First off, I’m very pleased to report that after last month’s You Tell Me wherein I sheepishly admitted I had never read LORD OF THE RINGS: this has now been rectified. I even started with The Hobbit. Loved them! That Tolkien guy was a pretty good writer in case you haven’t heard.
Now then. This week’s You Tell Me is inspired by a question Robin asked in the Forums: which literary character do you have a crush on?
Since it was #towelday yesterday, I’ll go with teenage Nathan’s choice: Trillian from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
What about you?
The Red Angel says
I must say, Harry Potter is quite a dashing character. Though I am definitely into Ian from "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer. :]
~TRA
https://xtheredangelx.blogspot.com
Stephanie McGee says
Mr. Darcy. Mr. Rochester. (Partly from the original, but partly from Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next books.) Silk from David Eddings Belgariad and Mallorean series. (Love him.) Those are really the only ones I can think of at the moment.
T.M. Lunsford says
Captain Wentworth and Gilbert Blythe. They put up with a lot of crap.
Sara Carbaugh says
Harry Dresden from Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series and Anita Blake from Laurell K Hamilton's Anita Blake vampire hunter series! : )
ITM says
As a kid … Ender Wiggin. I totally dig smart guys. Now, Archie Goodwin from the Nero Wolfe mysteries. The man enjoys fine food, is a snappy dresser and brawls with the best of them. An original metrosexual, heaven help me. I named one of my boys Archer in his honor.
I'm also in the Gilbert Blythe camp.
Jen Sadler says
Gale and Peeta from The Hunger Games. How can a girl choose?
Augustina Peach says
When I was a teen, I wanted to marry Johnny Tremain. Yep.
February Grace says
Peter Dudley:
I ain't touching the Freud thing with a ten foot cigar but your answer is priceless! Thank you for the much needed laugh on a rough day/evening.
Thanks to Mr. Bransford too for the great question and how did I miss towel day? *sigh* I'm so ashamed. I may have to contritely relinquish my official "hoopy frood' card now…I mean I know where my towel is but to miss the official day? So very sad.
I'm gonna add Qui-Gon Jinn from the Jedi Apprentice books- dang. Seriously. I can't believe George took my Qui-Gon and yet Jar Jar lives…
Julie Hedlund says
Easy!
Aragorn – LOTR
Jamie Fraser Outlander series
Mr. Rochester – Jane Eyre
Captain Corelli – Corelli's Mandolin
and, ugh! I admit it – Edward from Twilight (most embarrassing)
:)Ash says
Professor Lupin.
I'd have his werewolf babies.
Heidi says
Mat from Wheel of Time, hands down.
bethhull.com says
Great question. Mr. Darcy (nothing new there). The Weasley twins from the Harry Potter books (embarrassing, but there it is). And my #1? Kisten from Kim Harrison's The Hollows series.
bthreatt says
Prince Caspian from the book "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader". I love that book and that character.
Keersten says
I am almost embarrassed to be so cliched, but I have been in love with Mr. Darcy since high school. That's right. Let the eye-rolling begin, I can take it.
Cora Zane says
It's been a very long time since I had a book crush. :*( I can't think of any current character crushes, but I guess I wouldn't turn down Harry Dresden if he asked me out on a date.
Two Flights Down says
Mr. Darcy. I know, not very original, but so true…
scottwbaker.net says
Danaerys from GRRM's _A Game of Thrones_. Very hot before she lost it.
Mira says
Jen P – Ah! Thank you!
Of course. You always need a towel. 🙂
I'd like to add Taran from the Prydrain Chronicles – when I was a kid.
bettielee says
So many. Aragorn, Faramir, Heathcliffe from Wuthering Heights, Mr. Dahcey, or Darcy if you don't want to hear the accent, …. there ae more, I'm sure.oh!! F'lar from the Dragonweyrs of Pern!
Ludmila says
ok, now that I had time to think about it, adding to my first favorite Prince Bolkonsky
2. Edward Cullen
3. Mr. Darcy
4. Mr. Sherlock Holmes
5. Rhett Butler
6. Mr. Rochester
Not very original, but true…Love them all…
Chuck H. says
Star, Empress of All Known Universes from Heinlein's Glory Road.
Laurel Ann says
What an amiable group! So many Jane Austen characters selected. Mine is Henry Tilney from Northanger Abbey. Give me a witty man in a greatcoat and I'm a goner.
francis f. says
Paul (Mu'a Dib to you all) from Dune!
I second Scarlet Pimpernel but my all time favorite is the melancholy genius of Bananafish. Seymour Glass.
The man shoots himself because he's too happy.
The endearing Jesse who doesn't mind living forever in Tuck Everlasting.
And any of the ridiculously incompetent protagonists of PKD.
francis f. says
Oh, and who doesn't love the gentle brother of the Brothers Karamazov?
Leis says
Back when, totally immersed in Frank Herbert's Dune I was fascinated with Paul Muadib Atreides. When Frank Herbert passed on and I knew no more Dune stories (of the same caliber) would be coming out, I was crushed.
More recently it's been The Man in The Road. I can only dream of creating a character anywhere near as compelling.
Leis says
Wow, francis f. 🙂 You too picked Paul Muadib just before me! Synchronicity…?
Maia Powloski says
As a bookish 5th and 6th grader reading Shakespeare comedies: Benedick, from "Much Ado About Nothing."
