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| Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #2584] |
Mon, 27 October 2008 22:32  |
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 handyhunter
Messages: 61
Registered: October 2008 |
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A few to start off...
Kate Shugak (Kate Shugak series by Dana Stabenow). There are many, many things I love about Kate. I like that she's in her thirties and gets older as the series goes on; one of the reasons why this series and this character continues to hold my interest is because there is a lot of change that happens: Kate in A Cold Day For Murder is not the same Kate in A Deeper Sleep. The fundamental essence that makes her Kate remains constant, but she starts to get a little less... hard edged, maybe, or brittle and closed off, which she does have good reason for.
I like that she's capable and good at what she does, even if she doesn't always want to be. And that she may not love indiscriminately or unconditionally, but when she does love, it's fiercely and pretty much thoroughly, and that's why it scares her to bits. Not one for half measures, is Kate. She's prickly, dangerous, a wee prudish, intensely private, pragmatic and so very fascinating. Hot, too, did I mention? But not in the most conventional ways, I don't think.
Scott Summers (Astonishing X-Men and First Class, mainly, and bits of Uncanny and Adjectiveless X-Men). I love him because he tries so hard to do what's right -- but not only because it's the right thing to do, but also because he doesn't want to be wrong or make a mistake for fear of his loss of control. His powers scare him, and that's something that's shaped his character; he is a bit uptight and repressed and awkward around women (when he's unsure of their relationship). He screws up a lot (in his personal life, especially) and occasionally runs away when things get to be too hard to bear. And he's a good leader, even when he questions his ability to lead -- or maybe because he does. Other people - even Wolverine - are willing to follow him, and I like to think it's for more reasons than simply because Xavier picked him when the original 5 X-Men were teenagers. That he's hot and tall and a dork doesn't hurt either. And that Whedon wrote him (in Astonishing) as a combination of Mal and Wesley and maybe a little bit of Buffy is what got me hooked on comics and Scott, in particular.
Dean Winchester (Supernatural). I find Dean hugely fascinating. Part of this is that I think he's so very pretty. It's also because he tries so hard to hide his inner marshmallow self, rather unsuccessfully. He's hyper-masculine in some aspects - the leather jacket, muscle car, mullet rock, how low his voice goes when he wants to sound tough, the skirt-chasing, the devil may care attitude and defiance of authority (except his father) - but he also embodies some traits that are generally considered more feminine: he's the caretaker of the family, has these greatly romantic notions of love, and generally hovers around Sam like a mother hen.
I love how much he loves his brother, and how dysfunctional their relationships is -- and how much Dean wants to keep it that way because it's all he knows. There's very little, if any at all, resentment on Dean's part about looking after Sam; he's even remarkably uncritical of John. I love that he is a terrible, terrible liar (and that Sam is *very* good at it). Sometimes he's like a little boy putting on grown up clothes.
Also, season three aside, I never felt that he disrespects women, for all his flirting (not so much sleeping around, because it does not really happen that often); the impression I get when he flirts with women is that he just wants them to have a good time too; he doesn't get offended when he gets shot down and while he lies about his job/what he's doing in that town or bar or wherever, I don't think he goes as far as misleading his partner(s) into thinking he'll be a long-term boyfriend.
Wesley Wyndham-Pryce (Buffy and Angel). Oh Wesley. I love his character arc on both shows. He chronically makes catastrophic mistakes while attempting to do the right thing. Scruffy!Wesley and crazy!Wesley are great, but it was the Wesley on Buffy and early on Angel that I fell for first. What is it about these dark haired, repressed leader types? With daddy issues. From trying to be a proper and respected Watcher (and failing miserably) to his great love for Angel (and then being both betrayed and the betrayer) to the end (I'm not reading the comics)... he's certainly come a long way. And despite how badly he screws up, he always, always comes back and is there for the team. I love a lot that he keeps trying to do the right thing, even when the universe (or Whedon) won't cut him a break.
with a wide open country in my eyes
and these romantic dreams in my head - No Surrender, Bruce Springsteen
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #2600 is a reply to message #2584 ] |
Mon, 27 October 2008 23:58  |
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"And despite how badly he screws up, he always, always comes back and is there for the team."
