Who is your favorite character from sci-fi and fantasy?

[Josephine]

Roland the Gunslinger (Dark Tower), Samwise Gamgee, Harry Dresden (if Urban Fantasy counts?), Tyrian Lannaster, Elric of Melniboné, Fiver (from Watership Down, Richard Adams)

[John]

Wow..so many to choose from. It's like an all-star team of characters in no particular order:

Harry Dresden by Jim Butcher
Aragon by JRR Tolkien
Drizzt do'urden by RA Salvatore
Polgara by David Eddings
Druss the Legend by David Gemmell

This list could go on and on so I'll just leave it at these.

[D.J.]

Silvio wrote: "FANTASY
Beren, Lúthien, and Huan from The Silmarillion. Samwise Gamgee from LOTR.
SCIFI
I'm drawing a blank. Hope that says more about me than about scifi."

Beren and Lúthien are wonderful, but I'm drawing a blank on Huan. What part of the tale was he in?

As for sci-fi, I'm with you Silvio. I can't really think of anyone who stands out as a favorite character.

[John-Justice]

I also love Harry potter himself, Neville longbottom, frodo baggins, gandalf, Sam gamgee.

Sci fi- ender from Enders game. Hmmm what a toughie

[Margaret]

One of my favorite SF characters is actually from Heinlein: Mike the computer from The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.

[D.J.]

Ah, yes, I remember Huan now, though I think I'll have to re-read the Silmarillion to recall the particulars.

For me, many of the sci-fi characters seem to run together. Most of the sci-fi I've read seems to focus on the world and the plot and the characters are almost incidental. I wonder if that is a general tendency in science fiction or just a characteristic of the small subset of books I've read.

[Kate]

Too many to list!

Aragorn and Gandalf from LOTR
Vaelin Al Sorna from Blood Song
Sabriel, Touchstone and Lirael from the Abhorsen series
Pan from His Dark Materials
Jamie Lannister (as he develops) from ASOIAF

[Steph]

I have a soft spot for Polly Carveth, the fugitive replicant pleasure doll turned space pilot and mechanic from the Space Captain Smith books. It's all as daft as it sounds.

[Rollie]

Bean from Ender's Shadow and Vaelin Al Sorna from Blood Song!

[Robert2218]

Golitka and Logan nine fingers from the blade itself

[Al "Tank"]

Lazarus Long from Robert Heinlein's Methuselah's Children and Time Enough for Love.

Also Onja Kvorik from John Bowers' A Vow to Sophia and The Fighter Queen.

[Jenelle]

D.J. wrote: "Ah, yes, I remember Huan now, though I think I'll have to re-read the Silmarillion to recall the particulars.

For me, many of the sci-fi characters seem to run together. Most of the sci-fi I've re..."

I think that may be why I prefer fantasy (or space opera) to straight-up sci-fi. I prefer stories that are character-driven, with characters who get developed and become "real." And sci-fi oftentimes focuses so much more on the plot or the "science" part of the story and is driven by that instead.

This is obviously not true of all sci-fi... most of Timothy Zahn's sci-fi stand out to me as notable exceptions, but I have run into it more often in that genre than in fantasy or space opera. (Which, of course, could simply mean I've read all the wrong sci-fi books) :) I'm willing to admit the failing may be mine, and not the genre's.

[Wesley]

Signy Mallory from C.J. Cherry's "Downbelow Station." One of those characters who has stayed with me literally for decades.

[D.J.]

Silvio wrote: "Jenelle wrote: And sci-fi oftentimes focuses so much more on the plot or the "science" part of the story and is driven by that instead.

Very true. Sci-fi stories often feel like essays with narrat..."

Jenelle and Silvio, I wonder if the fact that sci-fi is set in the future has something to do with with the stories sometimes feeling more like concept sketches or "narrative illustrations" as you put it. Because an author by necessity must invent a great deal about the future setting, It seems like there is a danger of getting caught up in these "new ideas" and the story and characters get lost in the details.

As for your mention of Timothy Zahn, Jenelle, I'm intrigued. Which book would you recommend starting out with of his?

[Dale]

"Severian" - Introspective torturer guild apprentice on path of adventure, self discovery, adulthood, and enlightenment. Gene Wolfe,

Shadow and Claw
Sword and Citadel
Urth of the New Sun (coda)

Best writing I have ever encountered in Sci-Fi Fantasy...

and my favorite AI

"Richards" ("just Richards")

Guy Haley's novels:

Nemesis Worm
Reality 36
The Omega Point

[Mark]

I'm a big fan of Bonin from the Gaunt's Ghosts books by Dan Abnett. For some bizarre reason.

One of my old favorites was the dwarf, Flint, from the Dragonlance chronicles books.

[Zohaib]

Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones

[Andy]

There's been a few.... but two stand-out equally for me

Tyrion lannister (GOT)
Superior Glotka (1st Law trilogy)

[Trike]

Silvio wrote: "Jenelle wrote: And sci-fi oftentimes focuses so much more on the plot or the "science" part of the story and is driven by that instead.

Very true. Sci-fi stories often feel like essays with narrative illustrations. In my opinion, 1984 is an example of this, as is Ghost in the Shell. And I say this as a sci-fi fan foremost. "

I don't think it's fair to pull out two clearly juvenile versions of Science Fiction and use them as a bludgeon against the entire genre.

The Left Hand of Darkness or The Forever War or The Diamond Age are jam-packed full of ideas and discussions about society, culture and human nature, but they also have amazing characters and astonishing stories equal to the incredible worlds they inhabit.

[Jenelle]

D.J. wrote: "Silvio wrote: "Jenelle wrote: And sci-fi oftentimes focuses so much more on the plot or the "science" part of the story and is driven by that instead.

