Does Urban Fantasy HAVE to be in First-Person?

[Talion]

I've been considering trying my hand at an urban fantasy short story (I like to write in my spare time, although none of my fiction has been published yet)

Is it a genre convention at urban fantasy has to be in first person? Or am I just not reading a big enough sample size?

Lately in my search for a pre-ghost story fix, I've read through the Game of Cages novels, assorted other novels by Simon Green, Patricia Briggs, Rob Thurman, etc and all were first-person.

[Shecky]

Whichever way works best for you is the best way.

[Lanodantheon]

Writing Urban Fantasy in 1st person comes from what it inherits from the traditions of Detective Fiction (Dating back to the 40's at least). But it's an open genre. Look at it this way: A story about a normal kid who discovers a secret world of magic hiding in the shadows of mundane society can be called Harry Potter.

But to recap 1st vs 3rd, here's what I can think of when bored.

3rd Person (limited or Omniscient) allows:  multiple viewpoint characters; The ability to move around more freely through the world; allows the author to dispense whatever exposition desired.

Disadvantages: Once something is stated by the Narrator as true (as a "Rule of the Game") if it is ever contradicted later, it sticks out like a sore thumb. The Narrator must be reliable. Multiple viewpoint characters means that there is less time for individual character development compared to just a single character.

1st Person allows: An Unreliable Narrator. The world is perceived through the eyes of the character and interpreted through the emotions of that character. Because there is only one perspective character, you can get very close to that character. Because the narrator is unreliable, an inconsistencies can be trumped up to the character didn't have all the facts.

Disadvantages: You only have one character to view the world from.

[Starbeam]

Like Shecky said, write whichever works best for you.  And no, urban fantasy doesn't have to be done in First Person.  The Remy Chandler books by Tom Sniegoski are 3rd, and you get several other viewpoints.  That's the only one I can remember off the top of my head, but I'm sure there are more.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

3rd Person (limited or Omniscient) allows:  multiple viewpoint characters; The ability to move around more freely through the world; allows the author to dispense whatever exposition desired.

Disadvantages: Once something is stated by the Narrator as true (as a "Rule of the Game") if it is ever contradicted later, it sticks out like a sore thumb. The Narrator must be reliable.

In third limited ? maybe, if you have one viewpoint.  And even one viewpoint can state a rule of the game early and be proved wrong by events later.

If you have multiple limited-thirds, and they contradict each other, that's a heck of a powerful technique for getting information to your reader.  (Witness Song of Ice and Fire for some lovely examples.)

[Lanodantheon]

In third limited ? maybe, if you have one viewpoint.  And even one viewpoint can state a rule of the game early and be proved wrong by events later.

If you have multiple limited-thirds, and they contradict each other, that's a heck of a powerful technique for getting information to your reader.  (Witness Song of Ice and Fire for some lovely examples.)

>_< Nice catch. I was on break when I wrote that. Forgot 3rd limited.

[Nickeris86]

Read some Neil Gamen novels they are in third and are urban fantasy.