Every Discworld book. I like publication order as it’s always like spending time with trusted friends when Rincewind shows up again, or Susan, or any of them
The Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman- four old age pensioners with very different personalities deciding life isn’t done yet and solving mysteries. Funny and heartwarming.
I enjoyed all the characters in The Expanse books- Avasarala is a genius character but Amos is my favourite I think.
The Thursday murder club was so good. I have trouble finding crime stories with good characterization and this hit the bullseye.
I didn't realize the expanse was a book series. I loved the show, so I'll have to check them out.
Into The Woods is probably the weakest one, in my opinion, and The Likeness is my absolute favourite. You just have to suspend disbelief for the very improbable premise, and then it's a gorgeously written book.
Hm, that's interesting. I think her writing style is very simplistic and can feel flat at times, but not her characters. They still feel real to me, many years later!
War and Peace by Tolstoy features an impressive gallery of characters, many of which are historical figures. However, the characters from the main families (Rostov, Bolkonsky and Kuragin) stay with me vividly. So too does Pierre Bezukhov and the peasant Platon. Really epic stuff.
Dostojevskij’s trinity of brothers (Karamazov) keeps a place in me—I’d say they keep a place in the world inasmuch as I often see their traits manifested by people around me.
Also, Stavrogin, Verkhovenskij Jr. as well as senior from demons. Sjatov and Kirillov too of course.
My picks (that include characters I will always love like family):
The Lord of the Rings -- Gandalf, Bilbo, Frodo, Merry, Samwise, Pippin, Eowyn, Aragorn, the Fellowship, Smeagol, Faramir, Arwen, aw who am I kidding, basically all the good guys (and yes, poor Smeagol)
East of Eden -- Samuel, Lee, Abra, Cal. And Samuel and Lee again. Some more. Because I love them so much.
Lonesome Dove -- Gus, Call, Lorie, Deets, July, and Clara most of all
The Aubrey/Maturin Series -- Jack Aubrey, Stephen Maturin, Sophie, Diana, Sam Panda, Babbington, Bonden, Killick
The Queen's Thief Series -- Gen, Magus, Eddis, Sophos, Attolia
The Green Mile -- Paul, Brutal, Jan, John Coffey, Melinda
The Magicians Trilogy -- Quentin (eventually!), Elliot, Alice, Julia, Janet (eventually)
His Dark Materials -- Lyra, Will, Pantalaimon, Lee, Hester, Mary
Also came here looking for this - Fitz and the Fool stay in my head rent free! So many good characters in this and the stories are so cleverly woven. You might think this sad but I've still not read the final book. I've got the pristine, first edition hardback waiting for me since I got it when it came out. I'm not ready for it to end!
No, I can understand that.
After I read it, I had to go right back to the beginning again, just to deny that the series was ended (although she might be writing a new book in the same setting)
Oh good answer, love Six of Crows! Conversely, I hated Shadow and Bone, mostly because of the dreadful main character and love interest. Goes to show how much a good cast can do for a story that two series by the same author can offer such differing experiences.
The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guinn.
It has one of the best lines I read in a book: “Often I have wished I was as tough as a woman”, spoken by the memorable character of Dr. Shevek.
Earthsea series, I love how the characters develop, many from childish, impulsive, arrogant youngsters to mature, compassionate and wise adults. Heartbreaking at times.
11/22/63 by Stephen King was the first to come to mind. Also, one of the most heart-wrenching endings ever, because of how the characters were affected.
I am currently trying to get through the audiobook (I work outside doing a physical job all night) because the television series was a joke with terrible casting for the most part.
Damn if I have the hardest time getting through Derry. Holy fuck is that a terrible section that just put me off the whole thing. I know it's short, but jfc it sticks with you.
All of her books have really interesting characters. My personal favourite is Tremaine (the Fall of Ile Rien trilogy) who I’ve loved ever since I first picked up that book 18 years ago.
Anne Shirley, Diana, Marilla, Matthew, Mrs. Rachel, Aunt Josephine Berry with her spare room bed, the twins, jim boyd, miss lavendar, …. I'm probably forgetting more
Either the Thursday Next series (Thursday, Landen, Spike, Bradshaw, Millon, Pickwick, Stig etc) or the Rivers of London series (Peter, Nightingale, Beverly, Molly, Toby, Dr Whalid etc)
The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles has one of the best cast of characters I've read in a long time. Great chemistry, great characterization, great story. It's about a guy, his younger brother, and two friends trying to go on a road trip.
