Guess the book from the opening lines....again!

[Baker]

*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic *
**Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett.

[symbol]Apocaluyis Ihsou Cristou hn edwken autw o qeos deixai tois doulois autou a dei genesqai en taci kai eshmanen aposteilas dia tou angelou autou tou doulw autou Iwannh[/symbol] **

Had to get out my Greek New Testament to be sure, but that’s The Revelations of St. John.

[Dread_Pirate_Danno]

I’ve traveled through Death’s Gate four times, yet I don’t remember anything about the journey. Each time I’ve entered the Gate, I’ve been unconscious.

I don’t have the books in front of me, but I believe this to be from one of the Death’s Gate Cycle books by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis, most likely the first one. A great series, BTW.

Since it got overlooked and I am clueless, I am going to repost Polycarp’s quote, since I am curious to see if anyone knows it.

It was a dark and stormy night. Suddenly the snot ran out.

[Krisfer_the_Cat]

Up until the snot it was Snoopy’s Great American Novel.

The Piazza Rusticuci was not one of Rome’s most prestigious addresses. Though only a short walk from the Vatican, the square was humble and nondescript,…

[Polycarp]

The original quote, with “…Suddenly a shot rang out.”, was Paul Clifford, by Edward Bulwer-Lytton, the archetypal Bad Novel. Hint: my quote is (obviously a riff rom it by) a contemporary Canadian author born on Long Island.

[Lsura]

The Piazza Rusticuci was not one of Rome’s most prestigious addresses. Though only a short walk from the Vatican, the square was humble and nondescript,…

Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling by Ross King.

Serene was a word you could put to Brooklyn, New York. Especially in the summer of 1912. Somber, as a word, was better.

.

[Krisfer_the_Cat]

Well sheesh that was fast Lsura. I gotta go for REAL obscure now…

As odd as it may seem, Los Angeles is a particularily good place to become a paleontologist. I didn’t always appreciate this.

Okay science nerds whozzat?

[cromulent]

Serene was a word you could put to Brooklyn, New York. Especially in the summer of 1912. Somber, as a word, was better.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn!

[Akaadji]

*Originally posted by Dread Pirate Danno *
**I don’t have the books in front of me, but I believe this to be from one of the Death’s Gate Cycle books by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis, most likely the first one. A great series, BTW.
**

Yup, Death Gate book. It’s the third one, though. ^^ I love those books as well…

[Loneraven]

My father had a face that could stop a clock.

[LurkMeister]

*Originally posted by Polycarp *
**The original quote, with “…Suddenly a shot rang out.”, was Paul Clifford, by Edward Bulwer-Lytton, the archetypal Bad Novel. Hint: my quote is (obviously a riff rom it by) a contemporary Canadian author born on Long Island. **

Spider Robinson, Time Pressure.

[Diogenes_the_Cynic]

It was a nice day.
All the days had been nice. There had been rather more than seven of them so far, and rain hadn’t been invented yet. But clouds massing east of Eden suggested that the first thunderstorm was on its way, and it was going to be a big one.

[BrotherCadfael]

“At first Potiphar Breen didn’t notice the girl taking her clothes off.”

[substatique]

*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic *
**It was a nice day.
All the days had been nice. There had been rather more than seven of them so far, and rain hadn’t been invented yet. But clouds massing east of Eden suggested that the first thunderstorm was on its way, and it was going to be a big one. **

I’m guessing Not Wanted on the Voyage by Timothy Findley.

He speaks in your voice, American, and there’s a shine in his eye that’s halfway hopeful.

[Polycarp]

*Originally posted by BrotherCadfael *
**“At first Potiphar Breen didn’t notice the girl taking her clothes off.” **

You’re cheating – that’s “The Year of the Jackpot,” by Heinlein, which is a short story. The book that it’s the opening lines of is the short story collection The Menace from Earth.

Just for kicks, who can identify this?

Rayford Steele’s mind was on a woman he had never touched.

[Polycarp]

*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic *
**It was a nice day.
All the days had been nice. There had been rather more than seven of them so far, and rain hadn’t been invented yet. But clouds massing east of Eden suggested that the first thunderstorm was on its way, and it was going to be a big one. **

Is that by any wild chance Twain?

[BrotherCadfael]

Heinlein’s Year of the Jackpot was originally published in one of the pulp magazines. I just included it because it is one of my favorite opening lines.

My favorite closing line is “Overhead, one by one, the stars were going out”. Any takers?

[Diogenes_the_Cynic]

*Originally posted by Polycarp *
**Is that by any wild chance Twain? **

No, and it’s not Findley either. I’ll give a hint that it’s a collaboration.

[beeftrax]

Perhaps you meant

Overhead, without any fuss, the stars were going out.

which is the last line of The Nine Billion Names of God by Arthur C. Clarke.

[Diogenes_the_Cynic]

Rayford Steele’s mind was on a woman he had never touched.

Left Behind?

[MaggietheCat]

Diogenes’ is Good Omens by Pratchett & Gaiman.