Webnovel.Forum

I notice that readers tend to be more annoyed over my protagonist breaking the fourth wall and making obscure (?) references to manga/anime/webnovels than they are over the horrific manner he goes about his revenge (which, admittedly, is exaggerated and parodied to the point where it's more amusing than horrific).

Tomoyuki Really? That's a curious thing, I make a lot of references and never actually got any nitpick over that. Readers complain over his personality however, and it makes me consider writing an evil protagonist. Seems like they're not bothered at all but atrocious deeds (but I also need to check your work, parody is amusing)

"Birth Of The Demonic Sword" I guess The protagonist Noah has a very twisted personality he will kill any one or even destroy the world to get what he wants.

There is also the novel The Slaughter God in which the protagonist rapes the few female leads and gets away because he was in tht influence of ancient evil technique.

RachelRuth Seems like they're not bothered at all but atrocious deeds

Yeah, they aren't. They actually seem to enjoy the atrocities.

RachelRuth
I think it depends on how you write your characters really. In my story, the MC is ruthless and I don't shy away from describing just how gory gets. Within 20 chapters, he's killed over dozens of people and he even tortures one by shooting the poor guy's kneecap through before ripping off his leg. And he's so nonchalant while doing so, instead shushing the guy and offering him a sedative if he tells him what he wants.

I've been told that the not the only the act itself, but the description, is chilling. Some even saying it's overkill, yet a majority defends the MC's action. I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "He's definitely twisted but he does it for good reasons."

And this comes from how I wrote the character; I hinted quite early on that he's not entirely normal. Heck, it was in the prologue when the MC's sister casually tells him not to kill anyone while she's away in school. And then you get a hint of his background when you find out that he was a child soldier who went on to become a mercenary. The readers emphasises with this and understood where he's coming from, hence they don't seem to mind it much.

Rather, they're interested in more. They want to see how it affects the relationship he has with characters, such as his sister. They want to see the schism the MC himself feels from constantly killing. More importantly, I don't just wrote such gratuitous violence like a throwaway; there are consequences and I bring this up by showing the perspectives other characters have of such actions. So, within the story itself there's this debate on what he's doing is right or wrong and I think readers like that.

RachelRuth You may try this one! It's a fantasy-action books

RachelRuth
I have changed sides now and I have been reading evil / mostly-antihero novels and there is a obvious reason for that, the "good" MCs are either hypocrites, dense, stupid or just too nosy.
So I started to read the other side, I would say it was worth it because you do not get the same enemy come after MC many times until his family or loved one gets hurt and....

The evil/ Anti Hero's main allure is decisive actions, not worrying about morality and enemies actually getting punished, and also there is little forced placement in the box rules (Especially when the rules are arbitrary).

As for how evil/far you are willing to go, the best option is have an auxiliary chapter letting people know about it.

Fully Evil MC's go all out and get stronger from killing, stealing... you just set it up like that and there is no moral concern for his action, just what he wills.

Anti-Hero they do not intentionally seek evil, but anyone that stands on there way will be dealt with.

Sneaky Anti-Hero - Does whatever they want as long as no one else is watching, or there is not proof.

Example:
Evil - I forgot the name read it back it was a translation - The MC kills, torture's and does everything on a whole world and turns into an energy source and he gets distracted and does not even bother collecting the energy source.
Anti Hero, original from here - MC does not save a women from a man until his interest is concerned. Then once he saves her he takes the opportunity to get repayment from the women into helping him as she has some skills.

Well the most important thing is delivering what you promised. If you are going to evil path avoid morality or trying to fix the mc. He is evil.
Anti Hero will gave you a little option of doing pieces of good, but also it gets balanced by his evil.

If you are planning to write Evil to good make sure you mention that too. I personally do not like MC's that force themselves to be good, the indecisiveness of choosing path is a letdown. Good luck with your book!

Woah, I got a lot of good feedback and I'm really grateful :) It's interesting to see the allure of having the evil MCs and anti-Hero ones, it was a little difficult for me to comprehend them before, I'll be taking this forum into account, thank you guys!

RachelRuth I think the point is that the protagonists cannot be evil for the sake of evil. That is to say, you can't just write a main character who murders children, rapes women, and tortures men for no reason other than because he is evil. He has to be sympathetic. He needs a good reason to explain how he ended up being "evil."

That's why all the revenge and betrayal stories are so popular. Because the protagonist is sympathetic. He starts out like all of us, only to be betrayed, stabbed in the back, trod upon and beaten up. But since the law won't work in his favor, he takes matters into his hands and takes revenge on all those who wronged him. Usually the people who end up as his victims are people who deserve it. It's more effective if you have an evil main character or anti-hero beating up a greater evil and serving "justice" by meting out the very atrocities that these enemies themselves commit. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing evil villains end up being murdered, tortured or abused in return. The allure of evil main characters or anti-heroes is not as strong if they aren't sympathetic or if they are just killing innocent people for no reason other than to be evil.

Tomoyuki You mostly described anti-heroes. Because they mostly kill and do gruesome acts towards already dark/bad people. True evil mc's are the ones who have a goal to achieve and do everything to achieve those goals. Meaning they won't kill innocents for no reason, but if there is a reason for their goal then they will. Of course, it doesn't mean they enjoy it but they do it nonetheless. However even these sort of mc's usually shouldn't be synthetic as they are clearly bad people and doing for their own selfish /dubious goals.

Tbh, I was actually wondering if people would revel about reading people who do evil, for evil's sake alone. Someone who purely delights himself/herself in seeing another person's misery. He/She wouldn't bat an eye at innocent and defenseless people, because they mean absolutely nothing to him. So what if they haven't done anything wrong to him?

In DnD standards, someone Chaotic Evil. True Evil?

Does this sound edgy as I write it, why yes, yes indeed. But will people love to read about an MC who obliterates the Hero's party because they looked at him funny? I think some do enjoy reading that?

My current work doesn't have an evil MC and he gets some hate for being a beta, weak, and etc. that I am considering the other end of the spectrum. Pure Evil xD lol

Uncle_Sheogorath Actually, when I say sympathetic, I don't mean you literally feel sorry for them. More like, you can relate to them and root for them. Even if they are truly bad people, you sort of think they are justified in their actions because they have suffered before and are thus taking revenge on an unfair system full of injustice, or they are fighting against a greater evil.

The Joker is a great example. He's insane and truly evil, but in his film (and The Dark Knight), we sympathize with him beccause of what he has gone through, the suffering he went through, and his struggles. He's not evil for the sake of it, but he is a product of an unjust system that abused him, and he ends up fighting back, albeit not in a "good" way.

Tomoyuki I know what you meant my sympathetic. By the way, I cant personally sympathise with the joker. He is just a deranged psycho who needs to be executed. Nonetheless watching doing crazy stuff would be entertaining tho, yet, it doesn't mean I would like him.

RachelRuth What you described is 1-dimensional character. Even chaotic evil mc's would have goals no matter how small. For example, evil mc feels horny so he goes and rapes a woman, here mc did something evil but with a goal. Everything requires a goal to be realistic. Even bullies bully for the feeling of subjugating someone else. Do you see it? You need a goal for every action.

I don't like them, that is just my opinion, they are no better than hero MCs, a bunch of hypocrites. Besides, they are taking over web novel, I couldn't find a single mc that wasn't decent, every single mc had a superiority complex, are self-absorbed. and like to Judge the characters I love with so much hatred and venom, I really loathe evil mcs with my entire being. I gave them a shot, but honestly, it was just too much, I just love good mc's with a well-written plot.0 Hope that helps