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by **Strict31** » Sun Aug 21, 2011 6:26 pm

the main character is killed off halfway through, and then the Point Of View shifts to a character who was previously a minor, background character?

I just put down a book where that happens because I'm finding the P.O.V. shift too abrupt. There are all these plot threads left dangling around the now deceased focal character that simply won't be resolved. The "new" main character had previously just occupied a background role. Not even at the level of a supporting character.

It seems like it was done to shock the reader. But it seems blatantly done. And I've tried to stick with it, but the book has lost me.

Have you ever read a book in which this worked?

by **Keb** » Sun Aug 21, 2011 6:33 pm

The Left Behind series did that. I read them in high school. They're pretty shitty anyway, but yeah, it constantly shifts views of different people, and one of the main characters dies like halfway through the series.

Try reading Absalom, Absalom

by **chap22** » Sun Aug 21, 2011 11:45 pm

One of Meltzer's books kills the opening POV/"main" character about 80 pages in and then shifts. I can't remember which one now. Thoroughly average book, but that's the one thing I remember standing out.

And I'm still pissed at having to read The Red Pony in jr. high when the fucking pony dies in the first fucking chapter. Ugh. Fucking terrible book. Fucking Steinbeck...

by **Greg** » Sun Aug 21, 2011 11:49 pm

chap22 wrote:One of Meltzer's books kills the opening POV/"main" character about 80 pages in and then shifts. I can't remember which one now. Thoroughly average book, but that's the one thing I remember standing out.

And I'm still pissed at having to read The Red Pony in jr. high when the fucking pony dies in the first fucking chapter. Ugh. Fucking terrible book. Fucking Steinbeck...

Yo, I can't stop laughing. :lol:

by **outsider** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 8:27 am

Orson Scott Card's Empire does that.

by **Punchy** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 8:47 am

Ned Stark

by **Apache Chef** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 11:00 am

The Passage sort of works that way. It makes a huge jump about a 3rd of the way into the book.

by **Jubilee** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 11:04 am

I like the idea, but it's going to be very hard to execute. I mean does Atonement do that sort of thing? It's a pretty big shift in tone and POV but it's not exactly what you're describing.

by **Allen** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 11:15 am

Always Soulja Boy wrote:I like the idea, but it's going to be very hard to execute. I mean does Atonement do that sort of thing? It's a pretty big shift in tone and POV but it's not exactly what you're describing.

Atonement is an example of that being done well, I think.

That was a good book.

by **Jubilee** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 11:17 am

Yeah I really enjoyed it.

by **xaraan** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 12:01 pm

Hmm, no I wouldn't care much for that. That's one reason I don't like the Jon Mayberry books b/c he shifts from 1st person to 3rd person. That bugs me enough, getting into a character in 1st and having them killed off and switching POV would bug me too much.

One exception was the novel Feed

[Reveal] Spoiler: Click to Expand

The main character dies at the end and the POV shifts to her brother whose another major character at the end and in the 2nd book. It works well. And since it was at the end you have already finished the story anyhow.