The best protagonists...

[fajrdrako]

March 6, 2008:
You should have seen this one coming … Who is your favorite Male lead character? And why?

This one's a no-brainer. I bet most of my flist could answer this one. Who is my favourite hero in fiction?

Francis Crawford of Lymond.

He has been since I first read The Game of Kings when I was fifteen. I would be very surprised if any hero ever manages to surpass him. It's just not possible. Why? Well, because he has every attribute I like in a hero: and then some. Atheltic, bisexual, caustic, a disguise-master, elegant, flippant, gorgeous (thanks for that one to Danny Hislop), honourable, inscrutible, jocular, kenspeckle, lissome, machiavellian, noble, ontological, polyglot, questing, rebellious, a swordmaster, troubled, undaunted, versatile, wanchancy, exotic (had to cheat there), yare and and zetetic.

But of course I have many beloved fictional heroes. Others who stand out:

• Aral Vorkosigan (Lois McMaster Bujold)¹
• Cairo Azarcon (Karin Lowachee)
• Eugenides (Megan Whalen Turner)
• Philip Marlowe (Raymond Chandler)
• Aragorn son of Arathorn (J.R.R. Tolkien)
• Mr Rochester (Charlotte Bronte)
• Justin Alastair, Duke of Avon (Georgette Heyer)²
• Rupert Campbell-Black (Jilly Cooper)
• Marcus Didius Falco (Lindsey Davis)

I should perhaps add: any one of the Dick Francis heroes. It wouldn't matter which one.



¹ I rather think Miles Vorkosigan might belong on this list as well; Aral has precedence, but Miles is terrific.

² I am also exceedingly and improbably fond of the hero of a Georgette Heyer short story, "Hazard". I believe his name was Carleton Carleton, but I'd have to look it up to be sure.

Comments

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

Man, Lymond... seriously, I don't really know what life would have been like w/o Dunnett. Seriously. How do they go on?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I can't imagine my life with out Dunnett, either. So much less interesting - that's for sure! Not just having Lymond in my head as the ultimate hero, but all the wonderful people I have met through Dunnett fandom, the trips I have made, the things I have learned - !

[neonnurse.livejournal.com]

Today the clone was emailing me about some gross thing in the British news; a long abandoned juvenile detention facility, now being renovated, where they found a hidden dungeon and shards of skulls and stuff.

I asked her how long she thought it would be before one's first thought, upon hearing something like that, was wondering if it would ever get reworked into a Dick Francis novel.

[gillo]

Not quite. It was a children's home - orphanage, so to speak. Not all the children were delinquents by a long chalk, which makes it even more horrific if that was even possible. It's now a Youth Hostel and was renovated a few years back - they had an alert even they couldn't ignore this time and are now looking for more bodies or remains.

It's not technically British - the Channel Islands aren't part of the UK - they owe allegiance personally to the Queen as Duke of Normandy and are not ruled from London.

It's a sickening story and I have a horrible feeling there's a lot more to come.

[neonnurse.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the clarification on that. I didn't read the original article, just got it second-hand. It sounds really awful either way. I guess whoever was responsible for the atrocities is long gone or even dead?

[gillo]

As yet no-one knows. They found a concrete bath in a hidden cellar and tonight's news is that they found traces of blood there. Whatever happened seems to have gone on for some while. Jersey is a small island though, so the chances are strong they will find out who did it. Probably plural "who". Ick.

[gillo]

Oh yes. Francis, my Francis.

His every breath was a caress designed to please.

But Spike is mine too. (OK, Buffy is the hero, but Spike is ... Spike.) Best Supporting Character at least. (Though Robin comes in there too, from Niccolo.)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

His every breath was a caress designed to please.

Hee. Isn't he perfect!

I have many male-lead-heroes from television (like Captain Jack Harkness and the Doctor) but the question is specifically about books. I did consider sneaking in Captain Jack because of Another Life (he's hardly in the other Torchwood novels) but decided that would be cheating. He's not one of my favourite male leads because of that novel; it's just that the novel does justice to him.

So both Jack and Spike would have to be on another list.

[gillo]

Hee. Isn't he perfect!

Always. Except when he stabs Janet Buccleuch, perhaps...

Male leads from novels? Darcy has to be right up there - all broody and sexy. Aral Vorkosigan, definitely. Harry Dresden?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Except when he stabs Janet Buccleuch, perhaps...

Janet didn't think so, but he was trying to save her. So I'd give him points for that. He does have imperfect moments, which makes him all the better. (Imperfection certifies the hero.)

Darcy and Aral, I agree. I didn't like Harry Dresden, not in the first book.

[bright-lilim.livejournal.com]

I would have added Aral, too, but I consider him to be a supporting character not a lead. Shards of Honor and Barrayar have Cordelia as a lead, IMHO.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

In both Shards of Honour and Barrayar, I'd call Cordelia the female lead, Aral the male lead.

