The best science fiction and fantasy books aren't just about amazing ideas, or huge vistas — they're about people. The relationship between Fitz and the Fool is one of the most fascinating and well-explored friendships I've ever read. The book is very much centred around these characters and their relationship, with the story providing a framework for exploring that. In other words, she’s a masochist. Here’s a list of best fantasy books of all time (arranged alphabetically)! I'll second Gentleman Bastards, since it's carried on the charisma of its characters. Everyone deserves to see themselves represented on the page, which is why we love these fantasy books with LGBT characters … At no point did it feel forced or illogical. I mean, her entire relationship with Elend in Book 1 and Zane in Book 2 reflect that. Author Naomi Nivik thrives on writing emotionally-charged aerial battle scenes that’ll have you on the edge of your seat. Humbert Humbert, Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov, 1955. Agreed some amazing characters throughout the series and standalones. Put them together in an epic queer fantasy and tbh we can’t get enough. The Chalion books by Lois McMaster Bujold are amazing character driven stories. Everything else is very, very, dull. Top image by Tomasz Jendruszek. Hmm I think my definition of character-driven is different from yours, I'd define a character-driven book as one in which the main focus is the characters and their internal change/development. I was thinking about trying Mistborn but wasnt for sure? Fantasy books bring the imagination to life and allow the impossible to occur. I made it halfway through the second book twice and gave up. This week, for all you hardworking writers out there, I’ve created a MASTER list of fantasy names. So I was curious on some other Fantasy, or even scifi with some really good main character? Don't forget about fecking Prickomo Cocksta <3. Great characters, a mystery that twists and turns like a corkscrew and above all, Harry, a wizard with a world weary sense of humour, who takes life on the chin. It's such real growth from a child to a woman, it's unbelievable. I already love so many of the characters. Put them together in an epic queer fantasy and tbh we can’t get enough. I'm just posting this for clarification of terms. The sheer joy of escaping reality and letting go of expectations is enough to bring me back to the genre again and again. If it doesn't have good character development, it's simply not a good book. I just finished Assassin's Apprentice today and I am in LOVE. A book series about dragons… set to the beat of the Napoleonic wars. Plot driven stories have more to do with the action and events surrounding the characters. Roald Dahl’s first full-length children’s fantasy book, James and the Giant Peach follows young James, a boy who’s mistreated by his evil Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker. It’s original names for our characters and … An interesting cast of characters from around the fantasy world fight their own battles, sometimes with motives less than pure. As might be evident in the title, Viscera is a dark fantasy novel with strong elements of body horror. It just felt right. There’s lots of fantasy dragon books out there. Highly recommended. He is a character that we can all identify with in that although he always tries to do good, there is always a darker side to us that is fighting the other way. While the world in Rowell’s book obviously began as homage to Hogwarts, she populates it with surprising species and characters that are often quite funny twists on fantasy clichés. I totally agree, the Farseer books are the gold standard of character driven narrative. Long price quartet by Daniel Abraham. Fitz' incompetence also feels like a chore to read. ... Abe is a great and worthy character by himself. Jordan was an absolute titan of fantasy, with his books selling upwards of 80 million copies, according to some sources. His unrivalled cunning and sharp wit, combined with a tendency to be underestimated due to the fact he’s a (human) dwarf, make Tyrion Lannister a real player in the struggle for power in this epic series. Count me in! God, that book is FANTASTIC! Yes! Comparing Some Of The Best Fantasy Books #1) The Harry Potter Series #2) Lord Of The Rings #3) Game Of Thrones #4) The Dark Tower Series #5) The Name Of The Wind #6) American Gods #7) Good Omens #8) Weaveworld #9) The Chronicles Of Narnia #10) Leviathan Realm of the Elderlings books by Robin Hobb. Looks like you're using new Reddit on an old browser. Joe Abercrombie's stuff as well. And if you’re looking for even more stories to take you to another world, discover these science fiction and fantasy books by Black authors. They are some of the best written characters I've ever read still. The first book was probably one of the most intelligent writing out there, especially the woman characters and their choices. Logen Ninefingers is like a Shakespearean tragic hero that survived the climax by the strength of his own 1.9 hands and just kept on truckin. Thankfully, you have The Age of Fire series to fill this niche. These are some of the best fantasy characters ever to appear in the pages of a book or on a screen. In my opinion, the greatest character in the history of fantasy literature would have to be Tyrion Lannister from the Song of Ice and Fire series by G.R.R. Any others recommendations? Start with Curse of Chalion. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, Stabby Winner, AMA Author M. Todd Gallowglas. The 100 fantasy books that we - and other readers - simply cannot recommend highly ... fast paced and thrilling ride through a Chicago you never thought possible. