MISTLETOE Mini-Contest
As you may have noticed, I’m really very fond of the hero of the next book, The Mischief of the Mistletoe.
I hadn’t expected to be. Turnip isn’t your typical hero. He rambles; he blunders; he trips over protruding surfaces and his own tongue. He’s Bertie Wooster with a dash of d’Artagnan. But there’s no one with a more cheerful nature or a warmer heart.
For a copy of The Mischief of the Mistletoe, here’s this month’s mini-contest question:
Who is your all time favorite fictional hero?
One winner will be chosen at random from among all the answers. A second winner will be chosen at random from among those who post about the contest or Mistletoe on their websites, blogs, Facebook, or Twitter. The contest closes Wednesday, June 16th. The winners will be announced Thursday, June 17th.
Favorite hero… Edward Cullen! Haha no. I’m actually a huge fan of Miles from Black Tulip.
And did you mean the contest closes on June 16? July 16 is an awfully long time to wait.
Going to post on my Facebook now!
Ooops, that was meant to be JUNE 16th! Sorry about that! It’s all fixed now.
Draco Malfoy….he’s a hero…kinda
or just Harry Potter then 🙂
My favorite hero is a heroine. I adore Gemma Doyle from Libba Bray’s “A Great and Terrible Beauty” trilogy. She’s just flawed enough to be extremely likable.
My favorite fictional hero would have to be Richard Rahl from Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth series. He’s got the perfect combo of traits (honesty, truth, loyalty) that make him a truely wonderful and epic hero!
Lord Peter Wimsey… And his valet Bunter from Dorothy L. Sayer’s mysteries come to mind.
It’s a very simple book, but I’d have to say Peregrine (Prince Algernon) from M.M. Kaye’s “The Ordinary Princess”. It was one of my favorite books when I was a girl, and he was just so sweet and caring…
My favorite hero tends to change depending on the mood I’m in and the book I’m reading 🙂 Well I do love those perfect specimens of manliness and gods, even moreso I love the ones who seem real, like I could run into them on the street. Turnip’s a perfect example…maybe it’s better for me to say I love the supporting characters who sometimes end up getting their chance as hero? McNabb from J.D. Robb’s “In Death” series comes to mind too!
Such a hard question…I’m quite fond (read: in love with) Alex from Blood Lily. Also, Jace from Mortal Instruments, even if its all more YA. <3
(Sorry, its too hard to pick just one!!)
It is almost impossible to pick just one. I am very fond of Ramses Emerson. But ther are so many others: Joe Gargery in Great Expectations, Tom Jones, Sherlock Holmes, Florentino Ariza in Life in the Times of Cholera, and Mr. Darcy… and they are just the tip of the iceberg. Of your heroes, I am partial to Miles.
That’s a very tough question. I’m going to go with Miles Vorkosigan, Lois McMaster Bujold’s physically damaged but totally indomitable character. He’s smart, he’s persistant, he has a wicked sense of humor. His flaws are the consequence of his strengths-he can be incredibly arrogant, and he really doesn’t know when to quit, already.
Sir Percy Blakeney… Need I say more!?
They seek him here, they seek him there. Those Frenchies seek him everywhere. Is he in heaven or is he in hell? That demned elusive Pimpernel.
My favorite fictional hero of all time!
Sir Percy Blakeney: I’ve been horribly addicted to the Scarlet Pimpernel for about 20 years now, and no one has replaced him as of yet (even though Vaughn came pretty close).
Favorite Hero of all time has to be Celia Garth of the book Celia Garth written by Gwen Bristow.
Celia worked as a spy during the revolution war – passing notes to the rebels as she sewed for the Tories. The reason this book has stuck with me for so long (I read it in grade school) is because I FINALLY had confirmation that someone else believed that women HAD to have had a role in shaping history – that they were more than pretty dolls keeping hearth & home while big strong man ruled the world.
Celia Garth – the perfect heroine in my mind!
For a male hero, Hercule Poirot.
Elliot Wallace-Viscount Lyngate-from Mary Balogh’s “First Comes Marriage” is a wonderful hero. I love the seemingly evil men that turn out to have a heart of gold. Then again, in the Huxtable series all of the men seem to be “supposed” jerks who really just have deeper stories and enormous hearts. Love those men!
Ruark Beauchamp in “Shanna” by Kathleen Woodiwiss. It was the first romance (OK, bodice buster!) book that I ever read and he is still the hero to which all others are measured.
My favorite fictional hero of all time is not from the romance genre at all: Severian the Torturer, from Gene Wolfe’s “New Sun” fantasy series – I guess partly because I read this at an “impressionable” age.
I think my all time favorite is Edmond Dantes from the Counte of Monte Cristo, but Sebastian St. Cyr and Vaughn are giving him a run for his money.
Gilbert Blythe from The Anne of Green Gables series. He is honorable, patient, charming, smart, a perfect gentleman.
I think I’ll have to go with Hans Solo, even if he is from a movie! Or from a book it would be Aragorn from Lord of the Rings.
Soooo many characters from so many books & movies!!! I think my favorite is Sam in the Lord of the Rings. Everything he does is for friendship. Frodo is a great hero, but what he wins or loses mostly involves himself in some way or another. For Sam, it is never about himself, but about his family, friends, his country (the Shire), etc.
Mine would be Rachel from Something Borrowed.
I don’t think I have a favorite, but I too loved Jace from the Mortal Instruments series, and Miles from Tulip. There are just so many…
I am also going to post on my Facebook…
I do not have an all-time favorite, but I have always been fond of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Knightly from Austen’s novels. I also like Gilbert Blythe and Will Ladislaw.
