Star Wars Style Prologue?

[Helen]

it's worked well is several works, so I can't see why it wouldn't work here

I'd say go for it.

D'accord.

I agree.

 

[Benjamin Clayborne]

If you kept it under a page I'd probably read it. More than that, and I'd skip it. A few authors have advised that you never put crucial information in the prologue simply because many readers skip them. If you can't figure out how to work the info into the story, it may not be as important to the reader as you think.

Keep in mind that the Star Wars prologue is quite short, had the visual advantage of scrolling up the screen, and was accompanied by the iconic musical score that opened the movies. In other words, it's far more engaging than the very same words would have been at the beginning of a novel.

Plus, you couldn't really skip it, since you were sitting in a movie theater with a few hundred other people Well, once you're watching it on home video of some sort, I suppose...

 

[JCFarnham]

There was a time when I skipped EVERY prologue. I considered them optional, almost like an anecdote or a bonus chapter... Then I read Game of Thrones and regretted skipping it because seeing 'the Others' that soon would have been a huge hook for me. Instead, I spent the first 200 pages wondering... what is the freaking point of all this?

Then I finished it (after putting it down a few times) and read the prologue. It changed everything about the series, because it revealed the big picture and gave me something to look forward to.

You are someone who gets that prologue. That makes me very happy . Take the Starks talk of "winter coming" throughout that first book. Skipping the prologue, you get a nice mention of something weird that happens in their seasons and a lovely allusion to the future of the main conflict. All good. Nothing wrong with that. Throw in the prologue and suddenly "winter" becomes more sinister, it becomes synonymous with the Others almost. To me it was a game changing prologue (as they ALL should be). It was also well executed prose. I like the series more knowing that there is something else out there, and in fact its not all about petty squabbling over a throne.

Anyway, prologues really are something you will never change peoples minds on. I've said in previous prologue threads that I'm incredibly dubious of the act of separating them from the book. I've even asserted I would rather call them all chapter one in my own writing or leave them untitled to get people to read the damn thing. And still you see me defending them in this thread... What the?!

Well my point is simple. The author chose to present it as they did and we have no right to edit it post-publishing. Even if I hate them more often than not like every one else, if I've picked up and more importantly paid for a book, I will give myself fully to that author.

Have a little trust that they know what they're up to.

I'm not saying I won't still put the book down if it fails me, I get disinterested like most.

If you're reading their fiction you have to have faith and trust them until they prove otherwise. That's my first rule of reading. Once again: that includes reading extraneous stuff they (and let's not forget the editors and agents) thought important enough to include.

I think we're past cute tricks like "would you read the contents?" don't you?

 

[Steerpike]

No right, JC? If I buy a copy of a book I have the right to burn it in my fireplace or line a bird cage with it. No right to skip a prologue?

 

[wordwalker]

Rights?

Well, let's just say it takes more confidence in yourself to say "I'm going to give this author a shot at my ten reading hours with however he's set up the story-- except, I'm still sure his prologue will be a waste" than "Let's see how he does it."

 

[Steerpike]

The writer has already signaled that he has decided to start the book somewhere other than what he acknowledges is the beginning. That's a strike. There's a decent chance I'll just put the book back on the shelf and get something else. However, if I do buy it I can decide for myself how I wish to approach reading it. If anyone wants to start buying books for me, I'd be more than happy to entertain their ideas as to how I should read them. My paypal address is available via PM.

 

[wordwalker]

Eep.

Sorry, nobody's doubting who has the right to read what.

 

[JCFarnham]

I'm sure you know what I intended to mean, Steerpike.

Oh well, were you see a strike against the author. I see; "This person is doing something that isn't recommend... on purpose." Even though I can say it'll probably be rubbish, I still what to read all of it. Sometimes meaning isn't totally apparent until you finish the book. If I ignored a prologue then I would fear the possibility that I may never get the point of it all. I trust the author. Innocent until proven guilty?

If not right, then you "owe" it to yourself and author? Is that a better way to put it? (Probably not.)

The apparent analogy here is Star Wars. I still prefer to watch it in the intended order (or "be disappointed in the intended order" to paraphrase a well-loved sitcom), whether episodes 1 through 3 pale in comparison to the others or not. I want to appreciate it all.

Understand? Well, you may say why read or watch something you know will be terrible? Time isn't as precious as you want it to be. There's plenty of hours in a day to be cynical. And let be frank, if I didn't want to buy/read a book it would be over subject matter not interesting me or awful awful prose, not over a prologue. It wouldn't even get as far as that. That prologue could be misplaced, but still well written, and I'd be fine with that. Disappointed, but fine.

 

[Benjamin Clayborne]

Steerpike doesn't like prologues, and that's fine; it's just a matter of opinion at this point. Stop trying to convince him.