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Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Heroes - what do we really think of them?
Alrighty! I love heroes. You need a hero. Every book has a hero, be it horror, romance, urban fantasy, western - every book.
Do they need to be alpha? Not at all. You can get beta heroes. The kind who are good buddies to a stronger bloke, a quieter kind of hero, someone who isn't the head of a covert operation.
I actually find beta heroes quite intriguing. Some of my books have the beta hero...I guess if you can call a muscle-bound hunk a beta hero LOL. They're not always the captain of the trade spaceship, but may be a member of the crew, and in some cases they've been one of the bodyguards rather than the main planet leader.
That's not to say there isn't room for the alpha hero. C'mon, ladies of romance, what's not to love in the ol' alpha, chest-beating, he-man? Well, unless you're not into that kind of hero . But they can be such fun! I LOVE watching an alpha male brought to his knees by love (or a small kitten. That'll always get me. Give me a strong he-man that's mushy with animals and you've got me hooked).
So saying, I think there're all kinds of heroes in books. The quiet thinker, the gung-ho-he-man, the take-charge hero, the dependable buddy, the rogue - so many to choose from!
But what is their main quality? I reckon it's loyalty, love and the knowing and the doing of what is right. This is a redeeming quality of even the most dubious hero. Any man I think is a hero has to have these basics - or at least develop them during the book!
Any other opinions?
cheers
Angela
author of the Heart & Soul sci-fi/futuristic romance series

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think heros come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, alpha and beta (whatever that is), geek or weightlifter. When a woman meets a certain man and chemistry flies, I don't think she says to herself, "I'd better not marry this guy because he isn't an alpha type." I just try to make my heros real, and I usually prefer a thinking man.

Jeannine
Jeannine Van Eperen, award-winning author of Memory and Desire
Available now: NO ESCAPE FROM LOVE

Storm Savage said...

I love beta heroes, especially since my main hero is actually a heroine. She has a couple, very tough, strong beta heroes to assist her as she battles the evil side. My betas are awesome, gorgoeus, and each have their own tiny soft spot, not enough to make them look the slightest bit weak.

I love a strong man with a soft side, he doesnt have to be built like Rocky either, so long as he's built! Good looks are a must for me, I can't fall for a hero who's just average.

For me there's nothing hotter than a female kick ass heroine with a gorgoeus sidekick beta hero. Why not put men in the sub position for a change?

I tire of reading about the woman who swoons over the muscle bound dark skinned rogue. Argh! Its the 21st century! Time for women to take the spotlight!

Elliot Love

Linda Ciletti said...

Like Jeannine, I like my hero real. Usually a thinking man with a problem to solve. Usually an attractive man (at least to the heroine). He's not weak, but he doesn't pound his chest like Tarzan either. He's somewhere in the middle. Love, loyalty, and forgiveness (if it's called for) are his better qualities. Actually my hero & heroine share the spotlight, neither are alpha or beta. They each have their own strengths. They each have weaknesses. Like I said--real.

Cheryl Norman said...

I never think about whether my hero is beta or alpha. I just want a grounded, stable guy who moves the world for the heroine.

Cheryl

Linda Ciletti said...

Exactly Cheryl.
They are who they are. It's not something I plan. I never know until the story progresses and their personalities emerge. If in the end they're more alpha than beta, fine. If they're more beta than alpha, fine, too. As long as they're worthy of the heroine's love.

Alison Stuart said...

I write historicals. The dilemma I have is that I want my readers to fall in love with my heroes, not beat them over the head with a saucepan which is what they would want to do if my heroes acted as real 17th century men did! Therefore I like to add a different dimension to my heroes - something in their pasts, some tragedy, that sets them apart from their fellow alpha males. I love a wounded hero!
Cheers
Alison Stuart
http://www.alisonstuart.com