Fine by me.

He's so much a favourite of mine, he belongs on my list.

[wanderinunicorn.livejournal.com]

Atheltic, bisexual, caustic, a disguise-master, elegant, flippant, gorgeous (thanks for that one to Danny Hislop), honourable, inscrutible, jocular, kenspeckle, lissome, machiavellian, noble, ontological, polyglot, questing, rebellious, a swordmaster, troubled, undaunted, versatile, wanchancy, exotic (had to cheat there), yare and and zetetic.

Wow! I'm going to read this novell! I fear it has been not translated into German, but it will not prevent me.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I'm going to read this novell! I fear it has been not translated into German, but it will not prevent me.

It has been translated into German - very badly, I am told. The first book in German is Das Königsspiel; it's The Game of Kings in English, and, in the English, beautifully written. Lymond's literary inspirations are characters like the Scarlet Pimpernel, Robin Hood, Lord Peter Wimsey and James Bond. But he isn't like any one of them - except in high entertainment value.

I had fun thinking up all those adjectives for Lymond!

[wanderinunicorn.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the hint, I'm going to order it; first in German, than in English.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

first in German, than in English.

Good idea! Then you'll be able to see the discrepancies and judge for yourself. I've only read a few paragraphs of the German; couldn't judge from that, but my German friends were ranting about what they did to the text. Apparently the Italian translations are much better, but I haven't been able to get my hands on them.

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

Rupert Campbell-Black, seriously? That makes me fairly gleeful because a lot of people would never admit to that - there's this annoying view that Jilly Cooper books aren't "proper" books.

I'm going to go for:

Miles Vorkosigan. Do I need to put reasons here? Sharp, funny, intensely determined, charming and a little bit nuts.

Simon Templar (but only in the books, no actors' portrayals need apply). Has that whole "can do anything" thing going for him, plus a nice line in almost Wodehousian piffle when he's feeling playful, con-man on the side of the angels as well as his bank account. Like James Bond without that pesky sadism and misogyny, described often as a modern Robin Hood and it fits.

Simon Snowlock from the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy by Tad Williams. Because he starts as a fairly normal young man who gets irritated with people being cryptic and who makes mistakes but is also strong enough to come through the bad times, always tries his best and grows up beautifully.

Bertie Wooster. For his woolly-headed duckiness, heart of gold and inimitable way with words.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Rupert Campbell-Black, seriously?

I have no shame. I thought Rupert was loads of fun.

there's this annoying view that Jilly Cooper books aren't "proper" books.

I confess I haven't read Jilly Cooper for a long time. But. Dismissing them as lowbrow is just pretentious, as far as I'm concerned. I think there's a lot to be said for books with high entertainment value and low snob-appeal.

Miles Vorkosigan. Do I need to put reasons here?

No. Miles' appeal is infinite.

Simon Templar

Good call. He had great dialogue. I don't remember the Saint books well - read them in my early teens - but did get a kick out of them.

I haven't read Tad Williams - I'll add him to my To Be Read list.

Bertie Wooster: not someone I remember well, though I know I read at least one of the books. Will add that to my TBR list as well.

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

I think there's a lot to be said for books with high entertainment value and low snob-appeal

Well, that's the thing isn't it? Anything that a lot of people enjoy must have something going for it. And the Jilly Cooper books are very entertaining.

My dad has a cardboard box full of 1960s Saint paperbacks, though I don't think he has the full series. I read my way through his collection as a teenager and it was a lot of fun. I was incredibly dismayed when they made a blockbuster film with Val Kilmer of all people!

I haven't read Tad Williams - I'll add him to my To Be Read list

Memory, Sorrow and Thorn is one of my favourite fantasy series. Lots of good characters, very good descriptions, nice balance between humour and horror, tragedy and triumph, and I found the plot elements pleasingly unpredictable. I started reading it on holiday at a friend's house when she was halfway through the third paperback (it's in 4 volumes in paperback as the last part is huge) and got so into it I caught her up and started nagging her to hurry up so I could read that one too! And then we both waited very impatiently for several months for the 4th one to be published - it was hell.

I haven't read his second series, Otherland, as it didn't appeal the same way and my friend said she hadn't enjoyed it as much, but I've heard good things about his third, Shadowmarch. And I really enjoyed Caliban's Hour, a short novel of Caliban's POV on The Tempest.

Bertie Wooster [...] Will add that to my TBR list as well.

Wodehouse is always worth a go. But I prefer the Jeeves and Wooster books myself because Bertie really is adorable and his narration is so much fun.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Anything that a lot of people enjoy must have something going for it.

There are a lot of very popular books I don't much like - The Name of the Rose, for example, or The Da Vinci Code. But I'm certainly not sorry I read them - as you say, there's *something* there even if it isn't the obvious.

