Fantasy Book Club discussion

My wife and I were talking about books and movies a couple of days ago, and it got me thinking about the characters I love and the ones I love to hate!

What are some of your favorite book characters? Fantasy, or any other genre. And why?

Is it a villain that is so bad you just love to hate him? Or is it one of the heroes or sidekicks?

For me, I have to list a few here:

Roland of Gilead (the gunslinger) - Stephen King's The Dark Tower series...why? Because he is pure awesomeness!

Agent Pendergast from the Preston and Child Books. The guy is so calm, cool and collected. I love the way his mind works.

And Samwise Gamgee from Lord of the Rings. He was so loyal and just would not quit.

Let's hear some of yours!

Best wishes,

James

I HATE HATE HATE Mallick Rel from the Malazan books of the Fallen...Deadhouse Gates

I'm reading Toll the Hounds right now and I HATE HATE HATE Gorlas Vidikas. :)

Favorites are Harry Dresden,Thomas the unbeliever,Logan nine fingers,Tyrion, Kate Daniels, October Daye,Lupin,Hermione and many many others.

Hate Eragon,any one from shannara,twilight

Rand al'Thor is becoming one of my least favorite characters of all time.

Why Chelsea? Because he's boring? Because he makes bad decisions? Or is it his way with women?

Traci wrote: "Why Chelsea? Because he's boring? Because he makes bad decisions? Or is it his way with women?"

Because he's stoopid? LOL.

Traci wrote: "Why Chelsea? Because he's boring? Because he makes bad decisions? Or is it his way with women?"

I'd say all three lol, Mat is the only one i like from that series.

Traci wrote: "Why Chelsea? Because he's boring? Because he makes bad decisions? Or is it his way with women?"

Lulz. Actually, right now it's the incessant whining and punkass attitude. He's worse than Belgarion on a bad day.

To answer the question,

I discovered my very favorite character in Assassin's Apprentice. I love Fool. And I can say if not for this character I probably wouldn't have become a Robin Hobb fan.

My all time favorite character from way back is Raistlin from Dragons of Autumn Twilight.

And two more favorites are new as well. Karsa Orlong and Fiddler from the Malazan books by Steven Erikson. Although I have less than three books to go.

I believe one of the greatest characters ever written is Glotka from Joe Abercrombie's series. LOVE that guy!

Cercei Lannister from A Song of Ice and Fire is, without a doubt, my most hated of all characters. She's the perfect villainess: selfish and conniving, brilliant and beautiful. I can't stand her but I always want to know what she's up to, and keep hoping she'll get her comeuppance. Which, she kinda does...though compared to the suffering she caused, what she had to endure in A Dance With Dragons was kind of tame.

Picking a favorite character would be difficult, but if I had to do so it would probably be the Marvel Comics character The Punisher.

These are such great answers! I have very similar likes and dislikes.

I'm with you Traci; I really like Raistlin from Dragons of Autumn Twilight.

And Sean, Cercei Lannister is also one of my most hated!

James, I would also add that the winner for "characters I hated but kind of redeemed themselves and now I like them" would be her twin. Jaime Lannister. When he smacked that guy with a gold hand for making fun of Briennne I almost wet myself laughing.

Sean, I like the "characters I hated but kind of redeemed themselves and now I like them" idea! That should be a thread all by itself :)

Jamie Lannister is a good one. I would have to say The Hound (Sandor Clegane) is like that for me.

I know when I kept seeing comments about how much I would end up liking Jaime I didn't believe them but now he is definitely one of my favorite characters.

As well as some mentioned, I really like Jon Snow. Just started reading A Dance With Dragons and looking forward to seeing what he has been up too. And since I have been reading ASOIF as of late, can't stand Theon Greyjoy. Such an ass.

Yeah you're going to really hate Greyjoy before too long.

Can't say he'll ever win you over. Lol. I do like the Greyjoy house though.

My current most-hated character is Bayaz from Joe Abercrombie's The First Law trilogy. Total piece of garbage all the way.

Stephen wrote: "As well as some mentioned, I really like Jon Snow. Just started reading A Dance With Dragons and looking forward to seeing what he has been up too. And since I have been reading ASOI..."

I really like Jon Snow as well. He's always been one of my favorites in the series. And Sean is right, you will definitely hate Greyjoy!

I've found a new villain to despise: Drudaen. Like Sauron totally evil, but a person and not a force or concept. He is the shadow from Kirith Kirin

My most favorite character is Elpabla from "WICKED". She isn't really bad, just misunderstood. Later to become wicked under circumstances that is justified.

The one I hate the most is King Joffery from Ice and Fire Series (game of Thrones). He's too much into himself.

I agree, Jon Snow is my favorite, almost through A Clash of Swords, and love that Bastard son of King Ned. His father would be very proud of him.

Jaime, Tyrion and Jon are my favourites from the ASOIAF series, and Fiddler from the Malazan books.

