The book of Job starts like some kind of ancient world folktale. If someone had written it within the last 600 years or so, it wouldn't be out of place for it to begin, Once upon a time.
There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz.
— Job 1:1 NLT
Compare the book of Job to the beginning of 1 Samuel, and you'll notice the differences straightaway.
There was a man named Elkanah who lived in Ramah in the region of Zuph in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, of Ephraim.
— 1 Samuel 1:1 NLT
By the end of 1 Samuel's first verse, we've received an info dump. We know how Elkanah fits into history and who his ancestors were all the way back to his great-great-grandfather, Zuph. Who, incidentally, has an entire region of hill country named after him in the Promised Land.
Whereas, Job is not the son of anyone. We're not told about his father or his grandfather or his great-grandfather or his... you get it. Only five characters in the book get named; six if you include Satan. Job is strangely unlinked with history.
