Risking a popular character

I am not much of a fan of regular literary conventions.

The good guy is the good guy, the bad guy is the bad guy. And nothing is going to change that ever so stop trying to change it.

That is the kind of attitude I work against. Is the good guy really that good? Maybe he is just a really convincing liar. I am no the first person to do this. Various artists have been dong this twist reveal for years, and I am sure they do it better than I do.

It is something I enjoy, to keep people on their toes as they read my book and as I grow I hope it is part of my reputation. The same way George R R Martin is known for killing off our favorites, I wouldn't mind if people were afraid to jump to conclusions about my character motives.

But does it alienate an audience? I must admit that I am a little concerned on that happening. Already I have experienced some lash back concerning characters who people have connected with and then BAM everything they thought they knew is no longer true. Will I stop doing it, probably not. Why bother living if we aren't a little reckless?