Antagonist

Character Role Analysis

Buck Scales/Padre Martinez

Buck Scales isn't in the book very long, but he's definitely the most unlikeable dude we come across. The guy isn't just an abusive husband; he's also a cold-blooded murderer with four bodies buried in his backyard. Ol' Bucky gets his, though, when his wife rats him out to the cops and he gets hanged for all the bad stuff he's done.

Padre Martinez is an entirely different kettle of fish. This guy is a Spanish priest who's become one of the most beloved men in his community. Yet he still abuses his power and has sex with young women in spite of the fact that his faith forbids it. Luckily for Father Latour, though, Martinez dies of old age before he can do too much damage on Latour's watch.