(Apologies for the one-week delay. The Christmas season caught up with me! As an added apology…have TWO articles!)
In a reversal from how I structured my list of favorite video game heroes and villains, I’m going to be tackling this Top 10 by starting with the protagonists. I’m an avid reader, and I’ve consumed hundreds of literary works in my lifetime (some of them masterpieces, and some of them Wuthering Heights). In this list, I’ve narrowed down my ten favorite protagonists, and I’ll attempt to explain why I love them so much.
10) Eiri Akabane (Psycome)
Psycome has made an appearance on one of this blog’s Top 10 lists before, and I believe I mentioned even back then that Eiri is my favorite character. Psycome is a relatively comedic light novel, so I am consistently surprised each time I re-read it of just how compelling Eiri’s character arc is. Her growth from a reclusive loner to passionate defender of her newfound friends is consistently engrossing, and the exploration into her past and her motivations is both well-written and touching on an emotional level, especially her relationship with her mother. Her complex development and extreme fighting skills during Psycome’s intense action scenes will stick with me for a long time to come.
9) Josiri Trelan (Legacy Trilogy)
Out of the core trio of main protagonists in the Legacy Trilogy, Josiri is the one who resonated the most with me, and I really enjoyed each and every second of his journey from spurned son of a dishonored traitor to unprepared revolutionary leader, to overwhelmed but dedicated protector of an entire nation. His struggles felt relatable, his sardonic wit was refreshing, and his frequent mistakes and successes felt realistic in a way most fantasy heroes don’t. He is at the core of this phenomenal trilogy, and a textbook example of how to write a compelling hero.
8) Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl)
I mean, how could I not? How could anyone read Artemis Fowl, and not come away loving Artemis? There aren’t many series out there where the protagonist of the first installment is objectively the villain, and yet even in that book Artemis is a character with great depth and growth. While he would go on to be more of a traditional hero in later books of the series, Artemis never loses his composed demeanor, awe-inspiring intellect and penchant for plans, and that kernel of good-heartedness deep within himself. Artemis is always entertaining.
7) Roslava “Rosa” Orova (Legacy Trilogy)
Josiri is my favorite main hero from the Legacy Trilogy, but Roslava “Rosa” Orova captured my attention throughout this series just a little bit more. I’ve always had a thing for the supporting characters in a story, and Rosa’s one of the best. Fiercely loyal to her home and family (even when she has to revaluate just who to trust and love in her war-torn world), Rosa is always willing to throw herself at the enemy if it will save someone else. Of course, her mysterious resurrection pseudo-immortality gives her a huge advantage on the battlefield, and allows her to form relationships with all sides of the war during the course of her character arc.
6) Rosemarie “Rose” Hathaway (Vampire Academy)
Two Rose-adjacent characters right beside each other in the list? Huh, definitely didn’t plan that. Regardless, I really love Rose, and she alone is one of the absolute best things about the entire Vampire Academy series. She’s consistently funny, protective of her friends and family, and has no qualms jumping into a fight when the situation calls for it. At the same time, her vulnerabilities are equally distressing and so very human. She goes into shock the first time she kills someone, she’s plagued by hallucinations in the third book, and she very nearly goes to hell and back to save the love of her life near the series end. She’s awesome…
5) Sydney Sage (Bloodlines)
…and yet, I just barely have to give the nod to Sydney as the better Richelle Mead Universe protagonist. Sydney’s a supporting character in Vampire Academy, but was elevated to main heroine status for her own sequel series, and she’s all the better for it. It’s so interesting to see the story from her perspective, as she’s been raised to hate and despise the very cast and society she’s forced to interact with. Then, as she slowly grows to open up to those around her, she has to come to terms with the very foundations of her beliefs, and decide if forsaking them is the right decision, especially when those choices put her up against her own flesh and blood. Just like Rose, though, she’s awesome!
4) Aelin Galathynius (Throne of Glass)
It can be difficult for an epic fantasy protagonist to retain their allure and appeal across a book series as long as seven installments, but Aelin effortlessly achieves that benchmark. It helps that she’s constantly shifting and adapting to the changing world around her, whether that be by stalking city rooftops at night as an assassin, or by leading an army charge against an indomitable darkness with magical fire by her side. Her various facets and the quick ways she snaps between them are a joy to behold, but they also play into the internal struggles over insecurity and loneliness she keeps secret from everyone else. Her journey is the core of Throne of Glass, and it never disappoints.
3) Manon Blackbeak (Throne of Glass)
Manon has a pretty unforgettable introduction in book three of Throne of Glass. Namely, she decapitates an innocent man, and leads her coven of witch sisters to burn down a town. Manon’s been raised by birth to be a cruel queen, but eventually, even she isn’t blind to the atrocities committed by those around her in the darkness. With the emotional support of her sisters, and some words of wisdom from a naively optimistic maid, Manon makes a choice that forever alters her fate. It isn’t an easy choice either, but it is an enthralling and inspiring decision that kept me turning page after page into the night. Manon is the co-protagonist of the saga alongside Aelin, and I like her just that little bit more.
2) Pippa “Pip” Fitz-Amobi (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder)
I just finished this series a few weeks back, and I cannot overstate just how incredible Pip is. Her character arc, and the engrossing and frequently shocking ways in which it twists and develops kept me hooked more than even the central mystery at the core of this trilogy. Pip is funny, immensely relatable, and just a person you’d love to hang out with. At the same time, she has obvious flaws she tries to work through, and she comes through a few traumatic experiences worse for wear. The rage she carries inside of her in book three is alarming, but also totally understandable. Even still, Pip keeps soldiering on, and I found myself equally cheering her on and also wishing someone would just sit the poor girl down and give her a hug.
1) Nova Artino (Renegades)
Nova, and by extension all of Renegades, can be difficult to get through. An incident from her past left her irrevocably distraught, and her hatred for superpowered heroes knows no bonds. So, using her power of insomnia (in that she literally does not ever sleep, but does not grow tired or suffer negative side effects), she starts a career as a villain dedicated to taking down all heroes forever. Simultaneously, she infiltrates a prestigious superhero academy to steal information and take the system down from within. But, inevitably she begins to make friends who call into question her lifetime of beliefs, and directly contradict the hodgepodge villain group she calls family. Her mountain of lies and deceit begin to pile up, and every decision she makes draws closer to alienating each side of her life permanently. It’s difficult to read exactly because it’s so well-written and executed, making Renegades and Nova’s story infinitely bingeable.
But hey, that’s just my opinion!
The Contrarian Corner 