I think the first line in the first letter should Officially count as Frankenstein’s first line: “You will rejoice to hear that no disaster has accompanied the commencement of an enterprise which you have regarded with such evil forebodings.” not my absolute favorite of the bunch but I think it’s way better than the first line of chapter 1!
i hesistate to ascribe value to that line based on the evolution of technology. gibson couldn't have known or predicted what a tv turned to a dead channel would mean in the future - he wrote that specific image with his current understanding of what a dead television channel looked like. sure, our interpretation and understanding of that line changes and evolves, but I don't think that's intentional.
@@AwesomeTingle The thing is, this series is not judging the lines on what the authors think they would mean but on what they are and what they mean to readers from today. Gibson got « lucky » (though the line was already really good) and this sentence ended up meaning much more with time. So it is a valid source of value (unless you do not agree with the idea of « Death of the author » obviously).
It only has one true meaning/interpretation (grey static). Some people might misundestand it because they never had those grey static tv's or grew up with blue dead screens. But it only has one true meaning. P.s. It's INSANE that Neuromancer is not on the list. It destroyes these. It's not just about the interpretation, the prose of it is beautiful. That line is famous for a reason. Even people that haven't read the book know it.
Happy New Year! Format only changed rhanks to feedback from previous videos - and we havent forgotten about your recommendation to do a tier ranking of different fantasy worlds!
For Ender’s Game, the opening line “I've watched through his eyes, I've listened through his ears, and I tell you he's the one” Hits different when you think about the way the book explores theme of empathy
I haven’t read most of these (planning to start reading more regularly this year!) but I have an incredibly ambivalent reaction to recognizing the first line of Brave New World despite reading it once. Over 4 years ago.
Want to make that new years resolution a reality? Take my advice, buy an ereader. The experience isn't "as" satisfying as reading a full sized hardcover (my preference, although some prefer paperback) but the advantages are so numerous that it beats losing the experience / feeling of paper on your fingers. It also gives you access to an endless library of books You can sample and try any book you want for free (provided you don't mind some piracy) and then buy a nice physical edition if you enjoy the book. If you want to read more and soebd money on books you end up disliking it will discourage you from giving other books a chance. On top of that, if you're planning to read. And you bought an ereader specifically to read. You will be more inclined to pick it up and read, esp early on which can help you build a healthy habbit of doing so. And then there are all the other benefits, like reading in bed / in a pitch dark room. No eye strain, works in all conditions, battery lasts for ages and you carry a whole library in your pocket. Built in dictionary, never guess from context again (and hurt your pride by learning how often you think you understand a word or understood a word by context, but are in fact, wrong.) Does a book have 50 characters? Highlight and save them, annotate, take notes etc etc. E readers are the sht homie. Get one.
Oooh I guess I’m reading Ender’s Game now. That first line is A tier for sure! The interesting thing about it is the narration implies omnipotence. Like only a deity could listen through someone’s ears, but then it’s interesting because then “he is the chosen one” meaning they NEED him. So why would a world with a deity capable of listening through someone’s ears need a chosen one? I’m hooked
It would be great if you do this for choose at least one or two books for reading, books that you haven't readed it . And later tell us how it was 🤭. Happy new year🎉
I’m so curious-are there any upcoming books in 2024 you guys are excited to read/check out? Also I feel like I need a video on you guys rating book world maps/or if you would read the book based only on the map or something? 🤔 I’ve been super into looking at book maps lately when I go out and sometimes they even determine my next read lol
We plan on doing something similar - a world tier list eventually which will definitely include maps (Roshar, Middle Earth, Discworld, etc) - and our most anticipated release is by far Stormlight 5, but we will have to check and see what others we are looking forward to and maybe make a vid on it!
Happy new year! It was fun to try and guess what books without knowing their titles. I’m excited to see which ones show up in the next video. Hope you guys have a great year and your channel continues to grow!
I'm glad you're enjoying Empire of Silence Richard. I adore the series and the first book can be divisive for some people. It just gets better in Book 2 and onward!
I've been falling in love with you guys this year and finally am remembering to ask: Richard where did you get that amazing Wheel of Time collection? I needs it!
That would actually be really cool! There would be less bias with it being books the guys haven’t read.. (maybe have the lines submitted so they are a surprise for both of them)
28:59 I really hope this is a real future episode. I've never read "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" and I've always been extremely curious how Bladerunner was similar/different from it.
