Michael Howington
asked
David Dalglish:
This question contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)[Reading through the half orcs series and I just have to know what made you to decide to massacre my boy Haern? Reading his death then having him brought back by necromancy is too much for my heart. Thankfully I still have shadowdance to read. (hide spoiler)]
David Dalglish
This answer contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)[So around that point I'm only working on what was my fourth novel ever, and I'd gotten it into my head that one of my biggest strengths was my willingness to kill off major characters, and just be absolutely ruthless to ensure the stakes remain high. Every book featured some major death in some way. So coming into book four, I'd originally planned to kill off Dieredon there in that spot. Fully the expectation. But when I was writing it, I felt no impact. Not really. And the sadistic part of me that still wanted to shock people, to pull off the emotional hits like with Aully in CoB, changed things at the last second. Down comes Haern, to sacrifice himself. There it is. The big shock I want. No one will see that coming!
Now also bear in mind this was before I ever wrote anything in Shadowdance. Haern was, to me at that time, just a cool character that was a bit of a Drizzt knock-off whose main emotional attachments and story arc were basically done (Delysia was dead, as was his father, so he was just kinda...there...). So off he goes, and I've not really regretted it, honestly. (If I have regrets, its about how the Thren/Haern face off goes, which in my defense, I literally wrote within a few chapters of even figuring Haern out as a character).
So would I do it again? Eh. Probably? I'm far less enamored with killing off major characters as I used to be, and I'd probably tweak the scenario so Haern gets a bit more epic of a send off, but I still do feel like his story was mostly 'done' at that point. He wasn't Veldaren's Watcher anymore.
Bringing back thru necromancy was just me having a blast tormenting everyone I knew would be pissed off at me for killing him, no excuse there, lol. (hide spoiler)]
Now also bear in mind this was before I ever wrote anything in Shadowdance. Haern was, to me at that time, just a cool character that was a bit of a Drizzt knock-off whose main emotional attachments and story arc were basically done (Delysia was dead, as was his father, so he was just kinda...there...). So off he goes, and I've not really regretted it, honestly. (If I have regrets, its about how the Thren/Haern face off goes, which in my defense, I literally wrote within a few chapters of even figuring Haern out as a character).
So would I do it again? Eh. Probably? I'm far less enamored with killing off major characters as I used to be, and I'd probably tweak the scenario so Haern gets a bit more epic of a send off, but I still do feel like his story was mostly 'done' at that point. He wasn't Veldaren's Watcher anymore.
Bringing back thru necromancy was just me having a blast tormenting everyone I knew would be pissed off at me for killing him, no excuse there, lol. (hide spoiler)]
More Answered Questions
Marco Flores
asked
David Dalglish:
David, I finished the Paladins and I think you owe me at least 2 more paladins' books. I remember you mentioning at the end of Night of Wolves that you would dedicate at least 1 book to Lathaar. I don't complain about getting 4 books about Jerico and Darius (loved them), but I want to know about Lathaar. Any plans on doing a solo story for him? it would be awesome. Half-Orcs rock! thanks so much.
Brandon Daniels
asked
David Dalglish:
Hey Mr. Dalglish, i just read the paladins series through the text adventure available on Google play stores, and i am absolutely in love with your writing. I am just curious as to which novels are about Dezrel, as well as which order would be best to read them in? Thanks in advance, a new fan.
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