My favorite hero changes with my mood. I love Miles from The Masque of the Black Tulip, Roger from Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series.
Robinhood always comes to mind for a hero. Although I like Georgette Heyer’s Freddy Standen in Cotillion since he’s an unusal hero.
I am going to have to say Robert from Night Jasmine is my favorite hero.
I’ve always loved Heathcliff – who’s more villianee than hero-ee….and Mr. Rochester. Probably has to do with the fact they’ve both been portrayed by Timothy Dalton.
I also LOVE LOVE LOVE Tim Riggins from FNL.
Yes, I have a bad boy complex. ha!
Jean Valjean- Les Miserables… I first fell in love with the musical, then I watched one of the movies, and now I’m reading the book and I just love him 🙂
Hrm…it’s probably a tossup between Benedick from Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” for cleverness, Nawat Crow from Tamora Pierce’s “Trickster” series for loyalty, sweetness, wildness, etc(yes, he -was- an actual crow), and Richard Merril from Patricia C. Wrede’s “Mairelon the Magician” and “Magician’s Ward”…absentminded brilliance, wizardly prowess, and the occasional pair of knee-breeches.
Sir Percy Blakeney. No contest. Although, Nicholas Nickleby is a close second.
Jamie Fraser from the Outlander series, hands down, no contest.
I agree with all the comments already – there are SO many to pick from. The comment however that struck me the most (and so I guess I too would pick that person for my hero) is Sam from the Lord of the Rings trilogy – Yvette made the comment. (So actually if you pick my comment, I think Yvette should win as well). Anyhow, Sam is more like all of us – not necessarily the hero with the smashing adventures but the one who loves and supports the hero and is there thru thick and thin and who at the end DOES THE RIGHT THING even tho the hero can’t – ie Sam threw the ring into the fire. Because we all have friends (who may end up being heros) hopefully we can be the Sam for them. And if we need support in our life, hopefully we have Sams. As for heros I personally would not kick out of bed – Roarke from JD Robbs “In Death” series, Jamie from Diana Gabaldon series and Nathanial from Sara Donati’s Into the Wilderness series.
And I don’t have a Facebook or twitter or blog but I think it should count that a) I got my hubby (believe it or not) hooked on your books – even tho the covers are not guy-friendly and he finds them very amusing. (high praise b/c he will only watch BBC Austen movies or any Austen movie at most twice with me – but he will watch) and b) I got my friend in BC hooked (and she is hooking her mother-in-law.) My favourite hero of your men so far? Geoff from the Emerald Ring b/c he realizes you can’t live with/love a goddess but you need a real person (complete with shortcomings which to a loved one end up being endearing qualities).
Andrea
My favorite fictional hero would have to be James aka Jamie Fraser of the Scottish fiction series, Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon. This series is addicting and a must-read. XD
Has to be Mr. Darcy.
This is tough, I have so many favourites. My top favourites are Geoff, he’s the guy that I see more of myself in, that I understand. Then there is always Mr. Darcy and Mr. Knightly, enough said there. Gilbert Blyte is up there too. I also have a soft spot for Will from John Flanagan’s Rangers Apprentice series.
I would have to say The Little Engine that Could. He’s a hero to not only the toys but to the little children who are to be the receivers of those toys. And his mantra of “I think I can” is one I or anyone else can use when faced with what seems like an impossible task.
Captain Wentworth from Persuasion!
On a Terry Pratchett kick currently… so I can’t really focus outside Discworld, therefore in Discworld, Hero, Sam Vimes, Heroine, Granny Weatherwax.
When I was little, my favourite hero was Robin Hood. I do believe he was my first fictional character crush lol! Then it was Aragorn from the Lord of the Rings, and he kind of carried me through till I read The Scarlet Pimpernel this year (inspired of course by the Pink Carnation series!!) and then Sir Percy Blakeney stole my heart. Superheros move over. My man has a cape AND a sword! And he’ll beat you all in fashion, hands down.
Rhett Butler–perfect match for Scarlett. He’s got her number and loves her anyway. Also, I love how he pretends to be scum, but he’s really quite desperate and vulnerable.
Jamie in Outlander series–need I say more? He’s a HUNK!
Captain Wentworth in Persuasion–He makes Anne pay her dues for rejecting him, but he really never got over her.
So, so many of the Georgette Heyer heroes. One stand-out is Dominic (Marquis of Vidal) from Devil’s Cub. He oh so badly wants to be a rake and a bad boy. But he can’t help but fall for the good girl and do the right thing. Plus, he royally screws up his evil plot and has to be rescued by Daddy and Mommy.
Jamie and Claire Fraser from Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander Series…
I like my hero’s flawed and I like it when they have to “self sacrifice” and both of these characters have those qualities in spades.
I am off to twitter and facebook!
MR. DARCY! he was the first true hero I really fell in love with when I read P&P when I was 13 lol I also have a huge thing for Eric Northman from the Southern Vampire Mysteries, hes seems like a total ass but over the course of the series you realize its just a face he puts on after being alive for 2,000 yrs and speaking of supernatural men I absolutly love Lord Maccon from the Soulless series (which I came upon thanks to Lauren). And of course all of Lauren’s heroes are amazing.
Beka Cooper from Tamora Pierce’s Bloodhound.
She is amazing the true meaning of girl power. i read more books with heroins then heroes because they are much more inspiring. i cant wait for Turnip though and all his adventures!!
Mine would have to be John Thornton from North and South, I love how his tender and vulnerable side comes out throughout the course of the book. Also Jamie Fraser, Nathanial Bonner and Gilbert Blythe all deserve honourable mentions.
Lord Peter Wimsey- smart, aristocratic, witty…..