I'm going to throw this out there though I'm sure most will not agree. My single favorite opening line from a sci-fi book comes from "Heart of The Comet" by Gregory Benford and David Brin. "Kato died first." I'm biased though because I adore the book...
Light. The light of that murdered sun still burns me. S! It's poetic, it's intriguing, and I'm asking questions. I'm in. I want more. I've been set up for something epic.
Hey guys! I just started watching your podcast and I'm enjoying watching you guys find your way! The passion you guys come with is the most important ingredient! I wanted to drop something that you guys may be able to reference and couple with your rating system: This is the newest video, so it doesn't quite fit, but I assume you're more likely to see it. Bear with me! I was watching your "scifi v fantasy" episode and found you guys trying to put a few things into words that I believe Tolkien has said PERFECTLY! It struck me, when you started talking about dragonfire penguins...or something. I think this is paramount, for anybody who is writing, or reading fantasy. This is an excerpt from his essay "On Fairy Stories." "Children are capable, of course, of literary belief, when the story-maker's art is good enough to produce it. That state of mind has been called “willing suspension of disbelief.” But this does not seem to me a good description of what happens. What really happens is that the story-maker proves a successful “sub-creator.” He makes a Secondary World which your mind can enter. Inside it, what he relates is “true”: it accords with the laws of that world. You therefore believe it, while you are, as it were, inside. The moment disbelief arises, the spell is broken; the magic, or rather art, has failed. You are then out in the Primary World again, looking at the little abortive Secondary World from outside. If you are obliged, by kindliness or circumstance, to stay, then disbelief must be suspended (or stifled), otherwise listening and looking would become intolerable. But this suspension of disbelief is a substitute for the genuine thing, a subterfuge we use when condescending to games or make-believe, or when trying (more or less willingly) to find what virtue we can in the work of an art that has for us failed."
Also, I am about to finish Red Rising! I am LOVING it! I read a couple hundred pages, got tired and just HAD to find somebody talking about it, which is how I found you guys! I love your dynamic! I am as critical as Richard, but I wax lyrical about the stuff I love, like Austin 😂
@@2ToRamble I think it's a great start! He was so young when he wrote it, so I firmly believe Brown's technical skill will have improved and be noticeable, as he matured as an author! My expectations have been set high, since somebody has put that "10/10" on Golden Son!
I definitely recommend the sequel to Hitchhikers Guide: "the restaurant at the end of the universe". I think it's better than the first even, or at the very least just as much fun.
Spoilers for the Hunger Games series: . . . I read recently that the first few lines: “When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim’s warmth, but finding only the rough canvas cover of the mattress.” is actually foreshadowing Prim’s death at the very end. Katniss reaches out for her, but she’s already gone. Haunting when you think about it
I have to rant and ramble. I do not get the love for Gideon the ninth, it's like reading a black and white movie that was filmed on a Nokia, I just never got an image of the setting in my mind. I did somehow finish it however but what a chore
@@2ToRamble I first replied to this while half asleep. I meant to add that listening to the music gives a feeling for the tone of the book that I have never experienced before when reading. I could imagine that music playing as the opening score like a movie. It is great.
I canNOt believe you guys put Gideon the Ninth's first line in the D category. It's way better than that, even if you do like the back of the book lines better.
Almost to 20k subs. Nearly time for another Q&A lol. Also, Richard, you called Austin your significant other. Glad to see your Friends to Lovers character arc is progressing well. It's going to be so hearbreaking when you guys duel at Urithiru. Also, can you guys grade the first line of a book I'm thinking about writing? What tier would you put it at? “The nature of your greatest friend is not judged by the depth of his loyalty, nor by his good deeds worn like shining armor, but by the words he speaks when he pierces your heart with his blade.”
😂 oh not another one of thise q and A’s lol. And wow great opener! Thats at A tier right there and at minimum a high B - I think Richard would even agree. Great stuff
@@2ToRamble Thanks! Just to get a better idea of the effect it would have on readers, what do you think this story would be about, going solely off of this line? What type of questions are you asking yourself? Does this evict any emotion?
