Top 10? Hmmm... I'm not sure I can think of ten characters who I'm that crazy about, but I'll give it a shot. Let's see how many I end up with. Warning: This is gonna be a long one.
1. Sand dan Glokta (The First Law) - One of the POVs in Joe Abercrombie's excellent trilogy, Glokta is all kinds of awesome. Once a dashing, cocky, talented young swordsman and Colonel with a bright future, he gets captured and brutally tortured for two years by the Gurkish. Where once he was admired -- men wanted to be like him, women wanted to be with him -- he now inspires disgust and scorn, leaving him a broken, bitter shell of the man he used to be. Clever and witty (in a dark, angsty sort of way), Glokta lives a miserable life where even the simple act of climbing stairs or getting out of bed is an excercise in frustration and embarrassment. Now a torturer himself, Inquisitor Glokta is more than up to the task of sharing some of his pain with others. If only there weren't so many darned steps...
2. Logen Ninefingers/The Bloody-Nine (The First Law) - The most feared man in the North, Logen is a barbarian who has killed more people than he cares to remember. Both friends and foes have fallen to his blade. Ironically, he really doesn't care much for fighting. Once the right-hand man of King Bethod, Logen is now Enemy Numero Uno, all because he wants to be a better person. "A man can change," he tells himself. A simple and uncultured man, who nonetheless possesses more wisdom and intelligence than he gives himself credit for, Logen is on the run from Bethod and his cronies. More importantly, he's on the run from himself and his past. Say one thing for Logen Ninefingers, say he rocks.
3. Aragorn II (The Lord of the Rings) - The self-exiled heir to the throne of Gondor, Aragorn has chosen to stay away from his rightful place, fearing that he would turn into the same weak-willed traitor who let the Ring control him as his ancestor, Isildur. Strong of heart, mind and body, Aragorn is an honorable man who always chooses to do the right thing, be it difficult, painful, or to his detriment (like his willingness to break from Arwen to prevent her from giving up her immortality for him). Instrumental in the success of the War of the Ring, Aragorn is the epitome of the heroic figure. Modern Fantasy tend to have less heroic heroes, focussing more on shades of gray, an effort I do certainly appreciate. But whenever I think of a true Fantasy Hero, I think of Aragorn.
4. Roland Deschain (The Dark Tower) - A gunslinger of unparalleled skill, Roland is the descendant of Arthur Eld, this world's equivalent of King Arthur. With exceptionally powerful guns made from the melted down metal of Excalibur, Roland is obsessed with reaching The Dark Tower. Nothing -- not foe, nor even his friends -- will stand in his relentless pursuit. Viewed as being cold-hearted for using anyone and everyone on his way for his quest, Roland cares for his ka-tet more than he lets on. Ultimately, while Roland thinks of little other than the Tower, his own true quest, unknown even to him, is one of redemption. While many have criticised Stephen King for his handling of the later novels in the series (and indeed, books 5 and 6 are mediocre, at best) I feel the ending was, in fact, appropriate and very fitting for Roland and his obsession. Perhaps there is hope for him, yet.
There they stood, ranged along the hill-sides, met
To view the last of me, a living frame
For one more picture! in a sheet of flame
I saw them and I knew them all. And yet
Dauntless the slug-horn to my lips I set,
And blew. "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower came.''
5. Kelsier (Mistborn) - The man who had the most daring plan anyone in Luthadel could think of: overthrow the Lord Ruler. A Mistborn of exceptional skill, Kelsier's true strength lies in his force of personality. Ever the optimist, he never let setbacks and disappointments slow him down. With a willing smile and positive attitude, Kelsier was the Energizer Bunny of the skaa - never say die. He laughs in the face of death, not because he's cold, but because he laughs in defiance. In a world of misery, slavery and injustice, he showed the rebels that their true defeat would be in letting the world force them to give up. "I represent that one thing you've never been able to kill, no matter how hard you try," the Survivor tells the Lord Ruler. "I am Hope."
Those are the ones that really stand out for me, so far. I'll think about it some more, and post if I can think of five more to round out the Ten.
. i'll post mine when i have a bit more of a think
