The Reading Challenge Group discussion

Who is your favourite character from literature? (Or characters, if you can't pick just one.) What makes you love them so much?

Mine is Sydney Carton, from A Tale of Two Cities. There's just something about his brokenness, his feigned indifference, his undying loyalty, and his unquestioning willingness to see someone else's happiness as more important than himself that breaks my heart and makes me cry every time I read that wonderful book. The book's famous last line came right from his heart, and it tears me to pieces even while I can't help but smile.

Great question Faye! After all my years of reading and loving so many books, I don't think I have ever stopped to consider a list of favourite characters. Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm not sure that I will be able to narrow it down to just one, so I have picked a couple.

First up - P.K. from The Power of One. I loved this character for his vulnerability and his ability to find the best qualities in people despite living in desperate times and situations. He was a brave soul, right from a very young age in boarding school and I always felt like he brought out the best qualities in his loved ones.

Next up - Ponyboy from The Outsiders. This boy kept his family together and created an extended family from his friends in the absence of his parents. His loyalty and genuine concern for others made him a very interesting and endearing character.

Finally - Harry Potter himself. He has a lot of the same elements as my first two favourites, including vulnerability, optimism, loyalty and he also possessed humility, bravery and selflessness. No matter how many times I read the books or see the movie, I continue to kilogram his character!

Don Quixote. Even though he was delusional, he always stood up for what he believed was right. Without any formal knight training, he battled gallantly- although he mistakes windmills for menacing giants.

I liked ponyboy as well with bilbo baggins because he outsmarted the creature who said my precious to get the ring from him, outsmarted trolls and was befriended by dwarves and a wizard is pretty cool.

Well there's just SO many characters I love!! So, leaving aside infatuations, here are some of my favorite characters!

- Fitzwilliam Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. There's just something so awesome about him. Every time I read the book, I love his aura, the way he speaks, what he speaks, he's just so innocent and adoring!

- Edward Cullen from Twilight Saga. I can't even begin! This comment would never end:P:P

- Sati from Shiva trilogy. More than a favorite, she's an inspiration to me. I love her strong, courageous nature and she's THE ideal lady. Soft and gentle as well as tough, I can't think of a better female character in books.

Mine is Raistlin from the Dragonlance books. I love how evil and how utterly compassionate he is. I cry every time I read the last book in the Twins series.

I'm not actually sure if I have a favourite character... I definitely have a few that I really like though.

Remus Lupin from Harry Potter - his character is always vastly underrated. JK Rowling said his character mirrored the prejudice against AIDs in society, and he's was one of my favourite characters of the series.

Raskolnikov from Crime and Punishment - by far the character I understand out of all the books i've read. All his pain and guilt and madness is just fascinating!

I think it must be a character in a series of books, for me. Probably Jack Aubrey from the brilliant 20 Aubrey/Maturin books of Patrick O'Brian.

He's energetic, gregarious, cheerful, open, and a lion at sea. On land he's naive and gullible, and never really understands the machinations of men or, particularly, women.

And so many other favourites, too!

I started Master and Commander and enjoyed it. Not sure why I never finished it.

I absolutely love the film though. One of my favourites.

Yes, Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany brought the two main characters to the screen brilliantly, didn't they?

Definitely. I might have to re-watch it soon.

I actually have Master and Commander on my to-read list for this year, so I might get it done sooner rather than later!

It's sitting on my bed-side table staring at me!

Such a hard question. Don't know where to begin.

This question is so hard! I'm of the school of "Style over Content", so I don't tend to read books where you get attached to the characters a lot.

I fell in love with Harry Haller (Steppenwolf) when I read it for a German Lit course. I wasn't expecting to really love any book, but Harry's self-consciousness really resonated with me. I recommend this book to anyone in their twenties. :D

My favorite genre writer is Stephen King, and out of all his books, my favorite character is probably Nick Andros (The Stand). There's just something about the way he can't communicate with others easily (he's deaf and mute), and especially not with Tom Cullen, that really appealed to me.

I also really loved the whole cast in The Joy Luck Club, I don't know that I could pick a favorite there. :)

Holly wrote: "I'm not actually sure if I have a favourite character... I definitely have a few that I really like though.

Remus Lupin from Harry Potter - his character is always vastly underrated. JK Rowling sa..."

Add me to the Remus Lupin fanclub. I loved the character, but I felt so betrayed by the actions J.K. Rowling had him do in Deathly Hallows, that they tainted him for me.

I am kind of surprised that nobody has mentioned Jay Gatsby yet.

I have several favorites:

As far as 'classics' I would have to say that Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorites. I first read this as young girl and this Southern gentleman standing up against the bigots to defend Tom Robinson was amazing. I found him a compelling character. This novel is so evocative of the South.

