Horror Aficionados discussion

This is my first time posting a new thread on here and I really don't know if this thread should go here.

I was wondering what my fellow HA members think of reading horror novels where the main character or characters die. Most of the time I get involved and attached to the character or characters and then at the end the author throws the reader for a loop and the characters that I became attached to have died.

What are your thoughts on this subject?

well, it is a fairly probable outcome for the genre, don't you think? and there are fates worse than death--like in Sweetheart, Sweetheart. ^_-

I think it's always tough to lose a main character you get attached you whether it be in a book, TV show or a movie. I think in the horror genre you see this more often and that's why I try not to get attached to the characters if I can help it. So if they are killed off, it's not as much of an impact on me.

It doesn't bother me too much, but occasionally, yes.

However, I have also read horror novels where the main characters were so irritating that it was a relief when they died........

This just happened to me in my last read. It felt appropriate, in a way, I guess it all depends on the story and ability of the storyteller. And, yeah, like Holly said. Sometimes it is a relief when they croak!

Bark's Book Nonsense wrote: "This just happened to me in my last read. It felt appropriate, in a way, I guess it all depends on the story and ability of the storyteller. And, yeah, like Holly said. Sometimes it is a relief whe..."

Cruel, cruel! ^_-

I'm usually not bothered by character deaths, but Hunter Shea's The Montauk Monster had a couple that were very heavy stuff.

It is far better to have a story where characters who matter to you die, than to have a story where it doesn't matter to you when they die.

Well I do agree with Holly and Bark that some of the time the charaters do need to die as they become very annoying to the point it is better if they keel over. lol :)

It depends. Is the author killing off the main character just to kill them off - just for the "shock value?" Or are they killing the character off as a tragic hero?

The later is something that has happened throughout our literary history. (spoiler alert) Hamlet dies at the end of Shakespeare's play. If done right, killing off the main character can be appropriate, but if it's gratuitous, than it's no different than any other gratuitous element a writer throws in.

I think that part of it is that with horror more than a lot of genres, the plot is often something that it would either not make sense, or it would seem contrived if everyone got a happily ever after.

J. wrote: "It is far better to have a story where characters who matter to you die, than to have a story where it doesn't matter to you when they die."

Spot on.

If a character's death makes sense for the story than it's gonna happen.

Give me a deeply moving, trenchantly beautiful tragedy any day.

Of course I hate it when a character I've come to love dies, but that's something you have to expect will happen a lot in horror.

(That doesn't mean I don't hate the idea I see sometimes that a story is somehow "better" because the main character(s) dies.)

The important thing - that not all authors get right - is that if a main character dies, it should happen organically as part of the story. Sometimes, you see deaths that just sort of feel forced, like the author is trying to be "shocking" or "edgy" or whatever. I think most readers pick up on it when that happens, and it just about ruins the story for me.

So yeah, death of a main character is fine if it's handled right - if not it can spoil the whole thing.

Aiya, well said.

Alex said it, it's a reasonable outcome given the genre. In some cases of horror there's just anything goes and it looks like the outcome will be dire and disturbing..meaning not even the main character survives. Does this take away from anything or upset me? Not if it's done right and in most cases the main character is killed off in good taste or you see it coming. If the book or movie has that feel to it where you feel the ending will have the evil prevail then it's not a disappointment but an inevitability.

I'd much rather have terrible things happen to a protagonist I care about than, say, root for Jason to kill yet another asshole teen. If you want the character to die, it can't be scary.