Where is the Frodo of this age?

I'm not saying there aren't any interesting characters in modern fantasy, but I'm wondering why there aren't a great deal of beloved characters.

Sure, Luke Skywalker, and Hans Solo were memorable, but they started in movies, not in books.

It seemed, "Once upon a time," as soon as you spoke about a story, a beloved character was always on the tip of your tongue. I may simply be missing the memos. Are there still characters that endearing being written? Have I just picked up the wrong stories, where the current fantasy formulas leave them out?

What say you?

Perhaps HP is to a degree. I'm not interested in the series, but watched his latest film on a flight from Europe, and was more irritated by his "growing up." I think from what little I've seen, he's lost his cuteness, and seemed to have more attitude, than earlier presentations. At times he seemed a bit arrogant and vendictive, venting his teen angst.

I will, however, look into some of the other series mentioned. I have a close friend who is a Tad Williams fanatic. My only prejudice is that I'm overwhelmed by a book that's a thousand pages of small print.

I do like well done flawed characters, but for me to like them, they can't be all dark and no light.

Saritams8 said:

I liked Harry Potter in books, on screen he's annoying... I wouldn't call him the next Frodo in terms of nobility or character (the other HP characters pick up a lot of his slack) but in terms of appeal, I think JKR has cornered the market.

Thomas Covenant was great, but I hated him personally. I still think if we met in a dark alley I'd have to kick his shins and run. (*gasp* or maybe worse).

But I think Nate has a point. No one will ever be able to repeat what Tolkien did in terms of character and universal appeal. Who could ever replace Frodo, anyway? Who would want him to be replaced? I think this generation's Frodo is still Frodo. He's become quite popular again and kids everywhere know his name. I would wager that he's more well known than Harry Potter.

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In the book, Frodo didn't appeal to me as much as Sam. Aragorn seemed a bit too "He-man" in the book. Unlike others, if you read the book as an adult, your perception of characters is a bit different.

I liked Eowyn. She was a complex character, and I loved her interaction with Aragorn before the paths of the dead, where she is so desperate, she wants to go with him, even if it's a suicide mission, as she pressumed it to be.

I think there's just something very refreshing in having a character you wish so much to be real, and long that you could meet them.

Saritams8 said:

Frodo seemed untouchable to me. Sam seemed more real, like someone I could aspire to be. Eowyn.... sigh. She was, by far, my favorite character out of ANY book, ever. And after you read Simarillion and understand all of the references that Tolkien underscored in her... wow. I could cry right now, thinking about her trials and tribulations and she's not real. But I suspect that at some point in time she was. A character that deep and strong had to have concrete roots.

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I'm a paradox, in that I loved the movie Frodo more than any other character, in the books or in the movies. In fact, if you can be inspired by a character portrayal, that depiction still inspires me. I liked movie Aragorn much more than book Aragorn, because in the movie, you see his inner torment, whereas in the book, he comes across as "He-man" puffing out his chest in a pinch.

I still listen to the soundtrack of F.O.T.R regularly. I have to say, Peter Jackson may not know it, but he had a profound impact on me, turning me on to Tolkien, and with his portrayal of characters in the movie.

Vomaxx said:

Her name is Andiriel, but you won't be able to read about her until my book gets published.

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You're such a tease.

AmberJennell said:

And for Harry Potter, being angry and a teenager is simply what he is. That's the whole point of the stories, his growing in body and character. If you read several books where the character doesn't change, you'd put it down and never touch it again.

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Thanks for the list of book recommendations.
As far as the "growing up" thing, I can only comment on a portrayal of the book, as I've never been into the book. Perhaps some people have identified with him, strengths and weaknesses from the getgo, and that will color their opinion.

I just walked in during what may be considered one of Harry's bad days, when he happened to be feeling vendictive.

As far as the "growth" thing, I'm with you there. But I like to see the good angel/bad angel turmoil. I love conflicted characters.

azbikergirl said:

I really like Drizzt Do'Urden, the dark elf of RA Salvatore's imagination.

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The name is rather odd. Are all the names like that?

Lenora Rose said:

I think it is in part because Tolkien was the start of the fantasy genre as it is today, but for a slightly different reason.

