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Status: Drafting the fourth book in the PERILOUS series!

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

CIA Cop-out

The government is running a top-secret program to create fighting machines. These people are bred to kill, and they don't even feel pain. You have no idea who they are. It's a government conspiracy.

Wait a minute...this plot's been done before.

But who's complaining? Didn't we all love watching Jason Bourne struggle to find out who he was after Treadstone took over his identity?

Besides, it's such an easy plot device. No one can prove it or disprove it. Of course the government says it's not real. They also say that Roswell didn't happen.

But it's an old plot device. Conspiracies in high places, Interpol agents sold to the highest bidder, FBI and CIA working for the other side. I'll admit, I used it too. What good is a thriller if all the guys that appear to be good are actually good?

That's not how it is in real life, though. The good guys are good, and our government would never hire assassins. That only happens in fiction.

At least, you can keep telling yourself that.

11 comments:

Unknown said...

I agree. I love these sort of stories (I just need to get around to watching Bourne... haven't really managed to do that). It's what makes a thriller. I love when characters that seem good really have ulterior motives or are under the control of someone else... sleeper agents, that's what every story needs.

KM Nalle said...

Conspiracy is always a seller. Add good guys gone bad and bad guys saving the innocent and it's a best seller. I personally like imagining conspiracy around the next corner.

Tamara Hart Heiner said...

ah! see? these plots will never go out of style. And Cheree, what??? you've got to see the Bourne movies! they are the best!

Rebecca Blevins said...

I haven't seen the movies yet, either. I've come to realize that I love to read thrillers, as long as the language is tame!

Amber said...

haha, I totally agree! I love thrillers, and conspiracy ones are great! What about Manchurian Candidate? It's a good one too.

Unknown said...

Nice post! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, but I have nothing clever to add. Hehe!

Tamara Hart Heiner said...

Rebecca, you're living in a hole!

for sure, Amber! that's a good one!

I'll take that as a compliment, Nisa!

Laura Pauling said...

I love these kinds of stories too - I don't care if it's been done before! Congrats and best of luck with Perilous!

Tamara Hart Heiner said...

Thanks, Laura!

Tara Maya said...

Any time there is a terrorist and a senator in a story, I know the senator is either funding the terrorist or actually *is* the terrorist. I love spy stories, but I do prefer they not be so cliche that they are utterly predictable.

Rule of thumb: the premise can be old, but the treatment should be new.

Tamara Hart Heiner said...

excellent, excellent point, Tara. I'll have to keep that in mind for my own writing!

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