This month the Classics Club came up with a really good question (link here):

“Who is hands-down the best literary hero, in your opinion? Likewise, who is the best heroine?”

I think this is a toughie – because I find it difficult to restrict myself to one answer for each and also it depends on how you’re making your decision.  For example, your favourite literary hero, should I plump for someone who is a bit of mind candy or am I going to go for a hero in the true sense of the word?  Plus do I just think of a book I love and pick that character – it’s not necessarily the case that just because you love a book the main character will be your favourite is it?  I mean, I don’t particularly love the character Frodo and he’s fairly central to the whole Lord of the Rings story!

Hero: nominations – Jean Tannen from Scott Lynch’s Lies of Locke Lamorra/Red Seas Under Red Skies – because I have a crush on him, ditto Aragorn out of Lord of the Rings, Harry Dresden from Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files – because he can’t say no to a lady in distress, Mr Rochester from Jane Eyre, Sir Percy Blakeney from The Scarlet Pimpernell

Hero : Sir Percy Blakeney from Baroness Orczy’s the Scarlet Pimpernell.  Reason – it’s a classic book so thought it was quite fitting, plus his character plays a tremendous fop (‘sink me the place is a mausoleum’, etc, etc) and yet underneath it all is planning dangerous and dramatic escapes of French Aristocrats who are about to meet Madame Guillotine.

Heroines: Nominations.  Jane Eyre – because I love that book and think Jane is a great character, Lisbeth Salander from Stieg Larsson’s Girl With a Dragon Tattoo – because she’s so kickass! Scarlett O’Hara from Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind because she won’t conform to society’s expectations, Dany or Arya from Game of Thrones (would probably pick Arya in a pinch although Dany does have 3 dragons!)

Heroine: Lisbeth Salander – I really did enjoy all three books and think Lisbeth is a great character

So, although I’ve only chosen one of each I have written a few others down here as nominations (bit of a cheat really, but there you go!)

Come over and share your knights in shining armour and dashing damsels.