wrathofkublakhan Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Someone mentioned Edward from the Anita Blake series and I'll echo that. Ranger from the Stephanie Plum series Sherlock Holmes' brother ... Mycroft. Hagbard Celine from Illuminatus! William Tell Sackett from the Louis L'Amour series Echo Sackett from the same series Menolly from the Pern Series Death in the Discworld series Merlin in the Jack Whyte series on Camelot Archie in Nero Wolfe ....and I've always like Lex Luthor in the Superman comix and books. I'll return and read some books again and again, these characters are like old friends who make me laugh and give me someone to cheer for! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted February 20, 2007 Author Share Posted February 20, 2007 Dobbin from Vanity Fair is another of my favourites - he's such a lovely and noble guy. Even if he does spend most of his life moping over a drip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Classic or contemporary, male or female, realistic or fantastical, who (or what) are your favourite characters from the books you've read? I know it's a cliche but mine is probably Scarlett O'Hara. She's criticised for being selfish, self-absorbed, self-obsessed, in short, a bitch. But that's exactly why I like her! She's not wet (like Melly) or so many other romantic heroines. She has a lot more fun than 'people' like Jane Eyre or Lizzie Bennet. (And Rhett's better looking than Mr Darcy, so there)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 (And Rhett's better looking than Mr Darcy, so there)! Blasphemer! Have you even seen P&P with Colin Firth? (I assume it's that Mr Darcy you're talking about?) Mr Darcy rules I also like Elizabeth Bennett and would have to say that those two are among my favourite literary characters (honestly, I'm not trying to goad you, Prospero ) Other favourites: All the characters from Joseph Heller's Catch-22 (if I had to choose one, I'd probably go for Yossarian) McMurphy from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey Charles Pooter from Diary of a Nobody by George Grossmith Edmond Dantes from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas Ellie Linton from John Marsden's Tomorrow, When the War Began series Oh dear, I think I'd better stop! I'll post more later. Thanks for not limiting us to 1 favourite, Prospero Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Maybe I should start a Colin or Clark poll? Nah. I know I'd lose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 That's right! Not that I have anything against Mr Gable. I've only seen the movie once though so I'm no expert. As opposed to P&P, which I've seen all of two times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Not exactly "high literature" but some of my favourite characters have been from novels and novellas by Stephen King: Stu Redman (The Stand) Trashcan Man (The Stand) Chris Chambers (The Body) Andy Dufresne (Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption) Kurt Dussander (The Apt Pupil) Annie Wilkes (Misery) These characters are all very different from one another - some are heroes and others are villains; some are quietly confident and others are crazed psychopaths - but all are absolutely excellent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supergran71 Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 I have to agree with Prospero about Scarlett O'Hara, what a feisty woman she was. ( I like to think I am a bit like that, well when I was young more than now probably:lol:) BUT I have to take a stand on Mr Darcy's behalf, Colin Firth is absolutely my no.1 man in his version. Unfortunately I never really took to Clark Gable ever, but he was good as Rhett Butler I will give him that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isidro Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Someone mentioned Edward from the Anita Blake series and I'll echo that. Menolly from the Pern Series Death in the Discworld series Love Pern and Discworld. I do love Fitz from Robin Hobb's Assassin series, then again in the Tawny man series and referred to in the Liveship series. He's such a paranoid, self destructive idiot but loveable too, and then right at the end you find out why he's such a twonk. Minerva McGonagall in Harry Potter - she's ace too. The bit in the last book where she think's Harry is dead just made me cry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isidro Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Oh and my own characters.... I adore Kate and Lily, can't stand Sam, she drives me nuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Out of all the hundreds of books I've read? Oh no...let's see: Samwise Gamgee from The Lord of the Rings Becky Sharp from Vanity Fair Aloysius Pendergast from his books by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (The Relic, Reliquary, The Book of the Dead, etc.) Lucas Davenport from the Prey series by John Sandford Ian Malcolm from Jurassic Park and The Lost World Caroline Helstone from Shirley by Charlotte Bronte Anne Elliot from Persuasion There's probably more...stay tuned! