Top Ten Favorite Literary Characters

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I was originally going to do a post about my top ten favorite characters in general, but I realized I have so many I can't really do that.  So I'm splitting it up between literary and film.  If I get to film and realize I can't fit them all there, I may do another highlighting my favorite television characters as well.  :)

SO!  Let's get down to it!

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#10:

Sophie Pendragon

Starting off our list we have Sophie Pendragon, née  Hatter.  She starts off the book as a timid and resigned eldest child, convinced that she will never amount to anything.  However, when she is cursed by a jealous witch to become an old woman before her time, her inner spitfire comes out, along with her strength.  She travels to work for the notoriously 'wicked' wizard Howl, and this is where we really discover her true character.  She is feisty and at times ill-tempered, but she has a good, motherly heart and her interactions with the people she comes to love are a joy to see.  I love her sensible mind, and watching her journey of self-discovery while hampered by her wizened appearance is quite entertaining.  In the later books, once she has come into her own, Sophie is and always will be a pleasure to read about.

#9

Mortimer Folchart

In Inkheart, we are introduced to Mortimer "Moe" Folchart, the father of our main character Meggie.  Moe is a kind and loving father, utterly devoted to his daughter and his books.  However, as the series goes on, we also see him as a grieving husband, a guilt-wracked atoner, and finally as a flawed and at-times confused Robin Hood-esque hero.  I absolutely loved his character devolopment.  The things he lost and the things he gained shaped him into the man he eventually became, and the journey is difficult but fascinating.  His complex relationship Dustfinger is probably the most interesting relationship in the entire series.

#8

Thomas Covenant

Thomes Covenant, of the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, is one of the most unlikable characters I've ever read.  Selfish, cowardly, and at times cruel, he is 'hero' only by designation, and throughout his first trilogy he fights it with every fiber of his leprosy-ridden being.  So why is he on this list?  Because I love the journey that he takes.  Covenant, it is explained, once lived a happy life as a young author, married to a beautiful wife and father to a healthy baby boy.  But when it was discovered that he had contracted leprosy, he lost everything.  His job, his respect, even his family.  This, understandably, left him bitter and disillusioned.  So when he is suddenly swept away into a fantastical world called the Land and tempted with the possibility of healing, he rejects it utterly.  Though he is prophesied to be a hero who can either save the Land or doom it, he refuses to fight against the evil of Despite.  But at the same time, he is touched against will by the loving people who defend him and help him no matter what the cost, and eventually their kindness begins to prevail upon him.

Thomas Covenant is difficult to love, and yet I do, because of the man he eventually becomes.  I don't want to give away too much of the series, because even though it's pretty dark and rather adult, it's worth the read for anyone who loves high fantasy.  Suffice to say that by the time I got to the second trilogy, I loved every minute spent with his character.

#7

Lucy Sabine

Raised in China as the orphaned daughter of English missionaries, Lucy is a child of two worlds.  After the death of her caretaker, she is drawn into the world of the English, as well as a tangled web of intrigue and old feuds.  And as she learns to navigate the peculiar land of her own people, she also harbors the secret of the stranger she married and lost in one night, Nick Sabine.  

Moonraker's Bride is one of my favorite books of all time, and one of the things I love most about it is Lucy's steadfast, innocent personality.  She is bright, sensible, curious, and at times blundering.  I can't really even describe her very well- you'd have to read the book to know.  Here's a quote that sort of sums her up:  

"Like Cinderella's slipper, she was made of glass, or crystal, for you could see all the way through her, and you saw nothing weak and nothing bad, only courage and love and unselfishness that took your breath away."

"... I'm frightened.  You speak as if I were so special, and I''m not, I know I'm not.  I get angry and scared and unreasonable, oh and I tell lies and I've been a thief.  You don't know what my page in the Recording Angel's book is like."

#6

Peet the Sock Man

I can't really talk much about my favorite character from the Wingfeather Saga without giving away to much about the story.  This is unfortunate because Peet is just... darling.  He is noble, intelligent, and devoted to his family, yet also ridden with crippling guilt and self-loathing. His character arch is heartbreaking and wonderful at the same time, and you should really, really read this series so I can talk freely about this already!

#5

Howl Pendragon

A scoundrel through and through, Howl is a vain, childish, petulant procrastinator and womanizer.  But despite his cowardice and selfish behavior, he is also brave and loving.  He's the kind of guy that would steal your heart, but you would know that you could never marry him.  The three books in which he plays a part are wonderful stories in their own right, but they also serve as means to explore his character bit by bit.  Again, I can't really go into his character without giving away too much about the first book, so this little blurb here will have to do.

#4

Dustfinger

Yet another coward on this list.  Is that a bad sign?  I don't know.  Whatever the case, it is Dustfinger's weakness that makes him interesting.  He's one of those characters you can't help but pity and wish to help, even after he's betrayed the OTHER characters you care about.  His arch, alongside Moe's, is very satisfying to watch.  And although not everything happened in his story that I wanted to happen, Dustfinger goes down as one of the most memorable characters I have ever read.

#3

Miach



The deuteragonist in the Nine Kingdoms trilogy, Miach and Aaragorn were tied for second place, but Aragorn beat him for  it because LOTR has such a special place in my heart.  That being said, Miach is such a sweet, sweet cinnamon roll I think I may still  be a little in love with him.  Or at least I would be if he wasn't so perfect for his love interest, the swordsmaiden Morgan.  He the youngest prince of Neroche, Archmage of the land.  Though generally disliked by the court because of his reclusive behavior and frazzled appearance, Miach a kind and whimsical soul, if perhaps a little closer to insanity than he'd like to admit.  But despite a traumatizing past and an inner tendency towards darkness, Miach nobly fights back his demons and walks solidly on the path of light, maintaining the realm and defending it from the evil that once nearly destroyed him.  His devotion to his family and his true love is pure and sweet.  His relationship with Morgan is one of the most well-done fictional romances I've ever read.

#2

Aragorn



Need I really say much about this one?  Aragorn is such a great and memorable character.  His journey from ranger to king is subtle and compelling, and his interactions with those he fights for are beyond reproach.  He is a true man of integrity, and since I've recently been re-reading the Appendices of Return of the King I've been impressed once again with how awesome he is.  ^_^

#1

Beleg Strongbow



Again, I know.  This fellow makes it onto a lot of my lists, but what can I say?  He's my favorite character ever.  I don't even know what it is about him that touches me in such a way, except that his honesty and devotion to his friend is so admirable. The voice of reason in an otherwise twisted and emotionally-trying tragedy, Beleg shines as a paragon of a true hero.  His prowess in battle does not make him arrogant, he stays true to his convictions and does not condone the actions of his dearest friend when it would be easier to either call it right, or leave him behind.  But against all odds, Beleg stays with Turn when he is needed most, knowing that it is his duty to try to protect his young friend from the terrible fate that looms over him.
Although it's difficult to pin down exactly what it is that solidified him in his position as my favorite character, it's going to take one INCREDIBLE character to usurp him.

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I hope you enjoyed this list!  Make sure to catch my next list, in which I highlight my top ten favorite film characters.  

What are some of your favorite characters, and why?  Let me know in the comments.  Have a nice day!

-Emmarayn Redding

(DISCLAIMER: With the exception of Peet the Sockman's portrait, I own none of the artwork contained  in this post.  All credit goes to their respective copyright holders.)