• Introduce characters, setting, or story: Provide background details or backstory to help readers understand the story’s world and central conflict. For example, a sci-fi book might describe an alien world to avoid confusing readers in the first chapter.
• Set the tone: Establish the mood for the rest of the book. Thriller books might use an action-packed prologue to foreshadow future events.
• Foreshadow events: Hint at what’s to come in the story to enthrall readers and keep them turning pages.
• Establish a point of view: Introduce the story from the perspective of a character.
• Introduce themes: Offer a “cheat sheet” about the book’s themes and intentions Google ai

What is the Purpose of a Prologue?

‘The purpose of a prologue is to provide background information or context about the story, characters, or setting. It can also set the tone or mood for the work, introduce the main themes, or foreshadow events that will occur later in the story.

“A well-written prologue can capture a reader’s attention and draw them into the story. It can provide essential context and background information that sets the stage for the main narrative.” Grammarly

Not All Prologues Are the Same

Tuck Everlasting – Prologue

The Prologues for both Tuck Everlasting  and Something Wicked This Way Comes are poetic and evocative. They are short and delicious, and they set the tone for what lies ahead.

Ray Bradbury – Something Wicked This Way Comes – Prologue

The Prologue to The Lord of the RIngs is long, and its purpose is more that of teaching than that of tantalizing.

Prologue to Lord of the Rings – Concerning Hobbits, Concerning Pipeweed, Ordering of the Shire, & Of the Finding of the Ringby J.R.R. Tolkien