The Sword and Laser discussion

What are some books with a main character you would want to hang out with?
I realize that this is about as subjective as it gets, and one persons super best friend might cause you to dive into molten lead rather than to listen to them for one more minute.

Not someone you learn to like despite their flaws, but someone you like because of their flaws and quirks. Like C3PO or Kizzy (The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet)
Lighthearted and fun people.

The one I can think of off the top of my head is Bob from the Bobiverse, you got any others?

How about Mark Watney from The Martian?

Hard question to answer though. I was scanning back through my 'read' shelf, going "no, no, no, hell no!, no, ..." Protagonists are often conflicted or flawed people, I guess, which can be what makes their story worth telling.

I know! Pretty much all the protagonists I could think of I only like because I know their backstory (like Kvoth, the king killer dude), or because of some personal resolution over time (like Robinette, the Gateway dude), or just because the're cool (Roland, of dark tower fame)
But if I met them in a bar I'd probably hate them.

But yeah, Watney fits the bill.

Jake Stonebender and pretty much everybody else in Callahan's Crosstime Saloon. They literally hang out in a bar and offer to help anyone who needs it even if it's just with emotional support. Otherwise they do things like drink and sing and have punning contests.

I like a lot of the main characters from the Scalzi books (The Collapsing Empire and Old Man's War for example) and how can you not love the crew from The Sparrow? Though I guess I like them pre-first contact, or maybe briefly post-first contact.

I wouldn't mind hanging out with some of the crew of the Rocinante from the Expanse series. Alex, Amos, and Naomi are cool but I'd want to strange Holden pretty early on.

Dara wrote: "I wouldn't mind hanging out with some of the crew of the Rocinante from the Expanse series. Alex, Amos, and Naomi are cool but I'd want to strange Holden pretty early on."

For Amos, it would depend on the people he has influencing him. Remember that the Amos you see in the Expanse has a lot of positive influences around him to keep him from being a monster.

Well...put near all of Asimov and Heinlein...McCaffrey if we're counting Pern...but I think you mean recent. So I'll go with the Commonwealth saga: Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained (two books but really one long story.) Or go hard SF with Reynolds' House of Suns.

I think it was back in the late 70s that anti-heroes became popular - maybe as a reaction to the 'good always triumphs' meme that had prevailed before then.
Then someone realised that the antihero wasn't actually very good for us, and we started getting the flawed hero - much more complicated, many shades of grey. Similarly, in detective stories we kept on getting the 'hero with personal problems'. (Examples provided on request.)
Those are both good ways to build characters that are worth the effort of reading - but they are now so widespread it is almost impossible to find anything that reads like 'new'. (Except maybe I have seen rather a lot of 'coming of age' stuff recently - I even wrote some!)
So what is the next Big Idea that we are all waiting for?

Captain Nemo from Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea just so I can get into the Nautilus.

Dara wrote: "I wouldn't mind hanging out with some of the crew of the Rocinante from the Expanse series. Alex, Amos, and Naomi are cool but I'd want to strange Holden pretty early on."

Ditto.

But Holden likes coffee so...yeah he and I can be best buds.

Shad wrote: "For Amos, it would depend on the people he has influencing him. Remember that the Amos you see in the Expanse has a lot of positive influences around him to keep him from being a monster."

Well, Naomi would be there and she keeps him in check.

Daniel wrote: "Like C3PO ....Lighthearted and fun people."

You want to hang out with the annoying whiny droid?
That would get old very, very fast ;-)
R2-D2, BB-8 and Chopper are the cool droids.

My choice would be Locke Lamora. I want to be a Gentleman Bastard.

Dara wrote: "I wouldn't mind hanging out with some of the crew of the Rocinante from the Expanse series. Alex, Amos, and Naomi are cool but I'd want to strange Holden pretty early on."
That's hilarious, because Holden is the first person I thought of. I mean, there might be eyerolls involved, but I love him and his devotion to tilting at ALL the windmills.

Arthur Dent from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy seems likable enough.

I liked Rosemary in The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. And pretty much all of Becky Chambers’ characters.

Edit: I realised that this book was already mentioned... in the original post! Doh.

However I have one to add: Peter Grant in the Rivers of London series seems like the kind of guy I’d have a beer with.

Dresden seems pretty likeable (have a beer at Mac's).

Echo the Expanse crew and Mark Watney (I would drag him into the lab).

Going for some old stuff, Slippery Jim deGriz, the Stainless Steel Rat would be fun (just check your wallet).

Yanaba Maddock from Anne McCaffrey's Powers That Be seems like a great person to hang out with, as do most of the "natives" in that book.

My Number 1 SF hang-out buddy would have to be good old Rogi from Julian May's Intervention. An SF character whose favourite passtime is hanging out and discussing classic SF? Sounds good to me.

Daniel wrote: "What are some books with a main character you would want to hang out with?
I realize that this is about as subjective as it gets, and one persons super best friend might cause you to dive into mol..."

Define “hang out”. I’m such an introvert that hermits tell me I need to get out more. People aren’t really my jam.

So for me it would be animals. Mighty Joe Young. Zabu the sabre-toothed tiger. Pip the minidragon. Old Lace the dinosaur. Or maybe robots. B9, Robbie, Johnny 5.

Tassie Dave wrote: "Daniel wrote: "Like C3PO ....Lighthearted and fun people."

You want to hang out with the annoying whiny droid?
That would get old very, very fast ;-)
R2-D2, BB-8 and Chopper are the cool droids.

..."

Good point, I'd probably chuck C3PO in the lake of molten lead after 30 minutes. But R2-D2 and BB-8 sound like malfunctioning roombas having sex, so they'd probably follow shortly. :P

Trike wrote: "Define “hang out”. I’m such an introvert that hermits tell me I need to get out more. People aren’t really my jam."

If you'r so introverted why are you bothering all these hermits Trike? Also people shouldn't be anyone's jam, its illegal most places and widely regarded as totally immoral. I recommend strawberry, easier to get a hold of and much better tasting... Iv'e heard... from a friend...

Anyway, in cases of introvertism (is that a word?) feel free to replace "hang out with" with "pleasant guest host of the Sword and Laser podcast"
And yes, animals are the best :)

Bilbo & Frodo Baggins would be on my list -- I share their interest in food & drink & appropriate quantities & frequencies.

Joseph wrote: "Bilbo & Frodo Baggins would be on my list -- I share their interest in food & drink & appropriate quantities & frequencies."


Definitely prime friend material there, just remember to be away when some gray wizard comes knocking :)

Sevro from the Red Rising trilogy fits the bill as far as liking them for their flaws and quirks!