The Dashing & Smashing 2016 Character Awards

So this is a TERRIBLY fun tag created by a terribly fun blogger whom I don't believe I have encountered before now.....Cait at https://paperfury.com/2016-ya-book-character-awards/. You should go check out her amusing post and here is mine!

 

The painful thing about this tag is that my latest obsession is not published, so while I would happily plug in names to these questions nobody would know who I was talking about and may not know for some time to come......sigh.....happily I have a great backup storage of other obsessions.

So I'm afraid I read a pathetic amount of books this year.......I don't know why.....it's sad. So I'm cheating and just using this as my tag for all time.....in my opinion currently this year.

1. MOST RELATABLE CHARACTER

Kaladin from The Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson. Having just watched It's A Wonderful Life, I muse that Kaladin is really a sort of George Baily man in fantasy literature. It's not his life that's relatable, not in the slightest.....it's how he responds to it. I think that's what makes him such a compelling and beloved character....he's not perfect in the slightest: he's depressed, angry, prejudiced.....but he's also noble, sometimes even against his own judgement. I can just see Syl saying, "You've been given a wonderful gift, Kaladin....don't you see what a shame it would be to throw it away?"

2. MOST PURE AND PRECIOUS ANIMAL COMPANION

Scatter from The Moon Master's Ball by Clara Diane Thompson (Five Glass Slippers collection)

*UGLY SOBBING*

Also, Melly from The Silver Eye by Laura Hollingsworth which is a webcomic you can read right here http://www.thesilvereye.com/comic/chapter-1-cover-4/ (prepare to begin the unfinished adventure of your life)

3. FIERCEST FIGHTER

Sairu from Golden Daughter by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. She's tiny, she's pretty, and she wears knives up the sleeves of her kimono. She fights dreams, dragons, and has a trio of fierce attack fluff dogs.

4. MOST AMAZING SIDEKICK

Sylphrena from The Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson. She's this little wind spirit that goes about being cute, and sassy, and amazingly powerful and surprisingly wise.

5. ONE YOU’RE SURPRISED YOU LOVED

Lord Vetinari from Discworld by Terry Pratchett. He's not my type. Oldish, tyrantish, not moral for the sake of morality. Except. He's brilliant. He's a master puppeteer. And he's soooooooooooo awesome.

Also Sorrow from Wildwood Dancing.  (me: ew, ew, I don't like vampires or vampire romances) (me later: *gasp* He's not a vam---*proceeds into spoilerish jumble*)


6. BEST SASSMASTER

Sir Eanrin, the charming bard, knight, man and cat from The Tales of Goldstone Wood by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. Proof listed below.

"You may call me Sir. Or Your Grace. Even Your Eminence. I'm not especially picky."

"The greatest art is that least appreciated but done for art's own sake. I shall take myself and my art from your presence, most unappreciative of dames, and leave you to your mundane tasks."

"That wasn't a half-bad monologue. Do you find yourself inspired to new heights of ambition?"

"I don't believe cats can speak in the tongues of men."
"Good," said the cat. "Neither do I."

7. BEST ANTI-HERO AND MORALLY GREY GRAPE

Imoo Tau from A Branch of Silver, A Branch of Gold by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. He's the faerie prince of the Family of Night, a dark lion, a pained brother, and a loyal son. The people dearest to his heart compel him different ways, leading him to commit acts both horrid and admirable. He has a strong sense of honor and admiration for a strong enemy.

8. BEST WORST VILLAIN TO HATE

The Dragon from The Tales of Goldstone Wood by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. He's just so creepy, and clever, and astonishingly appalling!

Aetius the axeman from The Silver Eye by Laura Hollingsworth.....I mean look at that smile......the first time he is EVER seen.....(bottom of page: http://www.thesilvereye.com/comic/8x28/)  he's kind of super handsome and plus the author makes the most hilarious jokes with him.....oh yeah, but he's horrible, he like tries to kill my favorite characters.

9. TRULY ASTOUNDING WORST PARENTS

Draven's Light by Anne Elisabeth Stengl. I don't care if you're some bloody warchief who believes in honor through death or whatever. You disowned your only son because he wouldn't murder. And then you about killed your daughter except she was too bad-awesome. 

