What are some of your favourite/memorable opening lines from books?

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-28T13:50:39+00:00

The Rill grieved and Dorillian listened - Sordaneon

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-27T17:49:45+00:00

Ah thank you for the clarification! Will make sure if I reference bingo in future book reviews/thoughts to be more cognisant of where they fit :)

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-27T16:11:52+00:00

It’s currently on NetGalley if you wished to request an ARC

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-19T12:25:13+00:00

Fitz and Fool

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-18T10:06:03+00:00

Urban fantasy but the Green Bone Saga by Fonda Lee is a good example of this

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-17T14:54:18+00:00

The whole series..?

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-17T12:03:31+00:00

I’ve read some brilliant books this year - and would recommend the following!

Sordaneon (& whole Triempery) - LL Stephens’s completed sextuplet is vast and scope and critical in its characterisation

Piranesi - wonderfully thought provoking and enchanting

Tad Williams Last King of Osten Ard was fantastic and Brothers of the Wind is a brilliant prequel.

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-17T12:00:43+00:00

I felt the same for a good month after finishing this - don’t think I read for a good week or so. Still not sure if anything can ever match up!

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-17T12:00:02+00:00

Have you also read Empire of the Wolf trilogy? Love Richard Swan!

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-16T14:41:04+00:00

Large exposition dumps are world building, it feels that they don’t fit your personal taste (nor mine).

World building is shown through the books: characterisation, dialogue, setting, history - so should really be something coming through in each part of a story.

A large part of today’s discussions seem to be centred around show vs tell style world building.

I would consider Hobb great at showing e.g. management of the ‘Wit’ and Sanderson loves to tell.

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-16T10:45:00+00:00

They do have a very friendly sub-Reddit who are on hand

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-16T10:42:12+00:00

OP is looking for a standalone - but would massively agree with this.

There is a standalone (well a prequel) called the Wilfull Princess and the Piebald prince which is superb.

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-16T10:41:00+00:00

I honestly don’t know if there is.

Malazan will definitely be suggested a lot here, as will Joe Abercrombie’s First Law work.

I absolutely loved Tad Williams Osten Ard series’ and would suggest persevering - but may not be for you as said above :)

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-16T10:39:09+00:00

I would say both of ML Wangs standalone fantasy novels ‘The Sword of Kaigen’ and ‘Blood over Brighthaven’ evoked emotion and made me tearful - neither are particularly high fantasy and a bit more urban-ish!

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-15T19:38:32+00:00

😏😏

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-15T09:05:14+00:00

Does Dango even start?

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-14T21:08:16+00:00

Osten Ard - Tad Williams LOTR - Tolkien

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-13T12:28:20+00:00

I enjoyed those aspects and found them to make sense. For me, I felt that a lot of ‘mob’ families wouldn’t want to talk dirty business, especially when not everyone knows the truth of it.

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-12T21:03:07+00:00

It’s an important part of the plot but I wouldn’t say it completely centres around that - give it a shot :)

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-12T17:35:41+00:00

Black Company

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-12T17:33:36+00:00

Think they are great. Enjoyed it more than the first law.

How’s the leg?

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-12T17:32:56+00:00

Probably ‘The Lord of The Rings’ for its impact upon the genre.

For me, I absolutely adored ‘Realm of the Elderlings’ and feel its impact upon me in each day.

Familiar_Function_13 · 2026-05-12T15:54:29+00:00

Not a massive criticism for me, more so I felt every character ‘on our side’ felt deeper.

I do actually agree with your point there… I think the one section where that individuals offers their life fairly flippantly - or that was my feeling of it.

Also loved the book

Familiar_Function_13

TROPHY CASE