You REALLY should be reading the comics...
[Updated on: Mon, 27 October 2008 23:58]
"And by the way you look fantastic in your boots of Chinese plastic."
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #2601 is a reply to message #2600 ] |
Tue, 28 October 2008 00:10 |
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handyhunter
Messages: 61
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| ssshunt wrote on Mon, 27 October 2008 23:58 |
"And despite how badly he screws up, he always, always comes back and is there for the team."
You REALLY should be reading the comics...
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I would, except everything I've read about them makes me not want to pick them up, at least right now... And I love "Not Fade Away" so very much. I like where the series ended.
If Whedon hadn't been writing the Buffy comics to start out, I probably wouldn't have picked those up either. I did and am glad, but then Buffy is also a familiar favourite in a way Angel was not. And I thought Brian K Vaughan's run on it was brilliant; the Faith/Buffy/Giles triangle (of love, hurt, mistrust and all their history together) was superbly written.
with a wide open country in my eyes
and these romantic dreams in my head - No Surrender, Bruce Springsteen
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #2643 is a reply to message #2584 ] |
Tue, 28 October 2008 10:00 |
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Laura
Messages: 196
Registered: October 2008
Location: Midwestern USA |
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Alanna (Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce):
Come on, you all knew someone would list her sooner or later. She's everything I love; grumpy, stubborn, loyal, determined, and wonderfully human. I particularly feel close to this character because I first read these books in 4th grade, and I feel that they were very helpful in preventing a "princess phase." I'm not saying that such a phase is a bad thing, we all have phases (horse, veterinarian, princess,...astronaut, etc) through childhood, but with the marketing blitz of the princess brand from Disney, I think it's harder and harder for girls to come out of said phase naturally.
Dana Scully (The X-Files):
Cool, level-headed, a character based on the brain rather than bust size. The open-minded skeptic.
Charles Wallace (Time Quintet by Madeleine L'Engle):
Strangely precocious. I need to reread these books before I can elaborate further, I just remember LOVING Charles Wallace. He also just has a great name.
[Updated on: Tue, 28 October 2008 10:01]
Known on both Ravelry and LibraryThing as thelorelei.
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #2650 is a reply to message #2584 ] |
Tue, 28 October 2008 11:19 |
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| handyhunter wrote on Mon, 27 October 2008 22:32 |
Dean Winchester (Supernatural). I find Dean hugely fascinating. Part of this is that I think he's so very pretty.
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Yes. Yes he is. And fascinating and wonderful, for all the reasons you mentioned (but the changeling episode in S3 with the little boy? aaaaaaaww. And 'Dead in the Water', when he goes racing off of the dock....gah. LOVE).
More:
Eowyn. Since I was, oh, five, and my dad read LotR to me the first time, I've loved Eowyn. When I was little (and not so little) and was having a bad day, I'd make my dad read 'The Battle of Pelennor Fields' to me. It was very important to little Charis, that image of a strong woman so literally fighting off her demons, and it would be even more important to grown up Charis, who has a few demons of her own.
Faramir. C'mon. You know you want to marry him and cuddle him like a teddy bear for ever and ever and ever.
Emma from Jane Austen's novel of the same name. I know a lot of people who think she's annoying and shallow....but I relate so much to her flaws. And to her character arch, as she comes to terms with her flaws and starts to grow up.
Sophie Hatter from Howl's Moving Castle. Another character I relate too--oldest of three sisters, check, debilitating self doubt, check, grumpy old lady at heart, check--I want to be Sophie when I grow up.
Lord Peter Wimsey. He's the most fascinating character--so light, and yet so deep. The development he goes through in the course of the books is remarkable.