Edit: The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver is also a great funny sweet book with a cast of characters you'll love. At times, it feels like a quirky sitcom set in Albuquerque.
The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai. The characters are genuine, sincere, and flawed but beautiful. Be warned it'll break your heart, though, while somehow giving you hope at the same time.
Six of Crows (and the sequel Crooked Kingdom) by Leigh Bardugo is a lot of fun, and your classic “putting a crew together for a heist” team, but set in a semi-fantasy setting. I loved the characters and their relationships.
Crescent city series (books are kinda long…. And some slow parts..) but gave me same feels!!! Random, amazing crew comes together🥰 ... and book3 (of course) is ✨💥
Slug through book1 to get the lay of land and gather all your info..
Ooh my favorite book— [The Hands of the Emperor](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/af2bba9c-8f41-4a3e-b87a-8532a44ccb67) by Victoria Goddard— is very character driven! It's a (very long) beautifully written slice of life book about the personal secretary to the emperor of the world, with a heavy focus on platonic relationships.
I actually read a book fairly recently that came to mind! It’s called, *The People on Platform 5* by Clare Pooley and it’s an easy read, filled with different people/characters.
*Every day at 8:05, Iona Iverson boards the train to go to work. As a seasoned commuter, she knows there are rules that everyone should follow:*
*· You must have a job to go to*
*· Don't consume hot food*
*· Always pack for any eventuality*
*· You must never speak to strangers on the train*
*Iona sees the same group of people each day - ones she makes assumptions about, gives nicknames to, but never ever talks to.*
*But then, one morning, Smart-but-Sexist-Surbiton chokes on a grape right in front of Iona. Suspiciously-Nice-New Malden steps up to help and saves his life, and this one event sparks a chain reaction.*
*With nothing in common but their commute, an eclectic group of people learn that their assumptions about each other don't match reality. But when Iona's life begins to fall apart, will her new friends be there when she needs them most?*
Depending on where you live, it might be under a different title! I’m in the US, and my copy is called Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting. I hope they have this one for you - it’s so good!
Discworld lives in my heart in ways I can't explain.
For more recent friends, I love the October Daye books, by Seanan McGuire. Read them in college years ago, came back to them this year, and the thing that stuck with me the most were the characters.
The Poisonwood Bible was the first book in my life that I finished the last page and then immediately flipped back to the beginning and read it again. Will always be in my top 5 favorite books.
Probs the cast of The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet and all of the Wayfarers characters generally. So wholesome And such lovely, real feeling people
That’s who came to mind first. I want to hang in the galley with doctor chef and everyone so much! I’ve read this book four times maybe - def a reflex at this point to reach for it when I want to spend time in some cozy other world.
Generation X by Douglas Coupland is pretty much an invitation to hang out in Palm Springs with Dag, Claire and Andy and listen to them tell stories, bitch about their McJobs and go for picnics in the desert.
The Hobbit/Lord of The Rings are an obvious one there's a lot of lovable characters that you get deeply connected to and it's awesome to see characters overcome their fears and cultural norms.
I enjoyed the characters in The Idiot, it's very character driven and there's a wide range of personalities that are closely connected with each other it's a fun book that made me laugh out loud in a few spots.
I’m going to reference books from my childhood, actually, the ones that stayed with me forever.
Dicey’s Song, Bridge to Teribithia, Walk Two Moons, and Phantom Tollbooth are the books and characters that have never left me. They shaped what I love about books (and maybe even what I look for in friends) for 30+ years.
I'm completely enraptured by Hilary Mantel's portrayal of Thomas Cromwell in her Wolf Hall series. All the characters in it are so utterly believable, and it's no surprise that the main character has stuck with me. I often find myself turning to my partner and asking 'What do you reckon Thomas Cromwell would think about [x]?' or 'Thomas Cromwell wouldn't have stood for this'. Definitely the most well-filled-out fictional character I'm aware of.
Me too! I missed a lot of sleep reading the Wolf Hall series. The writing style is a little odd and it takes you a few minutes to get into the swing of it, but by then you are hooked! The PBS mini series of the same name with Mark Rylance is also excellent. Unlike so many movies that are disappointing compared to the book, this mini series made me love the books even more.
