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The theme of Good vs. Evil features strongly in Raven's Peak. It is a theme as old as time. How do you feel about books that focus on this theme?

I find the biggest downfall with these types of books is that many times they become predictable because we assume Good will prevail. I also dislike when 'evil' characters are one dimensional as they tend to be incredibly annoying to read about.

Yes we assume good will win, but I have read books where it didn't. Those are very disappointing and depressing to me.

I agree it can become predictable. Still, as long as the book is well-written and engaging, I enjoy the ride.

I like this theme. You are right the ending of the story becomes predictable. However, unpredictable events leading to a predictable ending keep me interested.

My problem with Good versus Evil is that it paints things as black and white. Nothing is black or white, but various shades of gray. Our own prejudices decide what we believe is good or evil based on preconceived notions. This makes the topic lopsided in many instances and thus very predictable on average. I like stories that topple preconception, ones that throw the ideas out on their head and reimagine the what is really right and what is wrong. My favorite stories are ones that turn them around. The good guy is actually bad and the bad guy is good. These, though, also tend to become predictable if the writer lets the true nature's out too early. If someone seems overly good, I always assume they have to have a skeleton in the closet, anything else is just not realistic.
I am a bit of a macabre consumer, though. I tend to enjoy movies and books where evil does prevail as it seems more parallel to the dark realities of the real world. The stunned feeling of how the "good fight" was all for naught.

Call me crazy but I love reading books that have the twisted end where the villian actually wins...or at least gets away with everything. The reason is because that is just more realistic to me. Good doesn't always win in the end. I want to read a book that showcases that.

This is a very interesting topic to discuss about. What we always fail to understand is that Good should always prevail, and just because it does, it shouldn't mean that it's now boring. I think the strength of a book relies on how strong the author writes and makes the plot so appealing for you wanting good to win.

I find this theme can be interesting when it is done well. Sometimes, it can fall into cliche, but sometimes it's nice to know which side will win, even if you don't know how it will happen. From what I've read so far, this book certainly seems to blur the line a little bit, which I find intriguing.

I consider it refreshing. It reminds me that there isevil in this world.it gives me hope that despite the presence of evil, the good will rise.

I like good vs. evil even though it can be predictable. Yee, everyone expects good to win, but sometimes it doesn't. Even if you know good will win, I would rather have that than have evil win.

I find it interesting when it's not the typical black and white evil and good and good prevails. Stories were the antagonist is the main character puts an interesting spin on it, I think. Depends on the readership too: the typical black and white image is pretty appropriate for books aimed at younger readers. At this stage, I find morally challenging more interesting and thought provoking - but when I'm feeling like a lazy read, the typical good vs. evil wins out.

Aimy wrote:I like this theme. You are right the ending of the story becomes predictable. However, unpredictable events leading to a predictable ending keep me interested.

Great point @Aimy! Though sometimes we may know how a story will end, it can be just as fun seeing how the characters end up there.

Mune wrote:My problem with Good versus Evil is that it paints things as black and white. Nothing is black or white, but various shades of gray. Our own prejudices decide what we believe is good or evil based on preconceived notions. This makes the topic lopsided in many instances and thus very predictable on average. I like stories that topple preconception, ones that throw the ideas out on their head and reimagine the what is really right and what is wrong. My favorite stories are ones that turn them around. The good guy is actually bad and the bad guy is good. These, though, also tend to become predictable if the writer lets the true nature's out too early. If someone seems overly good, I always assume they have to have a skeleton in the closet, anything else is just not realistic.
I am a bit of a macabre consumer, though. I tend to enjoy movies and books where evil does prevail as it seems more parallel to the dark realities of the real world. The stunned feeling of how the "good fight" was all for naught.

I agree that sometimes these books portray things as too black and white. I also wouldn't mind seeing things a little more turned around as far as good and bad guys. However, I still like good prevailing in the end. Probably because it doesn't always turn out that way in real life.

Jasmine M Wardiya wrote:I find it interesting when it's not the typical black and white evil and good and good prevails. Stories were the antagonist is the main character puts an interesting spin on it, I think. Depends on the readership too: the typical black and white image is pretty appropriate for books aimed at younger readers. At this stage, I find morally challenging more interesting and thought provoking - but when I'm feeling like a lazy read, the typical good vs. evil wins out.

I agree with you. I enjoy stories that don't follow the same cookie cutter standard. I enjoy stories where the protagonist is actually evil and the antagonist is the good guy. I also like stories with an anti-hero or an anti-villian. It makes things way more interesting.

I set a challange for myself, in the novel I'm writing, to write a world entirely without malice, without rage, essentially without evil, and see how much conflict I could get out of a world where everybody is working from good intentions.

It turns out, quite a lot, and a lot is in moral gray areas or "blue and orange morality," that I find a lot more compelling than good vs evil.

Knowing that somebody is kind and loving, and watching them argue in favor of atrocities, for reasons you used to believe yourself--that just feels a lot more interesting to me than moral absolutes.