on Jane Friedman site:

Many authors and industry professionals have cautioned writers against using prologues, perhaps because they’ve seen them done poorly—as information dumps, meandering attempts to provide background, or vehicles to show off research.

But prologues do have a place in some novels. Done well, they can intrigue readers and ignite interest in the story to come.

Several different types of prologues are reviewed here, along with examples of effective ones.

Continue reading HERE