First-person POV fantasy novels

blacbird

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Are there any? This question may have been asked elsewhere, but I see so much discussion here about the fantasy genre, and it all seems to focus on multiple 3rd-person narratives, often very many third-person narratives. I am actually fiddling with a first-person fantasy story, but I really don't know of any other major things that are similar.

And if not, why?

caw
 

Helix

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I read a David & Leigh Eddings book that was in first person. It wasn't...to my taste. But I don't think the POV was the problem in that.
 

CathleenT

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Both Roger Zelazny's Amber series were in first, as are most of Robin McKinley's books.

There's a trend right now in YA, which includes fantasy, toward a lot of first present.

But generally, most fantasy writers have used third person, which I'm sure you know. Possibly as a result of the popularity of the GoT series, it's just seemed to shift from omni to limited third.

I like writing in first. I've been alternating, trying different POVs--first present, first past, limited third and omni--always past tense on the latter, though. Some stories seem to lend themselves better to one form over the other. I've noticed that whenever I write as a nonhuman, I use first present. It worked great for the story where I retold Beowulf from the POV of Grendel's mother.

But a lot of those are short stories, and I've been telling myself that I've got to grow up and write more novels, since that's the biggest market. Maybe bouncing around POVs is something you do when you're trying new ideas and getting better? That would be a comforting thought. :)
 

Kjbartolotta

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Quillifer by Walter Jon Williams is a well-done recent example, if meant to resemble Tom Jones more than LOTR. Traitor's Blade by Sebastian de Castell as well.
 
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Jaymz Connelly

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Tocotin

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Carol Berg's Rai-Kirah trilogy is in 1st person POV. I've read only the first two parts so far, and I liked them a lot.
 

benbenberi

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N.K. Jemisin has a different 1st person narrator in each volume of The Inheritance Trilogy. (She also uses a 2nd person narrator for sections of the Broken Earth books: an unusual choice, but effective, and ultimately very significant to the story.)

There are actually a lot of 1st person fantasy novels out there once you start looking.
 

CameronJohnston

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Mine is in first person, as are The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, The Broken Empire and The Red Queen's War by Mark Lawrence, Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb, The Black Company by Glen Cook, and whole lot of other ones.
 

joeyc

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The Kingkiller Chronicles is another in primarily first person POV, although in that case it's both third and first since it's a frame story.
 

Luke_T

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City of Lies by Sam Hawke also comes to mind. Interesting to learn that she actually ended up switching to a first-person POV during the editorial stage (or before it went on sub to editors; can't remember which).
 

MonsterTamer

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Robin Hobb writes her Fitz books in first. I've read 3 so far. Of all the fantasy I've encountered in first, I think she is the most proficient.

I just finished the first of Megan Whalen Turner's books in The Queen's Thief series called The Thief. It's in first, and was well done. However, she dropped it in book two and changed to 3rd omni.

Uprooted
by Naomi Novak (on my top 10 of all time list)
 
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BethS

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@blacbird-- these are older, but Mary Stewart's Merlin trilogy is a classic. Beautifully written tale of the life of Merlin, as told by him. And not like many of the typical Arthurian stories out there.
 
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indianroads

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Another of my ill-educated opinions:

Fiddling with POV and tense is like turning a rheostat, amplifying or easing the immediacy of your story. First person present tense is almost too visceral for me (as I say that though I'm tempted to write a ghost story with it). First person past tense gives a little more distance between me and the scary stuff - it's like listening to a story while sitting around a camp fire. Third person limited past tense creates a bit more distance - most of the novels I've read have been at this level, it's immediate enough to keep me interested but far enough away that I can put the book down and go to sleep afterwards.

So, how YOU adjust that rheostat depends on how you want to tell your story and how you want your reader to experience it.

Again, this is just my opinion. YMMV.
 

Harlequin

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I'm flat out astonished this hasn't been mentioned yet but Name of the Wind is a first person fantasy novel of the epic fa/traditional quest story variety. Although I personally am not keen, it's hugely popular. Like one of the best selling fantasy novels in recent times.


Other first person fantasy novels; Amber has been mentioned. Only Forward (I'd argue it's a fantasy novel as it's dreamworld). Both were award winning.

Lady Trent books are first person. Uprooted by Naomi Novik is first person. Various others.


and hey, my current project (successfully queried/offered on) is first person. In contemporary for sure first person is very very common. In secondary world there are certainly examples, though you' dhave to define success for me!
 

BethS

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I'm flat out astonished this hasn't been mentioned yet but Name of the Wind is a first person fantasy novel of the epic fa/traditional quest story variety.

Duh. Yes. Although it also has a frame story written in an objective third-person style.
 

Harlequin

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True, but it's functionally first I reckon.

Other examples -
  • the Year of Our War (series)
  • The Tethered Mage (trilogy, VERY recent)
  • Shadow of the Torturer (tetralogy)
  • Latro in the Mist
  • Naomi Novik's novels, Spinning Silver and that first one I can't remember the name of; both recent
  • A Natural History of Dragons (recentish)
  • The Rise of Ransom City
 

jjdebenedictis

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First person is almost the standard in urban fantasy.
 

JohnLine

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I've done most of my writing in first person, but have been doing my latest story in third (with three pov characters). Following multiple characters allows for easier editing. My impulse when writing first person is to make sure the reader gets all the steps from here to there. Whereas, with third person when I cut away from a character, it seems natural. I can cut back to them only when they have something interesting to do, and time skips don't have to be explained.

I find first person is much easier for conveying a character's thoughts because you can just write the thought without adding "he thought" every so often.

My brother accuses Bram Stoker's book Dracula of cheating, because it uses a series of letters to tell a first person story from multiple points of view. I'm shocked that this isn't done more often (dropping the pretext of the letters).
 
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Harlequin

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I've done that in mine (first person relating another story in third). It's almost first person omniscient but it can be awkward to valance at times.

Dracula is a lovely book.

Just as a nitpick, no need for he/she thought in third, if you dont want to include it.
 

badducky

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Gene Wolfe made a career - and a good one - out of unreliable first person narrators in fantasy, sci-fi, and horror. Latro in the Mist and the Wizard knight and all that.

I mention it because unreliable narrators in fantasy settings are very common and a lot of fun.