On the Not-So-Good Guys

"Black Sails"

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As we fiction fans experience stories through the years, I think of the “good guys” as a time of youth and innocence, “the anti-hero” as an audience-specific protagonist (Thomas Covenant fans, are you still out there?), which leaves a very often used and popular protagonist:  The not-so-good guys. 

My favorite example is from the book and film “No Country for Old Men” by Cormac McCarthy.  The story is about the good guy, the Sheriff, the bad guy, Anton, Chigurh, and the “in-between” guy, Llewellyn Moss.  Question:  What makes Moss an “in-between” or “not-so-good” guy?  Answer:  Moss wouldn’t go out of his way to harm anyone.  But he saw money, took it, and didn’t have a problem taking the fight to life or death level even when it endangered his wife.   A good guy prototype would have gone to the cops the first thing.  A bad guy would have killed the remaining living man, never returned to the scene, and taken with wife with the money and skipped town, making it more difficult for Chigurh and the Mexicans to track him.  (But that dang transmitter, even in 1980, doh!). 

Another example of “not-so-good guys?  Answer:  The pirate culture; one of romance, good-looking guys, badass fighters on the open seas.  The men stand tall and handsome, sabre at their side; wind blowing threw their unkempt hair, wow, what a heartbreaker.  The other side of these men:  Pirates in present and past are criminals; they attack ships, kill passengers, steal cargo, in the past, moved slaves, stole young men and made slave sailors of them, and I won’t go into their reported treatment of women.  Sometimes I ask myself why pirates are considered so romantic, but think that the life of crime restricted to a ship, well, yes, give pirates their due.  It takes nerve to do that for a lifestyle.

Almost any character can be changed with clever writing into a protagonist.  Anyone that’s read the non-fiction “Wiseguy” and have seen “Goodfellas” see the subtle spin on the story that puts gangster Henry Hill in a more positive light though he was no less of a thug than the guys he kept company with.  I use a dark heroine in my stories, who uses unsavory means to achieve the ends of her enemies.  I think people like to see “no-so-good” guys to show us that some with a hard life make good things happen, as the real world is not a simple place where good and evil is easily defined.

Joffrey in the Underworld

King Joffrey "Game of Thrones"

The love-to-hate little evil King Joffrey of “A Song of Ice and Fire” books and “Game of Thrones” series meets the Gastar series lead character in the afterlife.  Let’s have some fun with His Grace:

Shevata sat in Zermon’s huge chair before the huge fire pit surrounded by a smooth black terrace.  Though she found Hell to be an irksome place, Zermon kept a clean and beautiful throne room even if it was in the name of all that was evil; carved tiles of obsidian made the floors, the huge throne made of obsidian also, smooth and shining.  The cries from the pit from the doomed souls with the mindless small demons scampering about gave her a constant reminder that she was not home.

A small winged demon dragged a handsome blonde teenage boy, of slight build for his age.  His blue eyes twinkled of innocence in the shadow of the fire.  The demon slapped him to the floor.  “Zermon sent you a present.” 

Shevata raised an eyebrow.  “Leave us.”  The demon walked away, taking his place behind the throne.  She looked at a book she was reading with disgust called “Fifty Shades of Grey.”  She tossed it to the demon behind her.  “Take this to Zermon.”  He left with the book, opening it with curiosity.

“So, the little King finally visits us.”  Shevata smiled.  “Get up.”

Joffrey stood, shaking with fear, but obviously tried to hide it.  “I am King, peasant!  You will bring me back my armor and return me to King’s Landing!”

Shevata broke out in laughter.  “You think it’s funny, huh?  I’ll have your throat opened, and we’ll watch you laugh then, bitch!”

Shevata calmed herself.  “Believe me, Your Former Grace, if you can take this throne,” she pointed to her chair, “I will be most grateful.”

Joffrey gained his composure as he turned a moment and looked down into the fire pit.  “Fear of having your soul burned is normal.”  Shevata leaned her head around to see his face.

“Why am I here?”  Joffrey mumbled.

“For your most infamous deed.  Zermon only accepted one charge; tough he could’ve taken many.  The death of Ned Stark is why you’re in Hell.”

“He committed treason!”

“What army did he raise, what method did he use to threaten you or your mother and natural father who is your uncle Jaime?  You had a noble, decent man murdered which escalated the War of Five Kings, killing thousands.”  Shevata glared at the beautiful boy.

“My grandfather started the war over my monster uncle Tyrion!”

“And Tywin wishes for your fate at this time.  He is with Zermon.  You are with me.”

