last lines.

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  8. Those lines from Devil in the Detail are creepy when read together.

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    1. Haha - they totally ARE! I never realized that before.

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  9. At least I got a few right ***pats self on back*** They were fun! :)

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