Demons in Trails of the Huntress

[danny]

The Demons in the Trails of the Huntress were really cool. It would be good if the demons were the good guys and Calvyn and that were the bad guys!

 

[charles]

that would be good, along with a book were the good guy doesnt win in the end, some books nowadays can be re-written cliche's

 

[Mark Robson]

My problem with the idea of making the demons the good guys is that I would have to make them good! Demons are inherently evil, which sort of precludes the idea of them being heroes (other than inadvertantly). I can see the attraction of a story seen from the perspective of the evil villains. There is a dark side in everyone's nature that would empathise with the nature of the villain, but if I made the demons truly demonic, it would require a set of readers who wanted to see things the way a demon would. I'm not sure that there would be many who could really identify with this way of thinking. I'm sure I wouldn't.

 

[jackokent]

Tanith Lee seems to be able to write sympathetically about demons in her Night master, delusions master, deaths master etc etc books. They are quite evil, but attractive and compelling at the same time.

 

[Crisspin]

My problem with the idea of making the demons the good guys is that I would have to make them good! Demons are inherently evil, which sort of precludes the idea of them being heroes (other than inadvertantly). I can see the attraction of a story seen from the perspective of the evil villains. There is a dark side in everyone's nature that would empathise with the nature of the villain, but if I made the demons truly demonic, it would require a set of readers who wanted to see things the way a demon would. I'm not sure that there would be many who could really identify with this way of thinking. I'm sure I wouldn't.

Hi Mark. I agree that it is very difficult, and not often satisfying to read something from the point of view of the bad guy. Certainly, a young adult audience would often not enjoy that kind of story. There have been ofcourse author's like Moorcock who have characters who are troubled and the "inner-demon" nature of a good guy can often make a thrilling story. But I agree that overall its not a path that many want to travel. It is the rare author who can create someone like Elric and have the reader want to join along (and I would think even more, it is rare the editor today who would want to publish that).

I will point towards one book with this almost exact plot point that is done well. Carol Berg's trilogy Transformation, Revelation and Restoration deals with demons in an interesting way. In her stories (without giving away too much of the plot), there is a strugle between a realm of demons and those of men. These books are most geared towards character evolution and growth, and within you get an understanding for what the demons are and why they seem "evil" ... it is an intersting take on demons and historical assumption, challenging our basic, gut reaction of "evil" and understanding what is truly happening and why.

 

[Mark Robson]

Perhaps it is just the idea of trying to see something from a perspective of pure evil that causes me to shy away. I don't want to see something from the perspective of something that has a truly evil essence, as I believe the experience would taint me as a person. There is no attraction in it for me. I don't doubt that some writers could manage to do this, but it is not something that I could ever imagine myself doing.

 

[Joel007]

And we respect you for it

 

[charles]

who says demons are evil? im not sure if any of you guys watch japanese anime but one is about a demon called inuyasha who is actaully a very nice guy decipte being a demon (ok he is half demon but thats nor the point). i hate sterotypes, i mean some people might say that demons are pure evil but have you read darren shan? demons can be good, vampires can be good

 

[Elisheba]

Demons wouldn't really work as the "Good Guys" but they don't have to be soul sucking evil doers either.

The Demons in Good Omens weren't made out to be that evil, and Crawley seemed almost on the side of good, when it suited him.

Eoin Colfer wrote non evil demons, but then, his books are aimed at a young audience and they weren't good guys.

 

[charles]

vampires, demons, werewolves there not ALL evill and they CAN be good, just every one is to tied up with sterotype's

 

[Joel007]

demons can be good in fiction, just like anything can be anything else if you're writing from your imagination. Some things should be taken seriously however, I'd prefer not to have demons painted in a heroic light. People are already confused about them as it is.
If you choose to write about something that has a history that is common knowledge, you'll have a hard time re-inventing it in your reader's minds. Better to start anew with a different name.