A flip dark chill winter bastard though dry

Alright, I'm going with silly. Of course, it's from Pratchett. The second line of a novel (the first is "The wind howled." which he's started at least two books with.

Lightning stabbed at the earth erratically, like an inefficient assassin.

Pratchett's great.

I'll have to go find another of his books I haven't read.

Maybe we should have a book exchange.

I too thought of the first and last lines of Tale of 2 Cities when I saw this thread.

The line which is just so much condensed character evaluation and redemption - and I think was applied to Sydney Carton - was

"Nothing in his life became him like the leaving of it."

Years ago, I began a study of the Dickens technique. Almost immediately, abandoned it. I thought it apparent that such genius for words cannot be learned. He was far too inventive to be so emulated.