Death and Dream from Sandman--what's not to love? Death is the cool, confident, kind-hearted goth chick I wish I was (not that I'm particularly goth--but a little bit of me is). Dream reminds me of my brother.
Paks from Elizabeth Moon's The Deed of Paksenarrion, my favorite book other than LotR when I was 10-13 and still a favorite. She's just a character of remarkable strength and humanity and conviction.
...I'll stop, because I could probably go on for ever....
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #2653 is a reply to message #2650 ] |
Tue, 28 October 2008 13:38 |
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handyhunter
Messages: 61
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| Charismitaine wrote on Tue, 28 October 2008 11:19 |
| handyhunter wrote on Mon, 27 October 2008 22:32 |
Dean Winchester (Supernatural). I find Dean hugely fascinating. Part of this is that I think he's so very pretty.
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Yes. Yes he is.
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Like staring into the sun. Fan-service at its best. The camera loves him.
Since there's a cat sitting on my lap...
Mutt. Kate Shugak's partner. She's half-wolf, smart, loyal, well-trained and one of her favourite people is Jim Chopin, state trooper.
Diefenbaker (Due South). Another half-wolf, half-unknown. He moved to Chicago from the Yukon with Benton Fraser. They solve crimes together, unless Dief is mad at Fraser, in which case he does his own thing.
"There is nothing more frustrating than playing hide and seek with a deaf wolf.”
I think Mutt and Dief would get along a little too well.
with a wide open country in my eyes
and these romantic dreams in my head - No Surrender, Bruce Springsteen
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #2662 is a reply to message #2643 ] |
Tue, 28 October 2008 14:57 |
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Akai
Messages: 76
Registered: October 2008
Location: Seattle, WA |
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| Laura wrote on Tue, 28 October 2008 07:00 |
Alanna (Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce):
Come on, you all knew someone would list her sooner or later. She's everything I love; grumpy, stubborn, loyal, determined, and wonderfully human. I particularly feel close to this character because I first read these books in 4th grade, and I feel that they were very helpful in preventing a "princess phase." I'm not saying that such a phase is a bad thing, we all have phases (horse, veterinarian, princess,...astronaut, etc) through childhood, but with the marketing blitz of the princess brand from Disney, I think it's harder and harder for girls to come out of said phase naturally.
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If you hadn't put her down, I would have. With her help, I didn't have a princess phase, I had a knight phase. I was terribly disappointed when I learned this was not an available job outside of Medieval Times or Las Vegas. To be honest, I still am a bit bummed by it all.
The Disreputable Dog and Mogget from the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. Amazing characters. The Disreputable Dog is down to earth, loving, mysterious, sneaky, cool headed, smart and has a great sense of humor. She's everything I wish I could be (other than a dog). And then Mogget is so snide and mean without offending, furious but understanding at the same time, unafraid to share his opinions. And then both of these characters have unplumbed depths that don't come out until the very last which suddenly explain more about who they are and why they do what they do that makes you weep for their loss. (PS: Read the Abhorsen books.)
Anne Elliot from Persuasion by Jane Austen. Who among us doesn't have regrets we let tarnish parts of ourselves? Anne does, and she overcomes them by not letting them run her life and not making the same mistake twice.[B]
Cimorene from The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede. She's smart, sassy and demanding. If you have to have a princess to emulate, she'd be a good one to pick.
Honorable mention goes to Bran from The Dark is Rising sequence, Scout Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird and Gemma Doyle from the Gemma Doyle trilogy.
self respect: the secure feeling that no one, as yet, is suspicious.
