We are happy to have J.N. Duncan at Smexy today to talk about his Deadworld series and the morose hero that wants to be saved.
Oh, My God! I Must Save Him!
First of all, a big thanks to the irrepressible Smexy for having me on the blog today to help celebrate the release of my third Deadworld book, The Lingering Dead. It continues the supernatural crime-fighting adventures of Jackie, Nick and the rest of their crew, as Jackie attempts to make sense of her new role after being forced to take leave from the FBI after book two, The Vengeful Dead. It also continues Nick and Jackie’s relationship, a sad, pitiful thing to behold, as they both attempt to come to grips with personal issues that make having one a real dilemma.
Speaking of sad and pitiful, that brings me to the topic of this post, the lost and lonely hero that is in dire need of saving. I asked Ms. Smexy to give me a good example of a hero who is the depressing, morose type, lost and wounded almost beyond repair, that readers get that, “Oh, my God! I want to save him!” feeling. The example she gave me was J.R. Ward’s Zsadist, a vampire tormented by a horrible past that leaves him emotionally in ruins. He believes himself to be, if not unworthy of love, then at least incapable of providing it to anyone else. It is, of course, up to the heroine to provide the inspiration and perspiration necessary to overcome this obstacle.
What makes this kind of hero so appealing? One might wonder about their popularity, since this hero type does not grace the pages of nearly as many books as the more typical, strong and stable type, who is quite confident in his abilities to win over the heroine, but I believe there is something particularly resonant with this type of hero and readers. I believe most everyone has that emotional desire in them to “save someone.” Let’s face it, there is a lot of satisfaction to be had in “fixing” someone. Who doesn’t have a friend they know who continuously finds themselves in difficult relationships that are on a constant “crash and burn” status because the one they love is a an emotional wreck always in need of repair, and they are the one who is best suited to provide the fixing. Perhaps some readers here have even found themselves in such a situation. Love is a twisted, bizarre, and fascinating creature.
Personally, I love these hero types. I find them far more interesting. Anyone here who has read any of my Deadworld books has likely figured out that I like the emotional wreck character type. Both Nick and Jackie are in this category, and as explained above, it makes having a relationship very difficult. As a reader, you want to smack them for thinking/believing the way they do. You wince and groan at their inevitably stupid thought processes and reactions to events. In Deadworld, Jackie is a psychological train wreck. She wouldn’t know a healthy relationship if it bit her in the ass. She’s the opposite of the “I’ll save you!” character type. She’s the female version of a Zsadist. She needs a Belle type guy to come along, but what does she get? She gets Nicholas Anderson. Nobody ever said love was kind or willing to give you a break.
Nick is a vampire, made so of his own accord by drinking the blood of his dying wife in order to get back at the evil vampire, Cornelius Drake, who killed his family off back in 1862, when he was a Sheriff and failed in bringing Drake’s reign of terror to an end. This event is detailed in my (free) Deadworld short story, Blood Justice. As a lawman, failing to protect his family is the most egregious of failures. For one-hundred-fifty years, Nick has attempted to catch and stop Drake, only to fail every time he’s had the chance, and in Deadworld, the final chance is upon him.
He’s ready to throw in the towel, and wants nobody to get taken down in the process, which is where Jackie steps in, a feisty, no bullshit lawman in her own right, who really doesn’t give a crap what he thinks about the situation. In many ways, she’s just the sort of woman he would fall for if given the chance, but no. Nick will have nothing to do with that. He’s not about to put anyone through what he’s experienced, and besides, who is going to be interested in such a colossal failure? He’s standoffish, stubborn, depressed about his lot in life, and ready to give up on everything. What does one give to someone who has given up on everything and feels unworthy of getting anything? Something to care about of course.
There is great emotional appeal in being that something, and I believe this is a good part of what makes the down and out hero so intriguing to readers. Through the character of the heroine, you want to be the spark of life to that man (or woman) who is dead on the inside or believes themselves to be so. We want to believe the provider of that love which brings them back from the brink and learns to live, and love, again. Is there anything more soul-appealing than that? Hardly. But then, I provide a heroine with just about zero ability to be this kind of provider. What can I say? Frustrating the reader in this kind of way is rather fun as a writer.
What makes this work so well for readers? While finding love is certainly a powerful aphrodisiac, I believe it’s the hope that makes it so compelling to read. Love and hope, while powerful in their own right, combine to make a force that compels like no other. When you have a hero who deserves to find love, it pulls on your heartstrings, but when you put them with another character who gives them hope that it might actually be possible, you get a force that compels like no other kind of romance. In my opinion, obviously.
I clearly have a thing for the downtrodden character. I love making them struggle against themselves as much as the other character. In this sense, my Nick and Jackie are perfect for each other. I get to play this dance of, “I’m not worthy but you are,” “Oh, no. I’m not worthy, but you are.” It’s fun as a writer. It can be difficult as a reader, I think, because you can get the feeling of, “Oh, come on already, you nitwits! Figure it out!”But in the end, I believe and hope it’s all worth it. It’s my favorite sort of love story.
So, who is your favorite downtrodden hero that you would love to save from himself? Let me hear who and why in the comments and Smexy will pick a random winner to get a signed set of all 3 Deadworld books!
