Column Chronicles: More great opening lines that ruined little-known novels

More great opening lines that ruined little-known novels

Frank Cotolo
June 26, 2025

Many teachers of literature tell writers that the first line of a novel is so important it decides whether or not a reader finishes the book. Though there are wonderful novels worth struggling through mediocre opening lines we found some opening lines so great they readers imagined the rest of the book could offer nothing better.

WHEN THE TIME COMES (O.M. Barchmaker)
Who among the greatest of their kind is able to make it look so simple that no one should ever take a moment to feel it may be done better or even be the best with no comparison; that's the question and here is the answer in a hundred thousand words:

STAKES ARE HIGH (L. Raquer)
We wisk and we want and we wallow through the moments with not one open wound to mark our lack of greatness.

WILLING (G. Groch)
I want, I want and I want even more than I imagine I want and yet what is available at all?

FIXING FLATS
I was young but nothing could stop me from thinking it was the last day of my life and my ankles could not support one more step into the flames of awkward concepts.

URINARY CONTROL
What a bladder!

TASTING THE WATER AFTER THE DUCK
How I describe my grandfather depends a lot upon which odors are stronger after a raging scent from the septic tank seeps through the cracked windows.

MOMMY WAS A FIST FIGHTER
And on and on and on and on and on and what do you think could happen when such rapidity owns your fate?

THE PATRON'S EFFORT
On the edge of the sunrise was a horizon burning its way through my cornea and I could not think of one prayer that could stop it.

Frank Cotolo can be found hosting the talk and interview programme Cotolo Chronicles. You can send him an e-mail at this address: frank@148.ca.