Let’s see…from your books I would have to say Geoff from The Deception of the Emerald Ring. He’s just, I don’t know the words to describe him, but he’s so Geoffish.
There are so many fictional heros I adore. However, the one that stands out in my mind the most is Leo from Child 44. At first he’s a “bad guy” but he makes a huge change when he realizes how bad his government is.
I was going to say Cyrano de Bergerac… but then I remembered that he isn’t really fictional. The plot of the play is, but he was real. Wrote a couple of books that one could make a good case for as the first science fiction novels.
So since Cyrano isn’t fictional, I’ll go with Don Quixote. Because anything he does that works is purely by accident, but it never phases him.
Not sure if we are talking about hero in a truly “heroic” sense or as a protagonist. So I am leaning toward the latter description, and choosing T.S. Garp. I fell in love with him when The World According to Garp first came out and my attachment has never lessened.
Edmond Dantes from my favorite book of all time, The Count of Monte Cristo. And my favorite heroine as of late has been Sookie Stackhouse!
I also have to go with Edmund Dantes, the Count of Monte Cristo (my favorite book of all time too)!
If I can choose more than one I would have to include Sir Percy Blakeney, Geoff, and Mr. Rochester
There is no way i could ever pick one.
George from the Alanna books by Tamora Pierce. He loves her but knows if he tried to do much she would just flee. He keeps her safe but lets her be her own hero. Then when she comes to him he acts. So perfect!
Cherrington from the Highwaymans kiss. He is a younger brother who comes back to take the place of his older brother who was murdered by the highway men. He dresses as a fop and prances around while going undercover as a highwayman. But his best quality is falling for Artims who is a usually tall girl making her debut, she doesn’t think much of herself but he adores her from the first time he sees her and she “being confronted with a gentleman peacock) thinks him a complete joke. He is revield to her after she accepts him as he is.. great bit about learning sword fighting and a kiss in the rain 🙂
then id have to say Vaughn, he is just one of those guys ya got to love. little bit devil, little bit broken and a lot of temptation.
oh and fond of Darragh from Juliet Marillier’s Child of the Prophecy, … Bran from Son of the Shadows. pretty much anything written by her. Her characters are soooo good. Cathal is another good one from Heir to Sevenwaters.
told ya i couldnt pick one. i also love miles and i am so with Richard in the first book i adore the characters. Best book series, pink carnation, harry potter, Juliet Marillier’s books, Anne Easter Smith.
My favorite hero tends to change based on the favorite books I am currently reading. But my all time favorite is Mr. Darcy, I’ll have to say.
My favorite heroes are Chrestomanci from Diana Wynne Jones’ Chrestomanci series and Mairelon aka Richard Merill from Patricia C Wrede’s Mairelon the Magician series. Also, the Duke of Sale from Georgette Heyer’s The Foundling.
Ron Weasley…not the typical hero, but extremely lovable.
I’m not putting Darcy. . . not putting Darcy. . . okay, there is Darcy. And Tilney. . . but getting away from Jane. . . oh dear, my favorite hero (that isn’t Darcy) tend to be the last that I read. but to put someone here. . . hey, got one that is different (and he is literary too!) — James Bond! 🙂
Lois
To make it short, sweet, and simple:
Book: The Host
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Favorite Character Of All Time?
Wanderer! She’s so awesome and way better then Melanie. Just saying. No one beats her! Even if she is an alien worm-like thingy and could easily be squished if ever stepped upon!
On the other side of the coin though, I’ll say I’m extremely soft for a certain Mr. Darcy. Sorry beautiful Edward Cullen and Carlisle, but Darcy’s just so…Darcy! Darck, Cold, Handsome, Rich and a passion like no other. No guy compares to his ninteenth century hotness!
Hmm, I wonder if this turned out to be short, sweet and simple. Oh well.
My favorite hero is Guido Brunetti from the Donna Leon mystery series. He justs gets better with each book!
Wow, there are so many good ones! My absolute favorite man ever is of course Mr. Darcy… but I guess he’s not really a hero… or he is, but I don’t usually think of him that way… my favorite hero whom I think of as a hero is, yes, Sir Percy Blakeney (zounds, not very original :))
Wow, there are so many good ones! My absolute favorite man ever is of course Mr. Darcy… but I guess he’s not really a hero… or he is, but I don’t usually think of him that way… my favorite hero whom I think of as a hero is, yes, Sir Percy Blakeney (zounds, not very original :))
(post again with my blog :))
I think that of all fictional heroes my favorite is Johnny Ryan from Firefly Lane. He is the unsung hero of a father of three with a wife with terminall cancer
My all time favorite fictional hero is Fabian Framling from Victoria Holt’s epic novel “The India Fan”. Tall, dark, and handsome, he saves the day AND gets the girl, Miss Drusilla Delany, who is a heroine in her own right.
Miles. Hands down. He’s so much like my husband!
Also on the list are Ron Weasley, Sam Gangee, Gilbert Blythe, Percy Blakeney (of course), and Grover Underwood…
Looking at my list I realize that have a soft spot for the sidekick, the lieutenant to the star of the show (Percy and Gilbert, excepted). huh.
Psmith from the Wodehouse books – what can’t he do? (Miles runs a close second).
I’m not good with all time lists. I’m fickle it tends to be a recent read (or reread) right now my favorite hero has to come as a pair. The tough Rob Wilkins and Jess Mastriani in Meg Cabot’s 1-800 WHERE-R-YOU series.
I also tend to have a soft spot for Marian Keyes’s male leads.
I just saw Nikki’s post, which made me remember: Indiana Jones. I said I was fickle.
Archie Goodwin, but Lord Peter Wimsey was a close second.
