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Q&A Quality examples of 'in medias res' starting sequences in SF literature

You can find my initial trials here, and, based on feedback, version two here. I was trying to create a sort of 'flashforward' opening (please don't cite Sawyer) for a novel. That is: of the 45 ch...

1 answer  ·  posted 12y ago by Mussri‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T02:07:13Z (over 4 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/4706
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by user avatar Mussri‭ · 2019-12-08T02:07:13Z (over 4 years ago)
You can find my initial trials [here](https://writers.stackexchange.com/revisions/4513/1), and, based on feedback, version two [here.](https://writers.stackexchange.com/revisions/4663/12)

I was trying to create a sort of 'flashforward' opening (please don't cite Sawyer) for a novel. That is: of the 45 chapters being edited for the novel, the paragraphs linked to are the zero chapter. They'll be available again in chapter 44 followed by the recap and the cliffhanger for the next book in the serial. I later found it was called _in medias res_ but that didn't help me find _quality_ examples. Especially ones that'd work with a Hard SF novel.

According to that, what examples would you cite for this kind of effect? Having a scene from the ending be the Prelude sequence and everything told from the point it started until it lead to the Prelude.

_Edit:_ I want quality examples of this, preferably by reputable writers. I want the advice for writing long novels; neither novelettes nor TV shows. Yes it's an old and possibly tired technique but I asking for the right way to do it.

If you couldn't grasp this, think of Nolan's Inception.

And if possible, cite older (out of copyright) titles so that I can get them from Project Gutenberg. I may already have some modern titles you may give as examples, but I seriously doubt it. If you can include the excerpt of the text you meant, that'd solve it.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2011-12-29T13:03:31Z (over 12 years ago)
Original score: 1