Getting my hopes up that RJ improved his portrayal of villains, yes. - Edit 1
Before modification by Shannow at 26/09/2012 09:21:44 PM
I guess I don't see how this adds to Demandred's character development at all. This says almost nothing about Demandred and a lot about Rand. We already knew that Lews Therin was arrogant. It doesn't give Demandred any less of a cartoon bad guy reason for becoming what he has become.
Demandred is still the comic book character that went over to the Shadow because his pride couldn't stand being in Lews Therin's shadow any longer. So what if Lews Therin was kind of a prick in the way he kept outshining him? Demandred's motivation for trying to bring about the end of all creation as we know it is still that Lews Therin was a little bit better than him and a prick.
Demandred may turn out to be a highlight in the book, but only because he has perhaps laid some awesomely competent plans, not because his backstory is suddenly richer.
Demandred is still the comic book character that went over to the Shadow because his pride couldn't stand being in Lews Therin's shadow any longer. So what if Lews Therin was kind of a prick in the way he kept outshining him? Demandred's motivation for trying to bring about the end of all creation as we know it is still that Lews Therin was a little bit better than him and a prick.
Demandred may turn out to be a highlight in the book, but only because he has perhaps laid some awesomely competent plans, not because his backstory is suddenly richer.
Getting my hopes up of seeing a bit of a Sandor Clegane or Jaime Lannister arc in Demandred's story.
You're right. RJ doesn't do that. With him it's 100% bad and no redeeming qualities. No return from the dark side.
Sigh.
But still, Sanderson seems to see that lack in RJ's work, and although I am very critical of Sanderson's general writing skills, in this one aspect he is perhaps a bit less archaic than Jordan, and a bit more Martinesque or Erickson like.
Even if it is just to acknowledge the shortcoming with a little self reflective passage from Rand on Demandred's motivation for turning.
Jaime Lannister says there are no men like me, there is only me. Talk about arrogance.
And yet he is still revealed as a complex character, despite chucking little boys from tower windows. I guess it's too much to expect the same in Wot.
Despite all these years, I still hope for more.