This book is hilarious. Replete with quizzes, name-building exercises, suggestions of what type of lair would best suit you as a villain, it keep you laughing from start to finish.
It's also a great commentary on the type of villains who work well in a Bond film, but won't hook your readers in a meaningful way. These villain are caricatures - they may have nasty-looking minions and terrifyingly giant electro-ray guns, but at the end of the day we know they won't win. We can't take them seriously.
![](http://www.sta.to/%7Efkk/sta.to/images/dr-evil-linux.jpg)
Villains have to be seductive - and I don't mean in a romantic way. Evil focuses on the accumulation and retention of power for its own gains. It promises dreams fulfilled, goals achieved but with a price.
In order for a villain to be compelling, the reader has to understand what kind of allure the 'dark side' holds, even for our most pure-hearted MCs. The thought that our hero/heroine might indeed cross over at any point should be a constant, nagging worry.
A good example: Voldemort.
![](http://www.wallpaperez.net/wallpaper/movie/Harry-Potter-The-Order-Phoenix-Death-Eaters-685.jpg)
What I think may be the best example of evil's true nature to this day is Oscar Wilde's Picture of Dorian Gray.
![](http://eugenehor.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/portraitofdoriangray.jpg)
And once that temptation is overcome, when evil has lost its chance at winning by seduction - that's when the facade of beauty crumbles away to reveal the villain for what he or she really is: EVIL.
Dorian Gray offers close to a literal exposition of such a moment. And hey, what do you know, they're remaking the movie.
Cannot wait (sidenote: if I could pick, Ben Barnes would play my character, Ren, in a film adaptation of Nightshade. Sigh.)
Very interesting, Andrea--the idea of allure and seduction in a villain. You've made me rethink something in one of my villains. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting post. Great insights into villainy!
ReplyDeleteI love your blog! :)
www.shannonkodonnell.blogspot.com
I love this post. You definitely have me thinking...
ReplyDeleteAlso, I didn't know they'd redone Dorian Gray. I'm all over it. Colin Firth and Ben Barnes are both amazing. I didn't see a US release date. Is it out yet?