Prologue...Do you read them?

[Skyesthelimit1212]

Do you read the Prologue?  I hate to say it, but I skip them.  When I read David Eddings his prologues were so long that I just skipped them and got straight to first chapter.  

What are your thoughts, are they necessary for you to understand the book, do you need to read the prologue or are you good without reading it?

[msmerymac]

If it's an actual prologue, by the author, before chapter 1, then yes. Plus, on the Kindle, it's harder to skip it.

An introduction by a different person, I just gloss over.

[charlatti]

Prologues often are essential to the story, so I usually read them. A foreword or introduction I would skip.

[aurora]

Yes, I always read prologues (written by the author). Sometimes I can later see their importance, others not so much.

[zizibet]

Yes, because I am compulsive about reading the entire book. That said, they aren't always necessary to enjoy the story.
Lol about Eddings. I tried to get a friend of mine to read him for ages, and when she finally tried him the prologues killed it for her.

[Skyesthelimit1212]

I just can't with the prologues, but maybe I'll make it a New Years Resolution, to read the prologues, Hahaha

[apelila]

I read them because I am anal-retentive and must start at the beginning! haha

[Pippin]

I always read them if it's part of the story. I don't read introductions until after I've read the book and only if I liked it.

[dorothyinAus]

Yep.  I always read the prologues, introductions, author's notes, epilogues.  I read everything that's not copyright material, indices, or bibliography.

But 90% of the time I skip footnotes or endnotes.  I have the flipping back and forth and loosing my place in the text.  And more often than not, I find them completely unnecessary.

[pooh8402]

Absolutely, they're part of the story, often an essential part, or at least suspense-building. I love prologues and epilogues.

Introductions, especially by someone other than the author, author's notes, etc, not so much. I at least wait until the book is over.

[itsme]

Always. They are part of the story.

[secretlyevil]

Jan 5, 2015 11:21:01 GMT -5 itsme said:

Always. They are part of the story.

This