For a more 'contemporary' character, I would have to go with Harry Dresden, the central character of the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, currently up to the 14th installment Cold Days . Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden is a Chicago wizard and he's in the phone book. He's a wise-cracking, hard-headed private investigator. In some ways, he's kind of like an American Harry Potter grown up the hard way. He was abandoned by his mother, orphaned by his father, adopted by a dark mage who used some rather brutal teaching methods and who he eventually ended up killing, then rescued and mentored by another wizard who turned him into a more acceptable wizard. He has a vampire half-brother and a fae grandmother (yes, a fairy grandmother - but it's not quite as good a deal as you might think) and a spirit named Bob who inhabits a skull. I love Harry's attitude (as in "are you always a smartass?' "Nope. Sometimes I'm asleep"). He's the flawed hero. But he is a hero. He makes the hard choices. He stands by his family and friends even when it's painful and hard. He has a PhD in pain and hurt but that does not stop him from doing what he knows must be done. His voice is so unique. Listen to the last lines of the first novel, Storm Front :

I don't want to live in a world where the strong rule and the weak cower. I'd rather make a place where things are a little quieter. Where trolls stay the hell under their bridges and where elves don't come swooping out to snatch children from their cradles. Where vampires respect the limits, and where the faeries mind their p's and q's. My name is Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden. Conjure by it at your own risk. When things get strange, when what goes bump in the night flicks on the lights, when no one else can help you, give me a call. I'm in the book.

Wow! And that's just the first book…give me a call, Harry. We could hang out, kick some bad guy's butt, drink a draft at McAnally's pub, and go conjure up a spell or three.

Cindy wrote: "I have several favorites:

As far as 'classics' I would have to say that Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorites. I first read this as young girl and this South..."

Atticus Finch was a great character, but Harry Dresden is definitely my kind of guy. I love his smartass ways and that despite his flaws (which he freely acknowledges), he's willing to step up to the plate and be the hero that's needed.

I'm going to have to think a bit to come up with a short list of other favorites :)

Rob wrote: "I am kind of surprised that nobody has mentioned Jay Gatsby yet."

I did feel for poor Gatsby.

It might be a bit strange but Richard Sharpe is my favourite character of all time. From the books written by Bernard Cornwell, Sharpe is a soldier in the British Army during rule in India and then the Napoleonic Wars. This was the first adult series of novels I read, going from Point Horror and childrens classics like Black Beauty into military fiction was a bit of a jump. I think I like the character more for sentimental reasons than anything else, as I've definitely encountered more interesting characters in my reading life, but he'll always be my favourite. It helps that when it was dramatized for TV he was played by Sean Bean :)

I get a huge kick out of Stephanie Plum (by Janet Evanovich) and Kinsey Milhone (by Sue Grafton). They're both spunky, irreverant and smart, and they always make me laugh. And I'd love to lead the lives they lead, solving crimes and bringing in the bad guys.

My favorite character from any book that I have read would have to be Charlie from The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I just love his personality and how he is not afraid to be himself. And he is probably the most unique character that I have ever read! :)

Lexie wrote: "My favorite character from any book that I have read would have to be Charlie from The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I just love his personality and how he is not afraid to be himself...."

I love him too!! he's just so special and innocent....

Lexie wrote: "My favorite character from any book that I have read would have to be Charlie from The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I just love his personality and how he is not afraid to be himself...."
Yes I know!! This is going to sound strange but he really taught me that it is okay to be yourself and not to care what other people thought of me. It should only matter what I think of me.

Yeah....loved that part of his character, how he isn't afraid of what people think about him and most importantly, how he isn't afraid to be hismelf:)

Persuasion by Jane Austen is one of my all time favorite books, so I would have to say that Anne is my favorite character. She's level-headed, steadfast, loyal and practical, many traits that I would like to personally work on in my own life.

Faye wrote: "Who is your favourite character from literature? (Or characters, if you can't pick just one.) What makes you love them so much?

Mine is Sydney Carton, from A Tale of Two Cities. There'..."

I love that character. I remember how he really spoke to my tortured teenage self!

Aitziber wrote: "This question is so hard! I'm of the school of "Style over Content", so I don't tend to read books where you get attached to the characters a lot.

I fell in love with Harry Haller ([book:Steppenw..."

The Stand is my all time favorite book. Whenever asked which book I would take to a deserted island, I always say The Stand. Frannie is my favorite character. Although Nadine is a close second.

Hard to pick just one. Jamie and Claire Fraser, and Lord John Grey (Gabaldon's main characters) are just brilliant - strong characters, honourable and loyal. I love Rose in Stephen King's Rose Madder. And in Terry Pratchett's Discworld my favourite characters are Death (because he loves cats and in his own way is fair and just), Mistress Weatherwax (she is a hard woman but she knows who and what she is, and does not apologise for it), The Patrician (because he does what needs to be done) and Sam Vimes (he does a thankless job but tries to do it to the best of his abilities).

Ooh. Howl Pendragon from Howl's Moving Castle. Richie from Stephen King's IT. Nick and Larry from The Stand. Johnny Dart from Memory by Margaret Mahy. Devin from Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay.

