Allison Symes's Blog - Posts Tagged "sam-vimes"
Character Attitudes
What hooks you into following a character’s story though to those magic words The End?
Something about the character has to draw you in and, for me, it is usually to do with their attitudes towards other characters, themselves, and life in general.
One of my favourite characters is Sam Vimes from Terry Pratchett’s wonderful Discworld series. Not only do I like following Sam through one novel I have loved watching that character develop over the series of Discworld novels he stars in - and boy does he develop.
That is a sign of a truly great character. They’re never static! And his attitude varies depending on who is dealing with but there’s never any doubt about him wanting to see justice done. (And doing his level best to ensure it is).
I also like characters who acknowledge their own shortcomings but overcome them. (Pride and Prejudice, anyone?).
A character who isn’t willing to change when it is clear change would bring them (a) happiness and (b) make them an all round better person is not a character that’s going to hold my interest for long.
Characters reflect us and what we know about life so a character’s attitude generally is something we will need to have understanding of, even if we don’t entirely agree with it.
Something about the character has to draw you in and, for me, it is usually to do with their attitudes towards other characters, themselves, and life in general.
One of my favourite characters is Sam Vimes from Terry Pratchett’s wonderful Discworld series. Not only do I like following Sam through one novel I have loved watching that character develop over the series of Discworld novels he stars in - and boy does he develop.
That is a sign of a truly great character. They’re never static! And his attitude varies depending on who is dealing with but there’s never any doubt about him wanting to see justice done. (And doing his level best to ensure it is).
I also like characters who acknowledge their own shortcomings but overcome them. (Pride and Prejudice, anyone?).
A character who isn’t willing to change when it is clear change would bring them (a) happiness and (b) make them an all round better person is not a character that’s going to hold my interest for long.
Characters reflect us and what we know about life so a character’s attitude generally is something we will need to have understanding of, even if we don’t entirely agree with it.
Series Books or Stand Alones?
Do you prefer series books or stand alones?
Naturally, I am sure most of us would say we love both of these forms of novel. I certainly do. But both have their own advantages.
In series books, you have the advantage of following characters over the course of several novels and see them develop.
My favourite example is the Discworld series by the much missed Terry Pratchett. The Vimes books within this show him going from a drunk to a phenomenally brave man with a wife (the brilliant Lady Sybil, who is a great role model) and child and how he transforms the City Watch into a decent police unit.
But there are some books where a writer says all they have to say about a character in one gripping story and they’re right not to carry that on.
I don’t know if this series/stand alone debate particularly refers to crime fiction (as the Vimes books are crime novels set in a fantasy world so cross crime/fantasy/humour and to fabulous effect).
Certainly if an author is new to me, I will only read one book of theirs, see how I get on, and then go on to read the others in their series or not as the case may be.
If you have series or stand alone recommendations, do share!
Meantime I carry on very happily reading both kinds.
Naturally, I am sure most of us would say we love both of these forms of novel. I certainly do. But both have their own advantages.
In series books, you have the advantage of following characters over the course of several novels and see them develop.
My favourite example is the Discworld series by the much missed Terry Pratchett. The Vimes books within this show him going from a drunk to a phenomenally brave man with a wife (the brilliant Lady Sybil, who is a great role model) and child and how he transforms the City Watch into a decent police unit.
But there are some books where a writer says all they have to say about a character in one gripping story and they’re right not to carry that on.
I don’t know if this series/stand alone debate particularly refers to crime fiction (as the Vimes books are crime novels set in a fantasy world so cross crime/fantasy/humour and to fabulous effect).
Certainly if an author is new to me, I will only read one book of theirs, see how I get on, and then go on to read the others in their series or not as the case may be.
If you have series or stand alone recommendations, do share!
Meantime I carry on very happily reading both kinds.
Characters and Development
One of the things I love about reading series novels is you can see how characters develop over time.
The master on this for me was Sir Terry Pratchett with his Discworld novels. The development of Sam Vimes is magnificent.
Start with Guards! Guards! and work your way through to Raising Steam. Men at Arms is an excellent police procedural as well as a funny fantasy and I think it is where you see Vimes come into his own so much more.
Now for short stories and flash fiction this kind of development is harder to do because you literally have far less of a word count to do this in but it is possible.
You can have linked flash fiction/short stories where the same character turns up in more than one story, for example.
Each flash piece/short story must stand alone but when you read the two more more together you should be able to see how the character has developed, whether it is for good or not.
The advantage to the novel is you can see how the character develops over the course of one novel. A lot can and does happen over one book and even more in a series.
But whatever type of fiction you go for, it should be the characters who grab you and make you keep on reading. I know they do for me. I want to see how they develop and change even if I don’t always agree with how they do so.
The master on this for me was Sir Terry Pratchett with his Discworld novels. The development of Sam Vimes is magnificent.
Start with Guards! Guards! and work your way through to Raising Steam. Men at Arms is an excellent police procedural as well as a funny fantasy and I think it is where you see Vimes come into his own so much more.