I'm imagining a friend having to sacrifice themselves in a dire situation, something high stakes, and a tone where brutal scenes are normal. I'm almost imagining the first scene as someone dying, and we're about to find out who is dying, why, and what words they are saying. I also could see the route of this being a setup to a larger point in the story, maybe this is just more of a thought that our main character is having, but my immediate "pull" goes straight to "oo who is this person that has been loyal, and done good deeds who is killing ___ person and for what reason"@@KALtheHighstorm117
@@2ToRamble That's a great take! Not exactly what I had in mind, but that's actually good. I asked my cousin as well, and she gave a different answer. That probably means that this line will affect people in many different ways, and when the real meaning of it pays off, it will shock some and please others. Also, I left a comment on your most recent video. Could you give that one a look, please? It's different😢
Just discovered you guys and think you're great! 'Red Rising' trilogy currently on its way to my door. Have either of you read 'The Will of The Many' by James Islington? Just started it and intrigued to hear your thoughts :)
I really enjoy your tier ranking videos ✨️ Maybe do a challenge? Rank first lines from some WIPs... you'll get to rank with absolutely 0 bias... and it can be fun. Maybe? 🤷🏻♀️ And happy new year 🪄 (Not you, Richard. [50:30] How dare you? ⚔️)
I just recently got back into reading and was wondering what you guys would recommend to someone who’d consider themselves a “beginner” in the sci-fi/fantasy! Maybe even turn it into a tier list of your guys’ top books/series if it’s too much for a comment?
We will add this as a video idea - also we can give a more detailed answer over Instagram/Twitter(X)/whatever platform to pick your brain to see what would be a good rec if you msg us there!
I basically had opposite reactions to Richard with the first lines of Hyperion and I, Robot. I have read Hyperion and I thought it was just ok, but I feel like his opinion was at least as much colored by his love of the book. I haven't read I, Robot, but I really enjoyed the first two of Asimov's robot detective novels. I didn't like Foundations though. (Sorry Richard's mom.)
Grey New World is a C at best. Biased because I don't like dystopian narratives (maybe I haven't read the right ones). While the prose "squat grey building" is intensely descriptive, it also signals to me what kind of story this will be: one that I'm not very interested in. Dystopian future feels like the "zombies" of sci-fi, how different can the stories really be? There are unlimited possibilities in terms of narrative devices and the author chose "East Berlin with robots".
Imho the Hitchhiker's first line, even the first 2 lines aren't very good. It's just using facts about Earth's location to make an overly wordy sentence that really took little imagination. It was a decent movie, but it's not a book I would choose to read.
Asimov is bursting with evocative ideas...but...he can't write. I just finished Foundation and Earth - which is, in theory, a breathtaking story - but I want to...fix it for him.
The best first line from sci fi is from William Gibson's Neuromancer's "The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel" Also from Gibson: "When Hiro hit the swithc, I was dreaming of Paris, dreaming of wet, dark streets in the winter. The pain came oscilating up fro mthe floor of my skull, exploding behind my eyes in a wall of blue neon; I jackknifed up out of the mesh hammock, screamning. I always scream; I make a point of it" (from his absolutely brilliant short story, Hinterlands. Probably one of my favorite short stories ever) P.s. Hyperion is mediocre at best. The fall of hyperion is absolute and utter, irrideemable garbage. NAAAHHHHGGG... man's put hyperion on the list but no neuromancer in sight. unsubbed
Nothing beats Neuromancer's "The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel."
You guys should totally do a book cover list ranked
Shocking that Austin doesn’t want Richard to get cancelled….
Happy New Year 🎉🎉
😂 happy new year!
Video Idea: Fantasy Weapons Tier list,
Fantasy creatures tier list
Love it
I think the first line in the first letter should Officially count as Frankenstein’s first line: “You will rejoice to hear that no disaster has accompanied the commencement of an enterprise which you have regarded with such evil forebodings.” not my absolute favorite of the bunch but I think it’s way better than the first line of chapter 1!
I was thinking this too! Justice for Frankenstein hahaha
yesss exactly i was expecting that line 😭😭 and thats at least b
Thats a much better line!
Neuromancer deserves to make the second list. Its first line can have many different interpretations depending on the time you were born.
This will be in the second one 🥂
I am happy that there's going to be a second one. @@2ToRamble
i hesistate to ascribe value to that line based on the evolution of technology. gibson couldn't have known or predicted what a tv turned to a dead channel would mean in the future - he wrote that specific image with his current understanding of what a dead television channel looked like. sure, our interpretation and understanding of that line changes and evolves, but I don't think that's intentional.