“So, peasant devil woman, what do you plan to do with me?”  Tears began to show in his eyes.

“Nothing.  You’re not special, not more evil than most I see here, and you were never a real King.”  Shevata motioned with her hand and a pair of small demons grabbed him.  She nodded, and they threw him into the fire as his screams echoed through the room.   She made a grim face. “I don't know what could have saved him.”

The Dragon and the Demon

"The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"

The Gastar lead characters meet the dwarves at the Lonely Mountain:

The group of dwarves looked over the odd pair with suspicion.  “Exactly who are you?”  Asked one of them, with a long white beard.

The tall, horned demon opened his mouth to speak, but the teenage girl with him, gestured him to be quiet.  “I am Shevata, and this is Zermon.  We’re here to rid this mountain of the dragon menace.”

The dwarves broke out in laughter.   The demon inspected the mountainside.  “We can use this area.” 

Shevata moved forward to inspect.  A voice behind them said, “I don’t care who you are.  Get out of here.  This is our fight, not yours.  Our city was taken and we’ll not share the treasure with a devil and a strange girl.”

The twosome turned to face the dwarf.  Shevata grinned.  “And you are?”

“Thorin, the King of the dwarves.”

Shevata nudged the demon.  “Hey Zermon, who’d thought?  A comely dwarf?”  They both chuckled.

He waved.  “Be off, short men.”  As Thorin drew his axe and approached them, Shevata tossed a shiny orange disc onto the ground between them.  He looked down at it. 

“Is this some magic trick?”  Thorin looked at the disc and up at Shevata.

“Step past and it you will be in Hell.”

Thorin scowled at them.  “We’ll never open the door for you.”

Shevata picked up the disc and carved a large square into the rock with her golden dagger, standing on Zermon’s shoulders and his horned head for height.  When finished, she motioned to the demon.  “Do you mind?”

Zermon gave the square a push and the rock moved to create a perfect open door. Thorin grabbed her arm “You will wake the dragon for sure!”

Shevata leaned toward the dwarf.  “Who ever told you dragons sleep is a liar.”  She looked at Thorin’s grip with a warning and he released her.  “Don’t follow us.”

“What about Bilbo?” Whispered the gray-haired dwarf to Thorin. 

Inside, Zermon climbed into the upper part of the mines.   Shevata walked over the immense treasure-covered floor, toward the obvious booming voice of a dragon speaking with a terrified voice of another, someone she didn’t know. 

“HaHaHaHaHa!”  Zermon’s massive voice roared in laughter from the upper chamber, filling the mines with his voice.  "There’s nothing in here but a cave lizard; slimy, funny and stupid.  HaHaHaHa!”

The dragon’s head snapped around to Zermon’s voice.  “Who is this that dares enter the domain of Smaug?”

“HaHaHa!  The lizard has a name!  What a stupid name!  Isn’t that the name of a rat? HaHaHaHa!”  Roared Zermon.

As Smaug moved away Bilbo found himself wrapped in rope and jerked across the floor.  A girl pulled him closer to her and removed the lasso. “What are you doing in here?” She whispered.”

Bilbo shaken, gathered his courage.  “I’m to get the Arkenstone for the dwarves.”

Shevata’s eyes widened.  “They sent you in here? “ She looked around.  “Have you seen the it?”  Bilbo pointed.  She motioned and it landed in her hand.  She grasped Bilbo’s hand.  “We must lure him out.” 

“You’re boring me Smaug!” Laughed Zermon as the great dragon chased him through the mines.  It reared back and hurled a massive column of fire at the demon as he stood laughing.  “Only the dumbest lizard would breathe fire at a demon while a little girl takes the Arkenstone! HaHaHa!”  Shevata tossed the stone through the door to the outside as Smaug lunged for it.  As he reached the door, she threw the orange coin to the ground in front of the opening.  As the dragon passed through the door, it became a great flame then it disappeared. 

Shevata walked with Bilbo behind her and picked up the coin.  Zermon caught up and joined them.  Thorin waited, holding the Arkenstone.  She faced the Dwarf King.  “You knew the little one was inside?”

“We needed him to get the Arkenstone.”

She and Zermon looked at each other.  Shevata eyes narrowed at Thorin.  “No noble King would do that.  Perhaps you’ll redeem yourself and die in battle.”

Thorin looked down, ashamed.  “What of the dragon?  It is dead?”

Zermon smiled.  “His soul will burn forever in Hell.”

Bilbo frowned.  “But..do dragons have souls?”

