London Twist: A Book Review

When I decided to become an independent publisher, Barry Eisler was the one of the modern writers who inspired me most. I wanted to capture the lethal complexity of his characters and the world they live in. I strive to emulate the visceral depth that he brings to both his tactical descriptions and his combat scenes without parroting his style. London Twist marks both a slight departure from his established conventions and an expansion of his creativity that achieves very pleasant results.

Readers familiar with the John Rain series will recognize Rain's former lover and honey trap Delilah. It is her first solo operation that provides the catalyst for the new direction. But Mr. Eisler doesn't simply change the gender of his protagonist and continue on his merry way. In Twist, seduction replaces murder as the method of choice without sacrificing the tactical element that makes Mr. Eisler's writing so enjoyable. The seductive and erotic scenes are handled with just as much meticulous rigor as his previous combat descriptions and this time they come off as much less desperate and violent as his earlier sex scenes. Of course, the deception, paranoia and double crosses that consume the Rain series are on every page of this novella, but with London Twist, Mr. Eisler proves he can write about both sex and violence skillfully.

My upcoming spy novel also focuses on the consequences of combining intimacy and deception and once again, Barry Eisler has inspired me with his latest work. It is a short and sweet alternative to John Rain that you will enjoy if you appreciate the intelligent thriller.

Have fun.

Gamal

Batman and Psychology: A Book Review

There are few pop culture icons that are more well known than Batman. His popularity transcends comics, TV and movies and has been built up for more than 80 years. While there have been many books written about the cultural impact of this character, the most recent one explores the underlying psyche of Batman and how readers relate to him. Batman and Psychology isn't an overly technical book, but it does shed some new light on this well known shadow.

Travis Langley's book serves two audiences very well; it exposes fans of Batman to basic concepts about psychology and introduces the Batman mythos to people who have a background in psychology. Langley achieves this balance by using the 80 years of Batman's "post industrial mythology" as the case studies for various mental conditions and experiences including:

• Post traumatic stress disorder, the stages of grief and childhood development - Bruce Wayne watching his parents killed
• Anti-social, sociopathic and psychotic behavior - The Joker
• The impact of symbolism and identity issues - Creating the bat tailsman and wearing the mask
• Intimacy issues - Batman's romantic endeavors and lack of deep connection
• Family dynamics including surrogate parents, adopted children and birth order dynamics - Batman's relationship with Alfred, Commissioner Gordon and the various Robins

One of the most interesting aspects of the book is the exploration of how these stories remain popular. Langley explores the effects that the stories have on the psychology of fans including discussions of Jungian archetypes, the hero's journey and plausible escapism. Once you reach the end of the book, you come away with a greater appreciation of the impact that Batman in particular and comics in general have on popular culture.

As a writer, I can't hope to create a world that will be as enduring in popularity as Batman, but I can apply the lessons of his character development to my work and imagine the possibilities of my characters becoming cultural icons if I just keep writing.

Have fun.

Gamal

People We Want to Know: Creating Complex Characters

Question: What do Hannibal Lecter (Silence of the Lambs), Ellen Ripley (Aliens) and Rick Blaine (Casablanca) have in common?

Answer: Each of these heroes gained enduring popularity based on the complexity of their character.

All great fictional characters from Hamlet to Harry Potter hold our interest because their characterizations contradict their true natures. As a writer and student of the craft, I want to look at this contradiction in depth.

Characterization vs. True Nature

In his screenwriting guide Story, Robert McKee defines characterization as “the sum total of all knowable qualities about a character.” This means the physical, intellectual, social, financial and spiritual traits that a writer can describe about the individuals they create. True character (or as I like to call it, true nature) is a product of the character’s interaction with your plot, because the choices they make under pressure reveal their fundamental personality. As McKee states, “what they choose is who they are”.

In the most complex and interesting characters, the true nature is in direct contradiction to the characterizations. For example:

• Hannibal Lecter is a calm, polite, and intelligent gentleman until the FBI lies to him and sends him to suffer at the hands of a sadistic warden. He escapes by revealing a cunning, ruthless and cannibalistic nature that has shocked audiences for years after the film was first released.
• Ellen Ripley is a terrified, burned out engineer until she loses her surrogate child to xenomorphs. She saves the child by revealing a courageous survivor with an intense maternal instinct.
• Rick Blaine is an aloof and mercenary bar owner until the love of his life returns with the Nazis on her tail. This is when he reveals his true character as a patriotic and sentimental hero.

Fallen Heroes

Many weak characters fail to capture our imaginations because they have little depth; their characterizations and their true character are essentially the same. This is especially true in adventure and spy novels. At the beginning of the story, the protagonist projects the image of a bad ass. The plot progresses and the protagonist goes through the motions of proving he’s a bad ass. The story ends. There is no revelation. There is no depth of character for us to enjoy. The hero is a clichéd caricature of every Tom Cruise or Steven Segal action hero; flat and interchangeable.

Lessons Learned

Both novels I plan to release this year strive to have revelations of true nature vs. characterizations for both the protagonist and the antagonist. As the events of the story place the characters desires into conflict, the development of the plot will not only resolve the story but provide insight into who these people really are. In some ways, I hope that reading about my characters will illuminate something about the reader as well as the writer. That is the goal of any artist.

So who are your favorite characters?

How does their complexity play into your desire to read about them?

For the writers out there, how do you create complex characters in your own writing?

Have fun.

G

Is This How We Treat Our Soldiers?

There is a story that came out this week about the Navy SEAL who shot Osama bin Laden.  According to a story from the Center for Investigative Reporting and Esquire Magazine, this highly decorated combat veteran currently has no pension, no health care and no job.

I’ve spent most of the week trying to wrap my head around this concept. It was hard for me to imagine one of our most elite operators killed the most wanted man on the planet and we give him nothing. We offer him no reward, no safety net, no transition into civilian life. We toss him aside like a used condom.

Is this how we treat our soldiers?

As I listen and talk to more people about this story, I’m coming to the conclusion that it is not unique. Another former SEAL, being interviewed for The Takeaway said that it has always been this way ‘In the US military, the moment you stop being an asset, you become a liability’ and we get rid of you like soiled toilet paper.

Is this the fate that we want for our protectors?

Consider the sacrifice that elite special forces have to endure to even do their job. Most of them give up their bodies, sanity, relationships and families. Some of them give up their lives. Now consider the rewards that they get; elite training that they can’t use in the civilian world, stories they can’t tell, medals they can’t show, poverty, pride and the enduring connection to the people they served with. The satisfaction and camaraderie that these shooters enjoy comes at an extremely high price. Based on the way we repay them, our country hardly deserves their sacrifice.

Is this how we treat our heroes?

What does this state of affairs say about America, a country that leans so heavily on our military strength? What does this say about you and I who are citizens of this country? Jaded shame is the only honest response I can feel. Shame because I benefit from something fundamentally unfair and jaded both because I’m not really surprised and I know that I won’t care enough about this issue long term to do anything to change it.

As a writer, I try to use the news to enhance my work. The rejection mentality that these men feel will definitely play a role in the mentality of my characters. For some, it will be fear of civilian life. For others it will reveal itself as pessimistic mercenary greed. If this Esquire story is true, then in many ways our soldiers are too good for us. The least I can do is recognize their experience with my craft.

Have fun.

G