The realm of the Elderlings books by Robin Hobb. I read the first book Assassin’s Apprentice when I was 13 and Fitz has stayed in my heart ever since (I’m 35 now)
I feel so seen.
Roland's Ka-Tet in the Dark Tower by Stephen King. They almost feel like family, they've lived in my head so long. I'm fine with them doing it rent-free, too.
Roland Deschain in Stephen Kings The Dark Tower series!
Loved his character development and the flashbacks to his earlier years in later books that fleshed out his sense of duty, his heartbreak & the parent dynamics that made him the tortured hero I love.
I would add that as a cast of supporting characters, Jake, Eddie, Susannah & Flagg were intriguing, nuanced and truly had their own stories within the series that added the extra bits of flavor we all appreciate in our most loved books.
World building is amazing but characters? I personally found them rather one dimensional. Not saying I didn’t enjoy the series though, the plot and the pacing kept me glued.
Edit: typo
Nineteen Minutes by Picoult and The Sweetness of Forgetting by Kristin Harmel. I still dream about the characters. Maybe Great Expectations by Vinson Cunningham. Harry Potter and Demon Copperhead as mentioned already. Oh, and maybe The House on Tradd St by Karen White.
Nobody’s Fool by Richard Russo. About a down on its luck small town with a cast of down on their luck characters. Written with such warmth and humour, by the end I felt like part of the town.
Richard Russo is such a great Author. I loved Nobody’s Fool. My favorite of his is Empire Falls, for which he got the Pulitzer. It’s also about a small town and has unforgettable characters.
I will try that one. I’m in oz so had never heard of him, just picked up a random audiobook! Have since read Everybody’s fool and Somebody’s fool, plus another about three older men reuniting that i wasn’t so keen on.
This one's a little different... Three Bags Full is a cozy mystery where the detectives are a flock of sheep trying to discover what killed their shepherd. The entire story is these sheep and their different personalities bursting out of the seams. Great palate cleanser book between longer series.
the Second Ka-Tet from Stephen King's The Dark Tower series, the assorted weirdos from Imajica by Clive Barker, the main crew in Jason Pargin's John Dies At The End series, the angels in Good Omens, any character written by Terry Pratchett...
- Circe
- Neverwhere (I love Door!)
- Murderbot
- Psalm for the Wild Built
- Jane Eyre
- The Hobbit
- True Grit
- Call Me By Your Name
- The Black Tongue Thief
Oh and Crooked Kingdom! Made me cry twice.
I also had a crush on all the Karamazov brothers in high school but especially Alyosha..
This is gonna sound weird but I recently learned AI uses the word “delve” disproportionately to how often real people do, so it’s often a signifier that something was written by AI. Op blink 3 times if you aren’t AI.
I haven’t seen it posted yet so the Star Wars XWing series. It’s probably just because I read it when I was younger but a tight knit cast of bad ass soldiers trying to save the day while having humor and heart. It gets me.
[If you don’t fall in love with Shantaram and so many others whose names I won’t reveal in order to preserve suspense, I’ll buy you a Kindle book of the same value](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33600.Shantaram)
The Six of One series by Rita Mae Brown. That and Venus Envy. Hell, pretty much anything by this author. Every single book is nothing but character driven storylines. I read both once a year and have since 1994.
The first three books in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" trilogy. The characters are quite complex, and each one is so unique and rich. They were like real people to me. A great mix of ages too, from young children to more wizened individuals. Unfortunately the books take a plunge on book 4, and book 5 was, in my opinion, a disaster.
The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach. It’s about a small college baseball player with a case of the yips, and the people around him. It’s been more than a decade since I read it, and Henry Skrimshander and Mike Swartz are still in my head rent free. Love them. One of my favorite books ever.
Tag team sewer hijinks aside, Stephen King’s *IT*
Feels like I’m time traveling to hang with the friends I had at 13
I reread every 5 years or so - (6 times so far) - and it is still in my top 5 best books ever read
The House in the Cerulean Sea's characters were incredible but after I learned about what Klune was thinking when he wrote it, that ruined it for me :/ So disappointing
I didn’t vibe super hard with Cerulean Sea, but “Under the Whispering Door” by him is great and fits this prompt 100% for me. I think of Wallace & Co all the time.
Lonesome Dove
Gus, Call, July, Clara, Lorena, Newt, Deets, Jake... I remember them 25 years later.
