Thursday 22 March 2007

First Pages

I was going to start a re-read of Dark Lover today (another book that had a squeee!!! See below), but yesterday I received Twilight by Stephenie Meyer in the post. A book I've been waiting for. I decided to just have a quick look at the first page and that was it. Within a couple of pages I was hooked and I haven't put it down since. And there go all my well made plans to re-read the Black Dagger Brotherhood series before April. And to write my review of the Chronicles of the Warlands trilogy.

It's funny how sometimes by the end of the first page you just know you're reading a book that you're going to love. It's one of the best feelings in the world, puts a great big grin on my face and makes me feel all squeee!!! inside. LOL - there's a possibility that only other bibliophiles will understand that comment. It's the knowledge you're about to be taken on an exciting adventure, somewhere you've never been before.

This is the second book in less than a month I've had this reaction to. Reading the first two lines of Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead put a great big smile on my face too. I'm obviously on something of a roll. And yet if you asked me to define exactly what it is that engenders this reaction, what's the formula. I couldn't explain it.

But I know it when it isn't there.

I loved Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey. But Gods that book had one of the worst first lines / first pages I have ever read. I think I must have read the first page over thirty times before I managed to get past it. LOL - thanks to everyone who kept telling me what a good book it was and to persevere. Though even now if I want to feel sleepy I can read that page.

6 comments:

Nicole said...

I love a good first page (or two). They really make a book, for me. Though I will admit that sometimes a book starts well, but ends horribly. Alas, the good opening isn't a guarantee of a good book. It's always a treat when it is, though.

And DARK LOVER was a squeee! book for me, too.

~Nicole

LesleyW said...

Yes, I would much rather a book didn't start out well but then got better rather than the other way round. Hence, why I love Kushiel's Dart. Even though I took a lot of persuading not to give up on it. :)

Naomi said...

Twilight is on my "to buy list." I'm trying to stop myself buying anything new til I've read the current pile, but I'm not doing too well!

Kushiel's Dart is one of my favourite books. Have you read the other two in the trilogy?

LesleyW said...

I have the next two Kushiel books in my TBR pile (which kind of has a life of it's own. :) ) And I've got Kushiel's Scion on my wishlist at Amazon. I did really fall in love with the story once I got past the first few pages. I'm off on holiday in a week so (10 hour train journey!), as they're quite long I'll probably make quite a dent in them.

And I have tried really hard to stop myself from buying books this year because my TBR is soooo big now. But what usually happens is I hold it off for about three weeks, then the cravings build to such an extent that when I finally cave in I go absolutely mad.

I liked Twilight. I don't usually read YA, but I'd heard such good things about this book. My favourite section is probably the last third. And I think it's a book you could read more than once and spot stuff you'd missed on the first read.

The Invisible Cystalline Cave said...

I admit, I skipped/skimmed through the first third of Kushiel's Dart on my first read. It *was* dreary. Fortunately I didn't give up, because then I would have missed such a great trilogy.

IMO, Kushiel's Avatar is the best of the trilogy. You've got to pick it up someday, Lesley. *nods fervently*

LesleyW said...

LOL - I have Kushiel's Avatar on my TBR pile, I'm going to take the trilogy with me on holiday. So hopefully should get through all three books in ten days. Possibly. :)