Guest Author: Nalini Singh
Today, Literary Escapism is ecstatic to welcome Nalini Singh, author of fabulous novel Archangel’s Kiss.
Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux wakes from a year-long coma to find herself changed—an angel with wings the colors of midnight and dawn—but her fragile body needs time to heal before she can take flight. Her lover, the stunningly dangerous archangel Raphael, is used to being in control—even when it comes to the woman he considers his own. But Elena has never done well with authority…
They’ve barely begun to understand each other when Raphael receives an invitation to a ball from the archangel Lijuan. To refuse would be a sign of fatal weakness, so Raphael must ready Elena for the flight to Beijing—and to the nightmare that awaits them there. Ancient and without conscience, Lijuan holds a power that lies with the dead. And she has organized the most perfect and most vicious of welcomes for Elena…
Make sure you stick around to the end. We’ll be giving away a copy of either Angels’ Blood or Must Love Hellhounds – winner’s choice – to one lucky individual.
_______________________________________________
Sympathetic Characters
I watched a low budget horror movie the other day. I’m deliberately not identifying the movie because I want to talk in generalities, but the movie was a pretty good one – great acting, setting, pace. No complaints there.
The basic plot, too, was fine. And it was one I’m sure you’re all familiar with – our hapless heroes & heroines find themselves in a dark and scary situation where a monster starts to pick them off one by one. Blood and screaming ensue.
But if I had any popcorn left by the end of the movie, I would’ve been tempted to throw it at the screen—because only one person survived…and it was the wrong person! People gave up their lives for this person to survive. And as a viewer, I didn’t feel this character deserved it.
Not only had they played a large part in precipitating the killings, but there was nothing sympathetic about this person – there was whining, and complaining, and more whining. Yes, there was one scene where the character was shown to be stronger than they seemed – but it wasn’t enough to cancel out all the other parts. Don’t get me wrong – I love flawed characters. After all, perfection tends to be boring. But to truly reach me as a viewer, there must be a balance.
This applies to books as well. If a character is really, really flawed, then the redemption must be really, really powerful—otherwise, as a reader, I’m never going to believe that this person is worth cheering for.
My hero in Angels’ Blood & Archangel’s Kiss, is definitely not the prototypical hero. Some people have called him an anti-hero. Raphael is over one thousand years old, and as he says, “Cruelty seems to be a symptom of age and power.” He thinks nothing of the most brutal punishments, nothing of using mortals as he sees fit…and yet, he is also willing to put his immortal life on the line to save a world that may never understand what it is that he has done, and he is blood-loyal to those who are his own.
Are his acts enough to inspire readers to back him and his actions? That’s up to each of you to decide, though as a writer, I sure hope so!
Today, I thought we’d talk about your favorite redeemed heroes and heroines, the ones for whom you think the author has hit it out of the ball park, making someone who started out unsympathetic, a character you ended up cheering for. I recently went on a historical reading spree, so one of my picks would be Harry Rutledge from Lisa Kleypas’s Tempt Me At Twilight. I still thought he was arrogant and a very bad man at the end of the book…but I liked him anyway. And I believed the heroine had found the right man for her.
Your turn. Who are your favorite redeemed characters?
_______________________________________________
Thank you Nalini for taking the time to visit Literary Escapism!
Contest Time! Nalini has graciously offered to give away a copy of either Angels’ Blood or Must Love Hellhounds – winner’s choice – to one lucky winner. All you have to do is answer one of this question: Who are your favorite redeemed characters?
As always, there’s more ways of getting your name in the hat:
- +1 for each place you post about today’s contest on your blog, social network, or anywhere you can. Digg it, stumble it, twit it, share it with the world. Wherever you share it, make sure you add a link to it along with your answer.
- +1 to any review you comment on, however, comments must be meaningful. Just give me the title of the review and I’ll be able to figure it out from there.
- +1 Join the Literary Escapism Facebook page and/or follow LE on Twitter
- +1 subscribe to Literary Escapism – either via a reader or email (see the RSS button at the bottom of the sidebar)
- +10 purchase for any of Nalini’s, or any print, novel through LE’s Amazon store sometime during this contest and send a copy of the receipt VIA email for your purchase to: myjaxon AT gmail DOT com. Each purchase is worth ten entries, but it has to be through the LE Amazon Link.
There is one thing I am adding to my contests now…the winner must post a review of the novel someplace. Whether it is on their own blog, Amazon, GoodReads, LibraryThing or wherever, it doesn’t matter. Just help get the word out.
The contest will stay open until February 4th, at which time I’ll determine the winner with help from the Research Randomizer and the List Randomizer.
Also, I have not been contacting winners, so you will need to check back to see if you’ve won.
Great! All of this is just great! This book sounds amazing. I am looking forward to it.
+1 for tweeting of the contest.
http://twitter.com/#favorites
+1 for following on Twitter. (which I found thanks to you wonderful mini-challenge: the league)
+1 for subscribing to a reader.