OOOOOH, how do I choose???? There are just so many amazing heroic characters to pick from. Do I go with the ones that make the heart pound, or the ones you can’t help routing for because they are just so amazingly decent? Hmmm. So many people have already gone with a lot of reeeeally great choices. Jamie and Clair Fraser of the Outlander series definitely have to be at the top of any list.
Personally though, a favorite fictional character that has always topped any list is Captain Wentworth from Persuasion. I first read that book when I was 14, and it has remained a favorite ever since. The way he remained true to Anne after all that time. It proves that second chances live.
For just being a great heroic character, I would also pick Harry from the Blue Sword, simply for her sheer courage and ingenuity against all odds. Has no one read this book???
In the Carnation series…Alex, without a doubt!
Okay I’ll make it as short as possible.
Author: Shanna Swendson
Books: Enchanted Inc., Once Upon Stilettos, Damsel Under Stress and Don’t Hex With Texas.
Recurring Hero: Owen Palmer – hunky wizard and co-worker to the heroine.
He’s the shy boy next door with a heart of gold. Did I mention that he’s a wizard? Like with Merlin power status? I just love how the hero and heroine interact together. It’s a completely believable relationship – minus the magic, evil villains, black-magic wielding sorceresses, frog princes, and subway-dwelling dragons.
I agree with Britta also!!! 😀
My favorite hero from your books is a tie between Miles & Robert from your books!! I just love them as characters because to me they seem real so that’s also refreshing 🙂
Also Salander from the Millenium Triology by Stieg Larsson 😀
I agree with Britta also!!! 😀
My favorite hero from your books is a tie between Miles & Robert! I just love them as characters because to me they seem real so that’s also refreshing 🙂
Also Salander from the Millenium Triology by Stieg Larsson 😀
I love Darcy Pennington from K.B. Hoyle’s The Gateway Chronicles. Darcy obviously has flaws; she’s selfish, judgmental and jealous at times. But she is still very likeable because she is human, and her faults are just like our own. But despite those faults, she is chosen to lead and she rises to meet the challenge, while still being human. Her story just captures something that I think most of us hope for in real life.
From your books: Miles. He’s too cute to not love, very jealous of Henrietta!
From other books: Jo March from Little Women. She’s one of the best role models for young women. Alcott used Jo as a way to show how young women can be strong, but to also recognize what is right and wrong. Jo makes a lot of mistakes, and she does hurt people (poor Laurie!) but she learns and she grows. I have always wanted to be Jo March since I first read the book in sixth grade!
It is definitely Edmund Dumas from The Count of Monte Cristo. I’ve loved him since I was 12 and 9 years later, my feelings haven’t changed. His tragic story is so … amazing, and I love how he gets his revenge without physically touching a single person. And I love how he brings Maximilian and Valentine together.
Opps, I accidentally called him Edmund Dumas… Edmund Dantes from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas!
Opps, I accidentally called him Edmund Dumas… Edmund Dantes from The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas!
I would have to say Sebastian St. Cyr from the Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series by C.S. Harris.
Freddy Standen from Georgette Heyer’s Cotillion. Good natured and humble, rather like Turnip in that regard!
Captain Wentworth from “Persuasion”
or
John Thornton from Elizabeth Gaskell’s “North and South”
or
Atticus Finch from “To Kill A Mockingbird”
Definitely Barney Snaith of LM Montgomery’s The Blue Castle, my all-time favorite book. His eloquence, cheerfulness, prickliness, and the wonderful elusive quality his character has until his past is revealed make him appeal to me as a character. But, most of all, I love the way he brings Valancy out of her shell over the course of the book. He’s a complex, multi-faceted, and fascinating hero.
I can only echo many of the responses I’ve seen: I have so many fictional heroes: Mr. Darcy, Gilbert Blythe, Aerin from Robin McGinley’s _Hero and the Crown_, Harry from McGinley’s _The Blue Sword_, Cordelia Naismith of _Shards of Honor_ by Lois McMaster Bujold along with her son Miles,Tommy and Tuppence (they work as a couple) from Agatha Christie’s novels, and Sherlock Holmes. And Atticus Finch. Whew.
At the moment, my favorite is John Smythe from Elizabth Peter’s Vicky Bliss series. Must reread Night Train to Memphis now…
Well obviously Darcy, Gil and Miles, and the entire Austen back cattelogue
Other than that, Alex from The Bronze Horseman, Sid from The Winter Rose or Richard from The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman (all great reads if youre not familiar with them).
If I had to pick just one which WAS the assignment, Probably Sid? But its pretty much too close to call <3
I’d have to say Harry Potter… I grew up with him and will always have fond memories of the hours spent waiting for and devouring each new entry in the series. Plus he’s loyal, honorable and can do magic!
I would have to say Mr. Darcy. Followed closely by Uhtred in Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon series.
My favorite Fictional hero (heroine) besides Jane Wooliston, is Honor Harrington by David Weber.
I also find it changes occasionally and there are many others that have already been named, Ramses Emerson, Sherlock Holmes, Rhett Butler, James Bond, Robin Hood, d’Artagnan, Lord Peter Wimsey.
My other favorites are Jeeves, M.C. Beaton’s Hamish MacBeth and Agatha Christie’s lesser known characters, Tommy & Tuppence Beresford.
As others have said, it really is too too hard to pick just one.
My all time favorite hero is definitely Lord Vaughn 🙂 The first time I read “The Seduction of the Crimson Rose”, I fell in love. Vaughn isn’t a character who normally plays the hero, obviously. He’s condescending, enjoys making people miserable with his riddles, and he’s not prone to action unless absolutely necessary– and even then it’s a stretch. That’s why he makes the the perfect hero. He’s a man who normally doesn’t engage in that kind of a thing, but who nonetheless gets wrapped up into it, simply for being who he is.
