Ever since I read my first Sanderson book, Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians, I have LOVED one particular thing that Sanderson nails with every publication:
The opening line.
I think he’s so good at this that I have several of these lines memorized, and I try to emulate it every time I start a project. If I can picture my opening line starting a Sanderson book, I’m happy with it. He’s so good at sinking his hooks in and keeping us on board. It’s the first impression after all, so it really needs to mean something, especially when you’re reading from a particular author for the first time.
Today I wanted to go through some of my favorite opening lines from his books, break down why I like them/why I think they work, and explore what exactly they do to keep us reading.
If any of these opening lines intrigue you, check out Sanderson’s website and see if the first few chapters are available to read! Most are posted and easy to access. And I guess a minor spoiler warning for the openings of the books, but I won’t spoil anything serious.
Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians
Since this was my first Sanderson book, I obviously needed to start with this absolute banger of a line:
So, there I was, tied to an altar made from outdated encyclopedias, about to get sacrificed to the dark powers by a cult of evil Librarians.
Wow, what a perfect way to start. From the get go, you wonder what the hell you’re getting into, which is made even better by the fact that he immediately backtracks the narrative. The whole book teases this event, leading you along like a carrot on a string. You wonder how he got there. Who is trying to sacrifice him. What his death could possibly be about. Why there’s a cult of evil librarians in the first place. You wait the entire novel for this promised, epic event, only for it to not happen in book one.
Or in book two. Or three. Or four.
That’s right folks. This foretold ritual sacrifice doesn’t even happen until book five. And let me tell you, the pay off is worth it. I won’t spoil anymore, but trust me when I say that this opening line pays dividends. This line sets the stage, introduces us to the sarcastic and teasing nature of Alcatraz’s narrative style, and has us dying to know what happens next. Great job, Sandy.
Steelheart
My second Sanderson series was The Reckoners, which opens with a line that’s very different from the previous one, but just as effective:
I’ve seen Steelheart bleed.
Ooh, I get chills when I read this. What a line, full of confusion and mystery. Why is it special that Steelheart is bleeding? Who is he? What happened to make him bleed? All the right questions.
What really helps is the rest of the prologue, which is exciting and heartbreaking and sets up a story of revenge. I enjoyed this prologue so much, I performed it as a Dramatic Interpretation in Speech and Debate in high school (even though I was bad at DI, I still had fun). The ending line is chilling, promising action and an unforgettable adventure. I loved saying this final line:
I’ve seen Steelheart bleed. And I will see him bleed again.
The Way of Kings
This was my first Cosmere book, and this one gets you right away. While this technically isn’t the first line of the whole book (since there is a prelude before the prologue), many readers consider this the first line, since we skip the prelude to how complicated it is (don’t fight me, please). So our prologue’s opening line reads:
Szeth-son-son-Vallano truthless of Shinovar, wore white the day he was to kill a king.
This is such a great line. Maybe my favorite. It gives you SO much to wonder about. Why is Szeth’s name so long? What does ‘truthless’ mean? Why is it important that he wore white? And why did he decide to kill a king???
Ugh this prologue is so damn good. It’s also action packed, full of great lore tidbits and magic that have us frothing at the mouth for more. Szeth’s power and prowess for killing is scary, the last words of Gavilar set up the rest of the series to come, and the world building is phenomenal. Go read this one. And if you have, reread it.
Mistborn
Next up in the Cosmere for me was The Final Empire, which has a less action based, but equally intriguing opening line:
Ash fell from the sky.
Why is it raining ash? A fire? Some kind of magic? A volcano? It’s very mysterious.
While the opening line is iconic, I remember less about the prologue, and needed to skim through it to refresh my memory. We learn about the caste system in Mistborn, see Kelsier’s chaotic ways, and get a taste of the magic system for the series. It is a really good way to open the book.
Warbreaker
Warbreaker has another one of my favorite lines. It wasn’t what I was expecting when I first read it, but I sure wasn’t disappointed by it.
“It’s funny,” Vasher thought, “how many things begin with my getting thrown in prison.”
