"Holding the Stone high, Fleshharrower led his army through the canyon. At the south end of the Retreat, he found the Warward gone. The last of his enemies -- a small band of riders including two Lords -- were galloping away out of reach. He howled imprecations after them, vowing that he would pursue them to the death. But then his farseeing Giantish eyes made out the Warward, seven or eight leagues beyond the riders. He marked the direction of their march -- saw where they were headed. And he began to laugh again. Peals of sarcasm and triumph echoed off the blank cliffs of Doom's Retreat."

-- The Illearth War

      Has any fantasy author ever undertaken to write a novel-length work from the evil perspective, i.e. from the antagonist's viewpoint? Not from the perspective of a flawed anti-hero such as Michael Moorcock's Elric, or Anne Rice's or Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's sympathetic vampires. Could such a book even be done ... convincingly and interestingly? Could it enjoy commercial success? Why hasn't an author with stature tried it?

      I'm interested in the concept and might enjoy reading the Chronicles from the viewpoint of the Despiser, the Ravers, ur-viles and the Stone-warped, where the action can only be viewed from the eyes (or noses in the case of the ur-viles) of the Despiser and his minions. What would the last, mad dash of Quaan's mounted force to Doom's Retreat read like as viewed from the perspective of the kresh-mounted ur-viles? How would the small victories of the Ramen and Ranyhyn, the Bloodguard and Lords seem to the Despiser and Ravers?

      Surely there is an experience here worth exploring, although it would take the touch of a master to pull it off convincingly and in a manner that does not alienate the reader. And I'm not suggesting finding a soft spot in the Despiser's heart, explaining his motivations, or finding something sympathetic in his situation -- I want him to be Satansheart Soulcrusher, and his Ravers to be bloodsplattering evil incarnate, and then watch him do his thing and see what makes him tick.

      What do you think? Could it be done? Should it even be attempted? Or is Covenant, and to a lesser degree, Linden, as defective and evil-tinged a protagonist as the reader is willing to accept?