Looking for a really good novel in the 3rd person!

[daveyboy]

Hi, I am currently trying to write a novel. It's in the third person and I am really looking for great examples of novels written in such a way to help me learn the best ways to express the protagonists thoughts and opinions on life and other characters.

Doesn't have to be modern or follow any sort of narrative. Mainly I want to read something great to help about storytelling techniques.

Be great to hear back from you...

Thanks,
Dave.

 

[sparkchaser]

One example that popped into mind immediately was Dune. That book is full of thoughts and motivations on why a character does something and why another character thinks the other did something.

 

[daveyboy]

hi sparkchaser, thanks a lot for getting back to me, really appreciate it. Unfortunately, I should have said, I am not a fan of sci-fi.

If you have any other examples I would love to hear them.

Cheers.

 

[sparkchaser]

What about Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance?

 

[erin1980]

Updike's Rabbit, Run. You identify with the husbands need to run away and at the same time feel sorry for the wife. There's a death in the book - husband and wife each blame each other - as the reader I couldn't decide who to blame. This book is a great example of how not to favor one character in a 3rd person novel.

 

[Niphredil]

"The Portrait of a Lady" by Henry James is a substantial read and a great example of a close 3rd person style (free indirect, so the sort of 3rd person that remains outside the characters while allowing the narrator unlimited access to each character's psyche and thoughts. More, indeed, then they have themselves.) As the title suggests, it focuses mostly on the main character, Isabel Archer, but by no means entirely. It's a good example of how the 3rd person can allow a writer to explore the workings of a character's mind without such things necessarily occurring to said character. What it isn't a good example of is how to do this while also having a thrilling and fast moving plot, so depends what your looking for.

 

[WickedWitch]

If you do a Google search on the phrase "free indirect style" you will find many classic novels that are written in the third person.