Of course, Electric Spec focuses on short stories, so I thought I'd look at some short story first lines. I must admit I cheated and just looked in my 2005 "Best of the Best: 20 Years of the Year's Best Science Fiction" Edited by Gardner Dozois with a forward by Robert Silverberg.
Here are some intriguing short story first lines (YOU MUST BUY THIS BOOK. It truly is the best of the best.)
- There is a principle in nature I don't think anyone has pointed out before.
- I awoke this morning to discover that bioengineering had made demands upon me during the night.
- It all started when Cletus Jefferson asked himself "Why aren't all blind people geniuses?"
- So the white men are back!
- Mae lived in the last village in the world to go on line.
What's your idea of a good short story first line? :)
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5 comments:
You'll hear this again, but my all-time favorite first line, book or story, is Tad William's
It began in mud, as so many things do.
How about this one for a story?
"I'd put a condom in the little black purse that I took to the funeral, a good thing, too."
This is from my own, as yet unpublished, flash piece. I wanted to post it because the first line came to be before the rest of the story and I still really like it.
it's awesome, of course.
Great links guys and gals! Thanks.
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