katiedack ---> herself_nyc ---> me.Favouritest ever (Favourite first line, and damned close to favourite novel):
Farrell arrived in Avicenna at four-thirty in the morning, driving a very old Volkswagen bus named Madame Schumann-Heink. ~ Peter S. Beagle, The Folk of the Air
The rest, in no particular order, and chock-full of genre novels, to which I say, "Uh huh? Your point?" :
The cave itself was cosy enough as caves go: sandy floor, reasonably draught-proof, convenient ledges for storing treasure, a rain/dew pond just outside, a southerly aspect and an excellent landing strip adjacent, but the occupant was definitely not at his best and the central heating in his belly was not functioning as it should. ~ Mary Brown, The Unlikely Ones
One day, Old Witch, the head witch of all the witches, was banished. ~ Eleanor Estes, The Witch Family
The streets were still wet but the storm clouds had moved on as Hank drove south on Yoors, waiting for a fare. ~ Charles de Lint, Someplace to Be Flying
Toward sundown Skeen heard the howls of a saayungka pack and knew the p'jaa were after her. ~ Jo Clayton, Skeen's Leap (Unless you consider the chapter title to be the first line in this case: Run, Skeen, And Bless Djabo For Long Legs or The Woman Betrayed.)
Once upon a time, long, long ago, where the forest runs down to the ocean, a hunter lived all alone in a house made of logs he had chopped for himself and shingles he had split for himself. ~ Randall Jarrell, The Animal Family (This is still the most beautiful, adult children's book ever. I'm still not sure I'm adult enough for this book, in fact.)
There's a town where dreams go to die. ~ Simon R. Green, Shadows Fall
Mother, I am in love with a robot. ~ Tanith Lee, The Silver Metal Lover
In the hour before time began, Meerclar Allmother came out of the darkness to the cold earth. ~ Tad Williams, Tailchaser's Song
"Dying's not so bad. At least I won't have to answer the telephone." ~ Rita Mae Brown, Venus Envy
There were five of us -- Carruthers and the new recruit and myself, and Mr. Spivens and the verger. ~ Connie Willis, To Say Nothing of the Dog
Any Christmas visitor looking for Carnival's Hide dropped down from the hilltops by a shingle road that elbowed its way across farmland already scrawled over by sheep tracks. ~ Margaret Mahy, The Tricksters (And bleh -- this is a much better novel than its opening lines suggest.)
It's a good idea to stake out a spot near an alley, if you can manage it without a fight. ~ Spider Robinson, Callahan's Lady
Grant lay on his high white cot and stared at the ceiling. ~ Josephine Tey, The Daughter of Time
Aaaaandd....
The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived all alone. She was very old, though she did not know it, and she was no longer the color of sea foam, but rather of snow falling on a moonlight night, But her eyes were still clear and unwearied, and she still moved like a shadow on the sea. ~ Peter S. Beagle, The Last Unicorn
__
This isn't by any means all of them -- there are novels I like better than some of these, that aren't here because I can't bloody find them. [Looks suspiciously at
firesweeper.] There's also at least one -- Pomegranates Full and Fine by Don Bassingthwaite -- that's not here though I love the book, because the opening lines -- the entire prologue -- are boring as bloody hell and should've been drop-kicked in favour of much more subtle exposition. 