Anne of Green Gables — a wonderful little girl who grew up in the series to be a wonderful woman and writer. And the setting was so idylic in a kinder age.
Those are childhood favorites that I still resonate with. And then there’s…
Susan Sto Helit, from Pratchett’s Diskworld, Death’s granddaughter, wielder of the fireplace poker, and governess who calmly tells her young charge to stop being twee or she will “knot his arms behind his head.”
I’m sure I have more than one favorite character, but, only one popped in my head as I read the question. Odd Thomas. Dean Koontz’s twenty-one year old fry cook and defender to the dead. The young man from Pico Mundo, CA. is often sought out by the deceased to find justice for their deaths, which leads the seer of spirits on all sorts of life and death adventures. Odd Thomas is often accompanied by his ghostly canine companion, Boo, and for a couple of books, Elvis Presley accompanied Odd throughout his travels. If you haven’t read it yet, give him a try. Very clever writing, as is usual for Koontz, not to mention very deep and interesting characters too.
JaneEyre, from the book of the same name. And the aforementioned Anne Shirley, of Anne of Green Gables. Orphans and underdogs, got to love ’em. If characters are strengthened by their obstacles/weaknesses, not belonging to anyone is the biggest of all.
Also, jokes aside, Ahab called Moby Dick a male whale, and whalers could tell, because whales have quite large dorks (look it up, it’s the technical term for the whale’s membrum virile!)
I have to go with Scout and Holden Caulfield, even though they’ve probably been mentioned dozens of times already.
From a less literary perspective, I’m a pretty big fan of Joe Morelli in the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich. Stephanie herself rates as well.
I almost forgot India Opal Bologna. And Susie Salmon from The Lovely Bones. And Lily Owens from The Secret Life of Bees. Uh-Oh. Now I feel like the flood gate has been opened…
Elizabeth Bennett, definitely, but Fitzwilliam Darcy moreso. So misunderstood. So heroic and humble in the end. So, um, dark. So repressed. So sexy. Also Henry DeTamble from the Time Traveller’s Wife. I cared about him soooo much. Now I’ve read all the responses, I’m reminded that I also adore Aragorn. And Spock! Is there a pattern developing here? I think there’s a pattern. (EB notwithstanding).
Alex, I thought you did by the ‘American’ comment but…
It’s weird how a lot of us who live outside of America are conditioned to alter spelling or phrases for people in the US – be it books or blogs.
I try to refrain from doing it myself since I don’t subscribe to the fact that American’s are so dumb that they are unable to decipher another version of ‘English’.
That said, I’m always wary of be pulled up by readers for ‘spelling errors’.
Yeah, I know. We’ve taken over the world. Do you giggle at the way we spell aluminum without the “i” that’s in the elements table? I think we just like to kick the poo out of the proper way of things. I think you and I have completely veered off of the topic and I wonder if Nathan’s going to tell us to get back on topic.
The Unman from Perelandra, by C.S. Lewis Cyrano De Bergerac ??? Don Quixote by Cervantes Aslan From the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis Severus Snape from Harry Potter by Rowlings
The ‘Alumin(i)um’ thing was my first Americanised topic of disagreement with an exchange student in high school. Twenty years later and you guys over there are still a mystery to us! 🙂
As for Nathan … he probably loves the attention – almost a 400+ comment post.
He’ll probably start deleting now that I’ve said that.
Jenny says
Harry Dresden, of course.
And I can’t leave out Wilkins Micawber, who, “in short” is absolutely my all time favorite. 😀
bettyk says
Anne of Green Gables — a wonderful little girl who grew up in the series to be a wonderful woman and writer. And the setting was so idylic in a kinder age.
Disgruntled Bear says
Elizabeth Bennett (Pride and Prejudice)
Jo March (Little Women)
Ender Wiggin (Ender’s Game)
Edward Cullen (Twilight)
King David (God Knows)
Luna Lovegood (Harry Potter)
Zaphod Beeblebrox (Hitchhiker’s Guide)
Temeraire (His Majesty’s Dragon)
I won’t pick just one; you can’t pigeonhole me!