Very true. Sci-fi stories often feel like ess..."

D.J. I would highly recommend starting with


After that... I don't think it matters. :) But that's my favorite of his (that isn't a Star Wars book... his Thrawn Trilogy is also Fantastic). And it's a stand-alone, not part of a series. And it's pretty short... so it won't take you long.

I enjoyed Angelmass as well. Another stand-alone.

Night Train to Rigel took me a bit to get into, but I enjoyed it once I was there... I haven't read the rest of the series yet.

I did find the Conqueror's trilogy to be tedious, but I think I just got frustrated with the fact that I figured out what was going on before the characters did and that annoyed me (I've heard similar complaints about that trilogy... so I think the "secret" or "twist" was either not hidden as well as the author intended, or he fully intended to annoy his audience and have them yelling, "IF YOU'D JUST....!!!!!!!" at all the characters for two of the three books. LOL

He also has a "fantasy-esque" book called "The Green and the Gray" which I thought was quite clever.

I think what I like about him is that his stories are character-driven, AND he comes up with a completely new world/universe for every book... and hasn't just written one 15-book series in the same world. You don't see that very often. (Diana Wynne Jones is the only other author I can think of off the top of my head who did that).

[D.J.]

Jenelle wrote: "D.J. I would highly recommend starting with ..."

Thanks! I have added it to my queue. Now if I can only finish Tale of Two Cities...

I do like that Zahn has written in so many different worlds. That is no mean feat. And I like that his novels are character driven. Perhaps I'll finally discover that elusive sci-fi hero I've been looking for. If I do, I'll post back here.

[Bokeshi]

My favs are:
- Beleg and Túrin from "The Silmarillion" by Tolkien;
- Cugel from "The Eyes of the Overworld" and "Cugel's Saga" by Jack Vance;
- Lady Jessica Atreides from "Dune" by Frank Herbert.

[Gordon]

WOW... WAAAAY TOO MANY

Fantasy: Kaladin - 'WoK', Ja'quen Hagar & Sandor 'Hound' Clegane - 'AGoT', Whiskeyjack - 'Malazan' & Dresden 'DF' (which prob comes from loving Raistlen in older books) most mine are recent i.e.

Sci-Fi: Takeshi Kovacs - 'Altered Carbon', Prince Roger McClintock - 'Empire of Man', John 'Blackjack' Geary - 'Lost Fleet', & Miles Vorkorsigan - 'Warriors Apprentice+'

[Gordon]

R.J. wrote: "Okay, I am biased; ZyLorka. (from my own book, ZyLeath)

Why? He is a human with human faults and qualities, has accepted a tremendous burden to help humanity, has a true spirit, and is strong enou..."

?? I think few know in what context to even take that opinion?

How about a character from an author that INFLUENCED u, ur book, & the love for ur own creation? Just curious

[Max]

Steve wrote: "James Bolivar DiGriz, alias "Slippery Jim" and/from "The Stainless Steel Rat"

I love the narration in that book, read it when I was a kid."

The Stainless Steel Rat is one of my fav series combining mystery, humor and sci-fi in one!

[Max]

My fav characters are too many to name but a few are:
Retief (sci fi? fantasy?humor?)

Fantasy:
Gandalf
Pug (the serpent war saga)

Sci Fi:
R.Daneel Olivaw

[Chip]

Rincewind from the Terry Pratchet's Discworld. I love the concept of an inept wizard.

[Chip]

Sandi wrote: "Sorry, Terence. Spock and Picard are girly men. Worf is the manliest man in the Star Trek universe."

If you're going to talk about manly men from Star Trek, you can't forget Scotty. Scotch and engineering, what's manlier (is that a word?) than that?

[Judy]

Jenelle wrote: "Very true. Sci-fi stories often ..."

The Icarus Hunt was excellent!

[Machiavelli]

Why can't I see Rick Deckard anywhere (Do android dream of the electric sheep). And what about John Perry (Old man's war) or Gully Foyle? (The stars my destination).

[Kyra]

Ged from the Earthsea trilogy (don't like how he's done in the later books, though)

All-time favorite: Valen, from Flesh and Spirit/Breath and Bone, by Carol Berg. Yes, he's a drug addict, womanizer, thief, deserter, con man, and all-around ne'er-do-well, but he's such a cheerful, good-hearted person in spite of all his faults and the challenges and hardship in his life. You wish he was real just so you could hang out with him for a while.

[Bram]

I think I'll go with Beldin from the Belgariad and Mallorean series from David Eddings.

[Autumn]

Liath and Sanglant from the Crown of Stars series.



Phedre from Kushiel's Dart.



Elsha from Winter of Fire.

[[deleted user]]

For Fantasy: Tyrion Lannister, from Game of Thrones.

For SciFi: Ripley (as played by Sigourney Weaver) in Alien and Aliens.

[Al]

Al wrote: " Lazarus Long from Robert Heinlein's Methuselah's Children and Time Enough for Love.

Also Onja Kvorik from John Bowers..."

I agree on both counts. Also liked "Slippery" Jim DeGriz (The Stainless Steel Rat).

[Gordon]

After finishing 'The Red Knight' by Miles Cameron I'd love to see a movie similar to that LOTR style movie with monsters but a rated R version so they can show some 'Braveheart' or 'Gladiator' like action scenes, without the crazy racist or phone throwing lol. 'The Red Knight' was like a better written version of the 'Black Company', I know that might be a big statement for people who loved Cook, but I liked Cameron's vision of magic & mercenaries a lot more... although I only read 4 of the 10 books in the series & skimmed a couple...