Books that start with a bang

zahra

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I can't stand them. Really, i don't think I've ever read a whizz-bang start that didn't herald a mediocre book. Read books by Christoper Golden, Andrew Hurley, Scott Smith, Keith Donohue, John Langham, Guillermo Del Toro, Michelle Paver, John Malerman, etc; they allow themselves to treat the readers like adults, not gaming teenagers.

I know the 'first page' thing places a big burden on writers. Thriller and horror writers are especially vulnerable, which is why I've written this here. I'm not really sure why I'm ranting, but I do know the best writers don't start you off with the MC tied up in a dark place with blood running down his face, or in a white room with a mysterious antagonist, or mid zombie-chase. They trust that readers might want horror and thrills, but they have to be presented on a foundation. I'm not saying give us two chapters of throat-clearing. I am saying I'd rather trust an opening that'll be relevant and useful later on in the story than one that feels it has to hit you over the hit or you'll move on.

But that doesn't seem to be how people think decision-makers in the industry think.

Or maybe I'm just an old bat moaning at the changing of the world. Readers want what they want. Maybe readers like me are in the minority.

Maybe we should make the category 'literary horror' more official? So readers know what to expect? Is that what I'm saying?
 

Curlz

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You can find both types of books in the bookstores. I don't see an issue with having variety. Have a look at the first page before buying a book and decide if it's your type of book or not. Having too many categories is a problem for the authors who don't like to be pidgeonholed, so it's much easier if one lets the reader decide rather than labelling a book if it's literary or whatever subdivision of horror. A lot of readers now choose after doing some research on places such as Goodreads and they don't need categories that much. Word of mouth, friends recommendations and lists of similar books are quite useful these days. And especially in the horror genre, there aren't that many authors after all. A fan of the genre would easily find their way around and get to know their preferred authors.
 

Feidb

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I've never judged a book strictly by the first page except that if it's in first person, I put it down. If it's in present-tense, I THROW it down!

Second, I look to see if it starts with backstory and description. I put it down. That tells me the author has trouble getting to the point. The story doesn't have to start with a huge bang, but it should start with SOMETHING HAPPENING. SOMETHING. If it doesn't, that's a huge red flag for me. Then I look further to see if there's any empty space on the pages. If not, that tells me the author likes to ramble, another red flag. That means the story doesn't move, it more than likely crawls. As a writer AND A READER, I've seen it all. That's not only what I look for as a reader, but what I strive for as an author. To move the story along.

So, something has to happen on the first page, not necessarily a slam bang scene, but something to move the story forward. Description and backstory can be leaked in later in SMALL doses.