Thriller-type characters, which brings us back to what we discussed at the beginning of this book. When I think of a thriller, I think of a clever hero who is attempting to foil evil. Now, you need an intelligent hero—someone who can use their intellect to defeat the villain—but you also need a clever villain—someone who can fight back against that hero so that there is a strong back and forth between the characters.
Consider the movie The Dark Knight, in which Batman, a clever hero, creates a secret identity in order to clean up Gotham and stop a lot of criminals, and he goes up against this clever villain, The Joker.
The Joker is highly cunning because he utilizes Batman's talents against him. For example, Batman's secret identity is one of his strengths, but the Joker says, "Okay, I'm going to take that strength, and I'm going to say that for every day you don't reveal who you are, I'm going to kill another person," which puts Batman in a difficult situation and creates a strong back and forth throughout the story.
YOU ARE READING
The Art of Thrillers: Behind the Shadows
Mystery / ThrillerThe Art of Thrillers: Behind the Shadows Understanding the art of heart-pumping twists, suspense, and intrigue Everything you need to know about thriller ways to create a page-turning book that will have readers turning the pages. Join us as we reve...
