Favorite Hero Character

[blixbrunner]

Favorite Hero Character

From all the books you have read
who have been your most favorite
HEROS
and why?


What made them so good/heroic for you?
Were they classic, complex, simple etc?

[blixbrunner]

i have just been thinking about my own question and realised that I haven'y really warmed to many of the main characters in the books i have read.

Why is this? It maybe (for me) is that main characters are often either too good (Richard Cypher - SOT) or too complex/real/just like me (Thomas Covenant - Unbeliever Chronicles). Good/hero characters seem to just get wound up at the start of the book and let go for the rest of the story, to finish about where you expect, winning. This is especially true of 'thus says the prophecy' type books. (PS I haven't read any RR Martin).

I find myself enjoying some of the secondary roles more. Especially the ‘Grumpy Old Wizard’ role (Gandalf, Zedd Zorander, Mister Wolf).

Main Heroes I have loved.
Merlin (SRL)
Pug (REF – more so when he was young, before the story left him behind)
Jimmy the Hand (REF – more so in the earlier books, when he was younger and more roguish).

Hmm?

[laurelin]

Ender

[amodman]

I'da go with Drizzt and Angel (tv).

[Gwalchmai]

I would have to go with my name sake, Gwalchmai. Even though he's a far cry from being a major character in most of the books I read, his basic personal story is so endearing to me. Through supporting Arthur, he basically exiled himself from his own home and then after being welcomed by Arthur, goes on quest to earn the right to sit by his side as everyone else has despite his place being garunteed. Without thought for his personal well being, he always seeks to do the right thing and even when he sucomes to small shameful deeds that other people would just let go of, he bows his head in shame. Even though his character is very simple, I still see him as a major inspiration to anyone looking for a role model.

[Daae]

I would have to say Sydney Carton from A Tale of Two Cities. He's not as good, handsome, or virtuous as Darnay, at least not a first. But he was such an endearing character, and I bawled my eyes out when he traded places with Darnay at the end. He has a noble and couragous spirit, and is always humble, especially when it comes to himself. He's also probably the best friend anyone could hope to have.

[kg00ds]

I am a big fan of Gwalchimai and Merlin, especially in SRL's stuff. Like Gwalchimai said these characters are very endearing, I can relate to their struggles and desires. They are not perfect and they learn from their experiences. Also, I liked repicheep from The Chronicles of Narnia. I think it's because he also had a really good and brave heart. The kind of person who would be able to do anything.

[Bard Child]

Ahhh *rubs neck*
Lets see, T.A Barron's Merlin from his Lost Years of Merlin series on the list, because I can relate to that character very well. Also Larka and Fell from The Sight I can understand the stuggle of them both and there amazing devlopment in the plot

[Margim]

blixbrunner said:

Jimmy the Hand

Just who I was going to say. After Lawhead, Feist comes in for me as number two favourite author (while LOTR will always be special, Feist writes stories better than Tolkien).

Jimmy is an excellent combination of rogue and hero, youth and smarts.

[dgan]

Well, I don't know how to come to such a conclusion - I could name a dozen - but how can you go wrong with SRL's Arthur? Can you help but just fall in love with his charisma? One of my favorite lines is after they come down from the mountain as kids, Cai says something like, "I would not have made it but for Arthur. He all but carried me."

[Child of Immanuel]

Arthur never seems quite real to me, perhaps because he never narrates. I can also see this phenomenon with Merlin: his first narration, the book Merlin, makes me feel closer to him. For some reason in his others I can't get that sense. It's very strange.

[blixbrunner]

Totally agree with Child of Immanuel about Merlin.

[dgan]

I generally define a hero as one who is known by the heroism known about him. Those characters where you know them "personally" tend to be more of a tragic figure - you know their qualities, faults, and the inner demons they fight. A hero may be the exact same person, but you only know the "heroic" part of their story.

Maybe that is my own crazy assessment. And I'm not saying one is better than the other. I love Merlin and Charis, but I also know they did not consider themselves heroes. They were just people who tackled life, no matter what that required.

OK...this just isn't making sense...it makes sense in my head, if that makes you feel any better.

[Tegid]

If that which does not make sense is nevertheless clear to me, what does that say about me? I think I know what you mean about Merlin; I feel the same way about Tegid. He is on a pedestal in the tale as told through Llew's eyes ("Bards!" comments notwithstanding), and I frankly would not think much of him if that is all I had to go by. It is the middle part of the tale, where I learn about a totally different Tegid from the inside, that won me over to him. And my definition of hero is much more involved with character than with actions or results, the latter being a peephole into the former.

[Caledvwlch]

I have a lot of favorites, actually: Aragorn, Gandalf, Drizzt Do'Urden, Sam Gamgee, Myrddin Emrys (because he's so complex and rich and mystifying, not to mention just plain cool), and probably some others which i'll remember later. <grin>

I suppose I should put Linaska on here; he's the main character of the book I'm writing, but as no one else has any frame of reference for that...