Book Beginnings on Fridays 11/5/10

Book Beginnings on Friday is a fun meme that is now hosted over at A Few More Pages.
How to participate: All you have to do is share the first line (or two, I'm not too picky) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments. Include the title and the author so we know what you're reading (and can go pick up a copy if it sounds good!). Then, if you feel so moved, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line, and let us know if you liked or did not like the sentence (thanks to Rose City Reader for inspiring this meme).

"Marinth.  Samuel Debney piloted his motorboat up Venice's Grand Canal, wishing he had never heard that word."  ~Shadow Zone by Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen.

I like this beginning because it grabs my attention and makes me want to know what the heck Marinth even is!  I just started this book and I'm only a few pages in so I'm still not quite sure what Marinth is....just that it's dangerous!