Who is your favorite fictional character, or your 2 favorite characters

[fadedrose]

if you like, and tell us a little about each one.

[pa28]

1. Henry Chinaski.

No use describing him. You have to just read and decide if it means something to you.

Chinaski has a polarizing effect on an audience and that's part of the appeal.

My second favorite is Alfred Jarry's "Ubu" for similar reasons.

[Orrex]

13. Chinaski is an excellent choice

:thumbsup:

[LuvNewcastle]

2. Prince Myshkin and Tyler Durden

Myshkin was the main character in "The Idiot." He earned the nickname by telling the truth and being good to everyone.

Tyler Durden was a character within a character in "Fight Club." Tyler used his personality to accomplish things for his host which would never have been accomplished by the host alone.

[Nay]

3. Jack Reacher, in the novels by Lee Child.

A loner-type guy with a great heart who is a modern-day knight on a white horse. Love the books.

[LearnedHand]

32. I like Jack Reacher too

Interesting premise, to have a (deliberately) homeless veteran be the major character.

[BlueIris]

4. Smilla Jasperson.

Isolated cynic and nonconformist, well dressed and exploitive of her father's love when necessary (especially when the necessary is helping murdered little boys.)

One of the more original heroines of mystery fiction, though in my rereads of Smilla's Sense of Snow, she comes off like a borderline sociopath in parts.

[LearnedHand]

33. I LOVED that book!!!

Loved her, too. (hated the movie)

[abluelady]

5. A Little Embarrassing, but

I would love to have Roarke from J.D. Robb's books in my life.

[JitterbugPerfume]

6. OK I admit it

I love Heathcliff . I am attracted to bad boys:evilgrin:

[fadedrose]

7. 2 - Charlie & Daisy

Charlie Moon is irrascible, tells fibs to confuse people, tricks, and loves to watch his Aunt Daisy terrorize some fool...he's handsome, a Ute Indian, 7 1/2 feet tall.... loves animals and when doing work as a lawman has his own system of justice. Anybody's conversation with Charlie is worth reading.

Aunt Daisy is nasty, rude, old and wrinkled, greedy, self-serving, plays tricks, lies, selfish, and her creator, James Doss, is madly in love with her and so am I.

Both are in the Doss series books.

[fadedrose]

12. That's my Daisy...

Can't print actual sentences, I don't think, copyright stuff, etc.

How does Doss know women so well? I just bumped into this paragraph (in Shadow Man,

paraphrasing:

Daisy doesn't like when Charlie has a white girlfriend (which seems to be all he ever has. She only likes Indian women and not all types.

They are sitting at a restaurant, Charlie, Daisy, friend Scott, and very pretty girlfriend, FBI Agent McTeague. McTeague & Charlie are making goo-goo eyes. It's Daisy's birthday; she opened Charlie and Scott's gifts, then opened McTeague's, which was wrapped in embroidered white cotton and a ribbon of Japanese silk. It was a beautiful Spanish scarf. Daisy thought it's a knock-off for sure and made in China.

While everyone watched, she read the tiny label, and it said, "Made in Barcelona." Daisy thought to herself - "Well. I guess she's trying to impress me. Which just went to show how calculating and sneaky these men-hunting white women could be.

[mvccd1000]

8. Travis McGee

Not sure such a character could exist outside of his era, but I sure enjoyed reading of his adventures.

Hieronymus Bosch, or Spencer, or Jack Reacher have all provided many days of reading pleasure, as well.

[raccoon]

9. Atticus Finch of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. In his 50's, Atticus is a lawyer in a small Southern town

during the 1930's. For the time and place he lived in, Atticus is a remarkably progressive thinker.

I wonder sometimes if Atticus is in Al-Anon (:silly:), because he sure works a kick-butt Al-Anon program. Ever notice how many times in the novel Atticus says of some family or individual, "That's just their way," or something similar?

(2) Huckleberry Finn. Discovered him when I was in junior high. Huck was so...genuine. Yes, I know he was a good liar, constantly making up aliases and backgrounds for himself as he traveled. But as the narrator, he is always very straight with the reader.

[mentalsolstice]

52. I became a lawyer because of him

Unfortunately, I didn't stick with the profession as there were very few that remotely lived up to his standard. :-(

[FSogol]

10. Yossarian from "Catch 22" and or Dove from Nelson Algren's" Walk on the Wild Side".

Or Marlow or Jim from "Lord Jim"?