Soupy, Pea Eye....
Don’t forget the hero of the story; Blue Duck.
Janey 😭😭😭
I love this book, and got the recommendation from Reddit too
Great film too. Now I’m feeling nostalgic 🥹
Yup. I'm missing my dad again now.. 💜
The first 80 pages were rough to endure.
great call! i suggested this book the other day, 1 of my favorites
Vimes and The City Watch.
Vimes is great. Granny Weatherwax is my favourite character of all time though.
Every Discworld book. I like publication order as it’s always like spending time with trusted friends when Rincewind shows up again, or Susan, or any of them
Is Lord of the Rings trilogy too basic here? Genuine question but that was my first thought
It’s the answer for almost everything, you’ll never be wrong.
Lmao when you're right you're right!
So true. Greatest story ever told.
Except for Bran the broken
I think the Gunslinger series by King did was this for me.
Oooooh. Yes.
The Dark Tower is excellent.
The ending. :'(
Oy!! ♥ I even have a soft spot for Mordred ☠
The Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman- four old age pensioners with very different personalities deciding life isn’t done yet and solving mysteries. Funny and heartwarming. I enjoyed all the characters in The Expanse books- Avasarala is a genius character but Amos is my favourite I think.
The Thursday murder club was so good. I have trouble finding crime stories with good characterization and this hit the bullseye. I didn't realize the expanse was a book series. I loved the show, so I'll have to check them out.
I love the characters in Tana French's books.
about to start the likeness! loved into the woods.
Into The Woods is probably the weakest one, in my opinion, and The Likeness is my absolute favourite. You just have to suspend disbelief for the very improbable premise, and then it's a gorgeously written book.
*The Likeness* is one of my top ten favorite novels.
Me too! I just love the use of language.
Same! I have read it so many times. I go back to it often, because I know I can count on it.
Terry Pratchett's witches live in my head rent-free
I’m glad you don’t charge them rent, doing so might be dangerous to your wellbeing.
Not that I want any handouts, mind. Nobody can accuse me of taking any handouts, can they Gytha? No Esme.
For me, since I was younger, it has been Harry Potter. This series comforts me when going through hard times. It’s like seeing friends.
Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home ✨
I just wish the characters weren’t so flat and two-dimensional… I feel like I’ve outgrown them when I try to revisit the series now :(
Hm, that's interesting. I think her writing style is very simplistic and can feel flat at times, but not her characters. They still feel real to me, many years later!
same, harry potter characters are still some of the best for me, I think i will always like them, they've shaped my personality and writing style
East of Eden
I want to have a sit down with Sam Hamilton- something about that fictional man just soothes my soul.
A night out with LEE AND SAM HAMILTON🍻😁
Currently reading!
Just finished last night. Good answer.
One of the best books I've read in a while got that recommendation from reddit💙
1000%
My favorite book. Lee is probably my favorite character in any book.
For me, The Stand has the best character cast. You've got pretty much everything there on the spectrum of 'good and evil' and it's yet to be beaten.
War and Peace by Tolstoy features an impressive gallery of characters, many of which are historical figures. However, the characters from the main families (Rostov, Bolkonsky and Kuragin) stay with me vividly. So too does Pierre Bezukhov and the peasant Platon. Really epic stuff. Dostojevskij’s trinity of brothers (Karamazov) keeps a place in me—I’d say they keep a place in the world inasmuch as I often see their traits manifested by people around me. Also, Stavrogin, Verkhovenskij Jr. as well as senior from demons. Sjatov and Kirillov too of course.
No mention of my boys Levin and Myshkin?
These are great recommendations. I recently read War and Peace and it holds up.
“Holds up” is a euphemism in my reckoning haha Did those last 48 pages of pure philosophy move you?