Also, if you’ve already checked out either of the first two Deadworld books (or even if you haven’t) check out the short story Blood Justice (available on Kindle and Smashwords) to see what got Nick into the state he is today. Thanks for having me on today, Smexy, and happy reading/writing everyone!
SQUEEE!!! Deadworld is free on Amazon right now, so hurry and see this amazing world that J.N Duncan has created.
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Contest open through April 6 to US/Canada only.
Zsadist is my favorite wounded hero in PNR but Lord Ian Mackenzie (Allyson James) is my favorite in historical romance. I’m trying to think of UF examples, but my brain is too fried after last night’s NCAA championship game. Maybe Tybalt in Seanan Mcguire’s October Date books, but he’s not really ‘wounded’ per se. Hmmm…
I think most modern romance heroes have some vulnerability, which might be the biggest difference between them and the “old skool” types. Nora Roberts writes wonderful contemporary heroes with carefully hidden insecurities that the heroine naturally discovers, has conflicts with, and is instrumental in either healing or at least reassuring (if you can follow such a convoluted sentence).
Mary Jo Putney’s Fallen Angels series in the 90s was one of my first encounters with the Damaged Hero trope in historicals, and she does it really, really well.
I would choose Sir Alistair Munro from Elizabeth Hoyt’s To Beguile a Beast. He is scarred physically and emotional and has become reclusive and surly. It touches my heart when a hero is wounded and is hiding behind a nasty demeanor. He so needs to be loved and rescued from his pain.
Hi, J.N.! I love Jackie!
Well, I have favorite train wreck heroine- Chess from Stacia Kane’s Downside Ghost series. She is definitely in need of saving, she doesn’t think she’s worthy and she is just… beautifully messed up. She’s a character I just want to hug…;)
Favorite male train wreck is definitely Vishous from BDB. He’s just “adorable combination” of leather, sexual confusion and angst (oh, so much angst…). So he has BIG mummy daddy issues, oh those two were just “picture perfect” parents. Just the fact that he’s their spawn is enough to become suicidal.His brain is his best feature(he’s genius with sky rocket high IQ), but I must say that sometimes that very brain is his biggest enemy. Overthinking makes him depressed. His sexual preferences are interesting: he’s into BDSM (verra kinky) and he’s into his best friend (there is some woman in his life (or whatever ’cause she’s a ghost(?), but we know where his heart is).:)
My favorite downtrodden hero is Harry Dresden. Harry is the poster boy for Murphy’s Law. But he’s a survivor and a hero and I SO wish he’d find a girl to love. Or get laid, at least. Poor guy.
Susan B., you beat me to that one. I too would save Harry Dresden.
Rebe Says:
April 3, 2012 at 12:39 pm
Zsadist is my favorite wounded hero in PNR but Lord Ian Mackenzie (Allyson James) is my favorite in historical romance.
We both have the same answers:)
Great contest. Please count me in!
I would have to go with Z. From the BDB but I have downloaded Deadworld and would love the chance to dig into your world more!
I’m gonna have to third the vote for Harry Dresden. The scrapes that man gets into!
This will probably be a popular answer, but Chess Putnam from the Downside Ghosts series.
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Thanks for the tip on Blood Justice, I am very interested in finding out what happened to Nick. I always like knowing backstory, that way I am ready to start the series. Nick sounds like an intriguing character.
And Archer from Kristen Callihan’s Firelight is a great tortured hero. He made some poor choices and has to live with the consequences, or maybe not. hehehe
Great blogpost, thank you. Sadly I am not entering as I live far far away.
Christian Grey, Fifty Shades..
Have to check to see if his books are on KOBO…sounds promising.
Like a couple of others, the first one to pop into my mind was harry Dresden. he’s always trying to do the right thing with his merry band of misfits by his side, while those with superior powers sneer at him.
I’m gonna have to go with Zsadist, too.
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Thanks for an awesome post!!!! *hangshead* I have Deadworld in Print and on my Kindle and it’s the next book in my TBR queue I swear :)
Ummm… I’m suffering a brain blank right now (coffee hasn’t kicked in yet) but I’d have to say off the top of my empty noggin…. Maxine Kiss from Marjorie M. Liu’s Hunter Kiss series, Rachel Morgan from Kim Harrison’s Hollows Series, Alexander from Diana Pharaoh Francis’ Horngate Witches… just to name a few :)
I thinking like a lot of others and picking Harry Dresden as my favorite downtrodden hero. He’s such a great character.
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Although I love Harry Dresden I would have to pick Nick Gautier from Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series. He is so broken and confused. I am really looking forward to his arc concluding and him finally finding some peace. jepebATverizonDOTnet
I have to go with Harry Dresden. He really just cant win. Another is John Taylor in the Nightside books. You just never know, and neither does he, what he will face from case to case. But its usually someone trying to kill him
bacchus76 at myself dot com
Bowen from Immortals After Dark because he was punishing himself for years for something that wasn’t his fault.
Yup, Z is my favorite wounded hero also. He’s just so needy and hurting, that you want to wrap him up in a big hug and shelter him from everything bad.
Isaac Rothe in “Crave” by J. R. Ward is my favourite wounded hero. I can’t wait to start this series.
if he didn’t already have his HEA i’d pick Ash from Sherrilyn Kenyon’s dark-huners