Second Banana Award - Who are the great supporting characters and side-kicks of fantasy?

[K.A.]

Forgot about Neville Longbottom - one of my favorite sidekicks.

[Joseph]

K.A. wrote: "Forgot about Neville Longbottom - one of my favorite sidekicks."

I think a strong argument could be made that Harry Potter is the sidekick in Neville Longbottom's story.

[Dhanusha]

Thomas wrote: "Who from what? Tarly from what book?"

ASoIAF- A song of ice and fire. Series by George R.R. Martin.

[Dhanusha]

Sam from Lord of the Rings.
Silk from the Mallorean.
Bartimaeus from Amulet of Samarkand.. although he's way funnier and more interesting than the main character Nathaniel!

[K.A.]

Joseph wrote: I think a strong argument could be made that Harry Potter is the sidekick in Neville Longbottom's story."

Heh. Yes, to a large extent. I actually like Neville better than Harry.

[Jefferson]

K.A. wrote: "I actually like Neville better than Harry."

Neville Longbottom is the more classic tragic hero. He suffers his hardships in stoic isolation, and still somehow manages to find the strength and character to put it all on the line for others.

In contrast, Harry weeps and moans about his lonely orphan status - or others do it for him - so frequently that by the third book, we're already sick of it. We don't even learn the depth of Neville's hardships until something like the fourth book. That's how much of a standup kind of guy Neville is.

[[deleted user]]

"Neville Longbottom and the Philosopher's Stone."

Yeah, I think that works.

Personally (not the same topic, I know) I'd like to see a series with Draco Malfoy as the main character, along the lines of the Flashman books. He's got a much cooler name for a fantasy hero than Harry Potter (who, let's face it, sounds like a middle-aged chartered accountant), and hair like Elric of Melnibone. Way to go, Draco!

[Michael]

Sam Gamgee is the all time sidekick. Flick Ohmsford from Sword of Shannara would be another good one, or Roland's entire Ka-tet from the Dark Tower series.

[K.A.]

Personally (not the same topic, I know) I'd like to see a series with Draco Malfoy as the main character, along the lin..."

This interested me so much that I began exploring the idea of "how do people become evil sorcerers and do they think they're right/good?", although not with Draco Malfoy per se. I wonder if there's some Deatheater-POV fan fic out there? I'd be interested in it. Probably off-topic, but I'm also interested in other not-so-heroic POV books...suggestions?

[[deleted user]]

Oliver D'burrows from The Crimson Shadow series.

[Greg]

I enjoyed Zedd in the first few SoT books.

Olver in WoT.

Thibbledorf Pwent in the Salvatore books.

And many more I can't think of now.

by Terry Goodkind

by Robert Jordan

by R.A. Salvatore

[Gregory]

Oberon From the Iron Druid Series. I can't believe no one has thought of him yet!

[Devan]

Yes Oberon! Such a cleverly done character. Never fails to please. :)

[Bev]

Wendell wrote: "Samwise Gamgee will always be tops to me.

Ingold Inglorion from Barbara Hambly's Darwath series is a sword wielding wizard who would kick Gandalf's butt any day.

Saltheart Foamfollower and Lord M..."

Saltheart definitely.

[Doug]

Silk from the Belgariad

I also like the really pious knight (starts with a B?) in the other Eddings series. I remember at one point, he beheads a guard who refuses to make way, then leads a prayer over his soul.

I also second Mat Cauthon. He was easily the best character in WoT. Him and Egwene. I grew to hate the Rand chapters.

[Lee]

Silk was one of my favorite characters. I have forgotten almost everything else about that series, I guess I should read them again, but Silk I remember. In fact I was just talking about him when I noticed someone with the last name Silk and thought it was awesome. Lol.

My favorite supporting character is probably Sazed from Mistborn. A supporting character but an important one. And my favorite from the series.

[[deleted user]]

Silk.I like Silk from the Belgariad and Mallorean series.

[S.J.]

Sazed was a great character! By the end of the series I don't know if he could be labelled as a supporting one though.

[Matina (Alassra)]

I second Silk from Belgariad and Tasslehoff Burrfoot from the dragonlance books though i never felt he was a sidekick (Fizban was great too) !Also I loved Myron from the Riyria Revelations.

[Harry]

A lot of the greats already mentioned.

Sam Gamgee
Silk
Oberon
How about Saltheart Foamfollower from Thomas Covenant's 1st series?
Mouse, Murphy, or Thomas from Harry Dresden
Loiosh from Brust's Vlad Taltos series

[Mary]

Mab in Prospero Lost, Prospero in Hell, and Prospero Regained by L. Jagi Lamplighter
Tock in The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Gumpwort in The Wizard's Tale by Kurt Busiek
Will Fairweather in A Midsummer Tempest by Poul Anderson
The Gollux in The 13 Clocks by James Thurber
Tyson from the Percy Jackson books.

[Iri]

Sam Gamgee, Neville Longbottom and Stammel from Paksenarrion trilogy.

[[deleted user]]

I'd vote for Puddleglum the Marshwiggle, in C.S.Lewis's The Silver Chair. He has a refreshingly gloomy view of life that is very similar to my own.

[DavidO]

Chris wrote: "I'd vote for Puddleglum the Marshwiggle, in C.S.Lewis's The Silver Chair. He has a refreshingly gloomy view of life that is very similar to my own."

Completely forgot about him. Yeah, he's the best part/character of maybe the whole series.

[Mary]

Chris wrote: "I'd vote for Puddleglum the Marshwiggle, in C.S.Lewis's The Silver Chair. He has a refreshingly gloomy view of life that is very similar to my own."

He's a good one.