Thank you again!
As an Anita Blake fan, I choose Jean-Claude. He starts out very manipulative and retains those traits throughout the series BUT you begin to understand him. Glimpses come through of how the monster thinks and a strange monster compassions forms. This all occurs while the “good guy” digs himself deeper and deeper into a hole! The roles almost reverse, or maybe turn inside out is a better phrase and now I feel that the Jean-Claude has redeemed himself as much as a monster can.
I am adding your blog post to my blog post for today as well as including it in my contest side bar.
I am a facebook follower, twitter follower, blogger follower and receive your email updates.
AND I agree to review this novel should I be the winner :D
Do not enter me — I have Angel’s Blood and Must Love already.
I just want to say I love Angel’s Blood and I am so excited to read the next one.
Redeemable characters — Xadist (JR Ward)/jean Claude (in the beginning – his character has digressed)/ Stryker (Kenyon)/Adam Black (KM.Mooning) — some of my faves.
Please don’t enter me in this contest because I have ALL of Nalini Singh’s books. I just wanted to stop by and gush on how awesome Angel’s Blood was(is) and cannot wait to get my hands on Archangel’s Kiss. I’m really curious if the 3rd book will be a different character or if Singh will continue with Elena and Raphael….?
I think my favorite redeemed character is Professor Snape from the Harry Potter books.
Nalini! Your books are the best–and success couldn’t happen to a nicer or more deserving person. :)
I don’t know if I exactly *like* this character I’m about to name, but I thought the narrator of THE KITE RUNNER might be an interesting example here. I have never despised a character more, and I thought it was really interesting that, by the end of the book, he was being portrayed as a major hero. He did earn hero status through his actions, but I couldn’t shake off what a morally weak person he used to be….
One of my favorite redeemed characters is Judd Lauren from Caressed by Ice, actually. A member of a group of assassins known for their ruthlessness, he found his way to redemption through love . . . and not only the love of a woman, but love of his family.
Speaking of Kleypas, I was always fond of Derek Craven from Dreaming of You. The Snape mention above was brilliant; talk about true love and its power to make a person do the right thing. The assassin from Susan Wiggs’ historical, The Raven and the Rose. And the Duke from Laura Kinsale’s Flowers from the Storm. Sigh.
Thank you for the glimpses you give us into wonderful worlds, Nalini!
Please don’t enter me in the contest as I already own both books. I just wanted to put in a plug for Amara as a great redeemed character. I would love to see her as the lead in an upcoming Psy-Changelings book.
Thanks for the great comments everyone! Really enjoying reading them.
I picked up one question – if I missed any, please nudge me.
K.C. – yes, it looks like book 3 will continue with Elena and Raphael :)
One of my fave redeemed characters is Kerrigan from the Lords of Avalon series by Kinley MacGregor
+1 follow on twitter @throuthehaze
+1 email subscriber
I have “Angels’ Blood”, am anxiously awaiting “Archangel’s Kiss” but would love to be put in the pot for “Must Love Hellhounds”!
Redeemed characters…does Daine from Loretta Chase’s “Lord of Scoundrels” count? I *loved* him and the entire novel. Daine does unsympathetic things, but you understand why he’s doing them.
I’ve also been reading urban fantasy a lot and I must say that I’ve become a fangirl of Rob Thurman’s Cal Leandros. (“Nightlife” “Moonshine” etc). He’s sarcastic, snarky, and lazy but also a very sympathetic character. Very different from Raphael, but there’s depth :)
My favorite redeemed character is Bones from Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series. When I started reading Halfway to the Grave, I remember really wanting to punch him in the face during the first couple chapters he appeared in. But as the story progressed, I found myself changing my mind. By the end of book three (I haven’t gotten around to reading four yet) I absolutely love him, especially his humor.
I actually just finished reading Angels’ Blood last week, so I’d love a chance to win Must Love Hellhounds!
+1 follower on twitter (@sara_UFblog)
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by literaryescapis: LE Says: Guest Author: Nalini Singh: Today, Literary Escapism is ecstatic to welcome Nalini Singh, author of fabul… http://bit.ly/bFfUcn...
I would have to say Jean Claude from LKH’s Anita Blake series. He was so self-motivated and so deceptive. Now, he truly focuses on his vamps and Anita’s happiness.
?+1 Joined the Literary Escapism Facebook page and follow LE on Twitter
?+1 subscribe to Literary Escapism – either via reader & e-mail
My favorite redeemed character is Bones from Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress novel.
+1 Joined the Literary Escapism Facebook page
+1 subscriber to Literary Escapism
thanks for the contest!
My favourite redeemed character definitely has to be Lestat de Lioncourt… yum!
+1 subscriber
+1 follower on twitter (c_morin)
My favorite redeeming character is Adam Black, Karen Marie Moning’s Highlander series, he is full of mischief, chaos and damm sexy!