Now for short stories and flash fiction this kind of development is harder to do because you literally have far less of a word count to do this in but it is possible.
You can have linked flash fiction/short stories where the same character turns up in more than one story, for example.
Each flash piece/short story must stand alone but when you read the two more more together you should be able to see how the character has developed, whether it is for good or not.
The advantage to the novel is you can see how the character develops over the course of one novel. A lot can and does happen over one book and even more in a series.
But whatever type of fiction you go for, it should be the characters who grab you and make you keep on reading. I know they do for me. I want to see how they develop and change even if I don’t always agree with how they do so.
Character and Story Traits I Love
One of the things I love about series novels is watching how the characters develop over several books.
The best for me for this is the development of Sam Vimes in the much missed Sir Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. The transformation in that character is astounding and so well done.
Start with Guards! Guards!, work through Men at Arms (which is also a fabulous detective tale) and wind up with Raising Steam and you will see what I mean.
But thinking about this led me to consider those character traits I love to see in fiction.
I love courage, honesty, working hard etc and Sam Vimes easily embodies all of those. He’s also not afraid to upset his “superiors” when he needs to do that. I have a soft spot for characters doing that. It usually is deserved!
What I’ve always loved about the classic fairytales is characters deserving of help get it. Those who are arrogant etc are usually brought down a peg or two. But with rare exceptions they do learn their lesson. Oh if only that would happen in life, yes?
One huge advantage to reading widely (across genres as well as types of fiction such as short stories, flash as well as novellas and novels) is you get to see so many more character developments and I have always loved this as a reader. It means even more to me now I’m a writer as well.
The best for me for this is the development of Sam Vimes in the much missed Sir Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series. The transformation in that character is astounding and so well done.
Start with Guards! Guards!, work through Men at Arms (which is also a fabulous detective tale) and wind up with Raising Steam and you will see what I mean.
But thinking about this led me to consider those character traits I love to see in fiction.
I love courage, honesty, working hard etc and Sam Vimes easily embodies all of those. He’s also not afraid to upset his “superiors” when he needs to do that. I have a soft spot for characters doing that. It usually is deserved!
What I’ve always loved about the classic fairytales is characters deserving of help get it. Those who are arrogant etc are usually brought down a peg or two. But with rare exceptions they do learn their lesson. Oh if only that would happen in life, yes?
One huge advantage to reading widely (across genres as well as types of fiction such as short stories, flash as well as novellas and novels) is you get to see so many more character developments and I have always loved this as a reader. It means even more to me now I’m a writer as well.
Series Books -v- Stand Alones
Do your prefer series books or stand alones? I love both, naturally and can see the merits in both.
Sometimes a story can only be told in one book - The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey is a great example of that. Nothing can be added.
But I do love series books, such as Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, where the major characters develop over time. Indeed, you can follow a whole life story for them within the overall plots of the individual books.
Sam Vimes is the best example here as you see him go from being a drunk copper to becoming a heroic copper who marries the fabulous Lady Sybil Ramkin (what she doesn’t know about dragons isn’t worth knowing) and then on to being a Duke, still being heroic and never losing sight of himself.
He’s not one for whom fame would get to his head. Love all of that. And you get to see that slowly revealed over many novels.
This kind of thing I think is the best feature of series books and is why crime series tend to do so well. You follow the results of the individual case plus you catch up on what the lead characters have done/are doing. Plenty to like there.
In my field, short fiction, you obviously get to have lots of stand alone stories but you can have series ones too. I write linked flash fiction sometimes where a character will turn up in more than one tale yet each story is its own complete tale. Fun to do and a good challenge.
Am glad to say I will have a new book out next year (more details nearer the time) and I have had fun with linked flash in that. Looking forward to saying more about this later. But you can have series and stand alones in short stories and flash fiction too.
Sometimes a story can only be told in one book - The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey is a great example of that. Nothing can be added.
But I do love series books, such as Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, where the major characters develop over time. Indeed, you can follow a whole life story for them within the overall plots of the individual books.
Sam Vimes is the best example here as you see him go from being a drunk copper to becoming a heroic copper who marries the fabulous Lady Sybil Ramkin (what she doesn’t know about dragons isn’t worth knowing) and then on to being a Duke, still being heroic and never losing sight of himself.
He’s not one for whom fame would get to his head. Love all of that. And you get to see that slowly revealed over many novels.
This kind of thing I think is the best feature of series books and is why crime series tend to do so well. You follow the results of the individual case plus you catch up on what the lead characters have done/are doing. Plenty to like there.
In my field, short fiction, you obviously get to have lots of stand alone stories but you can have series ones too. I write linked flash fiction sometimes where a character will turn up in more than one tale yet each story is its own complete tale. Fun to do and a good challenge.
Am glad to say I will have a new book out next year (more details nearer the time) and I have had fun with linked flash in that. Looking forward to saying more about this later. But you can have series and stand alones in short stories and flash fiction too.