10. TRULY ASTOUNDING BEST PARENTS

Sam Vimes and Lady Sybil from Thud by Terry Pratchett. Because of these words: "WHERE'S MY COW????" *bows* *the case is closed*

11. TOOT TOOT BEST SHIP OF THEM ALL

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/472878029606565471/

 Eugenides and Irene from The Queen's Thief by Megan Whalen Turner. Whhhhhhhhhhhhhy do I love them so much, they are like so not a perfect couple and I usually don't like couples who are sometimes mean to each other (um.....meanness might be a meager word). Except here's the thing----they have such a deep love for each other that transcends politics, past wrongs, physical attraction, or their personal irritations. They are both so real and relatable and yet so above anybody else.

Also Charlie and Ella from The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof was just...........wow, so sweet. Go read it, you'll see what I mean.


12. THE MOST IN NEED OF PROTECTION

Jace in The Ilyon Chronicles by Jaye L. Knight. I'm sorry, Jace. You're written by that sort of author (of whom I am one) who finds great interest in the physical distress of their beloved main man.

And Finnick! (From The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, but I'm sure you know that.) Sometimes you get a guy who has all the skills to protect himself and yet he willingly suffers because he's so busy protecting other people. I wish someone could have protected him from the Capitol aristocrats. I wish his fellow "elite" team had actually, you know, watched his back, the last man out, and rained down gunfire on the mutts while he climbed the ladder. Great job working together, folks! *sarcasm* Seriously though, those who feel bad for Finnick, don't let your pity go to waste, look into ways you can support anti-human-trafficking.

13. MOST BORING AS A BARNACLE

I'm sorry....I can't. I may be critical of stories and if I feel an author has dirtied my soul, I will loudly speak out......but I cannot name somebody's brainchild "boring as a barnacle." So I abstain.


14. BEST LITTLE ROYAL

Winter from Winter by Marissa Meyer. She's such a sweet kind thing despite her step-mom's best efforts and the entire culture of her world. The only way she can be that is by being a little crazy---LITERALLY. But how can we not LOVE her when she throws back her head in the middle of a pack of werewolves and cutely (and crazily) sings, "And all the little wolves go ah-wooooooooo...!"

15. VERY SURPRISED YOU’RE STILL ALIVE

Velvare from The Silver Eye by Laura Hollingsworth
I mean.....I'm not surprised that you're still alive, I just don't understand how.  (http://www.thesilvereye.com/comic/9x36/


16. BEST AT HORRIBLE DECISION MAKING

Enel from The Silver Eye. It's so wonderful to have your examples illustrated. http://www.thesilvereye.com/comic/11x20/
This may not look like a horrible decision but it is. Though I'm not quite sure Enel ever thinks enough to make a real decision. He just follows his gut. And usually his gut is wrong.

http://laurahollingsworth.deviantart.com/art/Enel-Goggles-431833970

17. CUTEST DORK

Auren from Out of the Tomb by Ashley Stangl. Okay, you're not reeeeally a dork............................okay, so you kind of are.....I mean, you can't help it when you're a prince a hundred years behind time in a criminal's world. 


18. CLEVEREST LITTLE HELLION

 Safiki from The Thieves of Yorsha Doon (The Wingfeather Tales) by Andrew Peterson. No, this book is not officially out yet. It will be soon. So wait for it, my friends, wait most greedily.


19. MOST IN NEED OF A NAP

Charlie from The Lady and the Lionheart. Sir.....you trot about from town to town with a circus, wrassle around with your lion friends, father and care for your beloved baby niece, run a small church, and at nights when the circus is in town, sacrifice yourself in a nightmarish and soul-taxing event all for the sake of said beloved baby niece. WHEN DO YOU SLEEP? Oh that's right, in the very sweet little nap scene the author gave through the hospitality of the sweet heroine. Thank you, dear author, for satisfying Charlie's needs......and also the reader's. 

Also, Sir Eanrin from The Tales of Goldstone Wood......because while you may be a sassy and awesome faerie knight.....you are also a cat. And every cat needs a nap basically whenever they can get it.

20. WANT TO READ MORE ABOUT YOU

All of the above, my friends. All of the above.