--H.L. Mencken
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #2665 is a reply to message #2662 ] |
Tue, 28 October 2008 15:03 |
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shalea
Messages: 779
Registered: October 2008
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina, ... |
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| Akai wrote on Tue, 28 October 2008 14:57 |
The Disreputable Dog and Mogget from the Abhorsen trilogy by Garth Nix. Amazing characters. The Disreputable Dog is down to earth, loving, mysterious, sneaky, cool headed, smart and has a great sense of humor. She's everything I wish I could be (other than a dog). And then Mogget is so snide and mean without offending, furious but understanding at the same time, unafraid to share his opinions. And then both of these characters have unplumbed depths that don't come out until the very last which suddenly explain more about who they are and why they do what they do that makes you weep for their loss. (PS: Read the Abhorsen books.)
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LOVE those books! Definitely second the recommendation.
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #2697 is a reply to message #2683 ] |
Tue, 28 October 2008 19:01 |
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Melissa Mead
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| Laura wrote on Tue, 28 October 2008 16:41 |
I do like Miles a lot...at the risk of derailing the thread, can anyone tell me how to figure out what order the books go in? I've read Cordelia's Honor, Warrior's Apprentice, and also Ethan of Athos, which is sort of an aside in the series, it seems. I put off continuing because I didn't know what book comes next. Halp! (pardon my lolz speak, I do know how to spell)
OK, and everyone else keep listing characters. No diversions here!
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http://www.dendarii.com/biblio.html
Member of Carpe Libris: http://carpelibris.wordpress.com/
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #2704 is a reply to message #2584 ] |
Tue, 28 October 2008 19:34 |
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erica_an
Messages: 15
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Esmerelda (Granny) Weatherwax and Sam Vimes - both from Pratchett's DiscWorld. I love Tiffany Aching as well. From grumpy and terrifying old witch to grim policeman to witch in training - one thing they all have in common is that they are aware that the world is, in many ways, really, irredeemably bad, and they keep working to make it better anyway. The humor doesn't hurt one bit, either.
Will Stanton of Susan Cooper's Dark is Rising series. I used to imagine that I, too, was an old and wise soul trapped in a pre-teenager's body. This book made me want to grow up in England or Wales.
Buffy Summers. Stating the obvious here, but there's something wonderful about the way Whedon took the stereotype of the scared little blond of the horror movies and made her fight back. I love Willow and Giles and Xander, too, but Buffy is the reason I wish the show had existed when I was growing up - Daisy Duke was not nearly so inspiring.
Katherine of Elizabeth Marie Pope's Perilous Gard. Practical, skeptical, stubborn, and wonderfully well-written.
Toby Ziegler of The West Wing. An idealist and a cynic, all at once. I love his grumpiness, his melancholy demeanor, and his passion for and knowledge of writing and the power of words.
Erica
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #2715 is a reply to message #2683 ] |
Tue, 28 October 2008 20:04 |
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handyhunter
Messages: 61
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| Laura wrote on Tue, 28 October 2008 16:41 |
I do like Miles a lot...at the risk of derailing the thread, can anyone tell me how to figure out what order the books go in? I've read Cordelia's Honor, Warrior's Apprentice, and also Ethan of Athos, which is sort of an aside in the series, it seems. I put off continuing because I didn't know what book comes next. Halp! (pardon my lolz speak, I do know how to spell)
OK, and everyone else keep listing characters. No diversions here!
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Wikipedia also has a list with the omnibus editions. They might be easier (and cheaper) to find than the individual books.
with a wide open country in my eyes
and these romantic dreams in my head - No Surrender, Bruce Springsteen
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #2901 is a reply to message #2650 ] |
Wed, 29 October 2008 23:30 |
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Honey_Bee
Messages: 86
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Location: Tennessee |
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[quote title=Charismitaine wrote on Tue, 28 October 2008 11:19]| handyhunter wrote on Mon, 27 October 2008 22:32 |
Faramir. C'mon. You know you want to marry him and cuddle him like a teddy bear for ever and ever and ever.
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I couldn't agree more! I like him even above Aragorn since there's something so appealing about a guy with issues. Probably because my guy doesn't have issues to that extent.
