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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Guest&nbsp; 85555" data-source="post: 9608904">I wasn't disagreeing with your point that horror and gothic horror don't need to spend a lot of page count on the villain. And I am fine with a story that focuses on the protagonist, and while I think Dracula largely does so, I think that early section at the castle is pretty important. Now it has been about 14 years since I last read Dracula (it is actually about time for me to read it again). SO possible I am misremembering. But with Frankenstein, I think you are overstating. I just read it again last spring and while I am sure I am not remembering everything exactly perfectly, the monster gets a substantial section of the book, to the point that we hear his complete side of the story. Also his ability to tell his side of the story is one of the things that inspired Anne Rice to do Interview With the Vampire the way she did. I do agree, the real monster is the Doctor, though both are villains (the monster has murdered a child, let a woman take the blame get executed, killed Henry, then Elizabeth, etc). Jeckyll and Hyde is usually still considered a gothic horror novel by many people, and that debate aside, it was definitely an influence on the Ravenloft Setting. And the bad guy is a pretty prominent figure. Again, I think I read this around the time I last read Dracula so I am going by memory here. It has been ages since I read Phantom of the Opera (not since I was in high school). I think a lot of people still consider that a gothic horror work too (I mean a lot of books fit into more than one genre). At the very least it had a big influence on horror cinema. I recall Erik being a prominent character but I don't honestly recall how much time he gets on the page. Either way, I wasn't really disagreeing with you. Villains can loom in gothic horror or any kind of horror. I was just quibbling over things like Frankenstein. I do think the villains matter a lot in gothic horror. I don't think every Ravenloft book needs to focus on the villains. Something like Knight of the Black Rose was emulating monster rallies. So there it made sense. But Ravenloft has kind of overplayed Strahd and I wouldn't have any issue with them putting him more in the background as a looming character. To me the issue is more about the Joss Whedon vibe I am getting from the cover. I also think you can focus on multiple protagonists (Dracula does an excellent job of featuring what could be termed an adventuring party). Generally I think it works better to focus on one or two, but that can work.</blockquote>

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