[pscot]

35. That book is one of my all time favorites

"to the destructive element commit yourself and with the motion of your hands and feet make the deep, deep sea hold you up". That's probably not exact. And Heart of Darkness is one of the greatest stories ever written.

[DUgosh]

11. Sigrid Harald

Margaret Maron's character she calls the "red headed stepchild" of her other popular character Judge Deborah Knott. Jack Daniels from J A Konrath. Any day spent with Doc Ford and Tomlinson from presented by Randy Wayne White is a good day.

[Orrex]

14. My two

Kilgore Trout

The Judge

[JitterbugPerfume]

24. I just bought Venus on the Half Shell

I adore Kilgore and his alter ego

[Curmudgeoness]

15. Skink from the Carl Hiaasen books.

He was the governor of Florida who just walked off the job one day and went to live in the swamps. When you mention "character", this is it.

[japple]

16. Owen Meany and Atticus Finch.

[Luciferous]

17. Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice

:loveya:

[LWolf]

18. Two favorites?

Can't do it.

Here are some I love:

Kathleen Mallory: Highly intelligent, fundamentally damaged, functioning outside the norm
Hector Zaroni: Smart, flexible, deals with life and retains somehow the best of human characteristics
Sam Gamgee: I wish every man were Sam. Honest, brave, unflaggingly loyal, incorruptible.
Elizabeth Macpherson: Smart and funny; I wish McCrumb hadn't dumped on her life and then dumped her.
Huck Finn: I just like him.
Amelia Peabody: Smart, funny, a strong, independent-minded women cast during a time when women were anything but, and her character flaws make her even more lovable.
Harry Dresden: Reminds me of my son.
Yossarian: What can I say. He thinks and responds in a sane way in an insane world, and seems insane because of it.
Mary Russell: A fascinating, complex creature that makes Holmes more human, and more incredible, than Conan Doyle ever did.
Sam. I don't remember his last name, but I wanted to live in his tree on the mountain, to BE him, for decades.
Lessa: Small but mighty, there may never have been a stronger female character.
Mrs. Pollifax: senior citizen spy, she handily bucks the societal trend to worship youth and disdain age
Arthur and Merlin in most variations of their tale.

There are many more.

Here are some characters on my rotten apples list:

Bella Swan: Shallow, stupid, self-destructive, a terrible role model for teens.
Whatever his name was from the "Confederacy of Dunces." Too painfully dysfunctional, stupid, and annoying for humor or pathos.
Claire Fraser: An arrogance I just couldn't warm up to.
Guenevere: A bigoted christian and a shallow cheat.
Lancelot: Supposedly an incomparable warrior, but underneath, he's weak. He cheats and he betrays his best friend.


There are more of these, too, lol.

[mainer]

19. Sounds like you've read the same books I have!

I never thought of Guinevere as a bigoted Christian, though. Just as a weak-willed woman who couldn't resist temptation.

But totally agree about Bella (ugh) Swan.

[LWolf]

22. I think Guinevere is interpreted differently by different authors,

so it probably depends on which version made the biggest impression on the reader. I've read a bunch of different versions that I liked, including one by Guy Gavriel Kay presenting her as a heroine.

My two favorites, though, are T.H. White's "The Once and Future King," in which she is a weak-willed woman, and Bradley's "Mists of Avalon," in which she is a bigoted xtian. I think, after reading "Avalon," I felt like Bradley had really nailed her, so that's the one that sticks with me.

As a teacher of middle school, it drives me insane to have my female students think Bella is "lucky." Fortunately, the latest hot series is distracting them, and the protagonist in that one is definitely smarter and more independent.

[fadedrose]

20. I looked up and found Kathleen Mallory...

a detective in NY, by Carol O'Connor..

How many of the others you mentioned are in mysteries?

I gave up intellectual and educational stuff not too long ago. I stick to mysteries and am happy with them.

Thanks..

[LWolf]

21. These:

Elizabeth Macpherson: author Sharon McCrumb. There are only a few of them.
Amelia Peabody: Not traditional mysteries; her adventures take place in Egypt, Howard Carter's time.
Harry Dresden: Again, not traditional mystery. He's a wizard with an office, hiring himself out to help people solve problems. Like a wizardly detective.
Mary Russell: Author Laurie King marries Sherlock Holmes off in his "retirement," and he and Mary continue to investigate his sorts of problems.
Mrs. Pollifax: senior citizen spy; more international skullduggery than pure mystery. Author Dorothy Gilman.