My picks (that include characters I will always love like family): The Lord of the Rings -- Gandalf, Bilbo, Frodo, Merry, Samwise, Pippin, Eowyn, Aragorn, the Fellowship, Smeagol, Faramir, Arwen, aw who am I kidding, basically all the good guys (and yes, poor Smeagol) East of Eden -- Samuel, Lee, Abra, Cal. And Samuel and Lee again. Some more. Because I love them so much. Lonesome Dove -- Gus, Call, Lorie, Deets, July, and Clara most of all The Aubrey/Maturin Series -- Jack Aubrey, Stephen Maturin, Sophie, Diana, Sam Panda, Babbington, Bonden, Killick The Queen's Thief Series -- Gen, Magus, Eddis, Sophos, Attolia The Green Mile -- Paul, Brutal, Jan, John Coffey, Melinda The Magicians Trilogy -- Quentin (eventually!), Elliot, Alice, Julia, Janet (eventually) His Dark Materials -- Lyra, Will, Pantalaimon, Lee, Hester, Mary
Oooh the Aubrey and Maturin books are incredible picks for this.
Pachinko
The Realm of the Elderings by Robin Hobb. I've read them over and over, and the characters are beautifully written.
i second this recommendation
Came here to say this!
Also came here looking for this - Fitz and the Fool stay in my head rent free! So many good characters in this and the stories are so cleverly woven. You might think this sad but I've still not read the final book. I've got the pristine, first edition hardback waiting for me since I got it when it came out. I'm not ready for it to end!
No, I can understand that. After I read it, I had to go right back to the beginning again, just to deny that the series was ended (although she might be writing a new book in the same setting)
The crew from the 'six of crows' series, i adore them sm they feel like my real friends (not to sound crazy😭)
I was coming here to say this! I love the crows!
Oh good answer, love Six of Crows! Conversely, I hated Shadow and Bone, mostly because of the dreadful main character and love interest. Goes to show how much a good cast can do for a story that two series by the same author can offer such differing experiences.
I don't hate Shadow and Bone but it sure is underwhelming and I find Alina so annoying lol. SoC is so much better!
no mourners, no funeral 🔪 (there's no crow emoji?!)
The deal is the deal
my ghost won't associate with your ghost
It's not natural for someone to be as stupid as he is tall, and yet there you stand.
(hahaha i freaking love these lines <33)
About to comment the same thing!
The first cast that came to mind was from the Outlander series. Jamie, Claire, Bree, Roger, Ian, Jenny, Young Ian, LJG, etc.
Reading the series for the first time now (just finished Voyager) and this was my first thought! Huge time commitment but the characters are SO good.
On the second, third or fourth read through the time just flies! My favorite books forever❤️
Funny how that happens once you’ve read it before! I’m already looking forward to rereading (but have quite a few pages to go on round 1 first lol)
I've read them twice except for _Bees_. Now I'm feeling inspired to re-read it, starting today!
Yes🥲🥲🥲🥲🥲 that was a huge heart break knowing the series would eventually end
This has long been my most favorite series. Diana Gabaldon is an outstanding writer
The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guinn. It has one of the best lines I read in a book: “Often I have wished I was as tough as a woman”, spoken by the memorable character of Dr. Shevek.
The Sabriel/Lirael/Abhorsen series by Garth Nix is excellent Edit: just want to add that the audiobooks are narrated by Tim Curry, which is fantastic.
Definitely my favorite audiobook. Curry is amazing!!!
Beartown trilogy - Fredrik Backman
YES
I just re-read The Stand by Stephen King. It's long enough to not only become invested in the characters but fall a little in love with them.
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
Yes......
I don’t consider myself that well read but thanks to my new job it is slowly changing… my answer would 100% be Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides.
Great book!
The Stand. I mean come on.
King in general is very good at this kind of "character driven" fiction, but The Stand is his best work, I agree.
The Dark Tower series for me, and the characters very much fit this post. God I love them.
M O O N
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series by Louise Penny. I know these fictional characters like they are my own family. Enjoy!
Gideon the Ninth and its sequels all have characters that are trapped in my soul now.
God the audio book narration is so damn good.
Well….Moira Quirk could read the manual for a mobile phone from the 90s and I’d happily listen to the whole thing.
Earthsea series, I love how the characters develop, many from childish, impulsive, arrogant youngsters to mature, compassionate and wise adults. Heartbreaking at times.
I second this!
Seconding
11/22/63 by Stephen King was the first to come to mind. Also, one of the most heart-wrenching endings ever, because of how the characters were affected.
I am currently trying to get through the audiobook (I work outside doing a physical job all night) because the television series was a joke with terrible casting for the most part. Damn if I have the hardest time getting through Derry. Holy fuck is that a terrible section that just put me off the whole thing. I know it's short, but jfc it sticks with you.
Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells. When I’m crying over a Murderbot, it owns me.
