Monday, June 20, 2011

Who Is It ?

Of the millions of novels on the market today, it's amazing how we become attached to certain characters. Characters we look forward to reading about book after book. Characters who remain timeless.

Who are your all-time favorite fictional characters and why? I mean other than Agatha Christie's, Hercule Poirot and Jane Marple, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's, Sherlock Holmes. They are everyone's favorite characters. If they aren't yours, than I, and I'm sure millions of other readers, would love to know why.

Other than Poirot, Marple and Holmes, my favorite fictional characters are a toss up between Elizabeth George's, Inspector Thomas Lynley, and Carol O'Connell's, Detective Kathleen Mallory.

Let's start with Lynley. Extremely rich, intelligent, handsome, and fit, Thomas' disposition reminds me of that of Sherlock Holmes. Like Sherlock, Thomas is impatient, demanding, and often dismissive of others. However, as you get to know Thomas you fall in love with his vulnerability. He is insecure about his wealth, and has a partner who couldn't be more opposite of him if she tried. Short, fat, ugly and unable to work with any other officer, one would think Barbara Havers and Lynley wouldn't last a day. Thomas gave her a chance and it worked. Still, she refuses, while remaining respectful, to accept any of his impertinence. Lynley respects her for that and for her intelligence, and finds he doesn't want to work with anyone else. Opposite as night and day, these two make an amazing team and a great reading adventure.

Next is Carol O'Connell's main character. The abandoned little girl, Kathleen Mallory who grew up on the streets. She is taken in by a loving family only to later lose them. Her adoptive father is a cop and he and his loving and gentle wife raise Kathleen who grows up to become a cop herself. Through each novel, the author reveals a bit of Mallory's tragic past helping the reader, and Mallory, understand how she became abandoned at such a young age, forced to live years of her young life on the seedy streets of town, and how she survived that life.

Because of both characters, the novels are gripping and full of edge-of-the-seat suspense. I'm anxious to learn of your favorite characters.

11 comments:

  1. Mine I would say Tracy Whitney of Sidney Sheldon. Books and novels are amazing. Not an movie could replace.

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  2. I love Sidney Sheldon's books. Haven't read one in a few years, and as good as the movies are, the books have been 10 times better.

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  3. I love Ian Rankin's Rebus - he's a flawed character and because of that you sometimes question what he thinks and does - which is what makes him so real for me. I also love the fact that we even know what his tipple and his record collection consists of!

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  4. Sue,
    I've never read Ian Rankin but plan to now. I loved flawed characters. They are so much more life-like. Kind of like the neurotic Monk character. You can't help but love him.

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  5. Mine would have to be Sarah from Redeeming Love and Elizabeth from Pride and Prejudice.

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  7. Sarah because she has been given another chance at life, and God has blessed her so much. God gave her a way out and gave her a way to help others out to that kind of life style.
    Elizabeth because she is so head strong and sure of herself, until she falls in love with the one man she swore she would loathe for all eternity. She is outspoken and beautiful. I would love to be her in that novel

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  8. Spoiler alert! I haven't gotten that far in the book yet. Ha! Just kidding. I love your comments. I also love both of those characters. I'm still getting to know Sara,aka Angel,aka Mara. But so far I can really appreciate the strength she's shown to survive. Also, I love Pride & Prejudice and Elizabeth is one heck of a gal.

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  9. Desiree,
    I fixed the links so now you can read the description of each novel. If you clink on the link it'll take you to the store for a full description and options.

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  10. Wow...my fave character? I don't know. I like Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice I guess, but I'm sure there are other, more contemporary ones I enjoy. Ah, I see someone else chose Elizabeth too! ;o)

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  11. Hey Carol,
    I think a lot of people like Elizabeth Bennett. She has such inner strength (she'd have to to put up with Darcy).

    What about one of your own characters? Do you have a favorite?

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