I’m all for the tragic, angsty type of story which usually devolves into a tear-jerker of a sad ending, and there are some few stories in which I’m fine, if they end that way. For the most part, though, I like happy endings. Odd that, considering the dark endings a good portion of my stories have. However, what I write is different from what I like to read. I enjoy seeing the hero go off into the sunset, either with his horse, or his lady love. Depends on the hero, ya know? I do adore the bad guys, but I also love seeing good triumph over evil.
Now I’m not going to settle for syrupy, sentimental clap-trap. You have to throw in some angst, a dash of tragedy, maybe even a death or two, but I want the good guys to finally crawl, claw, and scrabble their way to the top.
So, it really ticks me off, royally, when I’ve gone through a whole story, my heart in my throat for the good guys, and they die. I have wasted hours on such a story that I’ll never get back and I hold a grudge for that against the author. I know it’s ridiculous, but tell me you haven’t resented an author, a favorite one at that, for doing an about face on you and taking a story you looked forward to way off into left field.
I’ve stopped reading, for a time, authors that have done that. Dean Koontz is one who has pulled that. Now I know, though, that he, like Stephen King, refuse to always go the “happy ending” route. Now I can read their books, knowing that I might just wind up mourning all their characters. There is another author who has done the same, but I won’t mention HER. If you can’t guess, then you’re reading this post in an RSS feeder.
Anyway, I spent the last three nights, with my wonky eyes, reading another story where I expected one thing, but of course I got the other. It was a bittersweet ending, but a good portion of the characters I liked either died, or really didn’t fare well in the end. It was disappointing and I’m mad at the author now. I don’t want to read anymore of his books. Not for awhile, at least. I’m worried that a favorite character he’s carried through two stories might not fare so well in the next and I’m not willing to get burned again.
Tags: books
I don’t mind when an author kills off a character if it serves a point in the story (a great example is Romeo and Juliet). However, if I feel like an author did it just because they could (i.e. Nicholas Sparks), then I banish that author from my reading list forever.
Yes ma’am – any less than 100 words and I won’t step near it. If you make lesbian characters straight, would that be reverse slash in fanfic lingo?
I sometimes get angry with writers for making obviously lesbian characters straight. That’s the one that really ticks me off.
And, by the way, if I ever put any stories on my site that are longer than 100 words, you aren’t allowed to read them. I don’t ever feel like it’s done until it’s really, finally, completely done, and I don’t want you mad at me. ;)