In more or less the order I encountered them, they are:
Crystal of the Inhumans, from various Inhumans comics by various writers and artists - Maybe I love Crystal so much because she's always there to provide an alternate perspective when things get out of hand. Or maybe I love how she works hard to build something with Ronan even though their marriage starts off as pure politics. Maybe it's just because Lockjaw likes her so very, very much, and I trust Lockjaw's judgment.
Lockjaw of the Inhumans, from various Inhumans comics by various writers and artists - he's a ginormous teleporting doggie. Talk about an obvious choice.
Dil from PROSPERITY and LIBERTY & OTHER STORIES by Alexis Hall - Dil has the best narrative voice around, y'all. He's got an opinion on everything, and he's gonna tell it to you in the most elaborate, round-about way possible.
Byron Kae from PROSPERITY and LIBERTY & OTHER STORIES by Alexis Hall - I want only good things for Byron Kae. ONLY GOOD THINGS, DO YOU HEAR ME????
Quentin Coldwater from the Magicians Trilogy by Lev Grossman - Quentin is fully steeped in his own bullshit. Then he gets it.
Bartimaeus from the Bartimaeus series by Jonathan Stroud - Bartimaeus is one of my favourite narrators. He doesn't mind fudging the truth just so long as he can paint himself in the most attractive light. And he'd never admit it, but he actually loves people a hell of a lot. Like, aside from those fucking magicians (who he doesn't call "fucking magicians" because this is a kids' series, but you know he's thinking it).
Karou from the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series by Laini Taylor - Karou is an artist with blue hair, a desperate desire to fly, and a couple of lifetimes tucked away inside her. She fascinates me.
Zuzana from the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series by Laini Taylor - she's tiny and fierce and snarky and devoted, and she can make puppets. I don't see a downside here. Me and her and Karou totes need to be BFFs.
Lydias of Miletus/Elza Versfelt/various other incarnations I haven't yet met from the Numimous World series by Jo Graham - I want to know everything that happens to this oracle's soul. Good thing that's more or less what the series is about.
Jos Musey from WARCHILD by Karin Lowachee - aside from Kate Bishop, Jos is the most compelling character I discovered in 2014. I strongly suspect he's headed towards a spot on the (Highly Exclusive) List, but y'all know I deliberate for ages before I make a move like that.
Sparks Dawntreader from THE SUMMER QUEEN by Joan D. Vinge - Sparks makes some fucking stupid choices, y'all. I haven't yelled at a character this much since that time Zuko did that thing.
Cat from the Cat series by Joan D. Vinge - poor Cat just can't catch a break. I want to give him a hug, and maybe a new life where stuff actually goes his way for once.
Asmira from THE RING OF SOLOMON by Jonathan Stroud - Asmira needs her own series, please. She's smart and capable and a glorious foil for Bartimaeus.
Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel from CAPTAIN MARVEL by Kelly Sue Deconnick et al - y'all weren't lying about Carol Danvers. I want to crawl into her found family and do everything I possibly can to help her superheroic cause, because she 500% deserves it.
Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman from various Avengers-related comics written and drawn by various people - why isn't the Internet awash in Spider-Woman-love? She's snarky and capable and amazing. I want to be BFFs with her.
Ronan Lynch from the Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater - Ronan is the newest member of the (Highly Exclusive) List. I love him for about a million reasons, but the one I keep coming back to is how he never misgenders animals. It's a weird thing to focus on, yeah, but it's also one of those little details that tells you a lot about who he is.
Adam Parrish from the Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater - whenever this series moves me to tears, you can bet Adam's at the heart of it. Life has fucked him over, but he still tries so damned hard.
Blue Sargent from the Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater - Blue would very much like to be a quirky, ethereal nymph, but she's way too sensible for those sorts of shenanigans. Also, she loves dogs. (That doesn't have anything to do with her being sensible. It's just something nice.)
Noah Czerny from the Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater - Noah's about as together as he can be, given his circumstances, and I never get tired of watching him exist in the world. Also, he has a super-awesome friendship with Blue.
Richard Gansey III from the Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater - Gansey is probably my least favourite of the bunch, but don't you for a second think that means I don't love him. It just means I love everyone else that much.
Kingsley Edge from THE KING by Tiffany Reisz - Kingsley has always interested me, but this book made me really, really like him because of reasons.
Anazakia from the House of Arkhangel'sk series by Jane Kindred - Nazkia gets mad as hell at anyone who crosses her, but when she calms down she's always able to see why they acted as they did, and she finds the capacity to forgive them. I love her for it.
Belphagor from the House of Arkhangel'sk series by Jane Kindred - Belphagor is good people, plain and simple. He's my favourite.
Vasily from the House of Arkhangel'sk series by Jane Kindred - I am biased towards people who can manipulate fire, and also towards very tall people, redheads, and surly folks who care deeply about things. Vasily checks all four boxes.
Love from the House of Arkhangel'sk series by Jane Kindred - she lives up to her name. I think me and her should be BFFs (along with Karou and Zuzana and Jessica Drew and Carol Danvers, of course).
Miles Vorkosigan from the Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold - Miles accidentally forms a profitable mercenary company. He's just as great as y'all promised.
Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch from AVENGERS: THE CHILDREN'S CRUSADE by Alan Heinberg and Jim Cheung - how did I make this far into the Marvel Universe with reading anything concrete about Wanda? I want to know everything about her.
Kamala Khan from MS MARVEl by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona - I can't wait to learn everything about Kamala, too. She's desperate to be part of the world, but she doesn't want to alienate her family, but now she has super powers, and I can't wait to see how she negotiates everything. Plus, word on the street says she befriends Lockjaw in the second arc, and y'all know my feelings on Lockjaw.
And that about covers it. Who were your favourite literary characters of 2014, new-to-you or otherwise?
Agreed on the five from the Raven Cycle and the two from Daughter of Smoke and Bone. (I might agree on the others, perhaps, if I'd read any of those books...)
ReplyDeleteI think you'd particularly like Bartimaeus and Kamala Khan. You should give 'em a go.
DeleteI have so many books to catch-up on. I own most of these. haha. I have Ms. Marvel, though! And I read Captain Marvel. I love them both and can't wait for the sequels. :)
ReplyDeleteHurray for Captain Marvel! I'm still waiting for my library to process the first volume of her newest series (or for the last relevant issue to go up on Marvel Unlimited; it's a race to see which will happen first), but I loved her first as-Captain series. I've gotta go back and catch up on her as-Ms series, too.
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