Into the Fire

Monday’s post dealt with the protagonists of thrillers. Establishing that plot-driven novels tend not to invest as much into the hero’s character, I still feel it’s important to give him something of value for drawing the reader’s favor.

Let’s move to mystery/suspense. One of the best novels I read last year in this genre was Try Darkness by James Scott Bell, the second in the series following Try Dying. Try Fear will be next. In this series we meet the up and coming attorney Ty Buchanan: the wisecracking, dashing, too smart for his own good, lawyer who suffers a tragic loss in book one and chooses to leave his status-filled position to combat his old law practice partners in book two. Ty’s cynicism and sarcasm make him real, but it’s his wounded heart and emptiness that endear him to us. Without those two conditions which spawn qualities to prop up his clever barbs and pessimism, he would remain just another disparaging attorney. Instead he is one of my all time favorite characters.

It could be debated whether or not to place The Pawn and The Rook by Stephen James into the mystery/suspense or the thriller category. The Knight is soon to follow. We have a potentially unlikable character in FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers because, he, too, is embittered from his tragic loss. But his saving grace is that he recognizes his flaws, suffers from his pain, wants to improve areas of his life but has no idea how to do it in book one. In book two we see him make pronounced efforts to right his wrongs and step uneasily into unknown territory in his personal life. So instead of disrespecting him for his distant and caustic attitude, we hope he can get where he wants to be in all levels of his life while trying to solve a horrendous problem against a truly vicious and unique villain.

Without that flicker of sensitivity or tenderness or sense of honor, there is nothing to root for in a character. I realize I’ve approached this topic discussing male characters. Most of the novels I read serve up male protagonists. Maybe tomorrow I’ll address some female lead characters.

Any thoughts?

God, you are amazing. You have created the imaginations of mankind, and they can be used for your glory when our hearts are turned to you. I ask that you would draw more souls into your kingdom, and I pray you would use your writers in the process. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.