@@AwesomeTingle The thing is, this series is not judging the lines on what the authors think they would mean but on what they are and what they mean to readers from today. Gibson got « lucky » (though the line was already really good) and this sentence ended up meaning much more with time. So it is a valid source of value (unless you do not agree with the idea of « Death of the author » obviously).
It only has one true meaning/interpretation (grey static). Some people might misundestand it because they never had those grey static tv's or grew up with blue dead screens. But it only has one true meaning.
P.s. It's INSANE that Neuromancer is not on the list. It destroyes these. It's not just about the interpretation, the prose of it is beautiful. That line is famous for a reason. Even people that haven't read the book know it.
‘This is Frankenstein’
‘…oh shoot’
😂
I liked this format because I would try to guess the book first as well. Nice! HNY
Happy New Year! Format only changed rhanks to feedback from previous videos - and we havent forgotten about your recommendation to do a tier ranking of different fantasy worlds!
This channels going places. The editing is really good and you two have great energy together.
Ahhh thankya!!
For Ender’s Game, the opening line
“I've watched through his eyes, I've listened through his ears, and I tell you he's the one”
Hits different when you think about the way the book explores theme of empathy
Got into your channel recently from the first lines in fantasy videos. Such convenient timing with this one releasing just now.
Another amazing video!! Absolutely love this channel
🙏
In a short time these 2 fools have grown so dear to my heart
Oh ok that's too positive
I mean of course they are doof
😂
I haven’t read most of these (planning to start reading more regularly this year!) but I have an incredibly ambivalent reaction to recognizing the first line of Brave New World despite reading it once. Over 4 years ago.
Want to make that new years resolution a reality? Take my advice, buy an ereader. The experience isn't "as" satisfying as reading a full sized hardcover (my preference, although some prefer paperback) but the advantages are so numerous that it beats losing the experience / feeling of paper on your fingers.
It also gives you access to an endless library of books You can sample and try any book you want for free (provided you don't mind some piracy) and then buy a nice physical edition if you enjoy the book. If you want to read more and soebd money on books you end up disliking it will discourage you from giving other books a chance. On top of that, if you're planning to read. And you bought an ereader specifically to read. You will be more inclined to pick it up and read, esp early on which can help you build a healthy habbit of doing so.
And then there are all the other benefits, like reading in bed / in a pitch dark room. No eye strain, works in all conditions, battery lasts for ages and you carry a whole library in your pocket. Built in dictionary, never guess from context again (and hurt your pride by learning how often you think you understand a word or understood a word by context, but are in fact, wrong.) Does a book have 50 characters? Highlight and save them, annotate, take notes etc etc.
E readers are the sht homie. Get one.
"word efficiency" describes Hyperion so well. It's crazy to think how many experiences, emotions, and content exist in this ~500 page book
Oooh I guess I’m reading Ender’s Game now. That first line is A tier for sure! The interesting thing about it is the narration implies omnipotence. Like only a deity could listen through someone’s ears, but then it’s interesting because then “he is the chosen one” meaning they NEED him. So why would a world with a deity capable of listening through someone’s ears need a chosen one? I’m hooked
Also like how Brave New World describes a squat building as 34 stories
ok but now I want to read Hyperion!
It would be great if you do this for choose at least one or two books for reading, books that you haven't readed it . And later tell us how it was 🤭. Happy new year🎉
Good idea! Happy new year!
I love you guys keep it up u guys are the only reason i started reading 3 months ago❤❤❤
Biggest compliment ever, so glad youre back into reading 👊👊👊. Thankyou!
you guys should do one of these videos but with the last line
ps. looooove your podcast and happy new year!!
Happy New Year!! Thank you 🙏
Much better format! Loved it. Tier ranking list of all books read in 2023?
We might bot just bc we’re not a huge fan of it at the moment and dont think we can add much value but will think it over 🙏
We neeeee a full spoiler Hyperion discussion. I just finished the first book last night and I’m dying to hear your full thoughts.
I’m so curious-are there any upcoming books in 2024 you guys are excited to read/check out? Also I feel like I need a video on you guys rating book world maps/or if you would read the book based only on the map or something? 🤔 I’ve been super into looking at book maps lately when I go out and sometimes they even determine my next read lol
We plan on doing something similar - a world tier list eventually which will definitely include maps (Roshar, Middle Earth, Discworld, etc) - and our most anticipated release is by far Stormlight 5, but we will have to check and see what others we are looking forward to and maybe make a vid on it!
