One reoccurring theme in urban fantasy, dark fantasy and even some paranormal romance books is the separation or lack of separation between the humans and the monsters.
Many series start out with a clear line of separation between the monsters and humans- at least according to the main character’s point of view. But as the series goes on the lines tend to blur, especially as the character grows closer to or even becomes “one of the monsters”.
Take for instance the Anita Blake series by Laurell K Hamilton. In the beginning Anita was very clear about who was a monster and who was not. Then she gets pulled deeper into the supernatural world. The men she falls in love with turn out to be monsters. She starts sleeping with the enemy. Then the closer she gets to them the more she becomes like them- with her powers and her thinking. It gets to the point where she actually has to face “human monsters” and it bothers her that the line is not so clear anymore.
Similar changes happen with Cat in the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost. Ct starts out with a hatred of all vampires. Then she comes across Bones who shows her not all vamps are bad.
In Colleen Gleason’s Gardella Vampire Series the vampires are always the bad guys (up until the very end when some things change - but if I say too much I may spoil it for you). Victoria’s line is clearly drawn and this stays so throughout the series- Victoria kills the vampires but the humans that help the vampires she will not kill. Why? Because that would make her a monster.
That I don’t agree with. If they are bad, if they act like monsters, if they are evil they should be stopped- permanently. Why should the poor pathetic humans be spared the fate of the monsters. What is it about being human that makes them unaccountable for their actions? What- the devil made them do it? Bullshit. Everyone should be held accountable for their actions and if that means a death sentence then so be it.
But the characters in many series struggle with this notion thinking that it will make them the bad guy. Look at Clark Kent’s refusal to kill Lex Luther in Smallville- same thing he doesn’t want to be the bad guy. But yet sometimes you have to fight fire with fire to win. You have to become a monster to fight the monsters and that’s what has happened to Anita Blake in her series. She has become more and more “monstrous” to be able to fight the truly evil.
What do you think? Should there be a line between the monsters and humans or is the underlying love of these genres that theme that everyone is so different yet deep down we are the same. Monsters can have human hearts and humans can be more evil than the monsters.
In my newest release, An Unexpected Evening, vampire Samuel has withdrawn from the world because he thinks of himself as a monster- but the evil he did was long ago and he's been trying to make up for, or hide from it, for centuries. He doesn't want to hurt anyone else so he avoids humanity. Then a witch comes along and makes him believe redemption could be possible- if only he would come out of the shadows and live again.
Here is the blurb for the book:
Katerina always encourages Samuel to be more open, to let loose, and to really "live" instead of only existing in the shadows.
One night, he finally grants her wish . . . in ways she never imagined.
Warning- this is a steamy paranormal erotica ebook with a slight touch of kink
You can purchase An Unexpected Evening
3 comments:
Shades of gray. Does anyone see pure good or pure evil in real life? Even Hitler was kind to his dogs.
Scott
Very thought-provoking post. Thank you for being our guest here at the Midnight Moon Cafe. :-)
Thank you for having me as a guest.
Scott I do agree I think we all live in shades fo gray- some people though try to see everything in black and white but life doesn't actually work that way.
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