Favorite Characters

As for my favorite Safehold characters:
1. Merlin- because of all that's s/he been doing to get humanity back on track; of course, he's suffered so much for humanity as well
2. Sharleyan- not just because she's a strong, female leader but also because she knows how to support others whilst being curious in her own way
3. Rhobair Duchairn- he really is the most redeemable of the GoF,and I wouldn't be surprised if he ultimately helped Charis in some way
4. Ahnzhelyk Phonda/Aivah Pahrsahn- Intelligent, planner, etc- the type of woman I'd want on my team if I were actively resisting the Church of God Awaiting
5. Zhaspahr Clyntahn/Eric Langhorne- because these guys are the source of all the troubles, and, each for their own ways, purse power to keep others in line

I think this is one of the biggest (though by no means the only) reasons I'm so amazed by these books. Normally I'm the kind of person who prefers books that follow either a single main character or a small set of main characters pretty closely. I'll read other books, but I have a marked tendency to skip right over parts that don't include my favorite character(s), and especially scenes that are entirely the villains plotting. But once I discovered the Safehold series, I read (or in several cases listened) straight through all seven books in the space of less than a month this summer, and I didn't skip a single scene. Somehow, MWW has an incredible talent for making every single one of his characters fascinating. He can make even random soldiers (on either side) real enough that I feel bad when they're killed a page or two later - or grin in triumph when they succeed at something important.

That said, my favorite characters definitely include Merlin, Nimue C., Sharleyan, Cayleb, Irys, Hektor, Nahrman.... I'd go on, but then I'd just start going through the entire character list, and that might get a little lengthy .

Note that all opinions are those of someone who is so far only halfway through How Firm a Foundation.

So far my pool of favorite characters is rather smaller than that of the Honorverse, though I would like to point out that as of the fifth book of that series, the Honorverse pool was also considerably smaller as well, as I hadn't even met half of them by that point.

So, without further ado, and without any sort of explanation whatsoever, because why the hell not:

5. Earl Thirsk. Possibly - okay, definitely - because he reminds me so much, in so many ways, of Thomas Theisman.
4. Cayleb and Sharleyan, for reasons which should require no elucidation whatsoever.
3. Hektor Aplyn-Ahrmak. Because... because.
2. Maikel Staynair, Paityr Wylsynn, and Zhasyn Cahnyr. To anyone who knows my love of Grayson (which is a number of you), this should come as no surprise whatsoever.
1. Nahrmahn and Ohlyvya. Because they are absolutely perfect and I adore them.

I would also like to point out that when Admiral Lock Island died, I bawled like a homesick five-year-old.