As for Jilly Cooper - there's no pretense that the books are anything but light reading, and they are terrific light reading.

What Tad Williams novel should I start with?

[janne-d.livejournal.com]

What Tad Williams novel should I start with?

The Dragonbone Chair is the first in the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series, so that's the place to start. Then it's The Stone of Farewell and To Green Angel Tower (which is divided into Siege and Storm in paperback). All the paperbacks are about 600 pages long, so it should keep you busy for a while!

And if you're thinking of dipping into Jeeves and Wooster at any point, it's probably best to start with one of the sort story collections, like Carry On, Jeeves or Very Good, Jeeves. Novel-wise, I'm particularly fond of The Mating Season.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

OKay - noted - that's where I'll start.

[elebridith]

Puh - that's actually a hard one... who comes to my mind besides of course my beloved Karl May-characters? (Perhaps not known outside Germany - german author, from 18something, wrote tons of books including wild west adventures with Winnetou, the perfect indian - one does never get over their childhood crushes:-) ) I enjoyed Dean Corso from "Club Dumas" by A. Perez-Reverte, although with a kind of morbid fascination. The book-hunter... you never know if you want to hug him or hit him over the head.
Yes, Dick Francis heroes! Philipp from "Reflex", because I loved his photograpy magic, and Alex (?) from "To the hilt" are my favourites.
Oh, and Harry Barnett from three books by Robert Goddard. He's just such a sympathetic looser, I really like him! In no way perfect, but has a good heart.
Most recently, the one from Cornelia Funke's Ink World trilogy, is he called "Dustfinger" in english? I loved the idea that he is able to manipulate fire.
Yep... I guess that's it for now...

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed Dean Corso from "Club Dumas" by A. Perez-Reverte

Oh, yes - I read that, and totally enjoyed Dean Corso. Enjoyed Johnny Depp playing him in the movie, too.

Alex (?) from "To the hilt" are my favourites

I still have to think about who my favourites are - I've loved every one.

I like Robert Goddard's writing, but have only read one or two of his books. I don't recall Harry Barnett.

I don't know Cornelia Funke, but I love the title "Ink World Trilogy". I like fire manipulators. Must look for that one!

[elebridith]

Oh yes, Johnny Depp in the movie. Good one!
Harry Barnett was in "Into the blue", "Out of the sun" and "Never go back" which is the best of those three. They are standalones, but of course there are references which helps you with the character, so it's good to know them all.
Oooh, the Ink World trilogy! *swoons* It only got translated to english recently, and I think I've heard they make a movie with Brendan Fraser out of it. Not sure I like that - not after what they did to poor Susan Cooper... but the books are great! Written for young adults, but not exclusively. Just like Harry Potter, people tend to forget that they are not, I repeat, NOT written for children under twelve. And then they complain when it's getting dark in there. *sighs* It's about a man who can, when he reads books aloud, read characters or things *out* of the book in the real world - and other things from the real world would disappear into the book. Told from his daughter's point of view. And Dustfinger is someone who came *out*, but kept some of his magical talents because it was a fantasy book he came out of. Part three is *very* dark compared to the rather light part one, but I liked them immensely. I even postponed Potter 7 to read Inkworld 3! *lol*

Oh, and I have another male lead - Jay Gatsby. Most beautiful book I've ever read. We read it in class, and I was so mesmerized by the language!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I have requested "Into the Blue" at the library, along with "Inkdeath".

I've heard they make a movie with Brendan Fraser out of it.

Eee. I don't like Brendan Fraser. Not much. He was okay in "Gods and Monsters" but only because Ian McKellen played such a strong role.

I even postponed Potter 7 to read Inkworld 3! *lol*

Heh. I like fantasy, but I'm not a huge Harry Potter fan. I like it in bits and pieces. Mostly the bits that include Snape.

I have another male lead - Jay Gatsby.

Oh, yes!~ Good one.

[elebridith]

Inkdeath... could be it's the third one? Make sure you also get part one (Inkheart, I guess) and two, otherwise it's pretty difficult. But worth! :-)

I am pretty picky with fantasy, perhaps due to the fact that the german market is not so varied there. Translations are sometimes awful, but if I get a recommendation, i'll try it. Generally I love reading it, if it's good.

I like Potter, liked it from the beginning. Inkworld was just more important*lol*

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I like a lot of fantasy. Favourite fantasy authors: Tolkien, Guy Gavriel Kay, Patricia McKillip, Diana Wynne Jones, George R.R. Martin, Elizabeth Knox. Always looking for more good fantasy - but I'm really fussy about the writing style.

[magika83.livejournal.com]

You continue to teach me new words. I'm intrigued by your description, and might just have to check out those books.

And I love Aragorn, but you already knew that.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I love Aragorn, but you already knew that.

It just shows what great taste we have. He is one of the best of the best.