My Favorite Characters Part 2: Cool and Cutting

There are other characters I like, of course. Another all time favorite is the sarcastic, omniscient type. A favorite of my favorite romance author, Georgette Heyer (who is also masterly in creating them), they are often a bit dark, a little dirty, powerful, proud, unbelievably smart, frequently caustic, often sardonic and generally unflappable.

If you've ever read a JD Robb novel, Roarke is a supreme example. Edward Cullen would be another (though he could use a wit injection).

They are frequently ruthless and morally flexible, but with a unique (to them) moral code which they won't break. They are fair, even brutally fair and will exact balance even if it includes vengeance.

They are almost always powerful, either taking what they were born with and expanding it or building themselves from the ground up. The power can be relative, though, sometimes playing the power behind the obvious leader (Kyoya Otori, for example) or in complete command themselves. They run the gamut from smooth and perfectly groomed to rude and carelessly unkempt.

They are often gorgeous/fascinating to look at but cold to the world at large. They are hard to get close to and have a very limited circle of people they truly care about. They aren't trusting, though those they are close to/trust are trusted/loved absolutely.

And that's the charm. Aside from the absolutely thrill I get from the sarcasm (OK, I'm an addict), they love people, frequently the least likely people you'd expect. And, when they love them, they are completely consumed with the happiness and well-being of those people. It is a vulnerability in a very impregnable fortress. They are distant from the world at large, separate for whatever reason and those they love are allowed inside when all the world is out.

Now, do they exist in the real world? Probably, but likely not to this degree. However, I like them because, for one thing, you could say I'm one of them. I am self-made. I'm very good at what I do and I know it. I know what power I have and I use it in the most effective manner I can (I'm a behind the scenes type, though I can hold my ground toe to toe). My list of close friends if very short, but, when you're in, you're in. And, if I ever had to kill someone, it would be because I felt it was absolutely unavoidable...and I wouldn't feel a twinge of regret...or so I believe. I've never actually killed anyone...so far as you know.

Now, in the many many breeds and kinds of romances particularly (and a few other books), this kind of character can be taken far far too far. I've seen what is supposed to be this kind of character used to rape his true love or beat his right hand man. Bzzzz! Wrong answer! Once you've done this, you've missed the point of this character, his true potential. To be one of my favorite character, you have to have a little more character than that.