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedAlligator Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 Aramis from the Three Musketeers Prentice McHoan the Crow Road Elizabeth Bennett and Lottie Wilkins from The Enchanted April Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 I have to add a few more to my list, seeing as how I only really mentioned my Stephen King favourites earlier: Elena Michaels (Women of the Otherwold series by Kelley Armstrong) Cato and Macro (Romans series by Simon Scarrow) Jack Parlabane (various books by Christopher Brookmyre) Lucifer (I, Lucifer by Glen Duncan) Merteuil and Valmont (Dangerous Liaisons by Choderlos de Laclos) Jack (The Plucker by Brom) Logan "Lazarus" McRae (Aberdeen crime series by Stuart Macbride) Severus Snape (Harry Potter series by J K Rowling) Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger53 Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Rebus. Although I would agree with a few others mentioned here..Rumpole, Sherlock Holmes, Becky Sharp, and who could dislike Dobbin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jude-not obscure Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Elizabeth Bennett and D'arcy of course Jane Eyre and for some odd reason that I can't explain to myself....The Reddleman from The Return of the Native Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicken Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 Stu Redman, Tom Cullen, Nick Andros and Larry Underwood - The Stand Claire and Jamie Fraser. Simon Snowlock - Memory, sorrow and thorn series Ayla and Jondalar - Earth Children Eddie & Susanna Dean Jack and Oy Roland all from the Dark Tower Series Bridget Jones Hermione, Ron, Harry, Mr & Mrs Weasley, Dumbledore, Hagrid, Neville and Ginny. Theo Vilmos - War of the Flowers These ar just a few of the ones I can remember. I usually love the majority of characters in a book, but not all of them stay with me, which maybe a good thing considering the amount I read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 More of my favourites: Sydney Carton from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens Raoul Duke from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S Thompson Anne from Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery Alex from A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess Matilda from Matilda by Roald Dahl Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore from the Harry Potter books by JK Rowling Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 I've just been reminded of Mr Stevens and Miss Kenton from The Remains of the Day. Prospero, I agree with Miss Kenton but I found Mr Stevens to be about the most exasperating male I've ever come across in literature. He was so unemotional and reined in, that I wanted to give him a good kick in the shin. I loved Atticus too, Kylie, but also the three children Scout, Jem and Dill ( Dill I believe was based on Truman Capote) I think my favourite Harry Potter character was Hagrad. Just thought of another one - Anna from 'Mr God This Is Anna' by Fynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 9, 2008 Share Posted April 9, 2008 The reasons you dislike him are the very reasons I felt the opposite! I was amazed that a Japanese author (even though he was raised in the UK, I know), could so accurately nail a repressed Englishman's stiff upper lip. Amazed and awestruck. I completely, utterly, unreservedly adore the ground Kazuo Ishiguro walks on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 I totally agree with you that Ishiguro did a brilliant job of depicting the English ...his writing reminded me very much of Evelyn Waugh. He may have been the epitome of an English butler but that still doesn't change the fact that I found Mr Stevens very frustrating and long-winded. If only he had loosened up in the end and told Miss Kenton how he felt ....sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 I know. That was tragic. Even while watching the film's last scene, I sat there screaming in my head, "Just kiss her! KISS HER, goddammit!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 And he's still one of your favourite characters???? The man needed shaking, I tell you The movie was brilliant, I actually enjoyed it far more than the book. Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins played the parts so well as did the owner of the house whose name I can't remember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 Christopher Reeve? I know he was in it but wasn't one of the Fox brothers in the film too? It's been years since I saw it. I bet you meant the character name! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 I've just looked it up Prospero and you are right ...it was James Fox, he played Lord Darlington. Apparently it was one of Christopher Reeves last roles before he had his accident, but I don't remember the part he played. Another author I've thought of who reminds me even more of Kazuo Ishiguro is E.M.Forster. Have you read any of his books Prospero? Howard's End was made into a movie and starred Emma Thompson again (also Helena Bonham-Carter and Vanessa Redgrave) I wondered why the two movies seemed so alike and then I saw they were both directed by James Ivory. Margaret (Emma Thompson) from Howard's End was a very appealing character (just so I'm not too way off topic here) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 I think he bought Darlington Hall after the war. Ack! My memory's failing...either that or you've presented me with a great excuse to read the book again then watch the video (yep, it's been that long...I have it on VHS, not DVD...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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