Middle school: Remus Lupin and Sirius Black. Also, every boy in "The Outsiders" EXCEPT Ponyboy, because I thought Ponyboy was pretty much the male version of me. We were too similar for it to work.
High school: Crowley, from Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett's "Good Omens." Spider, from Neil Gaiman's "Anansi Boys." Dustfinger, from the "Inkheart" series.
College/now: Jonathan from "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell." And, although he is a poet and not a fictional character, John Keats. And no, I'm not going off the version of him in the movie "Bright Star," because I haven't seen that movie, though I'd like to. I didn't read "His Dark Materials" till I was 19, but I can tell that, had I read it in middle school, I would've had a huge crush on Will.
Elie says
I so totally don't have a crush on a literary character – wait – a repressed memory surfaces: maybe teenage me liked James Bond?
Generally though, I just can't read about a protagonist I hate. I liked Harry P ( not in a crushy way)and Hermione, but it was a struggle to keep going with Twilight because I found Bella so annoying.
Romy says
The hero of my current work in progress. I'm so in love!
wendy says
I was surprised to read that others liked the MC from the Scarlet Pimpernel, too. He has all the qualities women love, I guess. But I can't think of anyone else, off-hand, but like others have mentioned, I go for the dark, brooding, dangerous type – in literature only.
Oh, another poster just reminded me that I've always liked Peter Pan – as a fantasy friend kind of thing.
Jessie says
Finny from A Separate Peace.
Hilary says
Marcus Didius Falco, from Lindsey Davis's mysteries.
zarkia says
When I was younger it was garion from the belgariad. I was so happy the year we were the same age. But now, he's way younger than me. I guess that's the problem with crushes on fictional characters.
Anonymous says
For awhile, it was Mr. Darcy (but that didn't last long.) Then, it was Aragorn from Lord of the Rings. Now, it is totally Edward Cullen. I think I've been crushing on him the longest.
Gamer Girl says
Archie Goodwin (Nero Wolfe series by Rex Stout)
Strider (loved him before I knew he was a prince)
Albert Campion (Margery Allingham's PI)
Anonymous says
Oh, I'd totally forgotten about Finny (A Separate Peace), but you're so right, Jessie!
Kimber An says
For those of you who said the heroes (or heroines) in your own story, AMEN!
After all, if you don't fall in love with your own characters, how can you expect your readers to?
Adrian, the hero of Sugar Rush, my present story, bears a striking resemblance to Jack from Titanic.
My daughter and I argue over Luke and Anakin, but we totally agree on Jack.
Aaron E Anderson says
Sookie Stackhouse…without a doubt. She is much more attractive in my mind then the Sookie on tv.
Stephanie Barr says
I can think of dozens.
Nora Roberts and Georgette Heyer alone probably have a dozen (or more) book heroes I lusted vicariously after (special spot for the Duke of Avon and his son). I liked Mr. Darcy, but hardly lusted after him. I sympathized with Heathcliff, but didn't lust after him.
Lord Peter Whimsy probably qualified and I have a serious thing for both Shan Yos'Galan and M. Jela in the Liaden universe.
If I thought about it, I could probably come up with a dozen more.
And, since there's a thread of my husband running through most of my male protagonists, that applies to my own work, too.
Stephanie Barr says
Roarke! I hadn't thought of Roarke! He's at least up there with the Duke of Avon. And Howl! Howl could BE my husband! I'm definitely in the Edward camp!
The list is too long. Who don't I love?
Susan says
Robert Crais's Joe Pike
Bronte's Heathcliff
Carriger's Conall Maccon
Beverly Cleary's Stan Crandall
Woodiwiss's Wulfgar
ALL my crushes are in books, come to think about it.
Scott says
Rosemary Woodhouse. Even after she's been knocked up by Satan.
melissa says
Nathan,
I really enjoyed this blog. I will follow an be back for more. I am a good friend of Andrea Pearson. I heard about your blog from her. I've been inspired by her to write a book of my own. Have a great day!
Happy Writing.
Melissa Nielsen
Anica Lewis says
Howl from Howl's Moving Castle.
I was actually lucky enough to meet Diana Wynne Jones, and she told me that she's had a lot of letters from people who want to marry Howl, which she said she couldn't understand, as he "seems like he'd be an awful husband" for most people. She said that then, after she saw the anime version of Howl they created for the movie, she understood.
Funnily enough, she also said that the fans who tend to fall for Howl are mostly in their teens and twenties, while a lot of fans in their thirties and up go for [Christopher Chant as] Chrestomanci (Charmed Life, etc.).
Maybe this is because, besides their age differences, Howl is melodramatic and irresponsible (but oh so much fun!), while Chrestomanci is a little more grown up. And lives in a giant mansion. 😛
R.M.Gilbert says
I adore Gilbert Blythe from Ann of Green Gables. (And I'm reminded of that crush by my married name) 😉
Current 'crush' Peeta. (Though Gale is great, too, I can't help but cheer on Peeta).
Even post a Team Peeta banner in my latest blog post: https://rmgilbert.com
Gotta love character crushes.
Ee Leen Lee says
Robbie Turner from Atonement, it helped that he was played by JAmes McAvoy too
Seven N Blue says
Rath-Roiben-Rye from Holly Black's Tithe.
Lisa says
That would be you, Nathan. In my mind, you are a literary character. =)
Tere Kirkland says
Captain Will Laurence, but only because he's got such a sweet Celestial. 😉
Anonymous says
Barack Obama!