Mystery Robin says
Aslan
carly says
Hermoine Granger
Anonymous says
Love lots of those mentioned
Add to the list
Pippi Longstocking
Calvin & Hobbes
Quiller
Chris Bates says
Alex, ‘favourite’ – British English for us Aussies.
Sarah says
I’m so gonna cheat and rattle off a list:
Sara, from A Little Princess. She was so valiant
Anne, from Anne of Green Gables.
Those are childhood favorites that I still resonate with. And then there’s…
Susan Sto Helit, from Pratchett’s Diskworld, Death’s granddaughter, wielder of the fireplace poker, and governess who calmly tells her young charge to stop being twee or she will “knot his arms behind his head.”
Sarah says
Also Anne Elliot from Persuation!
Claire says
I’m sure I have more than one favorite character, but, only one popped in my head as I read the question. Odd Thomas. Dean Koontz’s twenty-one year old fry cook and defender to the dead. The young man from Pico Mundo, CA. is often sought out by the deceased to find justice for their deaths, which leads the seer of spirits on all sorts of life and death adventures. Odd Thomas is often accompanied by his ghostly canine companion, Boo, and for a couple of books, Elvis Presley accompanied Odd throughout his travels.
If you haven’t read it yet, give him a try. Very clever writing, as is usual for Koontz, not to mention very deep and interesting characters too.
Adam says
Judge Holden – Blood Meridian
The Three – Outer Dark
George Smiley – Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Joe Christmas – Light in August
Bayard Sartoris – Flags in the Dust
Philip Carey – Of Human Bondage
Spencer Ellsworth says
Tyrion Lannister.
Or Samwise Gamgee.
Redleg says
Pavel Smerdyakov
JaxPop says
Jack Rackham
Mitch Rapp
Jack Reacher
Jason Bourne
Alan says
Batman – greatest fictional character of all time.
Bekkoni says
Colonel Aurelianio Buendia in “100 Years of Solitude” or Margot in “Paper Towns”
J. Louise Larson says
JaneEyre, from the book of the same name. And the aforementioned Anne Shirley, of Anne of Green Gables. Orphans and underdogs, got to love ’em. If characters are strengthened by their obstacles/weaknesses, not belonging to anyone is the biggest of all.
Anonymous says
Miss Scarlet O’Hara. There are times I could just punch her, but she’s so vivid, and I like her anyway. 🙂
Jane Read says
Harriet the Spy!
Also, jokes aside, Ahab called Moby Dick a male whale, and whalers could tell, because whales have quite large dorks (look it up, it’s the technical term for the whale’s membrum virile!)
Gilbert J. Avila says
Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse, Kim Kinneson from E.E.Smith’s “Galactic Patrol” series, and Sax Rohmer’s Dr. Fu Manchu.
Shelli Cornelison says
I have to go with Scout and Holden Caulfield, even though they’ve probably been mentioned dozens of times already.
From a less literary perspective, I’m a pretty big fan of Joe Morelli in the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich. Stephanie herself rates as well.
Alex Green says
Chris, I know. I’m not quite as stupid as I must come off.
Shelli Cornelison says
I almost forgot India Opal Bologna. And Susie Salmon from The Lovely Bones. And Lily Owens from The Secret Life of Bees.
Uh-Oh. Now I feel like the flood gate has been opened…
magolla says
Sam Gamgee.
MACS says
Elizabeth Bennett, definitely, but Fitzwilliam Darcy moreso. So misunderstood. So heroic and humble in the end. So, um, dark. So repressed. So sexy.
Also Henry DeTamble from the Time Traveller’s Wife. I cared about him soooo much.
Now I’ve read all the responses, I’m reminded that I also adore Aragorn. And Spock!
Is there a pattern developing here? I think there’s a pattern. (EB notwithstanding).
Genny says
I have too many to list, but I thought it’d be fun to ask my kids this question.
My son’s favorite (age 8)? Captain Underpants. Of course.
And my daughter’s favorite (age 10)? She had two: Harry Potter and Despereaux.
