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Present-tense, third-person books?

QinguQingu Registered User regular
edited October 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
Can anyone recommend a good one? Preferably something short and snappy? Fantasy/sci-fi somewhat ideal but not at all necessary? First-person acceptable in a pinch.

Note: I have read Fight Club already. And Margaret Atwood is out (read Oryx and Crake, her new one isn't available at me library).

Qingu on

Posts

  • AldoAldo Hippo Hooray Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    New Pratchett: Unseen Academicals?

    Aldo on
  • RUNN1NGMANRUNN1NGMAN Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Is The Road present tense? I can't remember. Awesome book anyway.

    RUNN1NGMAN on
  • QinguQingu Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Don't hate me.
    I don't like Terry Pratchett.

    Or Cormac McCarthy.

    OR that other famous dude, what's-his-face. Yiddish Detectives Agency. Not sure if he ever writes in present tense though.

    Also: I read all of Stephenson's stuff already.

    Qingu on
  • noir_bloodnoir_blood Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    If you don't mind first person and a sort of noir/thriller, check out Charlie Huston. He has a vampire series that's in it's fifth book, but also a bunch of other fiction. Check out pulpfiction.com and see if you dig his work.

    noir_blood on
    Available now!
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  • SzechuanosaurusSzechuanosaurus Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited October 2009
    The Road isn't present tense in any case.

    Szechuanosaurus on
  • SzechuanosaurusSzechuanosaurus Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited October 2009
    I think Gravity's Rainbow is written in third person, present tense.

    Szechuanosaurus on
  • wallabeeXwallabeeX Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Time's Arrow by Martin Amis

    wallabeeX on
  • Page-Page- Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    If you're already after Atwood then I'd assume you've read The Handmaid's Tale? If I'm remembering right, it's third person, present tense, though it cheats a bit by being a sort of diary entry and still has flashbacks that are past tense.

    Not at all short, but still neat, Cryptonomicon is mostly third person, present tense -- possibly all that way, but it's been a while since I read it. Anathem is first person, present tense.

    Whops, missed the edit. Ah well.

    Page- on
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    Anyone want to beta read a paranormal mystery novella? Here's your chance.
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  • Raiden333Raiden333 Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Page- wrote: »
    If you're already after Atwood then I'd assume you've read The Handmaid's Tale? If I'm remembering right, it's third person, present tense, though it cheats a bit by being a sort of diary entry and still has flashbacks that are past tense.

    Not at all short, but still neat, Cryptonomicon is mostly third person, present tense -- possibly all that way, but it's been a while since I read it. Anathem is first person, present tense.

    Whops, missed the edit. Ah well.

    And anyway, Anathem isn't really present tense. It's Raz's journal.

    Raiden333 on
  • Page-Page- Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Well so is The Handmaid's Tale, but I think it's close enough.

    Page- on
    Competitive Gaming and Writing Blog Updated in October: "Song (and Story) of the Day"
    Anyone want to beta read a paranormal mystery novella? Here's your chance.
    stream
  • PracticalProblemSolverPracticalProblemSolver Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Aren't some kurt vonnegut books present tense? Sections at least.

    You forget, maybe if you could slip away into the bathroom and do some more bolivian marching powder you'd remember.

    PracticalProblemSolver on
  • Grid SystemGrid System Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    J M Coetzee and Tim Winton both write in that style. Winton's books are generally a bit longer, but you could pick up one if his short story collections, like The Turning. Coetzee's books are all pretty short. You might like Waiting for the Barbarians.

    Grid System on
  • JasconiusJasconius sword criminal mad onlineRegistered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Maybe White Fang and Call of the Wild by Jack London? It's been a really long time since I've read them but I think they fit the bill.

    Jasconius on
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  • QinguQingu Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    Szechuanosaurus wrote: »
    I think Gravity's Rainbow is written in third person, present tense.
    (regarding Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow)

    You'd have an easier time digesting the fucking thing if you actually ate it.

    Hm, I think I'll pass.

    But thanks for the recommends! I think I'm going to go with the Coatzee book.

    And now I'll have an easier time writing about empires in present-tense for Nanowrimo!

    Qingu on
  • SzechuanosaurusSzechuanosaurus Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited October 2009
    Qingu wrote: »
    Szechuanosaurus wrote: »
    I think Gravity's Rainbow is written in third person, present tense.
    (regarding Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow)

    You'd have an easier time digesting the fucking thing if you actually ate it.

    Hm, I think I'll pass.

    Pffft. Suit yourself.

    Szechuanosaurus on
  • Evil MultifariousEvil Multifarious Registered User regular
    edited October 2009
    hard books are the best books, qingu.

    Evil Multifarious on
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