I haven't found a villain I truly hate, but I truly love:

Mercy Thompson and Anna Latham (Patricia Briggs)
Kate Daniels and Rose Drayton (Ilona Andrews)

I want to be like them when I grow up.

Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "I haven't found a villain I truly hate, but I truly love:

Mercy Thompson and Anna Latham (Patricia Briggs)
Kate Daniels and Rose Drayton (Ilona Andrews)

I want to be like them when I grow up."

LOL

Shannon wrote: "Jaime, Tyrion and Jon are my favourites from the ASOIAF series, and Fiddler from the Malazan books."

Fiddler, Yes! I have to through in Kalam Mekhar as well from Malazan

Maggie wrote: "I HATE HATE HATE Mallick Rel from the Malazan books of the Fallen...Deadhouse Gates"

Him and Korbolo Dom are tops on my list too.

I despise Thomas Covenant with a passion that has kept the flame of dislike burning over twenty years since I last read a book with him in it. :)

Tyrion definitely stands out as someone I really, really liked in more recent work.

Jeremy A. wrote: "I despise Thomas Covenant with a passion that has kept the flame of dislike burning over twenty years since I last read a book with him in it. :)
..."

I actually quit reading the first book in the series because of him.

I had a minor falling out with a friend over the series. He was very offended that I didn't like it as he considered the best fantasy series ever (at the time at least, this was 20+ years ago). He was the one who recommended it to me.

We just agreed to disagree and that our tastes were just very different. I had no problem with him liking it, I jut didn't. :)

I really should reread that series...I remember being intrigued by it. I didn't like it necessarily and I didn't like the hero but I thought it was interesting. It was also the first time I read an accurate description of being a leper. Before that I thought body parts just "fell off".

Anyway I'm rereading A Game of Thrones. And I absolutely hate Catelyn. From her treatment of Jon. To the talking her husband into bad decisions. What she does to Tyrion. Her obsession with Bran. I can't come up with one thing I like.

It's definitely interesting. I can also see why people, like my friend, liked it especially in subverting the hero's journey archetypes and what not.

It just wasn't for me. :)

RE: GoT

One can make the argument that her actions are a huge catalysts for some of the major bits of unpleasantness. Not to say everybody else doesn't have their culpability, but (view spoiler)[she let herself get played in a real obvious sort of way. Heck, I was nodding along when Tyrion said something to the effect, "Do you think I'd be so stupid to give an eagerly traceable weapon to an assassin?" (hide spoiler)]

I've always been a fan of Arya myself. I like her attitude and resourcefulness...though I haven't finished Dance with Dragons yet, so don't ruin it for me if she dies haha. And I'm another fan of Harry Dresden.

As far as hate goes...I'd say any of the politicians from the Union in the First Law series. And I haven't read the Sookie Stackhouse novels yet, but True Blood has made me get really, really tired of Sookie. Maybe I should give the books a chance, though. It's just hard for me to get into that paranormal romance crap.

If you don't like True Blood, I doubt you'll like the Sookie books. Yes, there is a huge difference in the story line now, but I think the characters are basically the same. Personally, I like the both.

I used to really like the show, but lately it seems that its been more about shock value and T&A, which is fine, but they've lost me with the plot lately. Really, how many more creatures of the night can Sookie sleep with? lol

I'd say you've got a good handle on it then. I call the books 'Candy Reads'. They're fast, fun, & not very filling.

I like TB okay, but I don't know if the current season is any more about shock and T&A than any other point. Though admittedly, the plots were a bit more nice and tightly focused mysteries/suspense in the first few seasons.

TB doesn't do as well when it tries to get too complicated, I think. It's appeal as a show never really came from intricate and clever plotting, after all.

Too many plot threads, too many characters which is probably why (view spoiler)[they killed so many people off so abruptly in the last few episode of the last season. (hide spoiler)]

I'll note that I've never really liked Sookie all that much, though. Never read the books, just watched the show.

D.w. wrote: "I've always been a fan of Arya myself. I like her attitude and resourcefulness...though I haven't finished Dance with Dragons yet, so don't ruin it for me if she dies haha. And I'm another fan of..."

I like Arya as well, and I haven't finished Dance with Dragons yet either, so never fear, I won't ruin it for you!!

I'm not familiar with the Union in the First law series. Who wrote that? I'd be interested in checking that out.

James wrote: "D.w. wrote: "I've always been a fan of Arya myself. I like her attitude and resourcefulness...though I haven't finished Dance with Dragons yet, so don't ruin it for me if she dies haha. And I'm a..."

DUDE, let me recommend it to you then: The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie. I think the name of the first book is "The Blade Itself". Quite a refreshing read, and he expanded on the setting by writing two stand-alone novels after that, the first being "Best Served Cold" and the next "The Heroes". All great books. It's definitely a bit darker than most fantasy, but I found it to be one of the best newer works out there, in my opinion.