John Race from The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie. I love her mystery novels, and I just remember being enchanted by Race the most. 🙂
~lAUra
i facebooked and tweeted!
~lAUra
<3
Oh God! So many!!!!!! Ahh
Okay, my all-time favorite is Ella of Frell. I read Ella Enchanted 11 years ago, and it’s still my all-time favorite. She’s smart yet limited, and she struggles to handle doing the right thing, especially when she feels she can’t.
Neville Longbottom from Harry Potter.
Someone who was almost the one, who wasn’t great but ended up pretty darn bad A$$.
I would have to say Harry Potter and all of his friends. Its kinda dumb but the books(and movies) have been coming out for more than half my life and i grow up with them. I think Harry just stands for all the good in the world.
P.S. – I also think Neville is great, and i personally love Luna Lovegood!
Gillian from Julie Garwood’s Ransome. The first book I ever picked up of hers and I was a fan from the first chapter. Ransome will always have a place on my bedside book stand.
Nancy Drew was the girl who got me reading all those year ago. Opening the door to Miss Marple, Miss Maud Silver and many others. Reading the other responses have given me several ideas about what is going on my reading list.
Sorry I can’t be more original, but…MR. DARCY!!! XD
I also love Adam Conant of L.J. Smith’s The Secret Circle trilogy.
Off to post on my Twitter…
Byron Henry from the Winds of War and War and Remembrance. Read them the summer before eighth grade….
Justin, Duke of Avon, from Heyer’s These Old Shades. He is the role model for all subsequent romantic heroes–he could out-Vaughan Lord Vaughan in a heart beat, I am afaid.
As I am not really in competition for a book, I will also add the classic Rhett Butler, of course, and the contemporary Aloyisius Pendergast from the Preston-Child books. He too is rather like Vaughan, come to think of it….
OMG ! How could I have left Richard Sharpe off the list ? Bernard Cornwell’s Napoleonic hero…Lauren, I know you like him too….couldn’t you ask Bernard if you could incorporate him somehow? What a hoot !
Favorite Hero: Aragon from Lord of the Rings
Favorite Heroine: Amelia Peabody
Ok my first place award goes to the first hero to EVER make me cry (and I’ve read Where the Red Fern Grows) and that is Richard III from Sharon Kay Penman’s Sunne in Splendour. OMG!!!! He was so amazing and kind and so in love with Anne I just loved him heart and soul! And then his nephews were killed and his son died and Anne died of consumption and he blamed himself- I cried- ALOT. :'(
John Thornton from “North and South” is a wonderful hero, but there are far too many that I feel like I’m overlooking!
Sidney Carton from A Tale of Two Cities. He made me laugh and I was sunk. Plus, I mean he goes to the guillotine for the woman he loves. What more can a girl ask for?! Lucy is forever an idiot to me. Who chooses Charles Darnay over Sid? (no worries – my friends tell me my love is unnatural already. I’m aware…)
Ohhh…Richard Sharpe. I love Sean Bean! A very close second to Hans Solo.
I just love Rory from Trade Wind. The whole romance was just pulled off so well some how, with what happened I thought it was going to be impossible to really get them together but she did and it was just incredible. He was the ultimate good-guy pirate.
Ok, I know Sir Percy has already been said like 80 times, but he deserves everyone of them and more. I mean he was my first real hard-core crush! I descovered him when I was twelve and proceeded to stalk him until I had read every book and seen every film adaptation (seriously I still know the name of his horse and valet and his exact hight, and lot’s of other odd things). He just has the greatest, most corny-est last lines ever! And Richmond! Ohmigod!!! I have that whole chapter memorized I read it so often, so beautiful!!!! The anger and the true love and the waring pride!!!!! He is just the awesomest awesome to ever awesome up the literary world!!!!
My favorite hero is Harry Potter and Darcy. I love Ron and some of the others, but they are not my heroes.
I love Agatha Christie, so I am to see many of her characters on the list. My favorite is Poirot.
To lAUra I didn’t remember Colonel Race’s name was John; He is also in Death On the Nile, Sparkling Cyanide, and Cards on the Table.
I adore Arya Stark from the Song of Ice and Fire series.
Sidney Carton from a “Tale of Two Cities” is my favorite hero. He’s just so… well, heroic. 🙂
I posted about the book and the contest on my blog:
http://newlywedwife-newlywedlife.blogspot.com/2010/06/time-to-talk-about-books.html
I agree with Katie, I LOVED Richard III in Sunne in Splendour. He was epic! I would just like to point to out, Richard fought the Battle of Tewksbury and won by overwhelming measures for Anne, he fought his brother for her, and helped her recover from her marrige to Lancaster, what did Edward Cullen do? A little piano tune and initiation into the undead.
No contest- Rhett Butler. He had a heart of gold and was always looking out for Scarlett when she was too stupid to do it herself, like when he would drive her through Shanty Town when she was pregnant, and when he gave Melanie the money to by the mill so she wouldn’t kill herself working, and it broke my heart when he tortured himself about Scarlett’s miscarrige. He’s so charming and so deep; he just can’t be beat.
d’Artagnan! Handsome, charming, funny, and a daredevil. He’s the very definition of adventure and mischevious fun!
i love Eric from the Sookie Stackhouse books!
he is the bad boy viking, but when sookie is in trouble he is there for her.
I have to go with Darcy, slightly stereotypical but I adore him! In terms of Pink characters, I have always loved Richard. Maybe I’m just a softy for the original, but I love him! 🙂
Sir Percy Blakney with a few runners up… Edmond Dantes, Sydney Carton, Cyrano de Bergerac and Mr. Knightley. I also was pretty smitten with the Marquis of Alverstoke from Georgette Heyer’s “Frederica”.
