The Importance of Characters
Looking back at some of my reviews, I realized that I talked a lot about characters and it was a big indicator if I liked the book. I never really thought about it before. I guess that's one of the reasons I enjoy Neil Gaimon, Ken Follet, and Stephen King to name a few. Their characters are well written and easy to like.
Even with my little issue I talked about yesterday, I really liked Errol. I understand how it feels to be mired in something to seems so huge and you don't see a way out. I also understand the grace and mercy of God and being helped out of those circumstances. I've never national hero or great warrior, but I guess that's why this is fiction.
I also enjoyed the other characters like Rokha and her father Naaman Ru. They were multifaceted which really showed as we got to know them. Even after run died, we continued to get more of the measure of the man. Adora, Errol's love interst and Princess of Illustra, is another character I thought Patrick Carr really did a good job bringing to life. She's bright and not your average pampered Royal who believes she is owed the world.
What truly stood out to me, though, was the way Carr handled Karele's adopted father Abilijin (please forgive any misspelled names. I'll fix it when I have the book in front of me.) Abilijin is a chieftain of the feared Morgols, an enemy of Illustra. When Karele was captured in The Steppes war, he was eventually adopted into Ablijin's family.
We meet up with Ablijin in A Draw of Kings and get to see that there is much more to the Morgol's. For me it just emphasized how easy it is to paint a group with a broad brush and not take the time to get know people who are different. We see it all the time, the generalization of those we disagree with. If it makes easy to dehumanize those we see as enemies. But I don't think Jesus would like that.
That doesn't mean we have to agree with everyone or think what people do is ok. But we, as Christians, have to love those people we disagree with, especially those we consider enemies.
Good comments about the characters. I agree.
ReplyDelete