A few other mysteries on my shelves:

Marcia Muller and Sara Paretsky (authors)

Joanne/Joanna(?) Dobson's Karen Pelletier, a university professor who gets tangled in local murders

A bunch more; If I didn't have to go to work this morning, I'd browse the shelves for you. :D

[closeupready]

23. Bink and Corwin. Runner up: Pendergast.

n/t

[JitterbugPerfume]

25. Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect

Two disfunctional guys exploring the galaxy in a magic spacship! You just can't beat that combo.

[KusaVariola]

29. Don't panic

Well, Ford and Dent are fine, but Zaphod is way better. Maybe it's just me... yeah, probably.

[AngryOldDem]

26. Gordon LaChance, from Stephen King's "The Body".

Captures exactly what it was like during your last summer as being just a kid.

[BlueIris]

41. Awwww.

Except, I felt more for Teddy and Chris (poor Chris.)

[matt819]

27. Several, of course

Jack Reacher
Elvis Cole and Joe Pike
The sheriff from the Ridley Pearson novels

[MrCoffee]

28. Lola Hart (Jack Womack's Random Acts of Senseless Violence)

The way Jack Womack writes her devolution is masterful, seamless and absolutely gutting.

[KusaVariola]

30. Bernard Marx and John the Savage

Well, they're from Brave New World... don't feel like explaining them. They're the two most human characters in the book.

[LearnedHand]

31. Sam Vimes, Hermione Grainger

Too many to count, of course, but Sam Vimes (of the Watch) and Hermione Grainger come to mind. Sorry. I know the second is from a YA book, but I just love her character. I love that she's smart and the best in her year. Sam Vimes (Pratchett) is a FABULUOUS character. Alwys self-deprecating. Funny as hell without meaning to.

(I love many of the others mentioned in this thread as well, but whoever it was who hated Claire Fraser, you 'n me gonna have to meet in the woodshed!) :evilgrin:

Edited to spell Hermione's last name correctly and change the subject line.

[pscot]

34. Death and Yossarian

Death is the coolest character in Pratchett's disk world. Ordinarily I avoid people who ALWAYS SPEAK IN CAPITALS, but coming from him it seems perfectly natural. Esme Weatherwax and Granny Ogg are pretty special. Others include Huckleberry Finn, Lispeth Salander, Elizabeth Bennett, and the guy in the Telltale Heart who bricks up his enemy in the wall. Oh, and Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin.

[fadedrose]

36. Wasn't that Yossarian guy in Catch-22? eom

[pscot]

37. Indeed

I read that book while I was in the army. It explained an awful lot.

[fadedrose]

38. Loved it - saw the movie and read the book... eom

[SheilaT]

39. Daisy Clover.

The book Inside Daisy Clover by Gavin Lambert is written in the form of a diary kept by Daisy. It's the 1950's, she lives with her seriously disturbed mother (played in the film by Ruth Gordon) and dreams of stardom. Turns out she can sing, and sing really well. A record she sends off to a studio gets her onto the star-making merry-go-round. Daisy is feisty and utterly true to herself. In the end she won't succumb to the studio manipulations. It's one of only two or three books that immediately upon finishing the first time I went straight back to the beginning and read it again.

It was made into a movie, starring Natalie Wood in the title role, and it's for my money one her her two best movies ever, the other being This Property is Condemned. The movie is set in the Depression, some twenty years earlier than the setting of the novel. I'm not sure why, except possibly to make it clear that the studio of the novel/movie is not based on any real movie studio.

The book is still in print and is readily available. I warmly recommend it to any and all.

[fadedrose]

40. It's not a mystery, so I won't probably read it - but...

damned nice review you gave it - very tempting. Thanks for that.

[benld74]

42. Harry Blackwell Dresden - The Dresden Files - Jim Butcher

A magician private detective living in our world and fighting vampires, ghouls, zombies, were wolves, demons and whatever else is thrown his way. Funny, cant put it down kinds stuff

[themadstork]

43. James Orin Incandenza

The Mad Stork himself. Such a bleak figure. It kills me every time he's convinced Hal doesn't speak. Madame Psychosis is also one of my favorites, if only for her call-out to the hideously and improbably deformed.