Great way to start the new year! I need to read some more sci-fi
Happy new year! It was fun to try and guess what books without knowing their titles. I’m excited to see which ones show up in the next video. Hope you guys have a great year and your channel continues to grow!
Thanks a bunch!!
I'm glad you're enjoying Empire of Silence Richard. I adore the series and the first book can be divisive for some people. It just gets better in Book 2 and onward!
Richard- " A little odd, April shouldn't be as cold..."
Me- Confused Minnesotan noises
😆
New Year, New 2ToRamble!
Happy New Year Andrew!!
If you haven’t read Dark Matter yet YOU MUST it’s one of my absolute favorites
Great video
it would be nice if you show the lines on screen, especially when it is a longer one
Can't wait to hear the Empire of Silence thoughts. I enjoyed it, but book 2 and 3 really step into amazing territory
Review coming this month!
Richard your jokes this episodes toe'd the line repeatedly. I laughed, repeatedly.
I've been falling in love with you guys this year and finally am remembering to ask: Richard where did you get that amazing Wheel of Time collection? I needs it!
Me and some friends pitched in for his bday and got it from Juniper Books - definitely on the pricey end, but looks so cool
@@2ToRamble Agreed, it looks incredible on the shelf. Thanks, Austin!
Y’all should read horror books first lines even though y’all don’t read them there’s some crazy first horror book lines
That would actually be really cool! There would be less bias with it being books the guys haven’t read.. (maybe have the lines submitted so they are a surprise for both of them)
Very true!
28:59 I really hope this is a real future episode. I've never read "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" and I've always been extremely curious how Bladerunner was similar/different from it.
Praying the Lives of Tao is in part two. It is such a good series that needs more eyes
That Hyperion opener is amazing! I’m excited that Hyperion is finally on my TBR this month
it is, immediately reminds me of melville's writing in moby dick.
I'm going to throw this out there though I'm sure most will not agree.
My single favorite opening line from a sci-fi book comes from "Heart of The Comet" by Gregory Benford and David Brin.
"Kato died first."
I'm biased though because I adore the book...
Another fun one, gentlemen. Well done
Terry Goodkind bottom tier 🤣🤣 I am going to pretend I didn't have 4 of his books in my 2023 recap
😂😂
Light. The light of that murdered sun still burns me.
S!
It's poetic, it's intriguing, and I'm asking questions. I'm in. I want more.
I've been set up for something epic.
Richard was right about the Ender’s Game line IMO it deserved A
Hey guys! I just started watching your podcast and I'm enjoying watching you guys find your way! The passion you guys come with is the most important ingredient! I wanted to drop something that you guys may be able to reference and couple with your rating system:
This is the newest video, so it doesn't quite fit, but I assume you're more likely to see it. Bear with me! I was watching your "scifi v fantasy" episode and found you guys trying to put a few things into words that I believe Tolkien has said PERFECTLY! It struck me, when you started talking about dragonfire penguins...or something. I think this is paramount, for anybody who is writing, or reading fantasy. This is an excerpt from his essay "On Fairy Stories."
"Children are capable, of course, of literary belief, when the story-maker's art is good enough to produce it. That state of mind has been called “willing suspension of disbelief.” But this does not seem to me a good description of what happens. What really happens is that the story-maker proves a successful “sub-creator.” He makes a Secondary World which your mind can enter. Inside it, what he relates is “true”: it accords with the laws of that world. You therefore believe it, while you are, as it were, inside. The moment disbelief arises, the spell is broken; the magic, or rather art, has failed. You are then out in the Primary World again, looking at the little abortive Secondary World from outside. If you are obliged, by kindliness or circumstance, to stay, then disbelief must be suspended (or stifled), otherwise listening and looking would become intolerable. But this suspension of disbelief is a substitute for the genuine thing, a subterfuge we use when condescending to games or make-believe, or when trying (more or less willingly) to find what virtue we can in the work of an art that has for us failed."