Maniac Scribbler says
Sayuri from Memoirs of a Geisha
Harry Potter
Pride from The Faerie Queene
Taran from Prydain Chronicles
Meg Murry from A Wrinkle in Time
There are others, but those are probably the top ones.
ManiacScribbler =^..^=
Chris Bates says
Alex, I thought you did by the ‘American’ comment but…
It’s weird how a lot of us who live outside of America are conditioned to alter spelling or phrases for people in the US – be it books or blogs.
I try to refrain from doing it myself since I don’t subscribe to the fact that American’s are so dumb that they are unable to decipher another version of ‘English’.
That said, I’m always wary of be pulled up by readers for ‘spelling errors’.
Xiexie says
How the hell could I choose?!????
Alex Green says
Yeah, I know. We’ve taken over the world. Do you giggle at the way we spell aluminum without the “i” that’s in the elements table? I think we just like to kick the poo out of the proper way of things. I think you and I have completely veered off of the topic and I wonder if Nathan’s going to tell us to get back on topic.
K.C. Shaw says
Gen from The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner.
No contest. I’ve read that book so many times to try and figure out why the characterization works so well. Love it.
evilphilip says
The Chick from Catherine Dunn’s Geek Love.
Roland from Stephen King’s The Gunslinger.
Thomas Covenant from Donaldson’s Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.
Cirroco Jones from Varley’s Titan series.
Anonymous says
Nicole Diver from Tender Is The Night.
Victoria Dixon says
Alessan from Tigana, by Guy Gavriel Kay.
Alex Green says
Sorry, Chris, I forgot to address you and I realized I implied that you giggle. I’m sure you don’t giggle. Chuckle.
lilianamama says
The Unman from Perelandra, by C.S. Lewis
Cyrano De Bergerac ???
Don Quixote by Cervantes
Aslan From the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Severus Snape from Harry Potter by Rowlings
The list is endless.
Kathleen says
Miles Vorkosigan
Shelia says
Favorite of all time: Santiago from Old Man in the Sea
That book just moved me when I was in high school
Chris Bates says
Alex,
The ‘Alumin(i)um’ thing was my first Americanised topic of disagreement with an exchange student in high school. Twenty years later and you guys over there are still a mystery to us! 🙂
As for Nathan … he probably loves the attention – almost a 400+ comment post.
He’ll probably start deleting now that I’ve said that.
Alex Green says
He’s had more, Chris. I think in the last month even. How’s that manuscript work going?
And I’ll settle the Aluminium thing. See? Settled. I’ve even started saying it like that.
Endless Secrets says
WOW! Thats a tough question, it took me a long time to even narrow it down to three, but here they are:
Gemma Doyle, of the Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray.
Laurel, from the novel WINGS by Aprilynne Pike.
And thean a mix up between Kasta from Kristin Cashore’s GRACELING and Katniss from Suzanne Collins’ THE HUNGER GAMES.
Julie says
mine would have to be the all-too-human Cathy of Wuthering Heights.
Kahlessa says
Oh no! How could I forget Brother Cadfael, the crusader turned monk from the mystery series by Ellis Peters. He’s like a medieval Sherlock Holmes.
(Good heavens, this is an addictive post!)
Jason Branch says
Jean Valjean, hands down.
C. N. Nevets says
This is kinda like asking who’s my favorite family member isn’t? How do rank “favorite” characters? :-/
lettersfromlordship says
Has no one said Scarlett O’Hara??
Anonymous says
The Nac Mac Feegle (all of them), who got kicked out of Fairyland for being drunk and disorderly at two in the afternoon!
Runners up include, in no particular order:
Granny Weatherwax and Death
Professor Snape, who deserves much better than he gets
Liesel from The Book Thief
Lillorigga from the Deverry books
Nynaeve from the Wheel of Time series (she’s not the only one who tugs her braid when annoyed!)
Pouncequick, Tailchaser, Roofshadow and the Rikchikchik from Tailchaser’s Song.
Stephanie Feagan says
Holly Golightly and Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
Jason says
Sebastian Dangerfield from JP Donlevy’s The Ginger Man
Anonymous says
The breathtakingly ordinary George Smiley.