The Deeds of Paksenarrion
by Elizabeth Moon
Beyond the Chapters:
Examining Character Arcs Across Series
Welcome. This blog looks at the world of character development across storylines. What I mean is, how are compelling characters crafted across a series of novels? As a writer, the evolution of my character shapes the essence of my story. What are her internal struggles? How does my plot trigger that struggle? Will her struggle be an ongoing problem over the arch of a series? And since I am using her within a series, I’d better have some really broad-scope struggles like:
- Lord Voldemort killed my parents so how do I handle that? Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, book 1 of the Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling – 7 books total.
- I’m Divergent so what do I do about it? Divergent, book 1 of the Divergent series, by Veronica Roth – 4 books total.
- My Star Kingdom of Manticore and the People’s Republic of Haven are at war, how do I handle this? On Basilisk Station, book 1 of the Honorverse series, by David Weber – 20 books and counting.
- My new planet has a deadly Thread falling from the sky every 100 years that consumes all organic matter, how do I and my dragon fight this threat? Dragonsdawn, book 1 of the Dragon Riders of Pern series, by Anne McCaffrey – 24 books.
- I want to become a Paladin, how is it done, the hard way? The Deeds of Paksenarrion, book 1 of the Paksenarrion series, by Elizabeth Moon – 8 books and counting.
- There are so many more: The Lord of the Rings series (12) by J. R. R. Tolkien, The Chronicles of Narnia series (7) by C.S. Lewis, The Dark Tower series (8) by Stephen King, The Earthsea Cycle series (6 and counting) by Ursula K. Le Guin, The Malazan Book of the Fallen, series (24) by Steven Erikson, and more.
- Harry Potter – the “Hero” archetype, the “Orphan” archetype, the “Chosen One” archetype
- Paul Atreides – Hero, Chosen One, Savior, Prophet/Mystic
- Tris Pryor – Heroine, Chosen One, Rebel, Sacrificial Heroine
- Paksennarian – Heroine, Chosen One, Warrior, Quester, and Sacrificial Heroine
- Honor Harrington – Heroine, Military Leader/Warrior, Champion of Justice, Outsider/Underdog, and Sacrificial Leader
The Deeds of Paksenarrion
Now we review their character arc changes.
Harry Potter – a young, naive boy growing into a mature and courageous young man. Harry learns he is a wizard and starts school to gain allies and learn about his chosen one “The Boy Who Lived” and he is destined to defeat Voldemort. At the end of the series, he embraces his role to battle Voldemort to protect the wizarding world.
Paul Atreides – a young nobleman who trains and transforms into the Kwisatz Haderach, a messiah-like figure. He is exiled to the desert, where he learns how to embrace his identity as a Fremen leader and rises like the prophecy to lead the Fremen in a revolution against the Empire. His actions have far-reaching consequences that shape the course of history for generations to come.
Tris Pryor – an unhappy member of the Abnegation faction she undergoes self-discovery, empowerment, rebellion, and changes from hesitant to a courageous leader. At the Choosing Ceremony, she changes factions to Dauntless. Here she trains to become a warrior, form alliances, and uncovers the flaw in the faction system to take a rebel stand against injustice and tyranny. Tris’s journey concludes with her ultimate sacrifice to save others and bring about change.
Paksennarian – a simple sheep farmer’s daughter who dreams of becoming a warrior and transforms from a naïve farm girl to a skilled warrior, and respected leader, and eventually becomes a Paladin for Gird. Paksenarrion’s journey concludes with her leaving the mercenary life behind and embarking on a new chapter of her life, called to action by the god Gird.
Honor Harrington – introduced as a captain in the Royal Manticoran Navy of the Star Kingdom of Manticore, she is a skilled officer with a promising career ahead of her. Her arc is a journey of courage, integrity, and personal growth, as she navigates the challenges of command, confronts adversity with resilience and determination, and leaves behind a legacy of honor and heroism.
Why do these characters resonate with audiences across genres and generations?
They all experience relatable human experiences, despite the world-building settings, they face universal human experiences and emotions of love, loss, friendship, betrayal, and personal growth. All of these characters are also complex and multi-dimensional. They have strengths and flaws and internal conflicts that make them feel like real individuals, rather than archetypes. Readers/movie fans are huge fans of characters that evolve over time and face challenges that test their limits.
The characters all have inner resilience, and courage, to overcome adversities and stand up for what they believe in. These traits inspire audiences through their determination, bravery, and ability to triumph.
A ton of these characters come from a diverse background and wide-breath of experiences allowing the reader to see themselves represented in the stories. Harry Potter is an orphan. Paksennarian is a poor girl from a small village, Honor is a young woman stepping into her first official role as a leader.
