The first chapter can make or break a reader's engagement with a story. We as writers must craft brilliant opening pages to hook those picky readers, so let's study the stories of others to see how they do it! I find myself in a sequel with Jim Butcher's The Olympian Affair. Book 2 of The Cinder Series takes a smart approach: start with one character walking through a town with a destination in mind. When a writer takes this narrow focus, they not only give themselves a chance to reacquaint readers with a specific character, but to also re-establish the setting of the world, too. Granted, it's one town in a fantasy world, but it's enough to get a sense of what the world is like and how it operates.

Airships are the name of the game here, which is always a fun steampunk concept, and I love that spires take on a whole new meaning through this world. (The fencing swords on the cover are what drew me to pick this book up in the first place.) The writing itself has an interesting rhythm; Butcher deploys short, strong sentences amid long, active prose for those brief descriptors to pack a real punch--"The new vatteries stank."--is a personal favorite of mine. Sensory details like this mixed with banter between two airship captains made the opening pages an intriguing read. If you're ready to take off for a break from this world (I know I am) then I have a feeling Jim Butcher's Cinder Spires series would make for an excellent escape.

And what will you find in these first five pages? Let's find out! Cheers!