I love the humor in this line, as well as how it sets up the start of the book. There is also an extra meta level to it, since the book begins with a line that mentions something beginning. We wonder who Vasher is, why he’s been in prison multiple times, and what he thinks is beginning here. Vasher is a great character, and I love that this book opens with him and his grumpiness and sarcasm.
And the rest of the prologue is also great, once again showcasing the magic system and enough of the world to have us wanting so much more. Are we seeing a pattern here?
Elantris
Okay, last one (kinda). Elantris is a great book, even if it isn’t quite as good as some of the others. And the way it opens is iconic and startling and oh-so-perfect.
Prince Raoden of Arelon awoke early that morning, completely unaware that he had been damned for all eternity.
We learn many things right off the bat. Our main character is a prince. He probably woke up with some important things to see to. And he’s apparently damned without even knowing it. How will he find out? What does being damned in this world mean? How does he not know? Why would it happen to a prince????
Go read this book, too, if you haven’t. Raoden is a great character and his damnation is maybe not as bad as it initially seems.
Why Do These Lines Work?
I think these lines all have something in common. They tend to be vague, have some sort of twist or humor to them, and really make you need to know more. This is perhaps best seen for Alcatraz, because the line is SO absurd, it makes you beg for more. Elantris also does this well, starting the line off in a normal, almost boring way, only to spin you 180 degrees around into bafflement and confusion. But a good kind of confusion.
A bit of a tangent, but confusion is a very powerful tool. In my education courses in college, we talked about the power of being confused. See, people tend to hate the feeling of not knowing something. It can make us feel dumb, scared, and uncomfortable. But when it’s harnessed well, it makes us crave knowledge and seek out answers. This can be used in the classroom, but it also can be used in books.
By giving readers just enough to go off of, but not enough to feel bored or comfortable, it makes them need more. That’s part of why cliffhangers are so effective, too. We don’t like not knowing things. It may sound cheap when phrased to simply, but authors need to guide their readers along with information just outside their reach, like steering a pig in Minecraft.
I mentioned earlier that I like to emulate Sanderson when I start my own books. So I decided here that I’d share the opening lines of my three main projects and see if they accomplish my lofty goals.
Fae Marked
Vissi tried to keep her eyes from wandering as she finished painting the runes over her friend’s chest.
So. The goal for this line is to make readers wonder about a few things that will be important to come. What is the relationship between Vissi and her friend, Avmara? What is the purpose of the runes she’s painting? How are these two questions related, and why do they matter?
The main point of this novel is to explore the complexities of friendship, and how they can diminish and change and grow. This is explored through fae magic, and the pact the two girls form in the prologue is crucial to this.
I think this opening line works well for my goals! It adds some mystery and questions that get answers both in the prologue, as well as throughout the novel. I’m a big fan of this line.
The Changeling Prince
Avan looked over the decent sized plot of land, searching for tell-tale signs of fae.
This line is maybe a little less related to huge plot questions, but sets up one of the main ideas of the book: that Avan is knowledgeable in the ways of the fae, and is sought out for this reason. In the first chapter, she’s hired to investigate fae activity on a farmer’s land. Later on, her services are requested by someone with a little more authority: the royal family.
I think this line is simple but effective, and I like the way it works, even if it is a bit less action-packed.
By the way, if you are interested, I have the first chapter posted here on the blog! Feel free to check it out.
Of Voyages and Virtues
For a skilled adventurer and trained sailor, Eithan sure complained a lot over something as small as a splinter.
I like this line a lot. It’s maybe my favorite of the three here. The goal is to set up the reader with knowledge about the plot (that is involves sailing and adventuring), that Eithan is someone who is unserious or has something unexpected about him, and that there is something special about the relationship he has with the POV character, Sirene.
This is my most action-y of my novel projects, so I want to make sure that’s clear from this first line, which continues into the first chapter. I really had the Warbreaker opening line in mind for this one, mixing some humor and mystery and subtle character details.
And there you have it! I love opening lines and how much power they have over the reader. First impressions matter, so as an aspiring novelist, I like to be aware of them. Obviously Sanderson is just one example of how to do this well. If we go digging, I imagine we’d find that most good books use the tricks I laid out here.
Next time you start a new book, pay attention to that opening line! It may teach you more about the book than you think.
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