Comments on: On First Lines http://vanderbrew.com/blog/2006/04/05/on-first-lines/ The shared bits Thu, 08 Apr 2010 16:27:23 +0000 hourly 1 By: matt http://vanderbrew.com/blog/2006/04/05/on-first-lines/comment-page-1/#comment-64 matt Fri, 07 Apr 2006 03:39:40 +0000 http://vanderbrew.com/blog/2006/04/05/on-first-lines/#comment-64 Amber A - I highly recommend reading the series. The first book can be a little rough at times, but the series is definitely worth it. Amber - thanks. I agree that there's nothing to be done to improve it. It reminds me of a quote from Antoine de Saint-Exuper - "Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." Dy - Yes, I agree, the entire series backed up that first line. Even the ending (though there has been disagreement about it). I firmly believe that the series ended how it did because there is no other possible way for it to have ended and done justice to the story. -Matt Amber A – I highly recommend reading the series. The first book can be a little rough at times, but the series is definitely worth it.

Amber – thanks. I agree that there’s nothing to be done to improve it. It reminds me of a quote from Antoine de Saint-Exuper – “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”

Dy – Yes, I agree, the entire series backed up that first line. Even the ending (though there has been disagreement about it). I firmly believe that the series ended how it did because there is no other possible way for it to have ended and done justice to the story.

-Matt

]]> By: Dy http://vanderbrew.com/blog/2006/04/05/on-first-lines/comment-page-1/#comment-62 Dy Thu, 06 Apr 2006 21:24:18 +0000 http://vanderbrew.com/blog/2006/04/05/on-first-lines/#comment-62 Excellently put! That first line is how Zorak convinced me to read the series. What I truly appreciated was that King followed up with the same writing, and the characters are alive out there somewhere. Good stuff. Excellently put! That first line is how Zorak convinced me to read the series. What I truly appreciated was that King followed up with the same writing, and the characters are alive out there somewhere. Good stuff.

]]> By: Amber http://vanderbrew.com/blog/2006/04/05/on-first-lines/comment-page-1/#comment-61 Amber Thu, 06 Apr 2006 18:04:17 +0000 http://vanderbrew.com/blog/2006/04/05/on-first-lines/#comment-61 Very nice analysis! It is a masterful first line, isn't it. It is also one that needs no improvements - I think changing any word in it would be to its detriment. Very nice analysis! It is a masterful first line, isn’t it. It is also one that needs no improvements – I think changing any word in it would be to its detriment.

]]> By: Amber A http://vanderbrew.com/blog/2006/04/05/on-first-lines/comment-page-1/#comment-59 Amber A Thu, 06 Apr 2006 07:45:49 +0000 http://vanderbrew.com/blog/2006/04/05/on-first-lines/#comment-59 I have yet to read any of the books in this series, though I happened upon them through the recommendation of my neighbor and friend in Arizona. He handed me the first one when he had completed the final one after years of waiting for the conclusion. I read the first page of the first book and it sparked enough interest that someday I will get around to reading the series. The point though is this: I read that line, and though I could not place, I knew these characters too and I knew this line. It is a beautifully written opening line, and everything you say it is, and I haven't even read past the first page of the first book. Sometimes, an author gets it right. Once in rare while, an author creates a gem that in unequatable. This is one of those very such gems. Props! I have yet to read any of the books in this series, though I happened upon them through the recommendation of my neighbor and friend in Arizona. He handed me the first one when he had completed the final one after years of waiting for the conclusion. I read the first page of the first book and it sparked enough interest that someday I will get around to reading the series.

The point though is this: I read that line, and though I could not place, I knew these characters too and I knew this line. It is a beautifully written opening line, and everything you say it is, and I haven’t even read past the first page of the first book. Sometimes, an author gets it right. Once in rare while, an author creates a gem that in unequatable. This is one of those very such gems. Props!

]]>