by Sin | November 19th, 2008
The fantasy is not always better than the reality.
All heroes have their faults. It’s true. They’re only human. In our mind- the heroine- our hero is perfectly maddening and alluring and really good at driving us crazy. There is something about this hero that attracts us like moths to a flame. When he looks at you, you feel like you’re the only thing he sees in his world. And our hero could tackle the world and save us with one hand tied behind his back. It is that hero mentality that makes us fall in love and do the strangest of things to keep that feeling deep inside us. Having the hero by your side while you fight for your lives is the fantasy; the reality is the hero staying with you for all of time, until you take your last breath.
Twilight the movie is releasing on Friday and I’m reminded of how I felt the first time I read the book- anxious, excited, and completely in love with the thought of first love and lust at first sight. There is a certain lust for life you find while you’re reading the POV of a girl who has just fallen in love for the first time in her life. She’s awakened at the thought of this guy who nearly steals her breath away every time he walks into a room. She’s mesmerized by the sight of him. He’s all she can think about and really the only person she wants to think about. But yet, he wants nothing to do with her. He avoids her. He’s rude to her, obnoxiously rude and hateful and she is still drawn to him. His reaction to her only feeds her need to be near him.
I admit, I’m Team Edward. The very sight of him on page is enough to steal my breath away, to make my heart race in anticipation and a blush to flush across my cheeks. Even when I thought I wasn’t supposed to fall for him, I did- hard. He is the bad boy without being the bad boy. He is the villain hero. He’s dangerous only because of his capabilities to harm her, not because he chooses to or because he can. Edward sees Bella as his talisman, his salvation from darkness. She is his light.
Love between a hero and his heroine is often passionate, fiery, and all-consuming. I felt that way about the books, felt that way about the characters. My Mattycakes was very aggravated with my all-consuming need to read them as fast as I could. I couldn’t put them down long enough to take a breather. I couldn’t put them down long enough to have a semi-coherent conversation with him and it was all because of a fictional hero who fascinated me to the point of obsession.
I knew how Bella felt because I had been that girl, with my Edward, falling head first into a love affair that I knew I couldn’t be without. And unlike Bella, whose race for the HEA was shot with peril every day of their existence together, I knew when I glanced up from my book, glasses perched low on my nose from falling down, my hero would be staring back at me with a bemused look on his face shaking his head with wonder over my fascination with a book. Little does he know, in my world, I am Bella and he is my Edward and eternity we shall spend together.
Today’s song is Too Late by Ashes Divide, which is my official Twilight song.
Anyone else obsess about fictional heroes? Who is your all time favorite fictional hero (this can be book, movie, TV, comics, ect.)? And if you’re a writer, how do they compare with the traits you’ve put into your own hero?
I’m very late checking in today I suppose, but you guys have got to go check out the site I work at right now. The Juice Box, their pop culture satire web series, has a really great Twilight parody up right now.
http://www.take180.com/show/The_Juice_Box/9le
Sarah
*kisses marnee* on the cheek of course! LOL
Oh, good.
Kelly I haven’t read plumb but I like the “third wheel” explanation that only Terri can do.
Kelly, it is a sin! Talking about sin to the sinner, yeesh. I mean, it’s RANGER!
I can’t believe how many people haven’t read these books and they have a huge following. Not as big as Twilight or HP of course, but its a huge following of adult woman, who either pant after Morelli or sneak after Ranger.
Sarah, thanks for stopping by!
I love a good parody. Even more hilarious that it’s a parody of Twilight!
Irish- apparently you’ve seen the pics from the support meetings. LOL. Someone is getting tased.
Irish – I considered reading a Wallflower Christmas without reading the others. I won’t bother now. LOL!
IG – Awe, thanks.
(That was a compliment,right?)
Look – I got them right this time!
Terri–don’t even ask! It’s always a compliment.
Only you can say “third wheel” and have me blowing a whistle out my butt for laughing so hard.
Did I just call the poor author Plumb instead of Plum?
It’s the series that you called Plumb. The author’s name is Janet Evanovich.
Irish- STS is going to be kick ass. I love LK’s contemporaries and here I wouldn’t read them in the beginning because I’m not a fan of contemporary romance (I know. I know. Don’t hit me, Hellie and Ter).
OMG, Sin! You have to try SEP too! I just love her. Although I understand your reluctance and LK is a nice fit for you – she really knows how to turn up the heat.
It took forever for me to jump into the contemp pool. My sister had me read Nora Robert’s Three Sisters Island trilogy and I was a goner. I don’t really read much NR anymore but she paved the way for me to try a lot of different authors – some that are my all time favorites (SEP for instance!)
I weren’t scart off…just outta range-r… Hee, hee. No, I like Ranger…I just think Stephanie belongs with Morelli…Ranger on the side. Is OK, Sin… Hope ta be more aboard come tomorr-a
I’ve heard all about SEP. I haven’t dove in there yet. I prefer to stay with my RS books for now or my historicals. I haven’t had much time for reading lately so I’m way behind on my new releases.
I’ve tried NR. I can’t get into her. I’m like the lone pirate on the island holding my little umbrella and keg of rum and reading everything but her.
Lisa swears by SEP.
I must be really out of it here. Twilight? Edward? Am I going to be forced to walk the plank? Before you toss me off the ship, can I just say that I’m often busy writing…
All-time favorite fictional hero… Hmm… Aragorn, son of Arathorn, also known as Strider. :slurp:
As for how he compares to my heroes: I like his humility. I like that he’s at home in the wild. I like his ruggedness, his willing to sacrifice his own life to do what needs to be done. My heroes are sometimes arrogant, but in their love of the heroine, they’re always willing to give their last breath. And they, too, are rugged and at home in the wild.
Chance, I knew you could handle it. See you tomorrow with Marn’s blog!
Night night kiddos. Y’all were a chatty kathy bunch today.