Also, I am about to finish Red Rising! I am LOVING it! I read a couple hundred pages, got tired and just HAD to find somebody talking about it, which is how I found you guys! I love your dynamic! I am as critical as Richard, but I wax lyrical about the stuff I love, like Austin 😂
Leave it to Tolkien to put it perfectly- definitely agree! And love that youre loving Red Rising lets go 👊👊
@@2ToRamble I think it's a great start! He was so young when he wrote it, so I firmly believe Brown's technical skill will have improved and be noticeable, as he matured as an author! My expectations have been set high, since somebody has put that "10/10" on Golden Son!
I definitely recommend the sequel to Hitchhikers Guide: "the restaurant at the end of the universe". I think it's better than the first even, or at the very least just as much fun.
And the first line is incredible
@@2ToRamble is this foreshadowing 😆
🤫
Damn. Hyperion seems awsome and just jumped up to the top of my TBR
I would love to see you guys do the last line of a book
"I would have lived in peace, but my enemies brought me war"
🤌🤌
I love these first lines videos so much ❤❤
Spoilers for the Hunger Games series:
.
.
.
I read recently that the first few lines: “When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim’s warmth, but finding only the rough canvas cover of the mattress.” is actually foreshadowing Prim’s death at the very end. Katniss reaches out for her, but she’s already gone. Haunting when you think about it
I decided to not show up at the hospital of the birth of my first born to listen to this podcast.
😂
Hopefully you're the father LOL
If only the first line of Empire of Silence was "My mother was late to my birth".
What a line
Makes me think of Doofenshmirtz from Phineas and Ferb where neither of his parents showed up to his birth 💀
I have to rant and ramble. I do not get the love for Gideon the ninth, it's like reading a black and white movie that was filmed on a Nokia, I just never got an image of the setting in my mind. I did somehow finish it however but what a chore
I rather liked the image you built there, better than some of those first lines for sure! 😂
When I read the line from Hyperion I put the book down and looked up the piece of music and listened to it through.
Oo thats great - Did you like it?
@@2ToRamble it is a great piece
@@2ToRamble I first replied to this while half asleep. I meant to add that listening to the music gives a feeling for the tone of the book that I have never experienced before when reading. I could imagine that music playing as the opening score like a movie. It is great.
@@jaredpoulter6762 thats incredible!
Happy new year guys!!🎉🎉
Happy new year nicholas!
I think Velocity Weapon has my fav opening line: "The first thing Sanda did after being resuscitated was vomit all over herself." 🤣
I canNOt believe you guys put Gideon the Ninth's first line in the D category. It's way better than that, even if you do like the back of the book lines better.
You should do top sci-fi lines vs top fantasy lines.
These are fun videos, but where the next Wot review? I've been waiting since last year
Lol we shall get there - taking me a while, hoping to push through!
Almost to 20k subs. Nearly time for another Q&A lol.
Also, Richard, you called Austin your significant other. Glad to see your Friends to Lovers character arc is progressing well. It's going to be so hearbreaking when you guys duel at Urithiru.
Also, can you guys grade the first line of a book I'm thinking about writing? What tier would you put it at?
“The nature of your greatest friend is not judged by the depth of his loyalty, nor by his good deeds worn like shining armor, but by the words he speaks when he pierces your heart with his blade.”
😂 oh not another one of thise q and A’s lol. And wow great opener! Thats at A tier right there and at minimum a high B - I think Richard would even agree. Great stuff
@@2ToRamble Thanks! Just to get a better idea of the effect it would have on readers, what do you think this story would be about, going solely off of this line? What type of questions are you asking yourself? Does this evict any emotion?
I'm imagining a friend having to sacrifice themselves in a dire situation, something high stakes, and a tone where brutal scenes are normal. I'm almost imagining the first scene as someone dying, and we're about to find out who is dying, why, and what words they are saying. I also could see the route of this being a setup to a larger point in the story, maybe this is just more of a thought that our main character is having, but my immediate "pull" goes straight to "oo who is this person that has been loyal, and done good deeds who is killing ___ person and for what reason"@@KALtheHighstorm117
@@2ToRamble That's a great take! Not exactly what I had in mind, but that's actually good. I asked my cousin as well, and she gave a different answer. That probably means that this line will affect people in many different ways, and when the real meaning of it pays off, it will shock some and please others. Also, I left a comment on your most recent video. Could you give that one a look, please? It's different😢
Liked. Subscribed. Hit that bell button. Leaving a comment, and will leave another comment.