All of them became silent.  Zermon shrugged.  “Well, if it didn’t work, he’ll be flying around that human village.  I think they can kill him.  What do you think, Shevata, maybe that human that threw you off the ballista tower?”

The Dwarves watched as the two walked back down the mountain, arguing if a dragon had a soul or not. 

Arya and the Assassin

Arya Stark "Game of Thrones"

Arya Stark meets the Gastar series heroine Shevata and fellow assassin. 

As they walked away from the Twins the following morning, the sun shone bright as if the horrors of the Red Wedding never happened according to the bright sky.  Arya looked up.  “It’s not fair.  How can she sun shine when the world’s been so horrible to my family?”

Shevata walked beside her.  At her physical age of sixteen, she was a few inches taller and a few pounds heavier than Arya. 

“I won’t banter that with an answer, Arya.  You know there’s nothing natural about what happened..”

Arya looked at her with suspicion then behind her and stopped.  “Where’s the Hound?”

Shevata smiled.  “He’s safe.  My companion has him…distracted.  He’ll come to no harm unless he becomes..outrageous.”

Arya scowled a Shevata.  “Why should I trust you?”

Shevata raised an eyebrow.  “You shouldn’t trust anyone.”

They began walking again.  The younger girl began saying “Joffrey, the Hound, Queen Cersei, Ilyn Payne, Tywin Lannister…”

Shevata smiled.  “You’re chanting your death list?”

“You’d understand if it happened to you.  Jacquen, a REAL killer, gave me this,” she held out an old coin,” that will make me a killer like him so I can avenge my family.”

Shevata stepped away and raised both hands empty.  “All right.”

“You doubt me?” 

She shook her head.  “No.  Jacquen is a Faceless Man, as capable a killer as I’ve heard of.”

Arya still looked suspicious.  “What’s your story then?”

“I’m a killer too.”

“You?”  Arya smiled.

“I was assigned to become as assassin from birth, so I’ve been nothing else.”

“No family?”

Shevata shook her head.  “No family.”

“I’m sorry.  Kids should have family.”

“So we’re both little girl killers, you a novice and me an expert.  One of us has family and the other doesn’t.  What makes us different?”  Shevata watched Arya become uncomfortable as tears fell down her dirty cheeks.

“My father was the kind of man to die for, so I will kill for him.”  She wiped away the tears. 

Shevata handed her a cloth for her face.  “Perhaps we’re more alike than we seem.  I’ve killed for people I wish were your father.” 

Arya looked up at her.  “Will you ever stop?”

Shevata smirked.  “Never.”

On the Cliché of Forbidden Love

"Anna Karenina"

Many editors, readers, and my mother told me numerous times an important part of a story is a love interest and keeping Shevata from falling for an Edward Cullen-like character is a potential weakness in “Act of Redemption.”  As a writer and creator of a story, I couldn’t give my lead character a love interest until she’s ready, and she’s on a complex journey to get there.  As for love being a must in every story, really?

Answer:  Almost really.  Most stories have a love interest, be in main part, a side story, a weird part, however, but love makes the world go around, and it makes a lot of the fictional world go around as well.   Heroes save the girl, a heroine takes a lover, a man starts a war over lost love (“A Song of Ice and Fire” or “Game of Thrones”), or a couple of young people secretly fall in love with tragic consequences, the prototype forbidden love “Romeo and Juliet.”

To me the idea of forbidden love is almost as cliché as it gets, but as I’ve said before about clichés, they sometimes give strength to a story.  Being the most treasured emotion of humanity, love moves us all, and the idea of forbidden love reminds us that when love is involved (romance being the main topic here, but also love of family) other societal rules are thrown out and characters risk it all; their lives, their kingdoms, the lives of others, the love of their own families to have the person he/she truly loves.  When one considers the possibilities, it’s nearly endless when forbidden love is at stake.  For writers, it’s almost a winner every time when done well.

Are there negatives to using “Forbidden love” in stories?  Answer:  With any cliché, there’s always the possibility of predictability or overwhelming tragedy that takes a very strong story for the audience to relate to.  As in my blog article about the power of devastation, people want to feel the tragedy in their hearts, while others feel turned off.  To me, with well-written stories, audiences can handle a downer ending if truly reeled in.  The example I like using is “Atonement.”  While I felt rage and sadness at the end of the book (and film), I think it’s a great story. 

So writers, who are your characters in forbidden love?  What keeps them apart? What are the consequences of their union or separation?  Tell us about it in your story, and though cliché, it will grip us like few feelings can, because love tears us from the inside out just like it does with the fictional characters.

