Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Prologues -- What's your opinion?

Prologues --- What's your opinion? 

Prologues usually annoy me, and I tend to skip them unless they are very very short. I realize they can serve a purpose, when used as quick intro to the back story, but at other times they seem like they give out way too much info. In general, I  prefer to learn the back story through flashbacks as I read.
  • Do you like when an author uses a prologue?
  • Do you prefer when a novel starts right in with Chapter 1?
  • Do you not care one way or the other?
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16 comments:

  1. bermudaonionJuly 2, 2014 at 10:08 PM

    I don't care either way.

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  2. Book DragonJuly 2, 2014 at 10:19 PM

    I read them if they're there but have always wondered why they weren't called chapter one

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  3. Nise' July 2, 2014 at 10:46 PM

    I usually read the prologue, but every once in awhile I mix it up and skip it.

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    1. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaJuly 3, 2014 at 6:55 AM

      It's not so much of an issue, if its short, but when too long, to much gets is revealed.

      Delete
  4. Karen LakisJuly 3, 2014 at 5:24 AM

    I always read them, but they do annoy me, and I'm not sure why. I try to get my mind to think of it as a mis-numbered chapter 1.

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    Replies
    1. (Diane) Bibliophile By the SeaJuly 3, 2014 at 6:54 AM

      That's a good way to approach it Karen. It's like "hold you nose and take the medicine" as we did as kids:)

      Delete
  5. JoAnnJuly 3, 2014 at 7:28 AM

    I always read them... but why not just call it chapter 1???

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  6. rhapsodyinbooksJuly 3, 2014 at 8:04 AM

    I read a lot of dystopias, and post-apocalyptics, and the prologues are essential because they tell what happened and what you need to know before starting the story. But admittedly that is a special case for a special genre.

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  7. UnknownJuly 3, 2014 at 10:54 AM

    I like Prologues. I think it seems to give a sense about what the author main intent is about the book.

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  8. AnonymousJuly 3, 2014 at 11:14 AM

    I'm not usually bothered by prologues, but I find that epilogues are almost always unnecessary or even ruin the book.

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  9. Literary FelineJuly 3, 2014 at 1:54 PM

    For me, a prologue is part of the story and so I always start with it, if there is one. I can't say I have any problems with them or ever have. Introductions or forwards which aren't actually part of the story are another matter though. I have mixed feelings about those.

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  10. AthiraJuly 3, 2014 at 6:30 PM

    I love prologues, as long as they are written wisely. To me they are the perfect way to decide if a book will hold my attention or not.

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  11. DianaJuly 4, 2014 at 2:41 PM

    I'm not crazy about prologues, though I'll read them if they're included. I'm afraid I'll miss something if I don't!

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  12. AnonymousJuly 4, 2014 at 10:04 PM

    I read the prologues (not sure why it never occurred to me to skip it) and do think while they might sometimes gove away too much they do set a framework. And if the book is successful you will probably have forgotten about it by the end!

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  13. Melissa WiebeJuly 5, 2014 at 7:09 PM

    Depends on how the book starts; its usually a scene setter, usually introducing something that is key to the plot of the story. And yes, I do read them.

    ReplyDelete

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