Love Nalini Singh’s Psy and Angel series
I also am a subscriber
Thank you
Rehvenge from LOVER AVENGED by J.R. Ward
I thought Dageus MacKeltar of KMM’s The Dark Highlander was a good redeemed character. :)
+1 Tweeted about it here
+1 Follower on Twitter
P.S.:I’ve also become a fan of your facebook account, now have a subscription of your blog via email, and posted an entry at my blog about the contest (http://bog-elsker.livejournal.com/77428.html).
I would also like to add Viscount St. Vincent from The Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas, and Alexander Cameron from Pride of Lions and Blood of Roses by Marsha Canham to my sympathetic characters list.
Thanks Nalini and Literary Escapism!
Also an Anita Blake fan, i have to say that Jean-Claude redeemed himself, and thankgod. At the start he was a manipulative little bugger and was so punch worthy, but through out the books he got better and was less of monster-as in personality wise-.
But i also have to agree with Snape from Harry Potter redeeming himself and being a goody. :)
+1 Twittered http://twitter.com/bianca_riot/statuses/8356773854
+1 Following on facebook (Bianca F) and on twitter (bianca_riot)
+1 Subscribed to posts
Thanks =)
Please don’t add me to the contest. I have all the GH books. I just want to tell Nalini I love her Guild Hunter world! It’s so unique and complex.
I love Raphael + Elena, Lijuan, Michaela, Ilium, and even Dmitri!Please keep writing about them and their world. All the characters have such depth to them that it makes it so interesting to read. I like that the characters are not black and white, all good or all evil or all mad. It’s not an easy world to craft and you did it brilliantly. You’re right up there with Jeaniene Frost, Kresley Cole, Suzanne Collins, and Kelley Armstrong as my favorite authors.
My favourite redeemed character probably is Karl Masters from “The women of the Otherworld” series by Kelley Armstrong.
+1 Tweet: http://twitter.com/Sparima/status/8365614884
+1 Follow on twitter and facebook.
+1 I’m a subscriber.
[...] a chance to win Nalini Singh’s forthcoming novel, Archangel’s Kiss (the sequel to Angel’s Blood), leave a comment at Literary Escapism by February [...]
Thank you for the lovely comments on my books everyone :)
My favourite redeemable character is Adam Black from Karen Marie Moning’s The Immortal Highlander. He appears in some of the other books before this one and interferes in the characters lives. He is arrogant and immortal, a seducer who is free to roam across time indulging in his every whim until he goes too far and is stripped of his immortality in this book. I just adore him.
I subscribe by email.
First that comes to mind is Lestat Anne Rice’s book.
+1 Literary Escapism Facebook Fan page
+1 Follow LE on Twitter – kkaio
+1 subscribe to Literary Escapism email
I would love to win Must Love Hellhounds.
My favorite redeemed character is Sydney Carton from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.
+1 I follow on Facebook page and LE on Twitter (as bl0226)
+1 subscribe to Literary Escapism
Thanks.
One of my favorite redeemed characters was Kisten from The Hallows series by Kim Harrison.
I follow on fb and twitter (bcardoo79)
email subscriber
I second Tracey D with a vote for Sydney Carton from A Tale of Two Cities. That book gave me chills.
My all-time favorite redeemed hero, though, is actually a TV character — Logan Echolls from Veronica Mars. He never completely stopped being an a**hole, but he became so much more than JUST an a**hole, and I am a big fan of that kind of complexity.
Who are your favorite redeemed characters? My absolute favorite is Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. My other favs are Bones from JF’s books, Sebastian from Colleen Gleason’s series, Quinn from Keri Arthur’s Riley Jenson series.. and there are still some characters I’m keeping my fingers crossed for that they will be redeemed :)
+1 Commented on Wicked Enchantment and Candy Houses review
+1follow LE on Twitter
+1 subscribe to Literary Escapism – via a reader
Leave your response!
Contests!
Anya is giving away a copy of either Wicked Enchantment or Cruel Enchantment – winner’s choice. Contest ends Sept 7th.
We're giving away a copy of Ann Aguirre's Skin Game and a Sirantha Jax novel. Contest ends Sept 9th.
Jeaniene is giving away three copies of Eternal Kiss of Darkness . Contest ends Sept 9th.
Welcome!
My Recommendations v2.0
Attn: Authors/Publishers/Publicists:
Literary Escapism is always willing to review books and promote their authors.
For more information on submitting your novel for review or for scheduling a stop at LE, please check out the Submission and Guest Author Guidelines.
To see who's currently scheduled to visit, check out the calendar.
Genres
Topics
We’re Reading…
Book Club Pick
Book Discussion:
Aug. 30th @ 9pm EST in the LE Chat Room
Support LE
Artists
Magazines
Sites of Interests
Recently on LE:
Info
Follow LE!