Saddest moments

[Ashleg]

Pearls of Lutra spoiler

When Piknim died in St. Ninian's. Not only was it a pretty awful way to go, but all her friends watched her die, and her death was over one of the pearls. It seemed so useless, and it made me angry and sad, actually.

[close]

What chapter is this? I want to reread it. Not remembering the specifics.

[The Skarzs]

Chapter 37 I think. Don't quote me on that, I don't have the book with me at the moment.

[Ashleg]

Okay.

[The Skarzs]

Eyy, I was right. If you go back a couple of chapters you get more of it.

That depressed me for a week actually.

Like I said, it's pretty sad.
But is it bad that that is the sort of thing I want to do to the readers of my own books?

[Ashleg]

No, that's good. Means you want to write characters readers care about.

[The Grey Coincidence]

And then kill them off horribly.

[The Skarzs]

Pretty much.

[Delthion]

So yes and no is the correct answer I think.

[The Grey Coincidence]

Well it depends on the genre of a book. A gruesome death befalling a likeable character in a romantic comedy (for example) is a bit out of place (unless it's a dark comedy and obviously it depends on how it's done).
For most genres it's a useful tool to keep readers on the edge of their seats (or rather to keep them relaxed in their seats but make 'em cry).

[Ashleg]

The idea of Skarzs writing a romantic comedy made me laugh.

[The Skarzs]

I can't see me doing that.

I feel that sad moments add some reality to stories. Not everything turns out the way the characters wish it would, but it forces them to move forward despite unfortunate events. This makes them grow, and change, just like real life.

[Delthion]

And I think that that has to do with a different viewpoint on the purpose of books. I usually don't want to read a book to experience real life. I want to read a series/book in which everything turns out well and happily, rather than a more realistic tragic event taking place in the middle of the book. As people experience those kinds of unfortunate events in everyday life quite frequently.

[The Skarzs]

I suppose that's what makes an escapist fantasy what it is, which is what makes Redwall so enjoyed by people who want to escape reality through the pages.

One question, though. Would you say a realistically tragic event makes a story that otherwise turns out well in the end something you wouldn't enjoy?

[Delthion]

Depends. It can ruin the rest of the book for me, in the Pearls of Lutra I remember not enjoying the rest of it nearly as much. But as I said it varies from case to case.

[Granitfur]

Russa, Cregga, the end of Loamhedge.