Jeremy A. wrote: "I like TB okay, but I don't know if the current season is any more about shock and T&A than any other point. Though admittedly, the plots were a bit more nice and tightly focused mysteries/suspense..."

Yeah, I think you're right. Maybe I've just watched so much of it that the shock and T&A has begun to inundate me lol. Well, not so much that, but more how Sookie keeps sleeping around and falling in love like a teenage girl. These vamp romances just seem to be coming out of the woodworks lately. One thing you can say, though...at least it isn't Twilight.

There's another one: Most hated characters of all time - anyone from Twilight.

This last season of True Blood was laughably awful. Especially the opening scene where she's running from the pixies and they throw...snicker...fireballs at them. I can't even type it with a straight face. I just looked at my wife and said "That's so stupid."

And yeah, Bella from Twilight is probably one of my least liked characters ever. And not in a "love to hate" way. More of a "hate to hate" way. I think her character sets women in genre fiction back forty years.

I actually like the Sookie Stackhouse books, but after the first season the show really lost me. Which is sad, because it could have had so much potential...

and a lot of the book lovers cite book 4 as their favorite, and the way the show butchered that plot line really turned off the book lovers.

oh well, gives me time to explore a different series!

Yeah, the fireball thing was a little ridiculous. Personally, I'm a big fan of scary faeries, you know? Like Mab in the Dresden Files, or something like it. Something that makes them seem a lot scarier and inhuman...not this "Oh, here, take my light fruit" stuff. They weren't scary, they were just kind of ugly.

And I'm unfamiliar with book 4, but I agree that the show has gone downhill for a while. I liked the initial idea of the story, that they were "coming out" so to speak...but it should have been done a little better, I think.

On Twilight: My wife does a funny Bella impression, where she just gets this forlorn look on her face and sighs really loudly. "That's the whole series," she says. And it's true haha

I like scary faeries, too. The scene was just so ridiculous. It looked like a cheesy fantasy movie. I expected the Barbarian Brothers to show up and start grunting.

Probably not reason enough for you to keep watching or catch up on the show, but faeries have a bit more range in True Blood than what you see at first.

This sort of story, whether the show or the books, usually either tickles me enough that I can get through the bad bits or it just turns me off completely - not worth the time waiting for the better parts. I still find Sookie's world titillating enough to keep up with it - for now. I can certainly understand others not finding it so, though. It works on a level similar to humor, a real tightrope.

The Queen Betsy books by MaryJanice Davidson might be on the verge the most for me. I read the first book, Undead and Unwed, & thought it was too ridiculous. Then I listened to it & the reader made it work - for 5 or 6 books - after which point it got to be too much again. Queen Betsy is super powerful, new vampire whose main limitation is her Valley Girl stupidity & shoe fetish, so you can see where a little would go a long way.
;-)

Jim wrote: "Probably not reason enough for you to keep watching or catch up on the show, but faeries have a bit more range in True Blood than what you see at first.

This sort of story, whether the show or t..."

I like Sookie, too. Don't watch the show, though. Got turned off in the second season. The books are just plain fun.

I have to say that I have a couple of favorites and they are mostly from the same story.

I love reading about Hadrian and Royce from Michael J. Sullivan Riyria series. Even though they are a thief and a mercenary, they are still the good guys. They are fun to read.

I love the Sookie Stackhouse books, though Sam is my favorite in that series.

My most hated villain is probably Voldemort off of Harry Potter. He was pure evil, though he didn't need to be.

I don't like Luis Guy off of Riyria Revelations either. The fact that he is cold hearted enough to murder children is only one of the reasons.

And of course The Emperor off of Star Wars. I couldn't have been more happier when he was thrown off the edge.

Amber wrote: "I have to say that I have a couple of favorites and they are mostly from the same story.

I love reading about Hadrian and Royce from Michael J. Sullivan Riyria series. Even thoug..."

Ah, Star Wars. You know, I'm a big fan of the whole Star Wars universe. I think it is wonderfully imagined, and of course, the Jedi and Sith may be the most interesting character...classes, I guess...of any story. And it has been expanded upon so much, and by really talented writers, that there is almost no end to the amount of story you can explore.

However, I have to admit that I don't like the original story very much, and by that I mean the whole Anakin (sp?) Skywalker storyline. I mean, it has so many holes as to be almost laughable. It's a sad thing, really.

And come on, Hayden Christensen has to be the absolute worst actor ever...besides maybe Channing Tatum. He made Darth Vader look like such a wuss.

I think that some of the more compelling storylines of the Star Wars universe can be found mostly in their Knights of the Old Republic video games. Funny, I know, but I find myself more interested in those stories than anything Lucas himself ever put out.

Another favorite, if it counts: Darth Revan, from the video game. I like the mystery of the story and the questions about what actually happened to him and his apprentice out in the fringes of space. Good story, I think.