Famous Lines of Books Game

[Dave]

First Line of the Book Game

I had an idea for a game in books, maybe you think it's good, maybe it's pants! Tell me I can take it!

I've just started reading a book, and I realised that although I hadn't actually read it completely before, I already knew the first line of the book.

So, the idea is that you quote the first line of a scifi book, and the others must guess what it is.

So, for example, if I say: "No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's and yet as mortal as his own."

You say: 'War of the Worlds.'

OK, the book I'm reading now goes like this:

"It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen."

The person who answers correctly gets to set the next quote in the time honoured way of these games.....

 

[Highlander II]

Sweet game!

Although, I don't have the first clue what book your first line ref's - but I like the game idea!


We could also play by 'last line' - b/c sometimes ppl know those too ----

 

[Dave]

Thanks!

I think Ray would know my book, but he's away for a few weeks.

I didn't want to have to give clues, but it is a classic, and quite old (not quite as old as my 'War of the Worlds' example though.)

Why not give us one anyway, we can have two running at once, it doesn't get that confusing. I like the idea of the last line of the book, but off-hand I can't think of a single one.

edit: Actually, the last line of the book I'm reading would give it away too easily. Here is more of the beginning:

It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. Winston Smith, his chin nuzzled into his breast in an effort to escape the vile wind, slipped quickly through the doors of Victory mansions.....

 

[ray gower]

Would it help if I said I haven't a clue what the book is?

I'll keep thinking though!

 

[Highlander II]

uh - I still don't know -

and after 3 hours of working w/ html - there's not a chance I'd remember the first line of any book ----

remind me tomorrow and I'll play!!

 

[Dave]

The last line is: He loved Big Brother.

You must get it now!

I've decided that this isn't such a good idea though. Apart from a few classics, there aren't that many books that everyone will know well enough. Though Google might help!

 

[Highlander II]

well - here's the only 1st line I can remember off the top of my head - if someone wants to have a guess -


"I heard the mailman approach my office door, half an hour earlier than usual. His footsteps fell more heavily, jauntily, and he whistled."




Don't even ask me what the last line is - I'd have to look

 

[ray gower]

Originally posted by Dave
The last line is: He loved Big Brother.

You must get it now!

I've decided that this isn't such a good idea though. Apart from a few classics, there aren't that many books that everyone will know well enough. Though Google might help!

Orwell's 1984?

 

[ray gower]

OT

Originally posted by Highlander II
"His footsteps fell more heavily, jauntily, and he whistled."

I know this is pedantic, but isn't that a contradiction?

Otherwise the closest book I can think of is 'The Postman Always Knocks Twice' (Agatha Christie?) a good play but average film

 

[Highlander II]

contradiction? I dunno - heavily - jauntily - heavy steps, but he sounds happy?

but no - not "The Postman Always Rings Twice" -

speaking of Agatha Christie - I like "Ten Little Indians" myself --

 

[Dave]

Yes to '1984'

No idea on H2's but I would hazzard a guess at something by Jim Butcher??

 

[Highlander II]

Originally posted by Dave
No idea on H2's but I would hazzard a guess at something by Jim Butcher??

How'd you guess??


Little bit predictable - that's me.

 

[greyhorse]

"I've decided that this isn't such a good idea though. Apart from a few classics, there aren't that many books that everyone will know well enough. Though Google might help!"

While this is true, we could try the game anyway. I'm sure most people will know the name of the series that starts with "Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun."

Alternately we could modify the game to cover any famous lines from a SF book.

 

[Highlander II]

Famous lines might work better ---

b/c everytime I think of '1st line of a book' - the only thing that jumps into my head is "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." which isn't scifi ---- but it's the only thing I can ever remember, well, aside from my above-mentioned line

 

[Dave]

OK then I'll change the thread title to "Famous Lines of Books Game".

BTW My copy of the "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" doesn't start with those lines.

"Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun."

It must be a very old copy. Maybe it's worth something??

H2 I have no idea about your quote. I haven't read any Jim Butcher. Not yet anyway! Your drip, drip method of promoting his books is slowly working on me.

 

[Highlander II]

Originally posted by Dave
H2 I have no idea about your quote. I haven't read any Jim Butcher. Not yet anyway! Your drip, drip method of promoting his books is slowly working on me.

hehe --- convincing the world to read Jim Butcher - one drip at a time!

That line is from "Storm Front" - (if you'd taken a trip to buzzymultimedia.com and listened to the MP3s - would have been cake )

 

[greyhorse]

It's embarrassing, but I'm having trouble finding famous lines that most people would recognise. It could be because I've lent out most of my good books, but even then I figured it would be easy finding several. Maybe it would be easier if we could choose a famous paragraph...

In the mean time... back to "First Lines" it is.

"Composite image, optically encoded by escort-craft of the tras-Channel airship Lord Brunel: aerial view of suburban Cherbourg, October 14, 1905."

 

[Dave]

I found this out with a google search, but since I haven't read it (I hadn't even heard of 'Steam-punk' before) I feel that it would be cheating to give the answer.

Do you recommend it? (It has two authors, the first I've read, the second I've been meaning to read.)

 

[greyhorse]

It's a story about the techno-geeks of yesteryear, so to really appreciate the book, you have to be familiar with what is now blunt-edge technology. You also need to know about computers, and how they have affected technological advancements to today.

As long as you have this knowledge, there's a steady stream of technical detail that'll tickle your mind. Otherwise all that detail gets in the way, because there isn't too much of a plot. Subjects you should be familiar with include, but are not limited to, History (British and some American), Paleontology, Steam Engines or Hydraulics/Pneumatics, and Computers. The more you know in general actually, the more you'll like the book.

So if you're not technically inclined, will you be completely lost? Probably not. It is a book about history. If you like history, chances are that you'll get something out of it.

I first read the book before taking any courses in Geology or Hydraulics/Pneumatics, but I still enjoyed it. After taking those courses I enjoyed it a whole lot more. If only I paid attention during history classes during high school....

 

[Dave]

I don't know much about steam engines/hydraulics, but I do about the other things. I know about Babbage. Actually, I think the authors must have hung out at the London Science Museum, since his Difference Engine is only a few steps away from he big steam Beam Engines there. Babbage himself never build a complete machine because Victorian mechanical engineering was not sufficiently developed to produce parts with sufficient precision.

So, is it an alternative history/reality idea, where he actually built his calculating machines?