anyone read any books that do this? i need to put in personal views from the character as well as standing back a bit to describe what he doesn't know through other characters. yeah, yeah, usually a no-no. but if done carefully, could it not work? any examples out there? i can't find any.
thanks.

An example well worth looking at is Hemingway's 'To Have and Have Not'. It certainly meets the criteria you've specified.

It uses first person narration from the main character Harry's point of view, first person from the POV of a second character, Al, and a lot of third person omniscient.

I have to confess that, when I read it a couple of years ago, there were moments when, at the beginning of a chapter, I was temporarily confused as to which character was speaking in first person. Maybe I hadn't taken in the Chapter title properly but it is a warning that, if one is going to mix up first and third person and different POV's, it's vital to drop some hint to the reader whenever a change takes place so that confusion doesn't arise.

Chris

Hi, iabanon, and welcome to WriteWords

I can't think of anything off hand that I've read which mixes 1st and 3rd person within scenes - although there are plenty of authors who use several point of view (pov) characters in 3rd person, or use 1st and 3rd but in separate scenes or chapters (Terry Pratchett, Stieg Larsson, Derek Landy, Stef Penney).
It usually depends on why you want to do it. Is it to convey information which the reader needs to know, or would it be better to string the reader along for a while until they find out at the same time as the main character? It's usually best not to rush into giving readers information, as it risks discouraging them to read on so as to find it out.


- NaomiM

Good advice from everyone.

i need to put in personal views from the character as well as standing back a bit to describe what he doesn't know through other characters.

Nothing to stop you doing all this fluently, in third person, if you learn to do free indirect style.

Indeed, there's a powerful argument (Byatt makes it, among others) that a knowledgeable narrator in third person can actually admit the reader deeper into an individual consciousness than a first-person narration can, because the knowledgeable narrator can show/tell things which are below a character's consciousness: the unconscious things whicy by definition the character can't know or articulate.

Emma

<Added>

If you want models of free indirect style and a knowledgeable narrator, then you just need to take about 80% of all fiction from Jane Austen to, say, 1950...

thanks guys. faster than i expected replies. i have been struggling with which way to go. i have a tendency to intersperse my writing with overall thoughts from the characters. kinda like diary entries. and then i like to add outside views third person style. some situations i prefer to describe third person. not giving away anything. far from that. i s'pose when i'm ready i'll post up an example and people can tell me what they think then.
i'll check out those book recommendations, but any chance of anything more update? my writing style is a little more 'modern' i suppose. well of course.
i don't have this issue with my other works. they are all third person. but this one is a comedy and lends itself to more vibrant language and emotions which is better accessed via 1st person.
again thanks.