I'm working on a historical thriller, set during the First World War, and have reached a roadblock. Before I go back to restart, I was wondering whether I have to change my entire approach, as follows:
The novel takes place in Belgium in 1916, occupied by German forces, run as a police state. As I have it now, the main character is a Dutch engineer sent by his government to Brussels, with reluctant German consent. Several governments (and private concerns) have a strong interest in his mission and will, during the course of the book, try to influence it, and him. However, as a citizen of a neutral country, the threat to him isn't as great as it would be if he were Belgian. Does this matter absolutely, or is it enough that he quickly--from the first paragraph--gets involved with a Belgian in a resistance network? Would it work equally well (or badly) if the novel began with a Belgian risking his life or liberty to plead with him for a certain outcome to the mission?
Can anyone suggest a novel in which this kind of situation works--a person who has a certain immunity from danger, which he or she compromises? In that kind of book, you know that he can go home again safely, so long as he stays out of trouble. . . but he can't.
Conversely, would it seem stronger to you if I changed the whole thing around and had the main character be Belgian, and the engineer a lesser but still crucial character?
Thanks.
The novel takes place in Belgium in 1916, occupied by German forces, run as a police state. As I have it now, the main character is a Dutch engineer sent by his government to Brussels, with reluctant German consent. Several governments (and private concerns) have a strong interest in his mission and will, during the course of the book, try to influence it, and him. However, as a citizen of a neutral country, the threat to him isn't as great as it would be if he were Belgian. Does this matter absolutely, or is it enough that he quickly--from the first paragraph--gets involved with a Belgian in a resistance network? Would it work equally well (or badly) if the novel began with a Belgian risking his life or liberty to plead with him for a certain outcome to the mission?
Can anyone suggest a novel in which this kind of situation works--a person who has a certain immunity from danger, which he or she compromises? In that kind of book, you know that he can go home again safely, so long as he stays out of trouble. . . but he can't.
Conversely, would it seem stronger to you if I changed the whole thing around and had the main character be Belgian, and the engineer a lesser but still crucial character?
Thanks.