Two heads are better than one
"This is why Superman works alone." ~ Batman & Robin (1997)
Why have one protagonist when you can have two? Here are some of my favourite literary double-acts:
1. Windsor "Win" Horne Lockwood III and Myron Bolitar - Harlan Coben
Relationship: roommates in college, now best friends who often work together; both because Win is the financial advisor for Myron's sports clients, and because he helps Myron when his role as sports agent turns into one of detective
Quote:
"Something's wrong,' Win said.
'What?'
'Terribly wrong.'
'What are you talking about?'
'Some asshole is calling me at seven in the morning pretending to be my best friend."
Fun fact: Win is loosely based on Coben's roommate in college, "though in real life, he is less, er, psychotic than his fictional counterpart".
2. Lt. Eve Dallas and Officer (Detective) Delia Peabody - J.D. Robb
Relationship: Peabody goes from being Eve's temporary aide, in the Homicide Dept. of the NYPSD, to her partner and close friend
Quote:
"You're being honored by this department and this city for having the integrity, the courage, and the skill to take out a blight on this department and this city. Dirty, murdering, greedy, treacherous cops are sitting in cages right now because you had that integrity, courage, and skill. I don't care if they do this damn thing in Grand Central, you will get on your feet. You will not puke, pass out, cry like a baby, or squeal like a girl. That's a goddamn order."
Fun fact: The "In Death" series was originally conceived as a trilogy. Devoted in Death (September 2015) is the 41st book in the series.
3. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson - Arthur Conan Doyle
Relationship: Watson is Holmes's closest friend, biographer, and assistant in his detective work
Quote:
"If you had killed Watson, you would not have got out of this room alive."
Fun fact: Holmes was originally going to be called Sherrinford, and Watson Ormand Stacker.
4. Fred and George Weasley - J.K. Rowling
Relationship: twin brothers, and later co-owners of the joke shop, "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes"
Quote:
“You're a prefect? Oh Ronnie! That's everyone in the family!'
'What are Fred and I? Next door neighbors?”
Fun fact: They were born on April Fool's Day.
5. Beatrice and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing
Relationship: their fiery relationship starts as enemies and, through the trickery of their friends, end as husband and wife
Quote:
“I can see he's not in your good books,' said the messenger.
'No, and if he were I would burn my library.”
Fun fact: In an early version of the play, there is another character called Innogen, the wife of Lenato, who appears to him as a ghost in two of the first scenes.
Who are your favourite literary double-acts?
Why have one protagonist when you can have two? Here are some of my favourite literary double-acts:
1. Windsor "Win" Horne Lockwood III and Myron Bolitar - Harlan Coben
Relationship: roommates in college, now best friends who often work together; both because Win is the financial advisor for Myron's sports clients, and because he helps Myron when his role as sports agent turns into one of detective
Quote:
"Something's wrong,' Win said.
'What?'
'Terribly wrong.'
'What are you talking about?'
'Some asshole is calling me at seven in the morning pretending to be my best friend."
Fun fact: Win is loosely based on Coben's roommate in college, "though in real life, he is less, er, psychotic than his fictional counterpart".
2. Lt. Eve Dallas and Officer (Detective) Delia Peabody - J.D. Robb
Relationship: Peabody goes from being Eve's temporary aide, in the Homicide Dept. of the NYPSD, to her partner and close friend
Quote:
"You're being honored by this department and this city for having the integrity, the courage, and the skill to take out a blight on this department and this city. Dirty, murdering, greedy, treacherous cops are sitting in cages right now because you had that integrity, courage, and skill. I don't care if they do this damn thing in Grand Central, you will get on your feet. You will not puke, pass out, cry like a baby, or squeal like a girl. That's a goddamn order."
Fun fact: The "In Death" series was originally conceived as a trilogy. Devoted in Death (September 2015) is the 41st book in the series.
3. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson - Arthur Conan Doyle
Relationship: Watson is Holmes's closest friend, biographer, and assistant in his detective work
Quote:
"If you had killed Watson, you would not have got out of this room alive."
Fun fact: Holmes was originally going to be called Sherrinford, and Watson Ormand Stacker.
4. Fred and George Weasley - J.K. Rowling
Relationship: twin brothers, and later co-owners of the joke shop, "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes"
Quote:
“You're a prefect? Oh Ronnie! That's everyone in the family!'
'What are Fred and I? Next door neighbors?”
Fun fact: They were born on April Fool's Day.
5. Beatrice and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing
Relationship: their fiery relationship starts as enemies and, through the trickery of their friends, end as husband and wife
Quote:
“I can see he's not in your good books,' said the messenger.
'No, and if he were I would burn my library.”
Fun fact: In an early version of the play, there is another character called Innogen, the wife of Lenato, who appears to him as a ghost in two of the first scenes.
Who are your favourite literary double-acts?
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