This year I’ve been watching the new television show “Revenge” and I’m absolutely hooked. How wonderful is it each week to observe Emily Thorne’s plan come to fruition, a plan so juicy and complex it took her years to bring together. All over the news they’re calling it a “guilty pleasure” and I couldn’t agree more, but beyond this, I see much more in Emily Thorne’s character. It is the theme of the series, I believe – what is the cost of revenge?
At this point in the season, things are beginning to unravel. Emily is becoming emotionally involved and it threatens to ruin the plans of revenge she gave most of her life to create. Satisfying as it is to witness these characters get what they deserve, I wonder what will become of Emily when the story is over? She has already given over so much to her plan, allowed it to consume a huge part of her. Will it consume her soul as well?
I think of this because the same questions arose as I began to write “Master of the Hunt”. It, too, is a tale of revenge, different, sure, but so very similar thematically. Revenge is what “Master of the Hunt” is all about. Rich folks in desperate want of revenge hire master hunters, Wayne and Nathanial, who kidnap the targets of their clients’ hatred. They steal them away to a remote island and allow their clients s to hunt them down one by one.
Yes there is a twist. The main character, Harrison Dale, is a werewolf. Nathanial has already claimed the hide of a werewolf, and now Wayne wants one desperately. Because of his terrible past, Harrison has vowed to never become the wolf again and has spent years controlling the beast, but the brothers can be very persuasive as they wear Harrison down both physically and mentally, goading the beast to come out so they can kill it.
The idea behind the story is that Harrison contains the power within in to strike back at these men, to become the ravenous monster capable of ripping them to shreds, but he fights not to. In Harrison’s mind, giving into the beast is like selling your soul to the devil. It was the same with “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson. What a great story! Dr. Jekyll longed to set free his dark impulses from his better self, to gain total moral freedom, but in the end, the darkness destroyed him completely. I don’t want to give the ending away of “Master of the Hunt”, but the novel explores these very ideas, which brings me full circle to “Revenge” and the plight of Emily Thorne.
What is the cost of revenge? I suspect the series writers have a plan to wrap the season up neatly, with Emily completing her plan and gaining some measure of absolution, and believe me, I’m greedy for a huge slice of satisfying revenge pie. But still, some answers can’t be given like presents tied up neatly with a bright red bow. Some answers are far more complex, yet still no less satisfying.
I’d be happy if you decided to read “Master of the Hunt”. It is available online for Kindle or the Nook. Here are the links, and if you decide to read it, please email me anytime to let me know what you think. I’m always happy to speak with you.
Nickel Crow 