Are prologues really that popular?

I've noticed a lot of questions about how to write prologues. But it's been over a year since I've come across a prologue in a published novel.



Are prologues becoming more popular, and I'm missing all these books that have prologues in them?



Or is this just a writer thing? I've never written a prologue for one of my stories, so I'm wondering what the appeal is.



BQ: What's your favorite book with a prologue in it?



My answer: Anne McCaffrey's Pern series and Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth.Are prologues really that popular?
Mmm, I'm not sure what the last book I read with a prologue was. I don't think they ever were that common really. Personally I don't mind them, as long as they're kept at an appropriate length. I like the way a good prologue raises questions that aren't answered until well into the story, or the sense of mystery they help create in a world new to the reader. What I do not like is epilogues. Honestly I see no point in them. Once the story is over I don't really care about some trivial event several years later, for me it ruins the ending.



With regards to the questions you see on here, there are a lot I see asking for critique of their prologues but in my experience the majority of them confuse introductions with prologues. I think it stems from the need new writers feel to thrust as much information at the reader as they can.



BQ: That I can think of at the moment, I'd say White Wolf by David Gemmel. I'm a big fan of his work, and that is one of the best in my opinion.
The only prologue I really liked was John Dies at the End by David Wong

I think prologues are becoming less popular because may prologues have contents that should be in the first chapters

Often prologues are more for a series than for a book



I thought the Prologue to Brain Rathbone's Call of the Herald was a good introduction to the world but would have liked to read or hear it more after consuming fist couple of chapters of bookAre prologues really that popular?
I think prologues are kind of stupid. Why would you throw a bunch of unnecessary (and often boring) information into the start of a novel? It will bore readers immediately. Whenever I find a novel with a prologue I usually skip the prologue and just read the rest. If the author is good enough, they would find a way to work a prologue into the novel, rather than just being lazy and throwing it all in at the beginning.
I haven't read many books with them, but it is crucial for some stories. I forgot some, I think some books from Kelly Armstrong has some. If I like the book, I do not care if it has one or not.



Please answer mine:



http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;…Are prologues really that popular?
I don't like prologues at all. Completely unnecessary.



BQ: I usually put a book back on the shelf if it has a prologue OR an epilogue.



p.s. I've been eyeing Pillars of the Earth though-- Was it very good?
I always skip prologues. That's my two cents.
I think the draw of the prolog is a part of a larger issue... that same issue ive vented about on here before that no one cares about... the reason they want a prolog many times is because they are to lazy to write out the story before the meaty part... its the same reason people on here and many other sites cant seem to read the full story idea before judgeing it... Now im not saying Everyone just a large majority ...a growing majority... They want to write only the pieces they care about IE guys action/dialog... girls he said she said heart pounding smoldering stares from 200 plus year old vampires at 16 year old girls.... can we say pedifile.....



Its part of the dumbing down of society in which they get to the meat right now not later... so you prolog the bit before hit the meat then go from there.. maybe even adding an epilog....... You mark my words you WILL see books like this being published in the next 20 years as peoples attention spans grow shorter and shorter...... tweeting, twitter... etc etc etc... its prepping us..