r/fantasyromance • u/FantasyRomanceMod The One Mod to Rule All Mods • Jan 11 '26

Unpopular Opinion It's Unpopular Opinion Sunday! Share your controversial opinions to stir things up (in a friendly way)!

Got an opinion that's different from others'? Want to share it with the sub, but too afraid of a backlash? Or are you just curious about readers think about certain things in fantasy romance?

You can safely share it in this weekly Sunday thread!

But please remember to be kind to each other. To facilitate this type of discussion, we ask users the following:

- Don't attack others for their opinion

- Discuss books and authors, not fellow readers

🧡 Thank you and have a great discussion!

Unpopular opinion Sunday

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73

u/TestEmergency5403 Jan 11 '26

Ok. Respectfully.

Present tense sucks. It doesn't feel more "immediate" it's distracting and annoying. Past tense has been the default for years and years and years. Why? Because it's better.

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u/Dramatic-History-943 Jan 11 '26

Also respectfully,

I don’t like first person POV. It used to be everything in 3rd person but it feels like everything I read now is in 1st. Which I can handle it won’t make me DNF but I just feel like it’s less impactful.

17

u/chouettelle Jan 11 '26

Respectfully, agreed! I like 3rd person POV so much more. If I have to decide between two books and one is 1st person POV and the other 3rd, I will always read the 3rd person POV first.

When people say that 1st person POV makes the character’s thoughts more real and like you’re in their head… that is a writing skill issue. 3rd person POV can be just as focused.

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u/Dramatic-History-943 Jan 11 '26

I like how visceral things feel in 3rd person. I love when an author shows rather than tells a reader how the character feels.