And if those previous four reasons weren’t enough what about the themes of justice and morality? These characters all have a strong moral compass and high principles of justice. They fight against oppression, tyranny, and injustice, embodying values such as integrity, loyalty, and selflessness. Readers are drawn to characters who stand up for what is right, even when it’s difficult or dangerous to do so. Think of some of our famous people in history with these same resonating traits: Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Emma Watson, LeBron James, Anne Sullivan/Helen Keller, or Jane Goodall.
Probably the strongest aspect of resonating factors is not the characters themselves but the richly imagined worlds filled with magic, technology, and adventure, offering escapism.
I hope you enjoyed this blog. I put a ton of hours into it to really break down some of my favorite authors’ brilliance and their fantastical characters. Many of these embody timeless themes and archetypal narratives that resonate across cultures and generations. Whether it’s the hero’s journey, the struggle between good and evil, or the quest for self-discovery and enlightenment, these characters tap into deep-seated human myths and storytelling traditions that have endured for centuries.
A Song of Ice and Fire Series
George R. R. Martin
Check out my upcoming novel Trena, the Memory Reader. I couldn’t quite resist the Heroine/Chosen One/Quester archetypes for this one. I hope you like it. The expected publishing will be later in 2024.
“Trena, daughter of Edis, stand for a hearing!” a middle-aged shamt called out from the canopy-shaded dais centralized within the streets of Star Village where the residents gather for the monthly announcements. His tone, though, held no more answer to his request than if he held the roster of the latest younglings listed to begin their age quest or he were about to confer the planting seasons weathering report.
All eyes shifted to look at her. These days she could no more hide within the tribe than a dragon could hide amongst the horses in the pens. Her long dark hair hung, stray little wisps flowing in the crisp morning air to frame the one-piece shaded visor she now wore across her eyes, a brooding contrast to the tanned features beneath. Yet, the strange eye covering was not the only evidence. In truth, she could never hide. A clansman of the Ipeyo people, be she a woman, man, or child, is one of us and we recognize our own. But many people did perceive her differently.
Unlike the boisterous young women raised in the isolated village, so named for its glimmering light seen from the lowlands, closest to the blanket of stars roaming the night sky where the air is thin, there was a stillness within her seventeen years. A stillness that bound the regular girlish energy with silent apathy. And when she spoke, her tone held a carefulness. And like the mountain she lived upon was built to withstand the winds and cold, she too was taller than average, strong of muscle, some say strong of mind. Although she held these traits, she was bred from the cautious shepherd folk, a reserved and lower sub-caste of the tribe.
Trena carried her parents’ burden of caste, living in the highest lands on Sinsa Mountain, they were the silent walkers among the hills, herding sheep and goats, alone on the upper reaches. Considered beneath most long before, familial generations transformed into outlying clusters from the village proper. Several rumored their ilk were kin to the mountain itself as if they were to shift from human to not. Some say they were but seeds of the stargazers, those who read the gods and goddesses’ footprints among the dark blanket of night. Holding deeper thoughts, they followed ancient star paths, to weigh and measure. The like were withdrawn and taciturn yet filled with faith.
A girl who had just crossed into womanhood, even then, standing calm and steady, surrounded by her entire village, she adopted a cautious stance—one rabbit-skin-covered foot slightly forward, her toned arms held in front of her body, one hand clasping the other wrist—as the sun fell on her raised head. It was vaguely similar to the stance she would eventually cultivate as an adult, but in her youth, she looked taut with guardedness. Although the villagers could not see, she squinted out through the dark tint, a shadow visor created with a Shamt’s special skills, shielding her mysterious new gift, her ‘sight.’
Yes, she was known. Whether reticent, low caste, or careful, the strange ability that arose to draw short visions of other’s memories into her own thoughts, unique and unknown was a powerful gift, assured of a god’s touch. She was a spark, taken wing from among the grounded flames, carried to the highest draft.
Perhaps her being close to where the peoples’ beloved god, Cavel, the Father of Horses, roamed—his cumulus towering clouds with roiling layers, serving as imagined roadways for his band of horses running so closely above—brought this one to his attention? Like the drifting dandelion seeds, with a gust of air, was she separated from all by whimsy? Was she plucked from the dust of his many tribes, to find and give her this gift? Such thoughts were not hers alone. The villagers questioned in whispers even as Trena felt embarrassed and doubted herself.
And, that is why, like ice water from the frozen ponds, poured from the bucket onto her head, she was suddenly vigilant upon hearing her name called. She shivered at the demand. The formative shamt, regarded her, and with a bold resonance, he spoke. “I have been on a vision quest.”
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JL Nich, Science Fiction Fantasy Author