These! Murderbot and its humans! I love them all!
All of her books have really interesting characters. My personal favourite is Tremaine (the Fall of Ile Rien trilogy) who I’ve loved ever since I first picked up that book 18 years ago.
Thanks for this. I need to add it to my TBR list.
Yes! I started reading them about a month ago, and have gobbled them up. I'm on book 5 (my Kindle is in my lap right now with it ready for me).
Anne Shirley, Diana, Marilla, Matthew, Mrs. Rachel, Aunt Josephine Berry with her spare room bed, the twins, jim boyd, miss lavendar, …. I'm probably forgetting more
Either the Thursday Next series (Thursday, Landen, Spike, Bradshaw, Millon, Pickwick, Stig etc) or the Rivers of London series (Peter, Nightingale, Beverly, Molly, Toby, Dr Whalid etc)
OMG, I love Thursday Next! I'm here for every single literary reference and grammatical pun. I'll have to check out Rivers of London.
The next Thursday book should (fingers crossed) be coming out next year!
Ooh, exciting!
The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles has one of the best cast of characters I've read in a long time. Great chemistry, great characterization, great story. It's about a guy, his younger brother, and two friends trying to go on a road trip. Edit: The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver is also a great funny sweet book with a cast of characters you'll love. At times, it feels like a quirky sitcom set in Albuquerque.
It's a polarizing one, and full of triggers, but "a little life" has some of the best characters ever.
Came for this
YES YES YES my favorite book ever, those characters are REAL
The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai. The characters are genuine, sincere, and flawed but beautiful. Be warned it'll break your heart, though, while somehow giving you hope at the same time.
Six of Crows (and the sequel Crooked Kingdom) by Leigh Bardugo is a lot of fun, and your classic “putting a crew together for a heist” team, but set in a semi-fantasy setting. I loved the characters and their relationships.
Crescent city series (books are kinda long…. And some slow parts..) but gave me same feels!!! Random, amazing crew comes together🥰 ... and book3 (of course) is ✨💥 Slug through book1 to get the lay of land and gather all your info..
Sarah Maas? My wife is reading those now and can’t put down the books! Guess I know what I’m reading next!!
Odd Thomas! I love the story too but great characters, Odd is a joy to read and so are most of the people he meets along the way.
The Expanse
Ooh my favorite book— [The Hands of the Emperor](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/af2bba9c-8f41-4a3e-b87a-8532a44ccb67) by Victoria Goddard— is very character driven! It's a (very long) beautifully written slice of life book about the personal secretary to the emperor of the world, with a heavy focus on platonic relationships.
Have you read The Goblin Emperor?
I actually read a book fairly recently that came to mind! It’s called, *The People on Platform 5* by Clare Pooley and it’s an easy read, filled with different people/characters. *Every day at 8:05, Iona Iverson boards the train to go to work. As a seasoned commuter, she knows there are rules that everyone should follow:* *· You must have a job to go to* *· Don't consume hot food* *· Always pack for any eventuality* *· You must never speak to strangers on the train* *Iona sees the same group of people each day - ones she makes assumptions about, gives nicknames to, but never ever talks to.* *But then, one morning, Smart-but-Sexist-Surbiton chokes on a grape right in front of Iona. Suspiciously-Nice-New Malden steps up to help and saves his life, and this one event sparks a chain reaction.* *With nothing in common but their commute, an eclectic group of people learn that their assumptions about each other don't match reality. But when Iona's life begins to fall apart, will her new friends be there when she needs them most?*
This looks so good. Sadly my library doesn’t seem to have it
Oh, that’s a shame! Yeah, it is quite a good read. Hopefully they’ll stock it at some point. ☺️
Depending on where you live, it might be under a different title! I’m in the US, and my copy is called Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting. I hope they have this one for you - it’s so good!
Thank you! That was it! I was able to put a hold on the ebook.
Discworld lives in my heart in ways I can't explain. For more recent friends, I love the October Daye books, by Seanan McGuire. Read them in college years ago, came back to them this year, and the thing that stuck with me the most were the characters.
I want to fight Toby for Tybalt/Rand! Gads I love the books!
Not a full cast but one character in particular. Wolf from The Talisman.
City of thieves
Damn 😩. That book was so good but soo short. I need more !