On Titles and Title Sequences

"BlackSails"

                              Title Sequence "Black Sails:      http://vimeo.com/84162805

I’ve blogged in the past about titles of novels, how conceptual titles are often recommended but sometimes simple titles identify the book for what it is:  My prototype example is “The Sword and the Dragon” by M.R. Mathias.  The title explains the genre, the story, and stood out as a banner and his growing fans still follow, as it is a great medieval dark fantasy novel.

For TV and films, I used to keep how much I liked title sequences to myself because I thought others didn’t find them that important.  My ignorance was cured then I read about the over-the-top, outstanding title sequence of “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” (American version) because when the film was over, I couldn’t get the dark, bizarre, but cannot look away imagery of Lisbeth’s nightmare out of my mind.  It remains one of the best title sequences I’ve ever seen and when reading more about the film, others appear to agree.

The “Game of Thrones” for fans, especially we readers has a great title sequence with a memorable musical score, a chess-like view of Martin’s world, and my favorite, the “sun” that identifies the story as fantasy.

Most recently, I read an article about the new “BlackSails” series, saying it has a “Game of Thrones” like title sequence.  Hmm…I was curious.  In seeing it, there’s nothing about it that reminds me of Game of Thrones; so perhaps in writing it was to catch attention to GoT fans like me, so good for them, it worked.  The sequence to me captures pirate cultures in an usually artistic way; taking the gritty world of early 1700s maritime crime to a fascinating introduction; like above, I couldn’t look away.

As I think of great title sequences and book titles, I wonder about book trailers.  A book trailer is as close to a title sequence as an author gets.  While the question of trailers remains controversial regarding sales, the idea of a title sequence instead of a “trailer” may be something to consider.

As far as “BlackSails” we’ve had a single episode so far.  I need more to decide if I like a cable series.  Let’s hope it lives up it it’s title sequence.  

Legolas and Gastar

Legolas "The Hobbit"

The famous battle-capable elf from LOTR and “The Hobbit” meet the lead characters of the Gastar novellas.  Let’s have a bit of fictional fun.

Shevata braced her left side where she removed the arrow.  The bleeding stopped and as she slowly concentrated against the barred door, she felt the pain ease off and her muscles relax.  An elf appeared at the door.  “Are you badly injured?”

“Not injured enough.”  Shevata looked through the bars and saw the handsome elf called Legolas, the son of the King of this small Elven realm she and Zermon stumbled into by mistake.  “Release me.  Someone is with me, very dangerous.   Don’t be stupid. “

The elf smiled.  “You mean that idiot bombastic demon?  My father has him squared away down below.  He has a spell for such creatures, meant for Morgoth in the First Age.”

“So what are you going to do with us?  Keep us here forever? Why not be civilized and execute us?”

Legolas smiled. “You know nothing of civilization, you barbaric murderer.”

“Murderer? How harsh.  How many of your friends did I ‘murder?’”

“None.  But I know what you are.  I examined your weapons.”  His elven eyes sparkled, a trait Shevata found annoying. “Stay.”  He left.  

“This will cost you a life!  Whose life will you choose?” Shevata shouted through the bars.  She let the hours pass until she could stand without pain.  She concentrated on the lock.  It turned.

Zermon stood in the center of the pentagram bored at the Elf King studying him like he was an amazing new pet.  “When she comes, you will die.”  The Elf smirked at his comment and continued to study him.  “We were passing through, and didn’t attack.  I ate several orcs.  I’m known for giving raw deals, but you? “  Zermon groused, but the elven King was unmoved. 

Shevata made a garrote out of a piece of clothing.  One by one, she caught from behind and bound the elves with their own bowstrings.  She didn’t see Legolas.  After some searching, she found her weapons in a bag thrown aside.  She made her way down a path of marble steps led her to an open room, with dim magical lights on the walls.  In the center she recognized Zermon and the Elven King, father of Legolas.  Before he moved toward her, she stabbed the marble floor with her golden dagger, creating a crack across the floor, breaking the pentagram.

Legolas returned from his evening scouting.  Alarmed by his kin bound, he found Shevata’s cell empty and her weapons taken.  When he made it downstairs to his father, he lay face down over the cracked pentagram, bleeding from a large wound to his back.  He turned his father over, who whispered as he died, “Those fall when misunderstanding others.  Don’t take revenge; we shouldn’t have held them.”

He buried his head on his father’s shoulder.  “One life, she said.”