Of course, I am slightly in love with all these characters, too...

I wouldn't like to say that I have any favourite characters really.

Ayla from the Clan of the Cave Bear series. She had to live on her own off the land and was completely independent. I have just realized that I have unknowingly aspired to become a modern Ayla.

Pippi Longstocking - she's tenacious and fun, self-reliant, a little indulged, and full of creative and original ideas.

OR

The vampire Lestat - he's such a complex and interesting character, obsessed with the idea of humanity, what it means to be human and the whole idea of human salvation on a grand scale. I like him VERY much.

Luna Lovegood and Hermine Granger from the Harry Potter series

Very hard to pick. Recently I've become very fond of Commander Vimes in Terry Pratchett's Discworld universe. I also am very fond of Daniel Waterhouse, the scientist hero of much of Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle. Leora Tozer from Arrowsmith is one of my all-time favorites (and was one of my mother's favorites, too).

Love Atticus Finch from 'To kill a mockingbird' he reminds me of my dad. Also love Jane Eyre because she stands up for herself.

A few of my favorite characters, in no particular order:

1. Gandalf - LOTR trilogy
2. Robbie Turner - Atonement
3. Lara Cameron - The Stars Shine Down
4. Atticus Finch - To Kill A Mockingbird
5. Lucy Pevensie - The Chronicles of Narnia
6. Percy Jackson

Faye wrote: "Who is your favourite character from literature? (Or characters, if you can't pick just one.) What makes you love them so much?

Mine is Sydney Carton, from A Tale of Two Cities. There'..."

Hard to say. Maybe Jamie from Outlander. I have a serious character crush on him. Mike is almost jealous.

It's a very hard question, one character that melt my heart was Aibeleen from The Help.

Jefferson Hope, from Sherlock Holmes, A Study in Scarlet. I loved his determination to bring justice to his lost love. I also love Jordan Baker, from The Great Gatsby.

I have a deep love for science and i love strong intelligent female characters that start off in a place of weakness but rise and show true strength and character...so for me my favourite that comes to mind would be Claire from The Morganville Vampire Series.. Yes a YA series, but a great read for anyone with an open mind and an intelligent sense of humor.

I've read a lot of books in my lifetime, so it's hard to pinpoint a particular character from all of them.
I'd say Owen Meany stands out the most to me . He was quite a memorable character .

I have two that immediately come to mind-

Kate Daniels, from the Kate Daniels series (urban fantasy)

and then Alexia Tarabotti, from the Parasol Protectorate series (steampunk).

They both are my idea of the perfect female protagonist :)

Richard wrote: "Very hard to pick. Recently I've become very fond of Commander Vimes in Terry Pratchett's Discworld universe. I also am very fond of Daniel Waterhouse, the scientist hero of much of Neal Stephenson..."

Ohhh, Commander Vimes is a great one!

Begu in Hild, the irrepressible "gemæcce" (a sort of best friend bond that is meant to last for life) of the lead character.

My all-time favorite character is Remus Lupin from the Harry Potter series. I've always loved werewolves and he's the best one. I also love Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird especially since my favorite actor plays him in the movie. :)

One of my favorite characters would probably be sam wise gamgee from the lord of the rings. I love how he jumps in to help Frodo even when he really loves his garden and the comforts of the shire. He is always there for Frodo, even doing terrifying things like taking on a guard post full of orcs to rescue him. He helps to keep Frodo positive, but also knows when he is starting to slip away and confronts him about it. He is loyal, brave, and kind.

The first character that comes to mind is Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter books. I liked her from the very start and I used to identify a lot with her when I was younger. As I grew older I didn't identify with her quite as much, but I still regard her as one of my top favorite characters because, well, she's simply awesome.

Other characters that I like are:
Gandalf and Samwise from the Lord of the Rings
Lucy and Aslan from the Narnia Chronicles
Belgarath from the Belgariad and the Mallorean (don't ask me why, I just instantly liked him)

My favorite character is Peter Kien from Auto-da-Fé. I absolutely LOVE this book and I love this completely, utterly mad character. He's the best one ever, and I would like to meet him in real life to see just how crazy he can be. From the same book, I also love Therese and Fischerle, although with them is a love/hate relationship, as they are really unpleasant, to say the least.

Then, I love Nick Andros from The Stand. He's supposed to be disabled and damaged, but he's the smartest of all.

From the Harry Potter series, I am one of the Remus Lupin fanclub :-) But I also like Sirius Black.

Hmmm....this will take some careful thinking!

A very favourite character is Arn from Jan Guillou's The Road to Jerusalem: Book One of the Crusades Trilogy

Harry, Adam and Gillais in The Heaven Tree Trilogy

Ash in The Far Pavilions

Eurgain and Cinnamus in The Eagle and the Raven

Dena Nordstrom in Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!

Ratty in The Wind in the Willows

Atticus in To Kill a Mockingbird

Hmmm....that seems to be a variety of excellent characters!