My all-time favorite hero is Jacob from “Water for Elephants” by Sara Gruen. A good lad who has to quickly become a man. He looks out not only for the love of his life, but also for the others that need an advocate. As for Pink heros, I think Miles would be my favorite thus far, but I’m thinking Turnip may overtake him this fall!
You know what….Edmond Dantes from Counte of Monte Cristo. That guy is insane but at the same time totally awesome.
I do so like Miles. He is my favorite.
Mine might be Ramses from Elizabeth Peters’s Amelia Peabody mysteries. He’s hilariously self-important and precocious as a child and then grows up to be a strong, brave, brilliant, and romantic hero in the later books. And I have to second the Han Solo mention. Leia: “I love you.” Han: “I know.”
There’s so many good ones out there. How do I possibly narrow it down.
Jamie Fraser from Outlander was the first that came to mind. (If you’ve read the series, you’ll need no further explanations on that choice.)
And I’d like to throw an underdog in the mix. Neville Longbottom from Harry Potter. It took him 7 books to emerge, and when he did, he did it all the way! I just hope the movie does justice to him pulling the sword out of the sorting hat to take out Nagini.
I love Mr. Darcy. But Richard and Miles are high on my list as well.
to am7:
i couldn’t remember his first name either and so looked it up on wikipedia. it said his first name was john, but i think they mostly referred to him as Race in the books. omg! i totally did not make the connection that he was the same Race in all those others as well. hahaha! christie does that though (keeps characters recurring through books) so i guess i shouldn’t be surprised. 🙂
~lAUra
I can’t pick between Mr. Darcy, Mr. Rochester, and Jamie Fraser. All three are very human and that fact enhances the books they’re from.
I have a different hero/heroine for each genre type:
1) Mystery: Flavia de Luce
2) Fiction (Girl): Lisbeth Salander
3) Fiction (Boy): Edward Cullen
4) Historical Fiction: Miles
I love Richard aka the purple gentian esp. when he was jealous of himself when Amy talked about the gentian. I also love Mr Darcy of course. Miles from the black tulip has a cockiness that’s hard to resist.
But the one I was surprised by was Lord Vaughn. very good hero. and funny too,
Elizabeth Middleton Bonner – Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati
She exudes strength and determination to overcome those obstacles thrown in her way by her father and society.
My favorite hero of all timd in novels is Percy Blackney. The Scarlet Pimpernal really started it all. He is suave but romantic and very dashing and brave. I have also always loved Dick Grayson– the former Robin the Boy Wonder. They are in many ways the same 🙂
My all time favorite fictional hero is Rhett Butler. So, he’s not a typical hero in any sense of the word: he mocks, he selfish, but he is dashing and he saves Scarlett from herself.
Posting the contest on Facebook.
I have so many favorite heroes, it was very difficult to narrow it down to just one… but I ended up choosing Sir Percy Blakeney. I love a daring, swashbuckling type-of hero. 🙂
Sherlock Holmes, way, way before the movie came out. I was a young girl of 11 when I read “The Blue Carbuncle” and was enchanted.
Sir Percy Blakeney, second.
Okay, I first thought hero equals male because heroines are the female heroes and then I saw Nancy Drew on here. I love ND and have ever since I found out her hair is the same color as mine. 🙂 Anyway, in addition to ND, I will aslo add this list:
1. Wonder Woman
2. Batman
3. Christian Hawkins (aka Superman) from Crazy Cool by Tara Janzen.
4. Miles and Hen as a duo.
5. Rhett Butler and Percy Blakeney
6, Mr. Darcy
I’m sure there are more I haven’t thought of, but this all that come to mind right now.
Sydney Carton.
Not usually a “hero” sort, at least in personality–he’s like Turnip in that matter (a bit bumbling, not too graceful.) But he becomes a hero at the end and most importantly he has a good heart which is what makes a true hero In my opinion.
Besides Mr. Darcy, of course, my favorite hero in fiction is definitely Miles, for what is a probably really silly reason: he reminds me so much of my brothers and my/their best friend. He’s just a happy, fun guy with maybe a bit too much testosterone coursing through his veins.
Mr. Knightley is a close third. His love for Emma, and his willingness to be her protector and take care of her family, even when she doesn’t need his help (unlike most heroines in novels of that time period), just strikes a cord with me. He’s constantly trying to help her be a better person. Isn’t that what love is supposed to be about? If so, he’s got it covered.
As all previous posters have said the list must include Darcy and Thornton. My favorites of yours are Vaughn and Miles – completely different and yet both so lovable because of their non traditional characteristics. My current favorite of the newer books though has to be C.S. Harris’ Sebastian St. Cyr.
Of your books I love Miles the most.
Of others, I love Ruark Deverell Beauchamp of “Shanna” and Christopher Seton of “A Rose In Winter” – both by Kathleen Woodiwiss; and Mr. Darcy and Capt. Wentworth of Austen fame.
Don’t think I could pick just one!
Achilles from the Illiad. I got hooked on the Illiad and Achilles thanks to Tennyson (I dare anyone not to read his final stanza of ‘Ulysses’ and not be moved). He’s an utter paradox wrapped inside a warrior, he has a multitude of faults, he also on occasion acts better than he is. I find him utterly fascinating- and although he may not be the embodiment of a true fictional hero,I think he deserves a mention.
It changes, depending on what I’m reading at the time. Currently I’m reading Allison Croggon’s Pellinor series, so Cadvan is my favorite hero right now. But like many others, Sir Percy is always near the top of my list!