Melisande I hate to say it but my favorite character from Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Dart is the villain. She's brilliant, utterly brilliant and she has such an evolution throughout Carey's series.
Phedre The heroine from Carey's books. Can you tell I'm a fan of these? I love Phedre because she is so different from any other heroine I've ever encountered. She's raised very gently but because of her masochistic nature, she can handle anything you through at her. Not to mention that this aspect of her gets her into trouble as well. Also a great opposites-attract-love story in this too.
Snape Yes, yes. I love Harry Potter and Snape is by far my favorite character. Why? I probably couldn't even tell you considering how awful he is. It's probably the good intentions that are hidden underneath all that sarcasm.
Rogue From the X-Men comics. She's sarcastic and has this front of being very strong when she is actually so insecure because of the nature of her powers.
Vincent Valentine From the video game Final Fantasy VII, Did anyone on here play that game? Again with the sullen quiet man with a tortured past. I'm a sucker for them, I swear.
I could go on and on. There's nothing better than a great character. Even if the plot is flat, a good character can rescue it.
[Updated on: Wed, 29 October 2008 23:36]
"All knowledge is worth having."
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #2902 is a reply to message #2584 ] |
Wed, 29 October 2008 23:54 |
Megan
Messages: 57
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Yes to several of the above, Alanna, all Enchanted Forest characters, Garth Nix novels.
Elizabeth Bennet and Darcy - Individually, and as a couple, they are my favorite of Jane Austen's heroes and heroines. They both struggle so to over come their pride and prejudice to fall so in love, with such struggles.
Aragorn - One of my favorite heroes ever. His honor and dedication, as well as total coolness, dictated my definition of hero from childhood to now.
Frodo - I have to have at least three from LOTR. Frodo's journey always moves me, and his growth captures the heart of the story for me.
Eowyn - Always loved her character; she makes choices for herself, risks everything and accomplishes something which she alone could have achieved. My inspiration as a child, like others here. 
Daine - Though I liked Alanna, the ability to talk to animals...wonderful.Her characters also coincided better with my own. She got travel all over, and characters from the previous books interacted with her.
Bella and Edward - The most recent addition to my comfort books authors. I enjoyed every aspect of their story.
Kvothe - From The Name of the Wind, a classic coming of age story, with a hero that I love. He's funny, stupid,and brave as a kid but he's telling the story so you also know him after the stories have ended. I can't wait for the next book!
I am sure my list will change/grow/morph tomorrow. This my favorites of the moment, only! But I'm sure it's true of everyone else here.
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #2905 is a reply to message #2901 ] |
Thu, 30 October 2008 00:20 |
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Akai
Messages: 76
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Location: Seattle, WA |
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[quote title=Honey_Bee wrote on Wed, 29 October 2008 20:30]| Charismitaine wrote on Tue, 28 October 2008 11:19 |
Snape Yes, yes. I love Harry Potter and Snape is by far my favorite character. Why? I probably couldn't even tell you considering how awful he is. It's probably the good intentions that are hidden underneath all that sarcasm.
Vincent Valentine From the video game Final Fantasy VII, Did anyone on here play that game? Again with the sullen quiet man with a tortured past. I'm a sucker for them, I swear.
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I, too, love Snape. I was a snape defender from book 2 (I admit, she had me in book 1...). He made me cry a number of times, but not because he was being mean, but because of his memories.
And as for Vincent, I felt he was the best character in FFVII as well... Cloud needed to grow a back bone, and Tifa just needed to say what she was feeling. Yuffie was cool. All in all, though, I liked FFVIII much better. (sacrilege as far as most FF fans are concerned, I know.)
self respect: the secure feeling that no one, as yet, is suspicious.
--H.L. Mencken
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #3024 is a reply to message #2902 ] |
Fri, 31 October 2008 05:25 |
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| Megan wrote on Thu, 30 October 2008 16:54 |
Yes to several of the above, Alanna, all Enchanted Forest characters, Garth Nix novels.
