best first lines in fiction

Some of the best first lines in fiction include 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times' from 'A Tale of Two Cities'. This line immediately sets a contrastive and thought - provoking mood. Another great one is 'Call me Ishmael' from 'Moby - Dick', which is a simple yet powerful introduction to the narrator. And 'All children, except one, grow up' from 'Peter Pan' which gives a sense of the special nature of the story's main character right from the start.

One of the best first lines could be 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' from George Orwell's '1984'. It immediately sets an off - kilter mood, making the reader wonder about this strange world where the clocks do something unexpected. Another great one is 'Call me Ishmael.' from 'Moby - Dick'. It's a simple yet powerful invitation for the reader to follow Ishmael on his journey. And 'All children, except one, grow up.' from 'Peter Pan' is also excellent as it creates a sense of mystery about the one child who doesn't grow up.

One of the best first lines is from 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen: 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.' This line immediately sets the tone for a story about marriage and social status in the Regency era.

In 'Dune' by Frank Herbert, the first line 'A beginning is the time for taking the most delicate care that the balances are correct.' is quite remarkable. It gives a sense of the importance of precision and balance in the complex world that is about to be unfolded in the story. It also has an air of mystery, as the reader wonders what these 'balances' are and how they relate to the beginning of the tale.

Some of the best first lines in fiction, as per the BBC, might include 'Call me Ishmael' from Moby-Dick. It immediately grabs the reader's attention and sets a mysterious tone.

They create mystery. For example, like the line from 'The Hobbit' - 'In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.' It makes the reader wonder what a hobbit is. This simple yet mysterious start compels the reader to keep reading to find out.

They create intrigue. For example, a line like 'Call me Ishmael.' makes you wonder who Ishmael is and what his story will be. It's a simple way to hook the reader. They also set the tone. If the first line is something dark like 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.', it gives a sense of unease and a strange world that the reader is about to enter. Another factor is that they can introduce a key theme. Like 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.' which immediately tells us that marriage and wealth are going to be important themes in 'Pride and Prejudice'.

Sure. 'A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...' from 'Star Wars' (which can be considered a form of modern - day classic). It creates a sense of vastness and mystery. You immediately start to wonder about this far - off galaxy. It's a very effective first line for setting the scene of an epic adventure.

A great first line is 'All children, except one, grow up.' from J.M. Barrie's 'Peter Pan'. It's simple yet profound. It makes you curious about that one child who doesn't grow up. It also has a touch of melancholy as it seems to suggest that growing up is the norm and this one child is an exception, which sets the stage for the magical and somewhat bittersweet story of Peter Pan.

They often create mystery. Like 'The door was locked, but I knew what was inside.' It makes you wonder what's behind the door. Simple as that. It gives you a question that needs answering, so you keep reading.