There are TONS of compelling characters out there in the genre now, some as compelling as Tolkien's. But the genre is so big no afficionado will have read every book.

Someone made this comment at a convention regarding Science Fiction, but it's true all around Spec Fic. In the early days, everyone could talk about all the books, good or bad, because there were few enough authors an avid reader could actually keep up with all the books released in a given year. There were this eyar's books, and ahandful of rereleased classics (Dunsany et al), and little else. So everyone knew Frodo. NOW, not only are there all the books released this year, but all the books released last year, and the year before... and every year for the past five decades, and all the older classics. There's no author everyone is guaranteed to have even tried to read. I've never read Terry Brooks. I've read very little Robert Jordan. On the other hand, I would consider Ellen Kushner a must-read, and there are a ton of people who wouldn't touch her books.

So discuss all you like, and nobody will come up with a list everyone can agree on, because nobody will have read all the choices.

Not that it can't be fun to debate (I'd vote for Miles Vorkosigan. Yes, SF, but he's darn close to as compelling as anything Tolkien could do. Vlad Taltos is a good vote though. Robin McKinleys' Aerin was one of my childhood heroines. And there's always today's answer to Alice in Wonderland or Lucy from the Narnia books: Coraline.)

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I love old books, AKA Alice in Wonderland. I'm just reading Narnia now.

Tolkien was an odd duck as a writer. He mostly projected character through situations, and not through inner dialogue. The reader is left reading into what Eowyn or Frodo was thinking. With that said, he was very insightful, just not conventional.

I think C.S Lewis is an odd writer as well, but in a different way. I love the idea of Screwtape Letters, everything, but I didn't particularly like his writing style, and felt it could have been done in a more "everyman" format. If I tried to write screwtape, I'd have approached it completely differently. But I must admit, his metaphorical style influenced many writers, including myself.

I think he was one of the first, who wasn't actually speaking from a black arts perspective, who really tries to get into the devil's head in a sophisticated way. I think the portrayal of "pure evil" is an art. In my WIP, I lean a little more Screwtape than Silmarillion, in that you don't have even a seed of noble intentions. However, the evil beings in my Universe have certain elements that might remind some of the Valar. as opposed to demons, but with a great deal more complexity.

Tom Cruise said that he had to get into the mind of a Vampire to portray Leshtat (Spelling???) in Interview with the Vampire. In otherwords, a Vampire doesn't see himself as evil. In his mind he justifies his view, as most people try to do. So, a purely evil being sees virtue as a flaw and a weakness, or worse. To him, "Good is evil, and evil is good", thus, they make perfect political spin doctors.

The funny thing is, pure evil dwelling with pure evil, is actually comical, until you realize your species is the intended victim. But as a third person observer, an entire species of evil creatures dwelling together, without virtue, can't be loyal, can't be faithful, and can't be loving. In otherwords, they can only be motivated by hate, anger, greed, covetousness, or fear of reprisal. But they still have to have some kind of heirarchy, and get along. So, you have constant bickering, backbitting, and undermining, while still trying to accomplish a goal.

Picture a creature, who is something like a Demon with attention deficit disorder. You know he's always going to be late. He's going to get lost, and forget assignments. You almost pity the creature, because you know he's going to get it when the boss finds out how he's screwed up. And yet, this creature has such contempt for your race, that he'd mutilate you and your loved ones at the drop of a hat if he could.

Shai said:

Frodo Baggins currently lives in British Columbia (not going to say which city for privacy). I kid thee not; I used to work for the phone company in the directory division and the listing really does exist. I cannot imagine the life this person must have led while the movies were out.

On topic, though... I think this is really a subjective question overall. The Frodo of this time can be in any book depending on the person. But who has time to read everything? You might read one book and decide you've found your Frodo, but then read another book, either hot off the press or one that has been on the shelves for a while but never previously caught your interest, and suddenly you feel you have to change your mind. He might always be lurking around the next cover...

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I talked with a friend who works at a Barnes and Nobles. I asked specifically, "I'd like to read a character driven fantasy; what would you suggest." When we were done talking about most books in the Genre, he couldn't think of many. Then we got talking about sub-genre, and essentially fairy tales and mythology. But again, this is a matter of where you categorize things, which differs from person to person.