Maybe not so much a comment as a discussion.

So far, "The Lonely Man: The Witch's Price" has been received with varying results. Some readers loved the book, others were "Not sure." While this runs from the solid to the ambiguous, I can't help but wonder what it is about the story that appeals to some people and disagrees with others.

Now, I'm well aware that the character of my "Lonely Man" series, Mhets Sorrowbringer, isn't a typical hero. Nor is he the typical anti-hero. He probably stand more across the line toward villain. But villains, as well all know, often have their own ideas of honor. And while some of Mhets' actions are deplorable, he does these things in accordance to his own view on what is right. It can also be argued that Mhets undertook his dastardly deeds while in a mental state bordering on insanity. This by no means exempts him from vilification, but it does, in a way, give the character an excuse.

I did not set out to make Mhets a character that readers could relate to. My aim was very much in the opposite direction. I wanted him to be a man that you could feel sorry for, that would repulse you with his indifference, and that could stand as someone unique in their isolated nature. Mhets is not a kind man, his kindness having been drawn out long ago. He is not a friendly man, his friendliness having evaporated. And he is not a man for women, his days of love blackened. He is a villain. In the beginning.

I have stated that "The Witch's Price" is where the legend of Mhets Sorrowbringer begins. It is the book of origins for this man. Fictional characters change throughout their lives. This is to be expected. Whether those changes come in response to plot or person, they are destined. I feel that the important aspects of a character, or a real person for that matter, is where they end their story. Who they are when the events that mark their lives cease. Are they better or worse? This is the important element in narratives: the growth of characters.

Mhets undergoes tremendous change throughout his early life, turning him into the cold-hearted character we see in "The Witch's Price." And perhaps it is this first glimpse of the character that puts readers off. I didn't exactly spoon-feed or sugar-coat his atrocities. I gave them up straight and blunt, with all the eloquence you'd expect from a man like Mhets. Perhaps they weren't easy to digest.

I truly enjoyed the perspective of one reviewer who said, "[Mhets] seeks redemption, not because he feels he did something wrong, but in order to avoid a jinx that is explained at the beginning of the book. This reason does not speak to his conscience, but rather to his shallowness." This is a perfect definition of Mhets Sorrowbringer. He's an extremely selfish character who's silenced his conscience--or had his conscience silenced through heartbreak. This is a man at his lowest, both morally and emotionally. He cares little for anyone, even himself, with his selfishness stemming from a desire to spite the gods rather than a personal want. And that is who I wanted readers to see.

This is very obviously a character that is hard to get behind, hard to cheer for. But my intent with this book was give Mhets his say. Maybe he was wrong for what he did. Maybe there was something inevitable about the course of his life. It's up to the reader to link events, and to explain to themselves whether Mhets is redeemable as a hero or damned for his villainy.

"The Lonely Man: The Witch's Price" is a dark and gritty story about a man whose life has been a trial of hardship. There's no way around that. Reviewers have either embraced that aspect of the story, or have hated it. Personally (and totally biased) I enjoy the character of Mhets Sorrowbringer. He has little regard for life, or for doing what's right. This isn't a YA novel where the main character is a goody goody. It's not some sprawling epic fantasy where the hero is of good heart and always saves the innocents. This is a dark fantasy, a sword and sorcery novel about a man who give no fucks about his actions or about his words. It is a novel about an uncommon character put in a harrowing position who does what he wants to do. Mhets Sorrowbringer can be a grand bastard, and he wouldn't think about apologizing for it. But he is also a man, and there is goodness in his heart, a light that has been strangled and buried and forgotten. But there is goodness there, waiting for its moment to sprout.