Heroes from Non-Romance Books That Are So Bad@$$, They Should Make Our List

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I definitely nominate Shane "Scarecrow" Schofield, from the Matt Reilly books, Ice Station, Area 7, Scarecrow. What a man!!!

Travis Cornell from Watchers by Dean Koontz.

Artemis Fowl from the Eoin Colfer books. Okay I know he's 12, but he's a somewhat evil genius who could take over the world. I have to give him props.

[Jennifer]

I really enjoyed Cal Leandros

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Oh, yes. Cal and Nik in the Cal Leandros books by Rob Thurman go without saying. I could slap myself from not putting them on here. Bad Danielle!

[Jennifer]

lol i do like his little goth look they describe

[Yz the Whyz]

Jason Bourne by Robert Ludlum.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Oh, yes!

[Yz the Whyz]

Oh, yes, I think I've reread the Bourne trilogy so many times when I was growing up. No offense to the popular Bourne movies (Matt Damon), but they did not do justice to Jason Bourne, the book character.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I have the first one in my tbr pile. I need to read it!

[Yz the Whyz]

You have to read it Danielle. Then if you can get your hands on the movie with the same title starring Jacquelyn Smith and Richard Chamberlain. That version was pretty close to the book.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Okey-dokey, Whyz. It's hard to keep me away from a bad@$$ hero. :)

[Yz the Whyz]

Cool! :)

I mean its a good break from regular romance, but even thought its a suspense thriller, in a lot of ways, there is a very good romance in the story.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I love a good suspense, action/adventure book. It doesn't have to have romance. I love romance, but sometimes I read books with no romance.

[Kit★]

Wow, this thread hasn't been touched in a long time, but if I may, I'd like to add one that I've been in love with for a long, long time. Roland, the gunslinger from The Dark Tower series from Stephen King. He's totally dangerous. He could, and probably would kill me for not living up to his code, but damn, I just love him, his aloofness, his constant drive and strength, his sad back-story, his coldness, his ability to survive all kinds of situations, the way he cares for the people he does care about, and never gets all mushy... and his unbeatable bad-ass-ness with his guns too. My mind's image of him is great, I'd have to say he's probably one of my favorite characters of any book ever. :)

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I read The Gunslinger a long time ago. I'd like to revisit it and pick up the rest of the series one day.

[Kit★]

Great! I've read 'em all a bunch of times, they're dog-eared and battered old favorites :)

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I should add Joe Pike by Robert Crais, Jack Reacher by Lee Child, and Court Gentry by Mark Greaney to my list.

I also think I will add Michael Gallatin from Wolf's Hour, which I am reading now, because he is pretty darn bad@$$!

[Andrea]

I just discovered Jack Reacher in a series by Lee Child. He's kind of an anti-James Bond. Definitely not a ladies' man but he's so kick ass I just have to love him.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Oh, I don't know, Andrea. He has a woman each book or so. Although he's definitely not a smooth operator. :)

[Andrea]

Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress wrote: "Oh, I don't know, Andrea. He has a woman each book or so. Although he's definitely not a smooth operator. :)"
Oh? lol. Okay, I've only read one so far. Can't wait to read more.

[Awilk -never sleeps-]

I totally agree with you about Jack Reacher. I also like Mitch Rapp in the books by Vince Flynn.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I have heard good things about Mitch Rapp...

[Teresa]

I have to say Richard (Cypher) Rahl from Terry Goodkinds Sword of Truth Series being the first book.

Loved the first five books of the series and absolutely can't get enough of Richard's sexy badassness!

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I have that one in my pile, Teresa. Maybe I will get to read it next year...

[Alisa]

I too love Jack Reacher. I also love Lawson from the Lawson Vampire series. He's a kick butt guy who protects the vampire race from discovery. No romances in it. A few hook ups like in the Reacher books but that's about it.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I am looking forward to reading the Lawson series. Another one that has been languishing on my pile.

[Shannon]

James Stark from Richard Kadrey's Sandman Slim for sure.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I'd have to add Alex Hunter from Beneath the Dark Ice. He's pretty awesome, and not just because of his superhuman abilities.

[Alisa]

I LOVE Jack from this book . He's hot, funny, has a British accent & rides a Harley. Ok yes he kills people for a living but no one's perfect right? lol

[Jane]

Although he's young... Alex Sawyer from , he's stuck in a jail, trying to keep sane and escape with his friends.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Jane, I have Lockdown on my list.

Alisa, Hell Bent sounds interesting.

[Krystle ~A Booknatic~]

Stefan Krieger from Dean Koontz's "Lightning"

[Jane]

Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress wrote: "Jane, I have Lockdown on my list.

Alisa, Hell Bent sounds interesting."


I really enjoyed it... I was surprised I did. :)

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Krystle wrote: "Stefan Krieger from Dean Koontz's "Lightning""

That was a really good book! I love Travis from Watchers too.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

@Jane, I like the YA action novels.

[Krystle ~A Booknatic~]

Looove that book. I haven't read watchers, it'll be on my list now tho!

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

It's really good. Some parts are pretty gory, but I love Travis/Nora/Einstein. I've read it like three times.

[Jane]

Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress wrote: "@Jane, I like the YA action novels."

I do too...I just wasn't sure how it was going to be...but the writing really pulled me in.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I think there are a lot of hidden gems in YA.

[Jane]

Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress wrote: "I think there are a lot of hidden gems in YA."

There are...I just tend to always find myself reading R or PNR... so i'm going to have to start looking for more... this one was accidental when I was looking for a book my boyfriend might like... :)

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Yeah, I stumbled onto Artemis Fowl when I was looking for something different.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I'm adding Joe Ledger to my list. I am reading Patient Zero, and he definitely fits. He kills zombies barehanded, using his jujitsu kills. Nice!

[Lauren]

Krystle ~A Booknatic~ wrote: "Stefan Krieger from Dean Koontz's "Lightning""

Dean Koontz's heroes are great. Besides Stefan and Travis, I also have a thing for Bryce Hammond from - my first and favorite Koontz book.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Koontz does write great heroes. I need to read Phantoms.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I finished The Innocent on Friday and I will add Will Robie to my list. He's bad@$$.

[Lauren]

Just finished and while Harry Dresden has some badass moments, I'm not sure he can be classified as an alpha badass. I did find his awkwardness around women very endearing.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

I think Harry is a sneaky alpha. I have a friend like that who you wouldn't think is alpha, but if you read the list of characteristics, he does have them.

What traits do you see in an alpha hero, Lauren?

[Lauren]

That's a great question, Danielle. I had to think about it but here are my top 5 alpha characteristics:

1. Physical but also psychological strength
2. A confident and charismatic leader - other people look up to him and he is the go to guy when you are in trouble
3. Protective about those who belong to him -a bad boy with a heart of gold
4. Makes his own rules - is ruthless, and unapologetic about enforcing them.
5. Arrogant and domineering but in a good way

Harry has some of these but not all. Of course, this is based only on book #1 so he may change over the series.

[Katie]

I am still picking my way through the book and enjoying it but Kvothe from and from an older post Roland the Gunslinger!

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Thanks for sharing your list, Lauren. I can see some of those traits in Harry. He does evolve in the series. I think for what he faces, he does very well. I was especially impressed with some of his actions in Summer Knight although he is in a dark place for most of that book. I don't think he's representative of the romance hero alpha so much as the more general personality traits of an alpha.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Loves 'Em Lethal]

Katie wrote: "I am still picking my way through the book and enjoying it but Kvothe from and from an older post Roland the Gunslinger!"

Kvothe is a good hero. Loved that book!