🙏🙏
Just discovered you guys and think you're great! 'Red Rising' trilogy currently on its way to my door. Have either of you read 'The Will of The Many' by James Islington? Just started it and intrigued to hear your thoughts :)
Have not yet but it’s high on the TBR! Thankya for finding and tolerating us !
Happy new year 🎆🎈🎊
Happy New Year to you!!
What about red rising: I would have lived in peace but my enemies brought me war
Thats in part 2!
I really enjoy your tier ranking videos ✨️
Maybe do a challenge? Rank first lines from some WIPs... you'll get to rank with absolutely 0 bias... and it can be fun. Maybe? 🤷🏻♀️
And happy new year 🪄 (Not you, Richard. [50:30] How dare you? ⚔️)
Great idea!
I just recently got back into reading and was wondering what you guys would recommend to someone who’d consider themselves a “beginner” in the sci-fi/fantasy! Maybe even turn it into a tier list of your guys’ top books/series if it’s too much for a comment?
We will add this as a video idea - also we can give a more detailed answer over Instagram/Twitter(X)/whatever platform to pick your brain to see what would be a good rec if you msg us there!
So I need to know where Richard got that shirt because it's 🔥
Richard answer this man!
Could we have a ranking of last lines too?
The inner pyromaniac in me want to place Fahrenheit's first line in S tier. 😂🔥
😭😂
I basically had opposite reactions to Richard with the first lines of Hyperion and I, Robot. I have read Hyperion and I thought it was just ok, but I feel like his opinion was at least as much colored by his love of the book. I haven't read I, Robot, but I really enjoyed the first two of Asimov's robot detective novels. I didn't like Foundations though. (Sorry Richard's mom.)
Love these 🎉
Happy New Years, guys! But no Leviathan Wakes? Not only is The Expanse a fantastic series, it has a great first line!
Happy New Year! We didnt cover it in this one, but one more of these to come 🫡
You should read the shadow rising now
Can ye review "empire of silence" if ye haven't already ❤
Coming within a month 😁
@@2ToRamble legends
Grey New World is a C at best.
Biased because I don't like dystopian narratives (maybe I haven't read the right ones). While the prose "squat grey building" is intensely descriptive, it also signals to me what kind of story this will be: one that I'm not very interested in. Dystopian future feels like the "zombies" of sci-fi, how different can the stories really be? There are unlimited possibilities in terms of narrative devices and the author chose "East Berlin with robots".
This is a Richtatorship
Oh no hes going to start using this line
Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth series was good. Sure, some of the books were way better than others, you could say that about wheel of time as well.
I love Dune but the first line doesn’t do much for me in and of itself
1984 is S tier. Clearly.
Was that your favorite of the bunch?
Imho the Hitchhiker's first line, even the first 2 lines aren't very good. It's just using facts about Earth's location to make an overly wordy sentence that really took little imagination. It was a decent movie, but it's not a book I would choose to read.
Ah damn - we definitely loved the tone and whimsy it set up, and the almost cinematoc “zoom in” but in prose-form. But fair enough!
How dare you with this Isaac Asimov hate. :)
Asimov is bursting with evocative ideas...but...he can't write. I just finished Foundation and Earth - which is, in theory, a breathtaking story - but I want to...fix it for him.
Ooof! That rough?
@@2ToRamble Only one way to find out...
Both of you trying to frame each other for sexism LMAO
I robot movie is pretty bad. It’s not even close to truthful adaptation.
Ngl the whole "female protagonist" bit almost made me click off the video.
...and now the female author bit.
The best first line from sci fi is from William Gibson's Neuromancer's "The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel"
Also from Gibson: "When Hiro hit the swithc, I was dreaming of Paris, dreaming of wet, dark streets in the winter. The pain came oscilating up fro mthe floor of my skull, exploding behind my eyes in a wall of blue neon; I jackknifed up out of the mesh hammock, screamning. I always scream; I make a point of it" (from his absolutely brilliant short story, Hinterlands. Probably one of my favorite short stories ever)
P.s. Hyperion is mediocre at best. The fall of hyperion is absolute and utter, irrideemable garbage.
NAAAHHHHGGG... man's put hyperion on the list but no neuromancer in sight. unsubbed
All terrible first lines.
🥲
Terry Prichett is ridiculous. Fight me.
😳
"I wanted peace, but my enemies brought me war."