# Best First Lines in SF **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 5, 2000, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-lines-in-sf/44138 "2000-12-05T15:06:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goose)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2000, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-lines-in-sf/44138/41 "2000-12-10T00:04:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Danimal \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Goose \* > > \*\*“Tonight we’re going to show you eight silent ways to kill a man.” \*\* > > That one I remember. _The Forever War,_ by Joe Haldeman. As I recall the hero already knew eighty different ways to kill a man, but most of them were pretty noisy. \*\* Yep. Just finished that one a couple days ago. This isn’t the first line because the first paragraph would be too easy. This is the first line of the second paragraph. My old man taught me two things: “Mind own business” and “Always cut cards.” ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2000, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-lines-in-sf/44138/42 "2000-12-10T03:12:00Z")
Ellis – more teases: It’s from an author’s first story, which appeared in an obscure SF magazine that quickly folded. The story was so striking (and the author’s name a pseudonym) that everyone wondered who he was; it was five years before anyone was able to track him down. His second story was nearly as groundbreaking. The story never appeared in any Nebula anthology, though, and the final line was just as memorable as the first: “Parizianski.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Danimal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Danimal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danimal)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2000, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-lines-in-sf/44138/43 "2000-12-10T03:31:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Goose \* > > \*\*This isn’t the first line because the first paragraph would be too easy. This is the first line of the second paragraph. > > My old man taught me two things: “Mind own business” and “Always cut cards.” \*\* Aw, the syntax gives it away. That’s Heinlein, _The Moon is a Harsh Mistress._ What was the real first line? I seem to recall something about the computers “whispering among themselves,” or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Emustrangler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e480ec/32.png) [@Emustrangler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emustrangler)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2000, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-lines-in-sf/44138/44 "2000-12-10T03:36:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Polycarp wrote: > For a new first line to identify. how about a gimme: “Once upon a time there was a Martian named Smith.” \*\* Martian Chronicles by Bradbury. Here’s some more “The drought had lasted now for ten million years, and the reign of the terrible lizards had long since ended.” “A squat grey building of only thirty-four stories. Over the main entrance the words, CENTRAL LONDON HATCHERY AND CONDITIONING CENTRE, and, in a shield, the World State’s motto, COMMUNITY, IDENTITY, STABILITY.” “A merry little surge of electricity piped by automatic alarm from the mood organ beside his bed awakened Rick Deckard” ---
**Author:** ![Danimal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Danimal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danimal)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2000, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-lines-in-sf/44138/45 "2000-12-10T04:00:57Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by Emustrangler \* \*\* > [@](#): > > “A merry little surge of electricity piped by automatic alarm from the mood organ beside his bed awakened Rick Deckard” > \*\* Just from the name Deckard, I would assume that was _Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?_ ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2000, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-lines-in-sf/44138/46 "2000-12-10T05:50:13Z")
> [@](#): > > “A squat grey building of only thirty-four stories. Over the main entrance the words, CENTRAL LONDON HATCHERY AND CONDITIONING CENTRE, and, in a shield, the World State’s motto, COMMUNITY, IDENTITY, STABILITY.” Well, that’s _Brave New World_ by Huxley. ---
**Author:** ![ellis555](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e36b37/32.png) [@ellis555](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ellis555)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2000, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-lines-in-sf/44138/47 "2000-12-10T06:16:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RealityChuck \* > \*\*Ellis – more teases: > \*\* You a sadist? I remembered that Martel was a “Scanner,” which gave me enough info to figure out the rest. Being sadistic myself, I’ll leave it for other people if they care to go from there. Now I’ve got to try to remember what anthology I read it in. -ellis ---
**Author:** ![Chocobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@Chocobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chocobo)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2000, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-lines-in-sf/44138/48 "2000-12-10T07:02:58Z")
“_Sithspawn_!” ---
**Author:** ![Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goose)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2000, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-lines-in-sf/44138/49 "2000-12-10T17:48:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Danimal \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Goose \* > > > > \*\*This isn’t the first line because the first paragraph would be too easy. This is the first line of the second paragraph. > > > > My old man taught me two things: “Mind own business” and “Always cut cards.” \*\* > > Aw, the syntax gives it away. That’s Heinlein, _The Moon is a Harsh Mistress._ > > What was the real first line? I seem to recall something about the computers “whispering among themselves,” or something like that. \*\* The real first line is: “I see in Lunaya Pravda that Luna City Council has passed on first reading a bill to examine, license, inspect-and tax- public food vendors operating inside municipal pressure. I see also is to be mass meeting tonight to organize “Sons of Revolution” talk-talk.” The line about the computers whispering and about Mike is after the first line I posted. ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2000, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-lines-in-sf/44138/50 "2000-12-10T18:39:00Z")
> [@](#): > > You a sadist? I remembered that Martel was a “Scanner,” which gave me enough info to figure out the rest. Being sadistic myself, I’ll leave it for other people if they care to go from there. The “scanner” gave it away for me. “Scanners Live in Vain” by Cordwainer Smith. Smith was the pen name of Dr. Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger. He was an expert in Oriental (and Western) cultures and could speak at least 6 languages. He was the godson of Sun Yat Sen, founder of the Chinese Republic. ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2000, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-lines-in-sf/44138/51 "2000-12-10T19:02:56Z")
Here’s one no one’s gotten so far: “A curious custom,” said the Barbarian, “to cut off your king’s head every five years. I wonder your throne finds any takers.” Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-lines-in-sf/44138/52 "2000-12-11T10:38:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by zev\_steinhardt \* > \*\*Here’s one no one’s gotten so far: > > “A curious custom,” said the Barbarian, “to cut off your king’s head every five years. I wonder your throne finds any takers.” > Zev Steinhardt \*\* _The Goblin Tower_, I think it’s L Sprague de Camp ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2000, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-lines-in-sf/44138/53 "2000-12-11T14:56:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Steve Wright \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by zev\_steinhardt \* > > \*\*Here’s one no one’s gotten so far: > > > > “A curious custom,” said the Barbarian, “to cut off your king’s head every five years. I wonder your throne finds any takers.” > > Zev Steinhardt \*\* > > _The Goblin Tower_, I think it’s L Sprague de Camp \*\* That is correct!! Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2000, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-lines-in-sf/44138/54 "2000-12-12T14:45:06Z")
“He was a hundred and seventy days dying and not yet dead.” is from the greatest sci-fi novel ever written, “The Stars My destination”, by Alfred Bester. “Pinlighting was a hell of a way to earn a living.” is from a Cordwainer Smith short story. I remember the last line was on the order of “But where would he ever find a woman to compare to (his cat partner)?” ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2000, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-lines-in-sf/44138/55 "2000-12-12T16:10:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rocketeer \* > **"He was a hundred and seventy days dying and not yet dead." is from the greatest sci-fi novel ever written, “The Stars My destination”, by Alfred Bester.** I have read a lot of SF, and I have to say I agree, Rocketeer. ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2000, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-lines-in-sf/44138/56 "2000-12-12T16:45:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rocketeer \* > **"He was a hundred and seventy days dying and not yet dead." is from the greatest sci-fi novel ever written, “The Stars My destination”, by Alfred Bester.** D’oh! I should have known that one. A great tale. One that I should read again fairly soon, if it weren’t for all the _other_ great stories mentioned in these threads that I haven’t yet read. I really should just unplug my computer and TV for 6 months and dedicate my time to reading. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-first-lines-in-sf/44138.md?page=2)