*snip*
Kvothe - From The Name of the Wind, a classic coming of age story, with a hero that I love. He's funny, stupid,and brave as a kid but he's telling the story so you also know him after the stories have ended. I can't wait for the next book!
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A slight segue into agreeing with how excellent this book it. Im not sure I *like* him as a character tho but yes a FANTASTIC book.
Im a member of the Cimorene fan club.
Also Mal from Firefly (and Wash)
Miles Vorkosigan from Lois McMaster Bujolds books
Ista from her 5 Gods series - also by LMB
Dakar from Janny Wurts Wars of Light and Shadow series
Vlad Taltos from the series by Steven Brust
Saetan saDiablo from Anne Bishops Black Jewels Trilogy
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #3026 is a reply to message #2584 ] |
Fri, 31 October 2008 06:05 |
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L.R.K.
Messages: 1079
Registered: October 2008
Location: Sweden |
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Yes, I think Snape might be my favourite Harry Potter-character; as played by Alan Rickman, as I haven't read the books (yet - on my library list). I also love his portrayal of Mr Slope in the Barchester Chronicles. Here's a little clip:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=IXxgXwUOIxc
The cast is excellent - Nigel Hawthorne as Archdeacon Grantly, Clive Swift as Bishop Proudie (also in the clip) and Susan Hampshire as Madame Vesey Neroni (not in the clip), among others.
Of course I'd read the Barsetshire novels multiple times before seeing the drama. I have so many favourites, I can't name them all: Bishop Grantly, the Archdeacon, Bishop Proudie, Mrs Proudie (I even felt sorry for her in the end of "The Last Chronicle of Barset!), Eleanor, Arabin, Dr Thorne, Miss Dunstable...even characters who have little or nothing to do with the main plot, like Conway Dalrymple and Clara Van Siever...
But my two most favourite characters are:
Mr Harding - a loveable, timid man, with no belief in his own powers, but who takes a stand for what he believes is right. (One of the reasons I don't care for Griselda Grantly is the contempt with which she treats him. Why, Good Heavens, even the Archdeacon appreciates him, even when he does not agree with him!)
Mr Crawley - not a comfortable man to have around, certainly, but he's interesting; pride and self-doubt, sure that he is right, yet he can't help but wonder if he is a thief after all...
Why, I feel all thin, sort of stretched, if you know what I mean, like butter that has been scraped over too much bread.
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #3028 is a reply to message #2584 ] |
Fri, 31 October 2008 06:47 |
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Death from Discworld. It's fun to watch him experience life. AND HE SPEAKS IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.
Tiffany Aching. Way to use a frying pan!
Nobby, also from Discworld.
Amelia Peabody from the Elizabeth Peters books. Trouble always finds her, and she handles it beautifully.
Another vote each for Cimorene and Morwen from the Enchanted Forest Chronicles.
Fred and George. I love their mischevious minds--perhaps they share one between them.
Jean Paget from A Town Like Alice. A survivor, an adapter. She goes back to help the people who helped her.
Jane Bennett, Pride and Prejudice. She walks.
Connor Larkin from Trinity
Jeeves. Well, Bertie Wooster, too, for that matter.
Agatha Christie's Tuppence.
Scar
"People think that stories are shaped by people. In fact, it's the other way around."
T.P.
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #3090 is a reply to message #2584 ] |
Fri, 31 October 2008 19:28 |
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That reminded me of
Deth from The Riddlemaster Trilogy.
"And by the way you look fantastic in your boots of Chinese plastic."
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #3161 is a reply to message #3159 ] |
Sat, 01 November 2008 17:51 |
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Susan from Athens
Messages: 817
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| handyhunter wrote on Sat, 01 November 2008 22:39 |
Having marathoned Due South seasons 1 and 2 most successfully, I have to add:
Benton Fraser. Like Jesus, if Jesus were a Mountie.
