Kevin's Watch

[Am posting this in the GDF because I don't want to limit it to written works; film, tv, opera, anything goes as long as it's fictional [or as near as dammit that it doesn't matter - Gilgamesh might qualify, Menelaus might not, but we won't argue over it ]

My own choices I'm going to hold back on because I have such a clear winner [gosh it's fading ] that I'm interested to see if anyone comes up with the same charachter. Chuck out a few examples by all means, but try to come down to one choice at the end and give a little explanation if possible. Agree/disagree with the choices of other people and make such observations as you see fit.

[Don't choose TC - please ]

I have three favorite characters these days. 2 tv and 1 book (that says something right there)

Sheldon Cooper of the Big Bang Theory. He is such an amazing blend of genius, arrogance and complete innocence.

Chris from Northern Exposure. I love him because he is all about self acceptance. A backwoods, trailer park, ex-con, motorcycle riding, interpretive artist, existentialist disc jockey and he rocks it.

Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird. He defines the word hero. Doing what had to be done despite everyone around you telling you that you are wrong and doing it with humility. He was the father I always wanted.

If I had to pick one it would be Atticus Finch.

Robinton and Menolly from Pern (novels).
Alex from A Clockwork Orange (novel and film)
Taliesin and Charis from Taliesin by Lawhead (novel)
Sister Fidelma (novels)
Dumbledore (novels and films)
Brother Cadfael (novels and t.v.)
Hercule Poirot (novels only)
The Doctor (though of the eleven, my favorite is still 4; t.v.)

Abby Normal from Christopher Moore's novel Bite Me
Pocket from Christopher Moore's novel Fool
The Wally West version of The Flash
Jack Crow and Felix from John Steakley's novels Armor and Vampire$

a) Summer Kagan from Radix

b) Robert James Cartwright from A Tapestry of Time

c) Martin Conisby from Black Bartlemy's Treasure

d) Taran from Taran Wanderer

e) Thomas Thorne from Doctor Thorne

Judge Farris - from Stephen King's the Stand.

Blackavar and Blackberry (both bunnies) from Watership Down.

Keehar (seagull) from Watership Down.

Starman (Jack Knight) from Robinson's Starman comic.

Daniel Faraday from Lost.

Gosh! In my nievity I thought "I'll know all the charachters that come up" and would thus be able to comment or draw inspiarion from peoples choices. None of it. I don't know a single charachter named with anything more than the slightest aquaintance other than perhaps Dumbledore, Dr Who and Poirot.

Ok My first option is Billy Bunter. The greedy 'Owl of the Remove' is such a failure at every level it hurts. He's fat, ugly, dishonest - he both lies and steals without remorse. He's insensetive to the point of embarresment (French people should wash their necks more, servants/the poor/forigners should be kept on a tight leash and firmly in there place), obnoxiously snobbish and a coward of the highest order. There is nothing to commend him at all..............exept. Exept that when the chips are really down, and always when you least expect it, he is capable of extaordinary acts of both kindness and bravery - and then doesn't even realise what he has done! In his stupidity he'll lie and brag after the event, not even realising that the truth would be both better and more than enough. Thats why his 'friends' tolerate him and why in a strange way he gets under your skin. And another thing - deep down, well hidden in most cases, there's a bit of Bunter in all of us!

Next would have to be a toss up between Rorchsarch [Watchmen] and Marv [Sin City]. Who could forget Marv's classic response just prior to his final execution by electric chair, after the first attempt failed due to the current not being strong enough to kill him. With the smoke still issuing from his burning skin he raises his battle scarred face to his executioners and says "Is that the best you can do you Pussies?" Rorscharch on the other hand just doesn't give anyone an inch - ever. He judges the world - and finds it wanting. When the people look up from there self-induced hells and with pleading eyes and outstretched hands beseech him to "save us", he has one answer. "No!" When sent to prison amongst the few criminals he has apprehended but not killed, he gets into a fight in the canteen. Having thrown boiling fat over the head of his attacker, he wheels round on the gathering of hate-filled cons surrounding him. "You Guys just don't get it do you? It's not me thats locked in here with you - It's you that's locked in here with me!" His final jornal entry prior to going to what he knows will be his death reads "Have lived my life without compromise and step into the shadow without complaint or regret."