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke. There are few things we love more than 1. fantasy books and 2. positive LGBTQ+ representation. Character Driven Fantasy Books. Let me expand. I love me some Prince of Thorns and Low Town novels, but I'd say The Dark Tower series is even more character-driven than those two novels. I've only read the first 6 books, but my god, Malta Vestrit is just an amazing character. 20. By the end of the first book the plot is only really just starting; the book is almost entirely focused on setting up the characters. My favourite fantasy characters, Logen and Glokta, ... My problem with this question is that, for me, the overlap between "books with great character development" and "great books" is basically 100%. These are some of the best fantasy characters ever to appear in the pages of a book or on a screen. Everyone stays pretty much the same regardless of what happens to them. I don't think there is no character development at all, but the characters themselves change very little. I thought the whole point of the series is that there is no character development. The TV series Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of my favourites for this, and I especially love the character development for one particular person in the show who's now my favourite fictional character of all time. The Vlad Taltosh books by Steven Brust, starting with Jhereg. Press J to jump to the feed. In most literary discussions, character driven fiction mostly has to do with the characters' inner conflict and how the characters' relationships with each other create most of the drama and tension in a given story. I had him written in the character list the app I'm using offered as Sandan Glockter, but I guess now dan is like a noble name thingy right? Huntress by Malinda Lo (L) “Kaede and Taisin, two seventeen-year-old girls, are picked to go on a dangerous and unheard-of journey to Tanlili, the city of the Fairy Queen. Glokta is the only interesting thing about the series, and Logan is a very close second. The relationship between Fitz and the Fool is one of the most fascinating and well-explored friendships I've ever read. These books are full of intrigue and romance and are extremely readable, and also feature a female protagonist, which is rarer than it should be for fantasy novels. The books appear in alphabetical order by title (beginning with A to H) (ignoring "A", "An", and "The"); series are alphabetical by author-designated name or, if there is no such, some reasonable designation. Viscera by Gabrielle Squailia. From heroes to antiheroes, these magnetic characters are truly spellbinding. Recently I've listened to King Killer Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss and loved the characters and how he is constantly trying to get ahead one problem at a time. This page lists notable fantasy novels (and novel series). I didn't like the sequel either. No Fantasy book series is more epic in scope than The Malazan Book of the Fallen. Patrick Rothfuss (Goodreads Author) 4.52 avg rating — 746,024 ratings. With over 21,000 votes cast, representing 359 characters from 136 of the top fantasy book series, we have a decisive winner for the Best Fantasy Character of All Time! Lies of Locke Lamora is plot driven because The Gray King is the major problem in the story, and he exists in the story independently of Locke's actions and choices. The main problems of the story are external to the characters, and while character choices affect the plot, they do not drive the plot. Gentleman Bastards series is very char-driven. But fewer which actually tell an engaging story told from a dragon’s point of view as a main character. He is, in our opinion, the greatest wizard in fantasy after the great Gandalf. characters that drive the book by being smart and constantly solving problems. His saga combines both military and epic fantasy into a delightful mix. Arya Stark (Game of Thrones /A Song of Ice and Fire) Photo Credit: HBO; Plus - she just completed it! I'm surely going to rip through all 16 in a blink! Credit: Tor Books. The Name of the Wind (The Kingkiller Chronicle, #1) by. The books grew up along with their characters and their readers, raising the stakes and emotions in the best-selling book series in history. Jay Gatsby, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1925. Up in a cave among high mountains, a brood of four baby dragons are born. Want to … Recently, I’ve started reading some fantasy novels to my kids. Sword of Change series by Patricia Bray, book one being, Devlin's Luck. The Vlad Taltosh books by Steven Brust, starting with Jhereg. From heroes to antiheroes, these magnetic characters are truly spellbinding. :D. Has she said she's not going to be writing any more Realm of the Elderlings books? A fantasy series that makes me feel extremely attached to the characters and experience a wide range of emotions from crushing heartbreak to exhilarating joy would be ideal, especially if it has superlative character development throughout. So here are some examples of our favorite character descriptions from science fiction and fantasy books. List Of The Most Popular Fantasy Books. Brilliant prose, epic storylines, gritty realism, fascinating mix of gray characters, Erickson combines the best of George R. Martin with the epic scope of the Greek Classics such as the Iliad and the Odyssey. Loved Shadow in summer but did not continue further in as I'm leaning towards faster books these days. And, it can be very well read as a standalone. Completely different books, but both have great characters that drive the book by being smart and constantly solving problems. Of all the books mentioned here that I've read, King Killer Chronicles is the closest to character driven, but it's still leans pretty heavily to the plot side of the spectrum. score: 5,815 , and 59 people voted. The Wheel Of … We welcome respectful dialogue related to speculative fiction in literature, games, film, and the wider world. Another book