Making Up For Monday: Favorite Character

Hosted by An Avid Reader; A Wannabe Writer

Each week, I will have a book-related theme or game, or something fun to do that week. And you can play along! All you have to do is find the question for that week, go to your own blog, write a post that day based on that question, and link your post to this one using the link up tool at the bottom of the post.

This Week's Question
Who is your favorite character?

My Answer:

Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden

Just one? There isn't one. I've got plenty!

But at the moment, a favorite who is taking up all of my spare time, is none other than Harry Dresden. I'm currently rereading the entire series, and the third time around had got me right back in love with him.

For one thing, he's quick-witted and answers most situations with sarcasm. I just love that. Here's some of my favorite quotes:

“You backbiting, poisonous, treacherous, deceitful, wicked, clever girl. If this works I'll buy you a pony.”
― Harry Dresden, Summer Knight

“We are not going to die."  

Butters stared up at me, pale, his eyes terrified. "We're not?"

No. And do you know why?" He shook his head. "Because Thomas is too pretty to die. And because I'm too stubborn to die." I hauled on the shirt even harder. "And most of all because tomorrow is Oktoberfest, Butters, and polka will never die.” ― Harry Dresden, Dead Beat

“I let out a battle cry. Sure, a lot of people might have mistaken it for a sudden yelp of unmanly fear, but trust me. It was a battle cry.” ―  Harry Dresden, My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding

Harry is a decent person. He's very loyal to his friends, cognizant of his weaknesses and actually wants to be a better person. This, of course, doesn't always happen with people how possess power. But Harry never loses sight of who he is, and his personality has stayed pretty consistent throughout the 14-book series.

Here's another thing. He's chivalrous. Some people have found this quality to be sexist and are always claiming that Jim Butcher's writing is insulting to women. I don't understand that. Harry doesn't like when people hurt women and is pretty respectful of them. I'm struggling to see what's wrong with that. Yeah, some times he does notice things like breasts first, but come on. Butcher is a man writing about men―they do that sometimes and everyone knows it.  He is also constantly being outsmarted by women when they use the "damsel in distress" routine against him.

“I think that men ought to treat women like something other than weaker men with breasts.” ― Harry Dresden, Storm Front

“I love watching him think," Maeve told Lily. "You can almost hear that poor little hamster running and running on its wheel.” ― Jim Butcher, Cold Days

What's more, as great as it is to read about Harry, it's great to listen to Harry. Because James Marsters ― the wonderful actor of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer fame (Spike) and the audiobook narrator of the series ―  is Harry! He's done such a brilliant job voicing this beloved character, I'm more in love with James than I already was.

I could go on and on about why he's amazing but all do you one better. Read the books and find out for yourself. You won't regret it. Or if you do, don't tell me because I'll just smile and nod and thing your insane.

A Few Others:

• Derek Souza from Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers Trilogy
• Wade Watts from Ernest Cline's Ready Player One
• Seth Mortensen from Richelle Mead's Georgina Kincaid (Succubus) series
• Renner Jackson and Tierney Pratt from Lorelei James's Wrangled and Tangled (Blacktop Cowboys #3)
• Judd Lauren from Nalini Singh's Caressed By Ice (Psy-Changeling #3)
• Cord McKay from Lorelei James's Cowgirl Up and Ride (Rough Riders #3)
• Jane Jameson from Molly Harper's Jane Jameson series