… can someone tell me what the hell the difference is between a prelude and a prologue?
I’ve read two books recently which both had a prelude and, as these appeared to work the same way as a prologue, I don’t get why they just didn’t call it that.
Is this some new fad I’ve missed out on??
Please to be helping me… *hopeful* I’ll give you a cookie…
Nommy!
Kris + Books = Good. *Sometimes*. 
Could it be that “prelude” was chosen because it sounds more… refined, or classy, for lack of a better word? I've heard it mostly related to classical music. Maybe someone had some delusions of grandeur 😛
Thinking about it, chronologically speaking I would probably expect a prelude to take place just before the beginning of the story, while a prologue sometimes goes back many years. Why? Mh, don't know, a “prelude” just seems more immediate.
According to dictionary.com they are synonyms. So there is no difference, just a stylistic preference I guess, like massive vs immense. And I'm not talking mountains. 😉
Thanks for the cookie.
Sara: That's what I was thinking, although mine was more along the lines of the nastier 'pretentious'.
Hmm, good point about the prelude being relatively close the beginning of the story proper. I'll have to check that out… if I can remember what books they were that is. *snort*
Tam: *bom, bom* Crude, but funny. Must be all that yaoi porn you're watching. 😉
And you're welcome.
Prologue is about the time before the first chapter. Prelude is the musical opening to the book. 😛
Hmmmm cookie.
KB: The musical opening to a book, you say. I like it. *g*
This cookie is perty.
how cool would that be? When you open the book, pretty music plays as your turn the pages until you get to chapter 1?
I would like more cookies please.
Yummy cookie!!
They mean the same thing and 99% of the time I've seen prologue used. Prelude sounds classier, maybe?
KB: That would be very cool. You could have genre music; for eg:
road trip – “On the Road Again”
cowboy – “Thank God I'm a Country Boy”
city – “Staying Alive”
cop – “YMCA”
Okay, suddenly I've started a gay bar in the boonies. LOL.
*pats cookie on butt*
Lily: I nearly always see prologue too so it was weird getting two books with prelude in a matter of days.
Damn. I srsly need to work out which books they were, but I think they were amongst those I archived during the week. Way too hard to find now.
but I think they were amongst those I archived during the week. Way too hard to find now.
See, that's why I have just one big file. Everything is in there 🙂
Thanks for the cookie btw, a nice way to start the day
I'm a firm believer in out of sight out of mind, Ingrid. Hence all the never to be reads again need to disappear from my hard drive. 🙂
Cookies make good breakfasts. *GRIN*
I've never seen “prelude” used as a chapter or section head in a book.
I prefer “The Shit That Comes First.”
Just a personal quirk.
P.S. That is a truly lovely and very substantial cookie!
I'd never seen it before either so it was very friggin' weird to see it twice. *whoa deja vu*
I shall expect to see that header in one of your future stories, K Z.
PS – I know. So perky. *sigh*