ive recently listened to that i fealt a similar connection with was The Martian. There's nothing to him really. ... Buffy is a very iconic character in comic books and pop culture in general. Surprised no one has said The First Law series / world created by Joe Abercrombie! The characters take grey morality to an extreme, but they're fascinating because of it. Cannot recommend this series enough. But first, an overview of the poll methodology and results: The Nomination Process Character nominations were made by visitors to our site. I did not like it. Malcolm mistakenly receives an encrypted message about something called Dust, and before he knows it, suspicious characters begin coming around to ask about a baby named Lyra. All that being said, if you're looking for books with great characters: The Outlaw King Series by S.A. Hunt, book one being Whirlwind in the Thorn Tree, and I believe book three won a Stabby award last year. I'm already on to book two. The site may not work properly if you don't, If you do not update your browser, we suggest you visit, Press J to jump to the feed. The first book in an epic fantasy trilogy that both George R. R. Martin and Patrick Rothfuss have called quintessential to their own success. Definitely! Fair warning: your heart will break, and just about when it's back together it will break again. I mean the story is pretty much the definition of character-driven imo. I'd preferably like to read a series that is completed, although that's not an absolute requirement. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell remains one of my favorite fantasy novels of all time. I think you are a little confused as to what makes something a character driven story. Leopold Bloom, Ulysses, James Joyce, 1922. The ending is very poorly written, and I found the relationships between the characters to be forced and unbelievable. D. Roald Dahl characters ‎ (1 C, 10 P) The Dark Tower (series) characters ‎ (6 P) Demons in written fiction ‎ (2 C, 11 P) Deryni series characters ‎ (1 P) Discworld characters ‎ (2 C, 10 P, 1 F) Dracula characters ‎ (12 P) Dragonlance characters ‎ (23 P) Jonathan Strange and Mister Norrell by Susanna Clark. Personal favourites would have to be Shivers and Whirrun of Bligh! But when an enigmatic stranger gives James a handful of enchanted seeds, James may finally find his means of escape — in the form of a magically grown giant peach, which he and his insect friends fly all the way to New York City! John Galt The answer to the question posed in the opening sentence of Atlas Shrugged is: “#20 on the list of the 50 greatest literary character names of all time.” And yes, I do realize that there is some conflict including Ayn Rand on a list of anything “literary.” 19. Some of my favorite fantasy ever. 25. These "hard magic" fantasy novels often focus on making the immaterial material. Highly recommended. I devoured it in four days, stayed up late reading, even resented sleep because I just wanted to read. But it would be high. However, there are numerous books out there with intricately detailed laws and rules for their magic. Fair warning: your TBR pile is about to get a lot bigger. A fantasy series that makes me feel extremely attached to the characters and experience a wide range of emotions from crushing heartbreak to exhilarating joy would be ideal, especially if it has superlative character development throughout. Robin Hobb's "Realm of the Elderlings" series is the best at this, IMO. Take Numpies, for instance, who are basically the archetypal trolls under the bridge, if the trolls were always cold and loved hot water bottles. Holden Caulfield, The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger, 1951. Noooo siree. 12. The Red Queen's War by Mark Lawrence is focused on its narrator, Jalan, and the Viking he's travelling with, Snorri. Realm of the Elderlings books by Robin Hobb. As the title says. By far the most interesting characters. In addition, she takes great strides in fleshing out each important character throughout the entire book … And again. All that being said, if you're looking for books with great characters: The Outlaw King Series by S.A. Hunt, book one being Whirlwind in the Thorn Tree, and I believe book three won a Stabby award last year. He controls his responses to his situation. Almost all genre fiction is plot based. The First Law by Joe Abercrombie is very character driven. The books grew up along with their characters and their readers, raising the stakes and emotions in the best-selling book series in history. Jordan took Tolkien’s legacy and transformed it for the modern era. Such a good book. I read the Farseer Trilogy with all of the praise it gets here, and I found it extremely disappointing. Rabbit Angstrom, Rabbit, Run, John Updike, 1960. Mistborn's characters are bland and flat compared to Abercrombie, Martin, or especially Lynch. And again. These books are an excellent example of how the years of work that went into the creation of D&D and its novels have cumulated into something special. In both SF and Fantasy, Lois McMaster Bujold has absolute stand-out characters. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson An epic fantasy where mystical swords and suits of armor transform ordinary men into invincible warriors, kingdoms are won and traded for Shardblades. Characters aren't really Mistborn's strong points. Taisin is a sage, thrumming with magic, and Kaede is of the earth, without a speck of the otherworldly. — Josh Jackson 12. /r/Fantasy is the internet's largest discussion forum for the greater Speculative Fiction genre. I still think The Magicians trilogy by Lev Grossman is the most impressive character driven fantasy work but it's pretty divisive and doesn't seem to fit OP's criteria so I didn't recommend it. Sand dan Glokta and Logen Ninefingers are some of the best fantasy character ever written.