And (the original) Ray Vecchio, whose slightly cynical outlook balanced out Fraser's idealism. And for the "Benny"s and all the times he chased after Fraser chasing after some car, truck or bad guy, grumbling all the way.
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It's been quite a while since I saw Due South, but I do admit I liked Benton Fraser as a character. Nice series and loved the wolf, probably even more than Benton. 
“I have always imagined heaven to be a kind of library.” –Jorge Luis Borges
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| I'll give a quick shout out for a few of my favorites... [message #3162 is a reply to message #2584 ] |
Sat, 01 November 2008 18:08 |
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RosaleeLuAnn
Messages: 11
Registered: October 2008 |
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Eugenides, or Gen, from the Queen's Thief books. And Attolia, and Costis, and Eddis... while I'm on the subject. But mostly Gen, because he's so dang clever and funny and sneaky and awesome.
Hollin from Naomi Novik's His Majesty's Dragon. He's a very minor character, but I always liked him anyway.
While we're on the subject, Iskierka from Black Powder War is a riot. She makes me laugh so hard.
Ella, from Ella Enchanted. I like how she doesn't just sit around and let her 'curse' control her, takes control whenever she can. And she makes me laugh and lives happily ever after and is just generally wonderful.
Zuko, from the Avatar: The Last Airbender TV show. (Yes, I know it's a kids show, but I love it anyway.) They call it Avatar to make you THINK it's about Aang, but what its really about is Zuko and how awesome he is.
As a fairy-tale hero if someone gave me a vorpal blade I'd probably stick it in my foot. Or get lost in the mimsy borogroves. Life is just one day after another, even when the days are really, really strange. --Jake
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| Re: I'll give a quick shout out for a few of my favorites... [message #3173 is a reply to message #3162 ] |
Sat, 01 November 2008 21:15 |
Megan
Messages: 57
Registered: October 2008 |
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| RosaleeLuAnn wrote on Sat, 01 November 2008 18:08 |
Eugenides, or Gen, from the Queen's Thief books. And Attolia, and Costis, and Eddis... while I'm on the subject. But mostly Gen, because he's so dang clever and funny and sneaky and awesome.
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Oh absolutely, another favorite. Clever definitely, but visionary. I'm always amazed at where his plans end up...every book, especially the first one, I remember being completely surprised by the ending.
She was one of the few authors that pulls the wool over my eyes. Which one's your favorite? If it's possible to choose.
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #3174 is a reply to message #2584 ] |
Sat, 01 November 2008 21:24 |
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blondviolinist
Messages: 1067
Registered: October 2008
Location: Midwestern United States |
Senior Member |
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I second (or third, or whatever number we're on) Cimorene, Morwen, Eowyn, and Scout.
My additions would be:
Eilonwy, from Lloyd Alexander's Prydain Chronicles. She's spunky, loyal, a total chatterbox, and with more depth than you might expect.
Raederle, from the Riddlemaster trilogy. I love her deep desire to protect and save, even if it means facing things about herself she'd rather not admit. I love her loyalty and stubborness, and I really wish I could shapechange like she does
Kim... actually, I have two favorite Kims, both the one from Wrede's Mairelon the Magician and from Kipling's Kim. Wrede's I love for her spunk, her forthrightness, and her worldliness. Kipling's Kim I also love for his spunk, but I also love his skill at the Game, as well as his loyalty to the old lama.
Other characters that make me happy anytime they walk onto a page: Dumbledore (I love the passwords to get to his office), Aslan, Gandalf, and last but most definitely not least, Treebeard. "Hroom, hoom. Let's not be too hasty."
"Purity of heart is to will one thing." Kirkegaard
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #3189 is a reply to message #2584 ] |
Sat, 01 November 2008 23:34 |
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I have to add Morgan of Hed and Raederle of An.
Merlin, in Mary Stewart's books.
Nepenthe, from The Alphabet of Thorn.
