Less Will Smith, more Dwight from The Office...
Well, I'm feeling betrayed. There are those among you, you see, who told me that I Am Legend was a good book.
DOES IT GET BETTER AT SOME POINT?
I'm a little over halfway through and I hate the main character. Like, to the point where I'm scrawling my wrath in the margins (and I generally don't write in my books) and actively hoping that he gets eaten and we can all go home early.
I'm fine with emotionally chilly characters who only stir themselves up for the occasional wallow or wrath-fit. (Let me tell you about my embarrassing love of Stephen King's Dark Tower series again, shall I?) I'm a-okay with alcoholic characters. I like reading and writing people in survival mode. This fellow, however, appears to have stumbled onto the perfect balance of the aforementioned traits that makes me start vandalizing the margins.
His interactions with the one other speaking character in the story so far were the tipping point here, at which my usual practice of never hating on a book before it's over was shattered.
Robert: "Gosh golly gee, a woman walking around! I'm not actually the last non-vampire on earth! I SHALL GIVE CHASE AND SCREAM AT HER AND SLAP HER ACROSS THE FACE AND TEAR HER DRESS!"
Ruth: "WTFFFF?!?"
Robert: "Why is she scared? Typical woman. Hey, I like the sounds of that! Let's make it my catchphrase for the next few chapters!"
(two minutes later)
Robert: "I must resume the trusted sulky-drinky position because I've been dreaming about epic romance and this woman has not fallen in love with me at first sight. Maybe it had something to do with me literally dragging her kicking and screaming into my house? Nah... Well, I'd better stare at her and paw through her clothing while she's asleep."
Ruth: "OMG."
Robert: "TELL ME EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU. OR ELSE I WILL ADVANCE UPON YOU THREATENINGLY SOME MORE. Has the author mentioned lately that I'm six-foot-three and built like a caveman?"
Ruth: *tells things*
Robert: "LIES! FILTH AND LIES! By the way, I hate you because I'm not attracted to you. Also, I hate you worse because I might become attracted to you. We might have to randomly get married!! Maybe I should just kill you so I don't have to think so hard."
Ruth: "I want out of this book..."
Robert: "Oh, are you flirting with me again? Typical woman."
So. Okay. I'm exaggerating slightly in my disappointment. But not a ridiculous amount:
Dude. She just moved. NOT EVERYTHING SHE DOES IS TO MANIPULATE YOU, YOU... rawr.
It's like he's Gollum or something with the random murderous thoughts.
Oh, this totally endears me to you.
So explain to me here, ye trusted flisties. Does he improve as the book progresses further? Am I interrogating the text from the wrong perspective? Did I somehow pick up the wrong book? This guy is just gross and I am not well-pleased and the plot is nowhere near awesome enough to save it so far.
DOES IT GET BETTER AT SOME POINT?
I'm a little over halfway through and I hate the main character. Like, to the point where I'm scrawling my wrath in the margins (and I generally don't write in my books) and actively hoping that he gets eaten and we can all go home early.
I'm fine with emotionally chilly characters who only stir themselves up for the occasional wallow or wrath-fit. (Let me tell you about my embarrassing love of Stephen King's Dark Tower series again, shall I?) I'm a-okay with alcoholic characters. I like reading and writing people in survival mode. This fellow, however, appears to have stumbled onto the perfect balance of the aforementioned traits that makes me start vandalizing the margins.
His interactions with the one other speaking character in the story so far were the tipping point here, at which my usual practice of never hating on a book before it's over was shattered.
Robert: "Gosh golly gee, a woman walking around! I'm not actually the last non-vampire on earth! I SHALL GIVE CHASE AND SCREAM AT HER AND SLAP HER ACROSS THE FACE AND TEAR HER DRESS!"
Ruth: "WTFFFF?!?"
Robert: "Why is she scared? Typical woman. Hey, I like the sounds of that! Let's make it my catchphrase for the next few chapters!"
(two minutes later)
Robert: "I must resume the trusted sulky-drinky position because I've been dreaming about epic romance and this woman has not fallen in love with me at first sight. Maybe it had something to do with me literally dragging her kicking and screaming into my house? Nah... Well, I'd better stare at her and paw through her clothing while she's asleep."
Ruth: "OMG."
Robert: "TELL ME EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU. OR ELSE I WILL ADVANCE UPON YOU THREATENINGLY SOME MORE. Has the author mentioned lately that I'm six-foot-three and built like a caveman?"
Ruth: *tells things*
Robert: "LIES! FILTH AND LIES! By the way, I hate you because I'm not attracted to you. Also, I hate you worse because I might become attracted to you. We might have to randomly get married!! Maybe I should just kill you so I don't have to think so hard."
Ruth: "I want out of this book..."
Robert: "Oh, are you flirting with me again? Typical woman."
So. Okay. I'm exaggerating slightly in my disappointment. But not a ridiculous amount:
Dude. She just moved. NOT EVERYTHING SHE DOES IS TO MANIPULATE YOU, YOU... rawr.
It's like he's Gollum or something with the random murderous thoughts.
Oh, this totally endears me to you.
So explain to me here, ye trusted flisties. Does he improve as the book progresses further? Am I interrogating the text from the wrong perspective? Did I somehow pick up the wrong book? This guy is just gross and I am not well-pleased and the plot is nowhere near awesome enough to save it so far.