What kind of character do you love reading about?

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What characters do I like reading about?
Hard question. The best answer I could probably give would be "any characters". As long as they are well developed and a lot of thought put into them while they were been written.
I dislike extreme characters (ie. extremely evil or good) and characters who think a lot of them selves (although these can be funny sometimes).

[ May 24, 2003, 10:28: Message edited by: RotKU ]

 

I enjoy reading about characters with cold calculating minds, like Edmond Dantes in The Count of Monte Cristo. The way he plans the downfalls of all the people who betrayed him.

Mind you I do enjoy reading about characters whos only thought is to fight. Jaime Lannister from Geore RR Martin's books for instance, but that may only because I love this comment

 

The best characters are original, fresh ones. Sarcastic ones are good, and they don't have to be a 'Knight in Shining Armor' 'Warrior of the Light' goodguy. I myself like wrting with characters who don't want to be involved with saving the world because they'd rather live to be a ripe old age. Mercenaries are wonderful main characters, because they just want their pay.

 

I have a weakness for rogue/outlaw types who seem to be all about money but have much more depth and reason to them. And they have a constant witty remarks demeanor about them that almost verges on the point of annoying but not quite. Like Silk from the Belgariad -- he's always making wisecracks that would probaby be annoying after a while in person but in the books, crack you up. And like it when the characters are so outrageous that you never really know what they're going to do and so it makes it completely hilarious -- Jarlaxle in Servant of the Shard is a definite example of this.

On a more classical note, Robin Hood and Zorro always struck a chord with me. I love that type of hero. The selective highwayman who robs only the evil and enemies -- another type of rogue. Oliver DeBurrows of the Crimson Shadow Trilogy is also a lot like that. He constantly goes and robs all the rich merchants who are all supporters of the evil king and then uses the money to buy coats to give away to street urchins.

Oh and in typical rogue fashion, they have to be able to pick locks and set up traps! That's a majorly fun part of it!

Ohhh! Another example is Han Solo -- he seems to be all about the money but winds up helping the rebellion anyway. And he's definitely rogue-ish and constantly making side-long remarks and quips. Mad fun

 

For me it really depends on how developed the character is, but i lean towards rougish characters like Gord ,Entreri and Silk. The alignment doesnt matter as long as they are developed.

 

I like people that are evil, but are struggling to become good. I also like people who are very good. ala Stirm Brightblade.

 

I like reading about everyone in The Forgotten Realms (I only have Drizzt books right now, though)

 

hmmm My favourite characters to read about? Would have to say evil, though not 100%. Evil characters are usually sarcastic, which is funny and the have attitude. Some of my favourites are;
Kitiara, Raistlin and Entreri. I love reading about magic and thieves to. Much fun

 

Chaotic good charecter using both brains and brawn. I would have said CN but most authors prefer their protagonists to be shown in the white light. However it is important that the charecter have use of his free will and purpose.

 

Loners for sure. Characters in the vein of The Gunslinger - Roland of Gilead who are faced with some form of tragedy and must struggle on their own to overcome said tragedy. Also characters who have responsibility thrust on them, slowly come to terms with it and succeed without an overblown ego. I guess that describes average people hey?

 

Characters who are competent, I'm talking about both brains and skill with the ability to keep a cool head in a crisis. Like Sherlock Holmes or Raistlin.

[ September 05, 2003, 15:33: Message edited by: rastilin ]

 

Hmm, people who slip into evil are good, not just people who were always evil and always will be because the story needs a bad guy. A well developed bad guy who isn't just evil. Was once a normal(ish) person, yet has for some reason gone evil.

 

I enjoy reading about a character who is forced to discover depths of strength within him/herself that were never dreamed possible. Particularly, I like characters who discover some unusual or heretofor unknown ability within themselves. Examples include Andre Norton's Simon Tregarth of the Witch World, Christopher Stasheff's Rodney "Gallowglass" D'Armand of Gramarye, and many of the protagonists of Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar series.

I guess that deep down, I wish that I could discover some such hidden power within myself.

 

A reluctant hero/hroine. It's not about whether he/she have the skill or talent to be one. But rather the conflict of "to be or not to be" a hero, that he/she is undergoing.