Gandalf, from Lotr. He’s funny, clever, brave, and mysterious. Severus Snape would be my favourite anti-hero – I’ve always had a soft spot for him and was so pleased when my trust was justified in Deathly Hallows.
Erik, aka the Phantom of the Opera.
I don’t know why, but I have an unhealthy obsession with the story. I’ve read the book countless times (in English and its original French), seen the play numerous times, and have the movie on DVD. There is something about the dark and tortured heroes that hooks me every time. Christine is such a superficial fool!
Rhett Butler from Gone With the Wind, because everyone loves a good rogue.
Although Numair from Tamota Pierce’s Immortals series is pretty amazing too.
And of course just about every major male character in the Pink series (but that of course goes without saying.)
James(Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie)Fraser
from Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series
Oh my goodness…I had to go through my book collection to decide upon my favorites because there are so many to choose from!
From the Pink Carnation series, I like Penelope & Alex, Charlotte & Robert, Amy & Richard, and Letty & Geoffrey. Oh, who am I kidding! I love them all! 🙂 They’re all so dynamic.
From other series, I like Heather Wells, Stephanie Plum, and Bubbles Yablonsky.
I tweeted about the contest. @texasebeth
Don’t know how to post a direct link to it though.
as to who my favorite fictional hero is? Like others have said – there are waaay too many for me to pick from. I guess my personal favorite right now is Harry Potter. Although I enjoy Ranger from Stephanie Plum series as the bad boy you love.
Okay, you people need to quit posting ’cause it makes it harder for me to win my ARC. JK I totally fogot about Ranger, and also, I love Joe Morelli from the Stephanie Plum series.
Okay, you people need to quit posting ’cause it makes it harder for me to win my ARC. JK I totally forgot about Ranger, and also, I love Joe Morelli from the Stephanie Plum series.
Sydney Carton was my first literary love…
but I think Leopold Bloom, from Ulysses, is somewhat reminiscent of Turnip. And appropriate for the Bloomsday deadline. His speech about love is beautiful!
Wow, it’s impossible to pick just one so I narrowed it down to four (which was still crazy hard!)
– Freddy Standen from Georgette Heyer’s Cotillion (he reminds me of Turnip!)
– Edward Bell-Fairfax from Kage Baker’s novels
– Radcliffe Emerson from Elizabeth Peter’s novels
– John from The Bearkeeper’s Daughter by Gillian Bradshaw
I have to say my favorite character of all times is Laetitia Alsworthy. She’s stubborn, persistent, and very humble. Her character develops the story, showing how even though there are bad times, something great always happens to good.
opps, haha i mean “the good”
Nymphadora Tonks from the Harry Potter series. Her vibrant personality and super ability to change her appearance at will make me want to be her!! Plus she’s an AUROR! 😀
From your books, I’ll have to say either Miles or Henrietta.
Why Miles? I love him. He’s too darn perfect.
Why Henrietta? Her willingness to do ANYTHING she proposes to do is admirable.. and she gets to keep Miles!! 🙂
Favorite fictional hero – too many to list! Soft spot for Sir Percy of course, and Peter Wimsey, Jonah in Dornford Yates’ stories…
if you get to pick females. i pick
eloise- she lives the life i would love to have if i could afford it.
Kal – Protector of the Small series by Tamora Pierce. the first girl to go through knight school with everyone picking on her and telling her she is just a girl and will do no better. she proves them all wrong but not by just succeeding but winning them all over.
Fanny- child of the prophecy -juliet marillier. A powerful child abused and tricked and under a powerful spell to control her breaks free to save everyone, despite being crippled and having a great and lonely heart.
i am a sucker for a underdog story every time.
This might be a way off the wall choice, but I’ve always LOVED Rob Gordon from Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity (the book and (perhaps especially, because I’m a big John Cusack fan) the movie)
James Alexander Malcolm McKenzie Fraser from Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series. No question and hands down…
Hercule Poirot is my favorite fictional hero. He was the first character that I fell in love with…he has a special place in my heart
I posted a link to the contest on my facebook page.
There are way too many but two of my top ones have to be Mr. Darcy and Miles. Pride and Prejudice and Black Tulip are two books that I reread constantly and could never tire of.
I really don’t think I can pick just one. Darcy and Rochester are both major clichés, but…
I am very, very fond of Everard Bone in Excellent Women (Barbara Pym), though I don’t know if he can really be classified as a hero. He’s a little too awkward for that…
My favorite literary hero is Sam Gamgee from the Lord of the Rings. Not exactly a romantic character, but his strength, humility, courage, and fierce loyalty fit the definition of “heroism” to a T!
My first literary love and hero is Heathcliff of “Wuthering Heights.” He’s my type of man. He was from the beginning and still is…strong, dark, handsome, mysterious, a touch of danger, a lot of tenderness, wise and wild. I could go on and on. Heathcliff is the greatest hero in literature and in gothic romances.
P.S. Heathcliff is the hero who never stops loving passionately, who would walk through fire and over mountains to be with his love, and who would kill anyone or any thing in his path to her. Did I mention he’s an anti-hero, as well? Who can say that about themselves in such an arrogant manner as Heathcliff would?
Posting a link to this on my Bound to Be Bookish blog! http://boundtobebookish.wordpress.com
I have to go with Lan from Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series. He’s not the main character in any aspest, but I think he’s a hero in his own way. 🙂
*aspect
I love John from Elizabeth Peters’ Vicky Bliss series!
