In the Spotlight: Mia Darien's Top 5 #Fantasy Characters

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Mia Darien's Top Five Fantasy Characters

One of the things I love about "fantasy fiction" is that it's so broad, and yet that made this list very difficult! I went into the classic epic fantasy, but also steampunk and modern fantasy, though always making sure that the fantastical was there. One of my judging factors was memory: if I didn't remember this character a time after reading the book, if they weren't memorable, they couldn't count. I might not remember details, but I remembered the characters.

An issue, though, is that many of these characters are only as awesome as they are because of the other characters they play against, making it hard to know which one is really the most epic. ;-)

5. Cedar, from Lindsey Buroker's "Flash Gold" Series

This one was actually a toss-up for me, because I loved Cedar and Kali both. Kali was brilliant and full of fire, but in the end--as I tend towards the male characters anyways--Cedar's strength and humor won his place on this list. He's the muscle, the complex one, to Kali's mad scientist (in the Steampunk light) ways.

4. Dexter, from Kelly Allan's "Thaw"

I read "Thaw" as a beta first, but I just adored it. The main character is Isi, and I liked her a lot. She was one of the few female Young Adult characters I didn't want to smack, but Dexter had such quiet presence that I was very drawn to him. He was strong, a leader, but not a jerk about it. And I loved what he did for Isi at the end, which I can't say without being a spoiler...

3. The Chaotics, from Diantha Jones' "Oracle of Delphi" Series

I know I'm cheating on this one, since the Chaotics are really four characters, but they're so much a set that I can't choose. They just rock it so hard. I love character sets born of elemental magic--one for fire, water, air, earth--and the glitter combined with their awesome abilities and tough girl chic just makes me heart them so hard.

2. Tek, from Meredith Anne Pierce's "The Firebringer Trilogy"

Okay, it's been a long time since I read this one, but I have always loved it. I had to double check the name, because I don't remember the names but the characters, and if I'm matching the right name to the right character, Tek was awesome. First off, she's a unicorn, but also a warrior unicorn. I love that. And while Jan (her mate) was The One kind of deal, she was the strength. Held it together in times he wasn't there. He was the power, and she was the foundation. It was well done and I'll always remember it, though the gryphon who carried the unicorn he loved from danger--when she weighed as much or more than him--came a close second.

1. Logan Ninefingers, from Joe Abercrombie's "The First Law" Series

Oh, the Bloody Nine... He is my favorite character of all time. So grey, so complex, but so epic. His return (which was no secret from the advertising, so I can say it) in "Red Country" made me quiver with excitement, and the fact that I thought Abercrombie fell way, way short of making his return and new story as epic as it deserved almost crushed me to tears. Ridiculous, but true. But he has that tragic feeling, the battered, reluctant hero thing, yet with such berserking viciousness (when pushed) that you're like, "I shouldn't love this character, but I do!"

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Mia Darien

Mia Darien is an indie author of speculative fiction, and a New England Yankee transplanted into Alabama clay. No matter her geography, she continues to stubbornly and rebelliously live the life of her choosing along with her family and pets. She doesn’t miss the snow.

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