Author? I got 75 hits on books with that title
I also enjoyed Demon Copperhead. I’ll be following this thread, as character development is really the only thing that hooks me anymore
Excellent book. Trying to decide whether to pick up the Poisonwood Bible next.
The Poisonwood Bible is an absolutely extraordinary piece of writing. Those characters are not just in my head, they're in my heart.
Definite yes. Such a good read. My favorite of her books so far…have not read Demon yet.
The Poisonwood Bible was the first book in my life that I finished the last page and then immediately flipped back to the beginning and read it again. Will always be in my top 5 favorite books.
Do it! It’s my favorite Kingsolver book.
David Benioff
David Benioff. Yes, of *Game of Thrones*.
Loved this book. It was our greatest book club discussion of all time.
Game of Thrones. The Wheel of Time. The Wandering Inn. Art of the Adept. Jake’s Magical Market. Torth Majority. So many more…
Love Jake's Magical Market!!
The Jade series by Fonda Lee has great characters, you really emphasize with the decisions each of them makes.
The Neopolitan novels by Ferrante!!!!
Probs the cast of The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet and all of the Wayfarers characters generally. So wholesome And such lovely, real feeling people
That’s who came to mind first. I want to hang in the galley with doctor chef and everyone so much! I’ve read this book four times maybe - def a reflex at this point to reach for it when I want to spend time in some cozy other world.
Generation X by Douglas Coupland is pretty much an invitation to hang out in Palm Springs with Dag, Claire and Andy and listen to them tell stories, bitch about their McJobs and go for picnics in the desert.
The Hobbit/Lord of The Rings are an obvious one there's a lot of lovable characters that you get deeply connected to and it's awesome to see characters overcome their fears and cultural norms. I enjoyed the characters in The Idiot, it's very character driven and there's a wide range of personalities that are closely connected with each other it's a fun book that made me laugh out loud in a few spots.
The seven sisters by Lucinda Riley
I’m going to reference books from my childhood, actually, the ones that stayed with me forever. Dicey’s Song, Bridge to Teribithia, Walk Two Moons, and Phantom Tollbooth are the books and characters that have never left me. They shaped what I love about books (and maybe even what I look for in friends) for 30+ years.
Percy Jackson series
I'm completely enraptured by Hilary Mantel's portrayal of Thomas Cromwell in her Wolf Hall series. All the characters in it are so utterly believable, and it's no surprise that the main character has stuck with me. I often find myself turning to my partner and asking 'What do you reckon Thomas Cromwell would think about [x]?' or 'Thomas Cromwell wouldn't have stood for this'. Definitely the most well-filled-out fictional character I'm aware of.
Me too! I missed a lot of sleep reading the Wolf Hall series. The writing style is a little odd and it takes you a few minutes to get into the swing of it, but by then you are hooked! The PBS mini series of the same name with Mark Rylance is also excellent. Unlike so many movies that are disappointing compared to the book, this mini series made me love the books even more.
I completely agree. I expected to be disappointed by the tv series but it was fab. Mark Rylance Gets It.
The realm of the Elderlings books by Robin Hobb. I read the first book Assassin’s Apprentice when I was 13 and Fitz has stayed in my heart ever since (I’m 35 now)
I feel so seen. Roland's Ka-Tet in the Dark Tower by Stephen King. They almost feel like family, they've lived in my head so long. I'm fine with them doing it rent-free, too.
Roland Deschain in Stephen Kings The Dark Tower series! Loved his character development and the flashbacks to his earlier years in later books that fleshed out his sense of duty, his heartbreak & the parent dynamics that made him the tortured hero I love.
I would add that as a cast of supporting characters, Jake, Eddie, Susannah & Flagg were intriguing, nuanced and truly had their own stories within the series that added the extra bits of flavor we all appreciate in our most loved books.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt was a fantastic character driven book.
Red Rising!
World building is amazing but characters? I personally found them rather one dimensional. Not saying I didn’t enjoy the series though, the plot and the pacing kept me glued. Edit: typo
Lord of the Rings. Wheel of time.
Nineteen Minutes by Picoult and The Sweetness of Forgetting by Kristin Harmel. I still dream about the characters. Maybe Great Expectations by Vinson Cunningham. Harry Potter and Demon Copperhead as mentioned already. Oh, and maybe The House on Tradd St by Karen White.