PS- I just tweeted about Mistletoe and the contest @AMJ92887
It’s already been said, but Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables. So perfect (but realistic). Or, Colonel Branden from Sense and Sensibility (especially when played by Alan Rickman in the movie version)
Definitely Percy Blakeney, the Scarlet Pimpernel. No question–especially when I fell in love with The Scarlet Pimpernel musical and got to meet *the* Scarlet Pimpernel himself, Douglas Sills. How can you top meeting a fictional hero?
o yea, my twitter account is @bryarerose. 😀
~lAUra
Mr. Darcy is the best!
I love so many of these heroes! But I think my favorite hero of late is Nicholas Brisbane from Deanna Raybourne’s Lady Julia Grey novels. Its as if he keeps trying to convince you that he shouldn’t be the hero but you know he just has to be. And Julia herself is amazing as well as a heroine.
Horatio Hornblower, of course!!
I’d have to say my favorite fictional hero is Mr. Nobley/ Henry Jenkins from Shannon Hale’s Austenland mostly because he is totally a modern day Mr. Darcy!
I posed on my facebook account I am also a friend of yours or your fan club. Name is same as above so you should be able to view it there!
“posted” Thanks for doing these contest btw.. some of us are tight on book money and its great to win something we would buy anyways lol 🙂 Saves money for things like food LOL
Fav hero in a single word: Vaughn
I love the witty rejoinders between Vaughn and Mary in ‘Crimson Rose’. Vaughn encourages Mary use her brains and there’s never a dull moment. When your books move to film, will you cast Alan Rickman as Vaughn? He has the slight build and the dry humor in his voice. He would be perfect.
I also posted about mistletoe on my website in my books i am looking forward to reading section at the end of my most recent post. 🙂 be easier for you to check thought its just a mention.
I also posted about mistletoe on my website in my books i am looking forward to reading section at the end of my most recent post. 🙂 be easier for you to check thought its just a mention.
Paula: Alan Rickman = Sexy.. i say he is Vaughn when he was like 35ish ooh yes i can see it now.. (gazes happily off)
Your Amy is high on my list, but I’m going to go with Atticus Finch.
Oh, so many of my favorites have been mentioned, and I realize that I don’t have just one: Sydney Carton, Atticus Finch, Rory Frost, Edward Rochester, and on and on… A more recent addition to my long list has been Captain Diego Alatriste from the series by Arturo Perez-Reverte—an honourable swordsman-for-hire, if there ever has been such a thing. 🙂
Sherlock Holmes… the man with the seven percent solution. No book list is complete without my favorite hawk-eyed sleuth. 🙂
Thursday Next from Jasper Fforde’s series!
Edmond Dantes from The Count of Monte Cristo…romantic, vengeful, adventurous, and chivalrous. He sums up the great romantic heroes of all time.
I’m going to have to say Father Ralph de Bricassart from “The Thorn Birds”. He’s always been one of the most human characters I’ve read and my heart always breaks for him and Meg. Such a great, timeless novel.
Mr. Darcy of course!
It is, as so many have stated, hard to come up with just one. I think Mr. Knighton and Lord Richard Selwick.
If I wanted to be cliche, I’d go with Mr. Darcy or Mr. Kightley. But for the sake of being different, and I love being different, I’m going with Dave the Laugh from the Confessions of Georgia Nicholson series but Louise Rennison. Throughout all of the books and all of Georgia’s erroneous flings, I always loved Dave. I read those books from their start to their recent end and I never stopped loving him.
Gah, such a hard question!
I’ll go with recent favorite character…Dobbs from the short story Fool’s Errand by Sarah Zettel. I’m itching to get my hands on Fool’s War, which is a follow-up novel.
oh jeeze! probably….Aragorn from Lord of the Rings!
Now that, is a very unfair question!!!
Here we go!!
Darcy (Pride & Prejudice
Lord Sebastian Vaughn (Seduction of the Crimson Rose)
Ramses Emerson (Elizabeth Peters books)
Sebastian St Cyr (CS Harris)
Sir Peter Blakney (Scarlet Pimpernal)
Rhett Butler (Gone with the wind
Peirce Brosnan (Actor extraordinare who could act in all the roles of the above characters with great aplomb indeed!!!!
Rhett Butler- Gone with the Wind
He does everything for Scarlett, even is she doesn’t quite deserve it. That and I love a scarcastic man with a good heart underneath it all.
or
Richard Saylor- Dark Angels
He is the ultimate heartbreaker, without the heartbreaking. Won’t even give a girl up to a king unless she decides it. Confident man, love it.
I love the character Jane Eyre. Man, I could read that book from cover to cover, put it down on the table, and come back to it the next day to dive in again. Jane exhibits what I consider a model of self-control. Her journey is plagued with difficult questions and tortured love. But through it all she remains true to herself, even if it means giving up her only true love–and as she is an orphan, her only love. She isn’t a perfect character, but a true one. And, finally, who can deny their own heart-wrenching feelings when Mr. Rochester puts Jane;s heart to the test!
If I’m talking romantic type heroes, I alway chose Mr. Tilney from Northanger Abbey! 🙂
If I’m going more general fiction, I love Frodo. Something about him having weakness dispite all he’s been through….
I’ll go with Mr. Darcy, as I lack imagination at the moment (though I love him a great deal, don’t get me wrong!).
My favorite fictional hero is actually Dobby from the Harry Potter series 🙂 I think his “hero” status is overlooked far too often, but he undeniably is one of the biggest heroes of the series.
I tweeted the contest:
http://twitter.com/inconceivably/statuses/16336937226
Got to be Sir Percy of course. Also love Geoff and Richard.
John Thornton from North & South, and Jamie Fraser from the Outlander series. What more could a woman want.
I think my favorite would have to be Rupert the cat from How to Wash A Cat. He is the unsung hero of that book just by being his adorable self.