Re: You'd need to be crazy or weak to write Fain easily
RugbyPlayingAshaman Send a noteboard - 02/04/2010 03:02:56 PM
I don't think anyone is asking him to write rape scenes, but the POV should at least demonstrate why the character's worldview is warped.
I think RJ's challenge would be to make the villains charming and intelligent characters whose worldviews and thought patterns aren't so obviously gross. An intelligent person who has reasons for destroying other people and the world without dipping into insanity or barbarism is more terrifying than a mindless monster.
In other words, he shouldn't take the easy way out and just tell us what they did to make them Forsaken - he can subtly nod to these horrific activities. It is this ability to engage the imaginations of readers to fill in the blanks that I find RJ lacks. For example, if all the inhabitants of the farm Lanfear visited were found to have gone insane and eaten each other, and we found this out from the POV of an Aes Sedai sent to investigate, it would reinforce what Lanfear did during the Age of Legends in our minds while making a trail of horror that would magnify her threat. Her threat wasn't that she was an amazingly powerful channeler - it was that she could drive entire cities insane. But we never see this - all we saw is her skin one man, kill a girl, and throw waves of Fire at Aiel. In other words, she is operatic and larger than life, but not horrific in a human sense.
I think RJ's challenge would be to make the villains charming and intelligent characters whose worldviews and thought patterns aren't so obviously gross. An intelligent person who has reasons for destroying other people and the world without dipping into insanity or barbarism is more terrifying than a mindless monster.
In other words, he shouldn't take the easy way out and just tell us what they did to make them Forsaken - he can subtly nod to these horrific activities. It is this ability to engage the imaginations of readers to fill in the blanks that I find RJ lacks. For example, if all the inhabitants of the farm Lanfear visited were found to have gone insane and eaten each other, and we found this out from the POV of an Aes Sedai sent to investigate, it would reinforce what Lanfear did during the Age of Legends in our minds while making a trail of horror that would magnify her threat. Her threat wasn't that she was an amazingly powerful channeler - it was that she could drive entire cities insane. But we never see this - all we saw is her skin one man, kill a girl, and throw waves of Fire at Aiel. In other words, she is operatic and larger than life, but not horrific in a human sense.
"Those who think they have no time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness."
little things that irk you
30/03/2010 06:16:19 PM
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All the GOOD GUYS smoke
30/03/2010 08:24:42 PM
- 1098 Views
Culturally it's probably an accurate description. It is 16th/17th century
30/03/2010 08:47:19 PM
- 850 Views
Men vs. Women
30/03/2010 09:00:50 PM
- 1006 Views
I agree - IRL I often notice that it's less "men" vs "women", and moreso personality clashes.
31/03/2010 02:45:16 PM
- 703 Views
Sword Forms
30/03/2010 09:37:02 PM
- 788 Views
I love Sword forms.
30/03/2010 10:06:03 PM
- 796 Views
Re: I love Sword forms.
30/03/2010 10:13:06 PM
- 844 Views
I'm of the opinion that blademasters are not the match of a powerful warrior
31/03/2010 03:34:49 PM
- 779 Views
RJ's spelling and pronunciation of names.
31/03/2010 12:31:44 AM
- 2374 Views
yeah, the fact that the different languages are there is totally fine and enjoyable....
31/03/2010 04:45:28 PM
- 725 Views
Re: little things that irk you
31/03/2010 01:16:51 AM
- 855 Views
Re: little things that irk you
31/03/2010 02:51:12 AM
- 702 Views
WORD! is it really so amazing when channelers 'invent' something new?
31/03/2010 04:46:43 PM
- 929 Views
Re: WORD! is it really so amazing when channelers 'invent' something new?
31/03/2010 09:00:50 PM
- 707 Views
RJ should show more evil things...
31/03/2010 12:41:25 PM
- 861 Views
I think he doesn't know how to write what an evil character would look or sound like
31/03/2010 03:27:36 PM
- 786 Views
Yip - he pretty much confirms that
01/04/2010 03:35:32 PM
- 691 Views
You'd need to be crazy or weak to write Fain easily
02/04/2010 05:33:32 AM
- 704 Views
Re: You'd need to be crazy or weak to write Fain easily
02/04/2010 03:02:56 PM
- 724 Views
Re: little things that irk you *NM*
31/03/2010 02:25:38 PM
- 476 Views
Yes
01/04/2010 03:25:48 PM
- 779 Views
I've always wondered why RJ didn't try to develop this theme ...
01/04/2010 06:10:23 PM
- 764 Views
It's less of a theme and more like a case of mental derangement
01/04/2010 09:04:58 PM
- 687 Views
it's even more frustrating that it started to be used for a while
08/04/2010 11:51:42 AM
- 730 Views
Attempting to pronounce the dang names. I like the names, but they're so hard to pronounce. *NM*
08/04/2010 03:44:39 AM
- 760 Views
Dealing with being irked--an exercise in fighting fire with fire...
06/05/2010 01:58:04 AM
- 592 Views