talking about our favourite fictional characters

I wrote this post before... and then I decided to use the Blogger app again, and lost half of it. Last time I used the Blogger app, the same thing happened, but that time after a lot of digging, I was able to resurrect my work. This time it's gone. 

And so's the Blogger app. UN-IN-STALL.

And with the mood I'm in I'm not sure I can be bothered to do it again. Meh. Well, maybe. OK, I'll do it, but I'm going to change my favourites.

Today, once again, I'm sharing my top 10 favourite fictional characters (favourites for various reasons, which I've explained below.

I'm hoping you'll return the favour and share your ten favourite fictional characters.

Here's mine, in no particular order:

Izzy is on the left. This pic is taken from
here

1. Izzy Reubens (from Love and Rockets by the Hernandez Brothers).

I love Izzy, I would still like to look like her. She is also gloriously tragic and broken, furious, and demonic. The Love and Rockets series is a fabulous comic series, mainly about women who have great roles, even if they do get their clothes off more than strictly necessary.

2. Helen Burns (from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte)

I wanted to say Jane, I really did, but she's such a wet lettuce! Helen on the other hand had such potential. She wouldn't have faffed around for so long with Mr Rochester. Sadly she died (causing floods of tears from me). But that was the way it had to be. Bad girls gotta die.

3 and 4. Cobweb and Calanthe (from the Wraeththu series by Storm Constantine)

I have spent so long deciding between these two, but they are both so beautifully wrought, so deeply flawed, and yet majestically wonderful. They could have done without the sharing the same man bit, but it was really the only way that Constantine could bring them into conflict, and wow, what a conflict.

Sadly the Wraeththu series is yet to be televised, but there's some nice fan art on the Deviant Art site here.

5. Jaqen H'gar from the Song of Ice and Fire Series by George RR Martin, and Game of Thrones from HBO

Jaqen H'gar as played by Tom Wlaschiha

There are so many contenders for the best character in the Song of Ice and Fire Series. Tyrion Lannister is a fan favourite, as are Arya Stark, Jon Snow, and Brienne of Tarth, but Jaqen H'gar is my favourite.

Jaqen is fascinating - the first of the Faceless Men we come to know. What was he doing in the Black Cells, and what is he doing now?

Was the accent (gloriously portrayed by Mr Wlaschiha) just for the 'Jaqen H'gar' face, and what is he calling himself now? I'm hoping he's Pate, and I can't wait to find out what he's up to. I also have a soft spot for Arya, and I would love it if they met again, although I would hope that that wasn't because one of them was going to die.

A still from the film version,
which is available on YouTube

6. Amber St Clare from Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor

Sexy, brave, adventurous, and really rather fabulous, Forever Amber was one of the first grown up books I read (and I wasn't the only one, according to this article), and showed me just how much I love to sob my way through a story.

7. President Josiah Bartlet from The West Wing, created by Aaron Sorkin

Because who wouldn't want to be on his staff? He certainly beats President Fitz Grant, who is a jumped up little twerp. President Bartlet inspired love, devotion, and good deeds in his staff. It was a shame it all went to hell in a hand cart, with fallings out between writing staff, and the drug problems of the creator, Aaron Sorkin.  Some great characters, and great dialogue. Like this opening speech.

8. Captain Mal Reynolds from Firefly, created by Joss Whedon

Never lacking in self confidence, Mal Reynolds is the Captain of Serenity, in the incredibly good (and what were they thinking of to cancel it?) series, Firefly.

I absolutely adore a space Western, and they don't get better than Firefly, and Mal is sexy, stupid, funny and fun. Whedon being Whedon, there are lots of great women characters too, but Mal is my favourite.

And can I just say of that scene at the brothel, when he is commencing the walk of shame - NO!!!!!

9. The Angel Islington from Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

I've got a bit of a crush on Neil Gaiman. He's smart, funny, sexy, married to the marvellous Amanda Palmer, and he's also fabulous at writing characters.

Peter Capaldi's Angel Islington

I've chosen The Angel Islington, because I love the way Gaiman has taken a tube map and run with it. Of course the Angel Islington is an actual angel, and what Gaiman does with the actual angel is genius.

If you haven't read Neverwhere, pop to your local bookshop and buy it. Alternatively, the BBC like making it. They did a TV version a while back, with Peter Capaldi, the god of swearing, and lately time lord, as the Angel, and last year they did it again, for radio, with a star studded line up, including Natalie Dormer (Queen Margaery, of Game of Thrones, and Anne Boleyn in The Tudors) as Door, and Benedict Cumberbatch (I'm guessing you know who he is) as the Angel. Can't believe I missed that one.

10. Raina Blackhail from the Sword of Shadows Series by JV Jones

I changed the list. Because Raina wasn't on it. Raina is an awesome clan matriarch, in a patriarchal system. She doesn't act the warrior queen, but rather plays to her strengths, overcoming serious difficulties with grace and dignity. Ned Stark would still have died if he'd been married to Raina Blackhail instead of Catelyn Stark, but Raina would have avoided the Red Wedding. Come to think of it, the Sword of Shadows Series would be pretty good on TV. HBO?

Who are your favourite characters? And what cross-author 'shipping might you do?