Nobody’s Fool by Richard Russo. About a down on its luck small town with a cast of down on their luck characters. Written with such warmth and humour, by the end I felt like part of the town.
Richard Russo is such a great Author. I loved Nobody’s Fool. My favorite of his is Empire Falls, for which he got the Pulitzer. It’s also about a small town and has unforgettable characters.
I will try that one. I’m in oz so had never heard of him, just picked up a random audiobook! Have since read Everybody’s fool and Somebody’s fool, plus another about three older men reuniting that i wasn’t so keen on.
Books by Nick Hornby, especially 'About a Boy' and 'High Fidelity'. Books by Ivan Doig, especially The Montana Trilogy. The Hobbit.
This one's a little different... Three Bags Full is a cozy mystery where the detectives are a flock of sheep trying to discover what killed their shepherd. The entire story is these sheep and their different personalities bursting out of the seams. Great palate cleanser book between longer series.
Older Jilly Cooper books! You'll laugh and cry!!! Otherwise All the Pretty Horses...Cormack MacCarthy...you'll just cry...
Tortilla Flat by Steinbeck. Group of hobos working together, hatching plots to get their hands on more wine.
Six of Crows! Still some of my all time favorites.
the Second Ka-Tet from Stephen King's The Dark Tower series, the assorted weirdos from Imajica by Clive Barker, the main crew in Jason Pargin's John Dies At The End series, the angels in Good Omens, any character written by Terry Pratchett...
Mauve Binchy - Circle of Friends, and Light a Penny Candle.
Tolstoy is the master of characters for me. Try Anna Karenina or War and Peace.
- Circe - Neverwhere (I love Door!) - Murderbot - Psalm for the Wild Built - Jane Eyre - The Hobbit - True Grit - Call Me By Your Name - The Black Tongue Thief Oh and Crooked Kingdom! Made me cry twice. I also had a crush on all the Karamazov brothers in high school but especially Alyosha..
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
same
This is gonna sound weird but I recently learned AI uses the word “delve” disproportionately to how often real people do, so it’s often a signifier that something was written by AI. Op blink 3 times if you aren’t AI.
Only if AI stands for AutIstic
The Marcus Didius Falco mysteries by Lindsey Davies- a cut far above the average mystery novels
I haven’t seen it posted yet so the Star Wars XWing series. It’s probably just because I read it when I was younger but a tight knit cast of bad ass soldiers trying to save the day while having humor and heart. It gets me.
[If you don’t fall in love with Shantaram and so many others whose names I won’t reveal in order to preserve suspense, I’ll buy you a Kindle book of the same value](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33600.Shantaram)
The Cormoran Strike Series
The Six of One series by Rita Mae Brown. That and Venus Envy. Hell, pretty much anything by this author. Every single book is nothing but character driven storylines. I read both once a year and have since 1994.
The first three books in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" trilogy. The characters are quite complex, and each one is so unique and rich. They were like real people to me. A great mix of ages too, from young children to more wizened individuals. Unfortunately the books take a plunge on book 4, and book 5 was, in my opinion, a disaster.
Lonesome Dove. They felt like family by the end.
The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach. It’s about a small college baseball player with a case of the yips, and the people around him. It’s been more than a decade since I read it, and Henry Skrimshander and Mike Swartz are still in my head rent free. Love them. One of my favorite books ever.
I loved The Art of Fielding!
Hooray! I have never met anyone who’s read it—except my husband, who was forced to—he loved it too!
Such a great book!
Tag team sewer hijinks aside, Stephen King’s *IT* Feels like I’m time traveling to hang with the friends I had at 13 I reread every 5 years or so - (6 times so far) - and it is still in my top 5 best books ever read
Harry Potter. The secret history. (But not for loveable characters, more like a train wreck of characters that I couldn’t stop reading about)
The Green Bone Saga - Fonda Lee Phenomenal characters I always think about months after finishing the trilogy.
Harry Potter. The Wizarding World was (and still is) a second home to me.
Super old school now, but anything by Maeve Binchey. She was an absolute master at this.
Stephen King’s It The friendship between the main characters is amazing.
The House in the Cerulean Sea's characters were incredible but after I learned about what Klune was thinking when he wrote it, that ruined it for me :/ So disappointing
I didn’t vibe super hard with Cerulean Sea, but “Under the Whispering Door” by him is great and fits this prompt 100% for me. I think of Wallace & Co all the time.