In the Beginning!

How a book starts is pretty important. There's a reason why In Media Res, while an old standby, fits the "if it isn't broken" wheel....

Take this book for instance:



Ok, its listed as space opera but see how this thing opens:

Does this seem attention grabbing to you? Me? I would be sorely pressed to continue and this is the sample. The thing meant to catch your eye and attention. To me, space opera is supposed to be bombastic and colorful. Lots of activity.

This is the kinda slice of life stuff that draws me away from a book. Do this when the characters have been established or in a side story. As a first impression I am just not interested. Even then, make it snappy. Imho. There's only so much internal munching one can do. It's why my own selections have leaned heavily to the yesteryear.

Want to know what caught my eye about Uriel's Revenge within the first few LINES:

Dead Spaceship Graveyards and the backdrop of epic battles that have already dotted the landscape of his setting. Plus his protags are much more active.Through actions or words. The delivery is what keeps people turning those pages.

And that's just the opener. :D

You can sometimes say more with less words then you think. It's why the opener to my own book series has changed 3 times already. Because the way it opens is just as important as the closing. Readers really are like fish. Hook, line and sinker. Give me more tasty sci fi.