The POV Wars: Is the Third-Person Omniscient the Best?

Here’s what you should know about this unique narrative style, a few popular books written in said style, and alternative storytelling POVs.

Storytelling is an art, no doubt. It takes something special to weave words so deftly that readers are transported into fictional worlds and events.

While storytelling involves successfully transporting an audience into new worlds, the narrative POV (Point of View) the author employs is the vehicle or method used for said transport.

With the third-person omniscient narrative, you can peek into every character’s mind, know their deepest secrets, and see events happening simultaneously in different locations.

Here’s what you should know about this unique narrative style, a few popular books written in said style, and alternative storytelling POVs.

What is a Third-Person Omniscient Narrative?

A third-person omniscient narrative is akin to having a bird’s-eye view of the entire story. The narrator isn’t a character in the story but an all-knowing observer who can dive into any character’s thoughts, feelings, and motivations.

For instance, the story in J.R.R Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series is told entirely in the third-person omniscient. The pronouns used are third-person pronouns like “he,” “she,” and “they.”

When you read books written in this style, events unfold from a bird’s-eye POV that gives a comprehensive view of the entire story world.

How Do You Know if a Book is Written in a Third-Person Omniscient Narrative?

The first sign of a book written in a third-person omniscient narrative style is using third-person pronouns. However, it goes beyond that.

What gives this POV narrative style away is that the narrator reveals the inner thoughts and feelings of multiple characters, describes events happening in different places simultaneously, and shares background information that no single character could know.

As a reader, this doesn’t mean that you’ll know everything. After all, what would be the point in telling the story? So, you can still expect climaxes and moments of big reveals that raise several questions and potentially your blood pressure!

While the third-person omnscient narrative may be seemingly the “all-knowing” POV, readers are still reliant on the extent of information the author provides to make speculation.

If the author doesn’t give much away (as is almost always the case), you’ll find it hard to predict events. This makes it relatively easy for the author to control the focus of readers and apply twists at the best possible time.

Merits

The most significant advantage of the third-person omniscient narrative is that it lets writers switch between different characters’ viewpoints to get a complete picture of the plot.

As you read, you’re almost getting spoilers, as you know far more than you would if the story were told from a limited third-person perspective where you only see the picture from the eyes of one character.

This can also help you speculate on how the plot will pan out and possibly anticipate significant events.

Additionally, the third-person omniscient narrator can provide background information and context, making the story more detailed and engaging.

Demerits

The main drawback of the third-person omniscient is that it can sometimes overwhelm readers with too much information, leading to confusion.

As the stories are often told from multiple POVs, it’s easy to disrupt the story’s flow, making it harder for readers to stay engaged.

From this “bird’s eye” POV, readers may often be too engrossed in the bigger picture to form a strong emotional connection with any single character, potentially weakening the overall impact of the story.

Alternative Narrative Styles

There are other narrative styles that writers can use, each with its strengths. The third-person limited narrative, for instance, focuses on the thoughts and feelings of just one character.

This style can create a deeper emotional connection between the reader and the protagonist, making the story more personal and engaging. An example of a book written in this style is Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo.

Books are also written in the first-person narrative, where the story is told from one character’s viewpoint using “I” or “we,” which can also provide a strong personal connection and a unique voice.

Which POV is Best?

This is up to you, in truth. Some readers find books written in the first-person weird. Others will only read multiple-character POV narratives because they enjoy seeing the varying angles of proceedings.

Several classic SF/F novels, such as Frank Hebert’s Dune, are written in the third-person omniscient narrative, which is excellent for complex stories with multiple characters and intricate plots. On the other hand, first-person narratives are popular in Contemporary Fiction and Romance.

The Verdict

In summary, there’s really no “best” narrative style that applies to all works. The POV narrative used in any novel is only as good or bad as the author’s writing skills.

The best POV narrative style serves the story well, enhancing its themes, characters, and overall plot.