Good point about showing the villain protagonist as human. That's kind of the whole point, isn't it? To show in detail why someone would do all those horrible things, and thereby remind the readers that they, too, could do those things under the right circumstances. Now there's something people could do with more reminders of - the fact that everyone can be pushed over the edge, it's just a matter of how hard they need to be pushed. That's why I hate heroes who suffer temptation but never gives in - the damn guys aren't people, they're some sort of soulless saints!
On an utterly unrelated topic, have you heard Jordan is dead? Who the suck was he? A fantasy writer, yes, but what did he write?
Ah yes, Robert Jordan. I did hear. Funny, I used to think he was the living definition of epic fantasy, but it's been years since I read one of his books, or cared to.
He wrote The Wheel of Time which is genuinely regarded as the most needlessly long fantasy series of all time (and definitely the one with the most descriptions of dresses and tea parties) and which was still unfinished at the time of his death. He is famous, first and foremost, for having exceptionally bitchy and unpleasant female characters, all of which seem to have the exact same personality and a strong tendency to end up naked for no apparent reason. =] I stopped being a fan some time ago, I must admit.
Still, I'm sorry he died. He started out well - I still remember the absolute delight I took in The Eye of the World - and though his story lost momentum and grew dull, it never got offensive the way Rowling's got offensive. He turned out not to be much of a writer, despite his initial promise, but he always seemed to be a pretty nice person.
DO you have any idea how dangerous it is to throw such hooks to a terminally curious person? Huh? Huh? HUH?
Haha, you werecat. ;) I sent the email last night, and pardon the delay. :)
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On an utterly unrelated topic, have you heard Jordan is dead? Who the suck was he? A fantasy writer, yes, but what did he write?
Ah yes, Robert Jordan. I did hear. Funny, I used to think he was the living definition of epic fantasy, but it's been years since I read one of his books, or cared to.
He wrote The Wheel of Time which is genuinely regarded as the most needlessly long fantasy series of all time (and definitely the one with the most descriptions of dresses and tea parties) and which was still unfinished at the time of his death. He is famous, first and foremost, for having exceptionally bitchy and unpleasant female characters, all of which seem to have the exact same personality and a strong tendency to end up naked for no apparent reason. =] I stopped being a fan some time ago, I must admit.
Still, I'm sorry he died. He started out well - I still remember the absolute delight I took in The Eye of the World - and though his story lost momentum and grew dull, it never got offensive the way Rowling's got offensive. He turned out not to be much of a writer, despite his initial promise, but he always seemed to be a pretty nice person.
DO you have any idea how dangerous it is to throw such hooks to a terminally curious person? Huh? Huh? HUH?
Haha, you werecat. ;) I sent the email last night, and pardon the delay. :)