I'll think of more.
"And by the way you look fantastic in your boots of Chinese plastic."
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #3191 is a reply to message #2584 ] |
Sat, 01 November 2008 23:49 |
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Kathy_S
Messages: 313
Registered: October 2008
Location: Indiana |
Senior Member |
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This is a hard one! Not only is trying to enumerate "bests" always problematic, but favorite character can mean a lot of things -- someone with whom you empathize, someone you admire, a character who makes a book memorable.... I've been mentally going through favorite books, and often it's the combined cast of characters rather than an outstanding individual that make the books special. Or something else entirely. For example, I dearly love Tolkien, but it's more the depth of his world than the characters. The Riddlemaster trilogy is powerful on all fronts: universe, language, and characters -- but Morgan & Raederle & Deth all stand out for me, rather than any one of them defining the book. Of those mentioned so far Paks and Amelia Peabody may be the ones who most fit my category of favorite strong, central characters.
A few characters who haven't come up yet -- or perhaps more than a few -- from a mix of genres and for a mix of reasons:
Kate Bloomfield, Kate, Jean Little
Brother Cadfael, series by Ellis Peters
Dick & Dorothea Callum, Winter Holiday, Picts & Martyrs, Arthur Ransome
Elana, Enchantress from the Stars, The Far Side of Evil, Sylvia Louise Engdahl
Penelope Keeling, The Shell Seekers, Rosamund Pilcher
Magda Lorne,Thendara House etc., Marion Zimmer Bradley
Reuven Malter, The Chosen, The Promise, Chaim Potok
Jo March, Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
George Sandison, the Reachfar part of the My Friends series, Jane Duncan.
J.D. Sauvage, Starfarers tetrology, Vonda McIntyre
Talia, Arrows trilogy, Mercedes Lackey
Mary-Lou Trelawney, Chalet School series, Elinor Brent-Dyer. (Yes, I know many people hate her, often for the same reasons they dislike Hermione in Harry Potter. I like them both.)
Hannah Tupper, The Witch of Blackbird Pond
Katharine Vigneras, A Severed Wasp, Madeleine L'Engle. (I empathize more with Meg from A Wrinkle in Time, though.)
Laura Ingalls, Little House series, Laura Ingalls Wilder
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #3205 is a reply to message #2584 ] |
Sun, 02 November 2008 01:51 |
Susan in Melbourne
Messages: 184
Registered: October 2008
Location: Melbourne |
Senior Member |
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Two of my favourite people are Claire and Jamie Fraser from Diana Gabaldron's 'Outlander' series. I love the way Claire is so damn competent at everything she turns her hand to, and while she might swear a lot, she just gets on and does what's needed. And I lervve Jamie! Where was he when I was 24 and ready to get married? Really tough, but tender at the same time, funny, smart, brave, loyal - too good to be true, I know.
I endured four months of chemotherapy earlier this year, and I badly needed comfort reading, so re-read the entire series, all seven books one after the other (and they're monster-sized books, too!), and felt lonely when I'd finished, that Claire and Jamie weren't in my life.
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| Re: Favourite (non McKinley) Characters? [message #3253 is a reply to message #3174 ] |
Sun, 02 November 2008 14:44 |
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| blondviolinist wrote on Sun, 02 November 2008 01:24 |
...Kipling's Kim I also love for his spunk, but I also love his skill at the Game, as well as his loyalty to the old lama.
Other characters that make me happy anytime they walk onto a page: Dumbledore (I love the passwords to get to his office), Aslan, Gandalf, and last but most definitely not least, Treebeard. "Hroom, hoom. Let's not be too hasty."
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I've been reading all the recommendations and can't decide (so hard to choose) but I second all these, and Alan Rickman as the sherriff of Nottingham, who was so deliciously evil yet humorous
Someone says "pie" and we all go on alert, like meercats. "Pie? Where?" - Blackbear
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