Finally, out of what could be a thousand more entries, I choose Cugel the Clever, vagabond anti-hero of Jack Vance's 'Dying Earth' novels [The Eyes of the Overworld and Cugel's Saga]. Cugel is such a smooth talking barstard, the ultimate con-man, plot hatcher and 'gentleman' thief, that there id simply nothing to compare with him as a charachter in all literature. He is entrusted at one point with the delivery of 40 sacraficial virgins, nubile teens of tender years and experience, to their alloted appointment with fate. Needless to say over the six-week sea voyage during which he 'chaperones' them, he convices them of a simple means of procuring thier release from this end, and upon delivery the material is found to be ...unsuitable...for it's intended purpose. Cugel has unfortunately been called away on a matter of some urgency and cannot thus answer for the sullied condition of the goods on arrival. Bildermouth the Master Worminger is applying for a position as head worminger on board a soon to depart vessel - a position to which Cugel [although knowing absolutely nothing about what a worminger even is, let alone how to perform the task] has also applied. In the interview Cugel praises both Bildermouths qualifications and reputation, and assures the interviewers that the aroma of strong drink and opium attaching to him should in no way be taken as an indication of 'depravity of charachter' but seen rather as the frivolities only to be expected of a man long deprived of the pleasures of the senses. Bildermouth is stoic. He views Cugal with an experienced eye. "Cugal is an applicant of fair to middling stature", he states. "Although reckless of charachter and intemporate of habits he does have qualities of both intelligence and aptitude. I urge the panel not to draw inference from the spatulate thumb last seen on 'Larkin the Baby Strangler', there are significant differences between the two: Larkin the Baby Stangler has been Hanged and Cugel has not!"

Billy Bunter!!? My goodness, that brings back memories. Wasn't there someone called Cherry? And Mr Squelch, or was it Quelch?

I have to choose two women, as these are the books I go back to time and time again.

Lydia Keith, later Lydia Merton. Of all the characters in the Angela Thirkell Barchester books she is the one I love most.

Elizabeth Bennett. P&P is the Jane Austin book I love most.

Quelch as I recall.

For now, I'm gonna say Roland, from the Dark Tower.

I'll add the rest as they come to me.

Oh, and Cnaiür urs Skiötha, from Bakker's Prince of Nothing series.

--A

hue of bone wrote:a) Summer Kagan from Radix

I second that! A.A. Attanasio is one of my favorite Authors.

Also:

Robin Hood
Cpt. Picard
Martin the Warrior

I have so many..

Gandalf...?

Khan From Into Darkness only because he's got emotional depth and he's not a crazy guy spewing out Shakespeare lines before he explodes.

Optimus Prime.. I love his voice although im not a fan of the Michael bay movies.

Davvy Jones.. in my opinion Bad guys with emotional difficulty's and motives trump ones that have to clear a goal... and Davvy jones and his lost love always struck me as tragic.. love turned him into a monster not only in his appearance,

Gonna sound kinda dumb for saying this on the watch but I have to say Saltheart foamfollower cuz I want to hang out with that guy. never has a greater personality been put to the page.

Mmmm........I'm thinking I've got to give that 'Dark Tower' series another whirl. I read the first short book, but faltered a little way into the second [why was that - I don't recall now?] But so many, many people have loved this series I think I have to give it a second try. [Doesn't always work - I tried 'Mordants Need' three times and got three quaters through it on the last attempt before deciding "Hell - I just don't like it!"

Follow Av's list with all of the King tie-ins if you give DT a try again, Peter. Don't recall where it is anymore, though...

Here although we never did really update it.

--A

Thanks Av.

Snake's link must be an unauthorized link on the page now. When I click on it I get box to log in to thedarktower.net.

Would there have been a reason you can think of as to why I might 'falter' a short way into book 2. Av.

I seem to remember a fight with some kind of 'thing' on a beach - and then the action shifted all of a sudden [through a door?] into 'our' world [a cab driver or a cab or something.] For some reasonn I quit here. I don't remember much of book 1 - something about a 'Gunslinger' and a kid if I recall - but I think I wasn't connecting with the charachters. Does it get easier to 'like' anyone as the series progresses?

Av and I will give totally different opinions. He loves The Gunslinger, whereas I think it's the most difficult of the series to read. The Drawing of the Three was difficult for me as well; I really didn't like Eddie at the start. But yeah, the ka-tet (four main characters) become much easier to like and connect with as the series goes on.