Just finished reading Black Wind on Sunday. Quite an enjoyable read. It felt epic in building to the events of WW2. As always, FPW does a wonderful job of putting you as the reader into the head of his characters and you sympathize with them (well, you mostly sypathize).
My only complaint is the inconsistent voice (Frank's perspective is in 1st person while the others are 3rd person limited): it sometimes made for awkward transitions and detracted from the story when I was really getting into the narrative. I'm no writer though; just my opinion as a reader.
FPW Question: Was there a specific reason for this switch in voice?
My only complaint is the inconsistent voice (Frank's perspective is in 1st person while the others are 3rd person limited): it sometimes made for awkward transitions and detracted from the story when I was really getting into the narrative. I'm no writer though; just my opinion as a reader.
FPW Question: Was there a specific reason for this switch in voice?
"Many men, perhaps even most, are unhappy in their souls. We burn so hard, but we shed so little light; it makes us crazy and sad." - Clive Barker Galilee
dezboi Wrote:Just finished reading Black Wind on Sunday. Quite an enjoyable read. It felt epic in building to the events of WW2. As always, FPW does a wonderful job of putting you as the reader into the head of his characters and you sympathize with them (well, you mostly sypathize).The story was effectively BY Frank, and ABOUT everybody else.
My only complaint is the inconsistent voice (Frank's perspective is in 1st person while the others are 3rd person limited): it sometimes made for awkward transitions and detracted from the story when I was really getting into the narrative. I'm no writer though; just my opinion as a reader.
FPW Question: Was there a specific reason for this switch in voice?
Frank was written in first-person narrative, and everything else was written in third-person "omnicient observer."
If everyone was written in first person, it would be too confusing. -- and the story wouldn't flow very well.
Ken V.
This post was last modified: 05-26-2009, 01:24 PM by Ken Valentine.
Ken -- I understand what you are saying, but....
Obviously, the story cannot be told exclusively from Frank's POV, as many details of the other characters would be lost, and you are right about having all characters writing in 1st person, that it would entirely confusing.
My argument about what you write is that it is BY Frank. Other than the the first person narrative sections and the preface at the beginning of the story ("If you are reading this, I'm dead...") he is no more essential a character to the story as Meiko, Matsuo, or Hiroki.
While I was really into the story, I had to really pause when the writing goes from he or she did x,yz, to I did x,y,z. It really broke the flow of the narrative for me. I contend that it might have flowed better if there weren't switches from 3rd to 1st person...
This is a nuance, but also, I would not call the perspective third person "omniscient" observer, either, but definitely third person limited, as we are limited to what a particular character sees during that particular section of the story...it's been something I've noticed about FPWs writing is that, while a story may be told from several different characters throughout the tale, he never spontaneously switches a POV between characters in a scene (there is always an obvious break when the POV changes).
Okay -- I'm done blathering; you may now return to your regularly scheduled program.
Obviously, the story cannot be told exclusively from Frank's POV, as many details of the other characters would be lost, and you are right about having all characters writing in 1st person, that it would entirely confusing.
My argument about what you write is that it is BY Frank. Other than the the first person narrative sections and the preface at the beginning of the story ("If you are reading this, I'm dead...") he is no more essential a character to the story as Meiko, Matsuo, or Hiroki.
While I was really into the story, I had to really pause when the writing goes from he or she did x,yz, to I did x,y,z. It really broke the flow of the narrative for me. I contend that it might have flowed better if there weren't switches from 3rd to 1st person...
This is a nuance, but also, I would not call the perspective third person "omniscient" observer, either, but definitely third person limited, as we are limited to what a particular character sees during that particular section of the story...it's been something I've noticed about FPWs writing is that, while a story may be told from several different characters throughout the tale, he never spontaneously switches a POV between characters in a scene (there is always an obvious break when the POV changes).
Okay -- I'm done blathering; you may now return to your regularly scheduled program.
"Many men, perhaps even most, are unhappy in their souls. We burn so hard, but we shed so little light; it makes us crazy and sad." - Clive Barker Galilee
dezboi Wrote:...
While I was really into the story, I had to really pause when the writing goes from he or she did x,yz, to I did x,y,z. It really broke the flow of the narrative for me. I contend that it might have flowed better if there weren't switches from 3rd to 1st person...
...
I can see what you're saying, and can see how it might be distracting (and is to me when an author does it without a clear break), but didn't find it so in Black Wind.
I not only didn't find it distracting, but occasionally helpful, as it forced me, at times, to recall what POV we were currently seeing.
Al, Black Wind is certainly my favorite of The Man's, and I think his best. What do you put ahead of it?
Volsh
[SIZE="1"]'It stands to reason that where there's sacrifice, there's someone collecting sacrificial offerings. Where there's service, there's someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice, speaks of slaves and masters. And intends to be the master.' - Ayn Rand[/SIZE]
dezboi Wrote:My only complaint is the inconsistent voice (Frank's perspective is in 1st person while the others are 3rd person limited): it sometimes made for awkward transitions and detracted from the story when I was really getting into the narrative. I'm no writer though; just my opinion as a reader.
FPW Question: Was there a specific reason for this switch in voice?
I read Black Wind, and loved it. It's one of my favorite stories. I gave it to my mom and talked it up a lot. She said she never finished it. She said the constant change in perspective and settings made it too hard for her to get into.
volshan Wrote:What do you put ahead of it?
Volsh
The Tomb.