Others -

Hamlet - First character I ever loved, started my interest in lit.
Don Quixote - Inspirationally deranged! I wish I were brave enough to be as much a lunatic as he.
Milton's Satan - The ultimate badass. I have a hopeless man-crush on him.
The patriarch from Autumn of the Patriarch


Flavor-of-the-week: Molly Bloom. Oh rocks!


Edit - Gregory House also a huge favorite.

[fadedrose]

45. Wallace, David Foster - INFINITE JEST

Sounds very interesting...found two good links and am posting them:

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/w/david-foster-wallace/


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinite_Jest

[fadedrose]

44. Flavia de Luce (Alan Bradley)

Flavia's an 11-year old afraid-of-nothing kid who solves mysteries. She's new to me....adult mysteries....

Link:

http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/B_Authors/Bradley_Alan.html

[fadedrose]

46. Lisbeth Salander & Mikael Blomkvist

From The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson

[Kablooie]

55. Lisbeth Salander grabbed me. She quickly became my favorite.

Blomkvist not so much. He was OK but she was unique.

But I'm reading 1Q84 right now and Fuka-Eri is catching up with Lisbeth.

[WaitingforKarlRove]

47. I named a cat after Atticus Finch

I think my second favorite would have to be Wolf from The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub.

[TheCentepedeShoes]

48. Doremus Jessup and

Lorinda Pike from It Can't Happen Here

[fadedrose]

49. Aloysuis Pendergast

I just met Detective Pendergast about 20 pages ago, reading a book called Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Found the authors' names on the Series List.

http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/C_Authors/Child_Lincoln.html

Other than that my favorite character, Charlie Moon, isn't blond and from Alabama like Pendergast, and instead has black hair like most Indians (7' tall) and from Colorado, they are similar characters. Most people wouldn't seen the similarities, but I do, and I already love them both...

So glad to meet Det. Pendergast ;)

[Little Star]

50. I've looked at this thread since it was first put up, it's too hard...

just picking one or two! I just could not pick one or two. Today I decided to make my self participate, lol.

I think I'll pick Johnson’s Wyoming sheriff "Walt Longmire". Walt is an aging, likable, decent, rough around the edges, sometimes funny character. Walt, his best friend Standing bear and his deputy Vic (Victoria) had me from the very first page. Few books do that to me, I usually have to warm up to them a bit first. I will be re-reading these books for years to come.

For a much lighter read I adore Haines' Sarah Booth Delaney. She is a riot, as is her ghost (Jitty) and her best friend (Tinkie). As a matter of fact I love the whole town of Zinnia.

I'm also very sweet on Box’s Joe Pickett, Connelly’s Harry Bosch and Parker’s Spencer.

There are many others I really like but I'm trying very hard to stick to just a couple.

[fadedrose]

51. Det. Arthur Bryant ( Bryant and May Mysteries by Christopher Fowler)

About the Peculiar Crimes Unit of the London police.

Bryant & May are both in their 80's.. ;)

[YankeyMCC]

53. Lije Baley and R. Daneel

[Moe Shinola]

54. Repairman Jack and Jacopo Belbo

My 2 favorite characters are, I think,...


Repairman Jack is the hero of a series of novels by F. Paul Wilson, author of The Keep. Jack is available for hire
if you live in the New York City area, and have a problem you can't bring to the police. So you bring it to
Jack, and he "fixes" it for you. He only works for cash, has no social security number, and disdains any interaction
with official society. His adventures are in the category "crime meets weird" since he's always running afoul
of an alien "otherness" from beyond our reality, that wants to come in and take over. The book to start with is The Tomb.

Jacopo Belbo is an editor and researcher for a small press in Milano, called Garamonde Press. He and his friends Causabon
and Diatollevi, have become interested in the subject of the Knights Templar, and catch wind of a secret document
that may prove that the Templars never died out, but went underground, and are now in the final stages of a thousand-year-old
plan to take over the world. His story is told in Foucault's Pendulum, by Umberto Eco, which is a history course in
secret societies and conspiracies in much the same way as his Name Of The Rose was with the Catholic Church.

[ForeverFlashy]

56. Will from Ranger's Apprentice

I just love how the author developed the character, from an uncertain boy into a mature, responsible individual.