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You should try less.

From the manpages:

Also, less does not have to read the entire input file before starting, so with large input files it starts up faster than text editors like vi (1). 

I open large files regularly with less and have no problems with the start up time. If you combine it with the option -jn, you can reach basically every part of the file in a trivial time.

I didn't test this because I'd need a pretty big file but combined with the head, you could script that too with more which is more fit for scripting.

more +$START_LINE_NUMBER | head -n$AMOUNT_OF_LINES

If I understood it right head should be finishing the pipe process after getting the required amount of lines, so this solution should be the zero-overhead solution you were looking for.

You should try less.

From the manpages:

Also, less does not have to read the entire input file before starting, so with large input files it starts up faster than text editors like vi (1). 

I open large files regularly with less and have no problems with the start up time. If you combine it with the option -jn, you can reach basically every part of the file in a trivial time.

I didn't test this because I'd need a pretty big file but combined with the head, you could script that too with more which is more fit for scripting.

more +$START_LINE_NUMBER | head -n$AMOUNT_OF_LINES

If I understood it right head should be finishing the pipe process after getting the required amount of lines, so this solution should be the low-overhead solution you were looking for.

You should try less.

From the manpages:

Also, less does not have to read the entire input file before starting, so with large input files it starts up faster than text editors like vi (1). 

I open large files regularly with less and have no problems with the start up time. If you combine it with the option -jn, you can reach basically every part of the file in a trivial time.

I didn't test this because I'd need a pretty big file but combined with the head, you could script that too with more which is more fit for scripting.

more +$START_LINE_NUMBER | head -n$AMOUNT_OF_LINES

You should try less.

From the manpages:

Also, less does not have to read the entire input file before starting, so with large input files it starts up faster than text editors like vi (1). 

I open large files regularly with less and have no problems with the start up time. If you combine it with the option -jn, you can reach basically every part of the file in a trivial time.

I didn't test this because I'd need a pretty big file but combined with the head, you could script that too with more which is more fit for scripting.

more +$START_LINE_NUMBER | head -n$AMOUNT_OF_LINES

If I understood it right head should be finishing the pipe process after getting the required amount of lines, so this solution should be the zero-overhead solution you were looking for.

You should try less.

From the manpages:

Also, less does not have to read the entire input file before starting, so with large input files it starts up faster than text editors like vi (1). 

I open large files regularly with less and have no problems with the start up time. If you combine it with the option -jn, you can reach basically every part of the file in a trivial time.

You should try less.

From the manpages:

Also, less does not have to read the entire input file before starting, so with large input files it starts up faster than text editors like vi (1). 

I open large files regularly with less and have no problems with the start up time. If you combine it with the option -jn, you can reach basically every part of the file in a trivial time.

I didn't test this because I'd need a pretty big file but combined with the head, you could script that too with more which is more fit for scripting.

more +$START_LINE_NUMBER | head -n$AMOUNT_OF_LINES