Lord of Raventree Hall Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 I found a lot of archived content like this, but frankly, I just wanted to discuss my opinion (and hear others) opinion on who the best written characters in the series are (regardless of whether you like them). Of course it can be hard to be unbiased, but here is my best attempt. #1 : Theon Greyjoy. In all the archived content I found, Theon was rarely on the top which baffled me. In my opinion, he is not just the best written character in ASOIAF, but in all of fiction. The deep dive in what drives human beings at their core, what cocky people are hiding underneath, and the road to being oneself after torture are all just amazing. I cry every time that Theon says his name is Theon when discovered by Asha. #2 : Brienne of Tarth. So now I get into the bias section as I love Brienne. But as a gender non-conforming man, I relate to Brienne pretty much all the way through. I think she, at least from my perspective, perfectly mirrors the experiences I had going through life. Unaccepted by either gender and the struggles in how to be oneself. Fortunately, I've found some acceptance in adulthood that I'm afraid Brienne will never find. #3 : Tyrion Lannister. Trying to be unbiased, I have to admit Tyrion is an excellent written character. I find myself, the more times I read the book, I dislike Tyrion more (although I still find his chapters interesting). I just think he is so well written people miss how badly he treats other people. Anyways, he is one of the best "gray" characters I've ever read, teetering between the good and bad nearly constantly. #4 : Jaime Lannister. Like Theon, it is about the journey with this character. His arc is solidly commendable, and I like the concept that people can change (because they can). #5 : Catelyn Tully : Catelyn is my mom, which makes me wonder how GRRM could even pull off writing a character that seems so realistic to an actual strong mother type. I am heavily biased on this one. I love Catelyn, but I do think she is well written especially as I think GRRM probably had little to relate to when writing this character. Honerable Mention : Daenerys Targaryen. The reason I can't include her above is the weird focus on her breasts nearly all the time..takes me out of things sometimes when reading her parts lol. As my partner said, nobody is constantly thinking about their breasts that much. However, I actually think Daenerys character arc so far has been great, from young and innocent to secure and proud, to a slow decent toward ...arrogant and harsh (or perhaps crazy). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foot_Of_The_King Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Theon The 3 Lannister Siblings Arya Sandor (If I pick a non POV) *Thats just off the top of my head. I’m missing a ton.* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLastWolf Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Arya. Great writing and building up of a complex mind. Some people feel that she has mental issues, I don't. She is like Lee Child's Jack Reacher. People fear and hate what they don't understand. 2 hours ago, Foot_Of_The_King said: The 3 Lannister Siblings Count me in for it too. But especially Tyrion. Samwell Tarly. He could've been shaped negatively due to his father's abuse, but instead became what he is. Theon. I loved the way L-o-R-H put it. 2 hours ago, Lord of Raventree Hall said: The deep dive in what drives human beings at their core, what cocky people are hiding underneath, and the road to being oneself after torture are all just amazing. 2 hours ago, Foot_Of_The_King said: *Thats just off the top of my head. I’m missing a ton.* Same dilemma here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orm Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Bobby B was a very nuanced character.........He is GRRM'S poster boy of a deconstruction of a fantasy hero...... As a non-pov he impressed me the most...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alyn Oakenfist Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Ramsay - I just love the nuance and how he titters between good and bad constantly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eazy Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 POV characters: 1. Theon 2/3/4 in any order Jaime, Cersei, Davos 5. Aeron NON POV: 1. Roose 2. Edmure 3. Walder Frey 4. Bloodraven 5. LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One-eyed Misbehavin Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Arya, Theon, The Hound Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frenin Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 I honestly think that all the POV are written just as good, I certainly can't say that Jaime is better written than Ned or Sansa or even Victarion for that matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TedBear Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Tyrion, Theon, Bran, Dany, Sam, Arya, Brienne, Cersei, Jaime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elegant Woes Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Sansa and Catelyn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curled Finger Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Can't disagree with all the major characters (except 1, but I gave that fight up a long time ago) named in the OP. I would rank Jamie at #1 because I am still impressed with how much I hated him to how much I now root for him due to all the the masterful turns of words. This is true to a lesser degree of Theon and Sansa. GRRM showcases his many writing talents in ASOIAF. It's not easy to write really scary characters. In the horror category I've got to give Gregor Clegane, Bran, Arya, Bloodraven and Euron top marks for well written terrifying. The High Sparrow, Joffrey and Ramsay could hold their own with any modern day true crime villain. Simply delicious, awful creatures. As true mystery writing goes, Varys and Little Finger could outwit any of the detectives I read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Steller Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 1. Theon Greyjoy 2. Stannis Baratheon 3. Jaime Lannister 4. Wyman Manderly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugorfonics Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Pov 1. Reek 11 hours ago, Lord of Raventree Hall said: In my opinion, he is not just the best written character in ASOIAF, but in all of fiction. Certainly possible. 2. Arya. 3. Cersei Non pov. 1. Sandor 2. Ramsay 3. Stannis 4. Cersei (before she was pov lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alyn Oakenfist Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 1 hour ago, Curled Finger said: The High Sparrow, Joffrey and Ramsay could hold their own with any modern day true crime villain. Simply delicious, awful creatures. I'm sorry what??? The High Sparrow is pretty much the only person in KL that gives a pig's ear about the small folk. That at least makes him a pretty sympathetic character. This is not the abomination, They only imprisoned Marge because Cersei tried framing her, and as for Cersei, well she is literally guilty as charged and they have proof Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daena the Defiant Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Catelyn Stark is by far the most well-rounded, human, flawed yet dynamic character. GRRM writes her as a dutiful intelligent woman, bound by the expectations of her society, wife/mother/daughter/sister yet he gives her incredible agency inside those bounds. The fact that the world around her turned upside down and ultimately causes the sundering of her family is just so heartbreaking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curled Finger Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 2 hours ago, Alyn Oakenfist said: I'm sorry what??? The High Sparrow is pretty much the only person in KL that gives a pig's ear about the small folk. That at least makes him a pretty sympathetic character. This is not the abomination, They only imprisoned Marge because Cersei tried framing her, and as for Cersei, well she is literally guilty as charged and they have proof I'm not convinced HS is actually a good guy. He is as much fanatic as Melisandre. He has more power than Melisandre. I don't believe a word this guy says. Sorry, Bud, just the way I read him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Sidious Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Best Written Characters Daenerys Targaryen Theon Greyjoy Barristan Selmy Tyrion Lannister Ned Stark I am not a fan of Theon and Ned, but also cannot deny the depth of their personal stories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frenin Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 13 hours ago, Orm said: Bobby B was a very nuanced character.........He is GRRM'S poster boy of a deconstruction of a fantasy hero...... As a non-pov he impressed me the most...... Well a lot are, Jaime and Daemon Blackfyre also end up in the same barrel one could also count Rhaegar and Dayne. Being super charming, hell of a warrior and super handsome seems to indicate your life is going to suck at the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Peres Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 For me is Catelyn, she feels kind of real, she is a noble woman that was raised as heir uo to a certain age, she has political knowloge but she also makes huge mistakes, she is entitled to some degree and elitist but this makes her more belivable, she is a mother and cleary loves her children, she is in a political marriage but was confortable in her situation and came to love her husband, but did not overcome his own secrets and still hold a petty grudge, but unlike other characters she is not a radical and deals with the situation by avoiding the "problem", the only trouble that I find on her character is that she is too much confident on Robb even though he is a teenager. I find Theon also very belivable, but the problem is that the characters he interacts are not. Ramsey is just too batshit crazy, Roose is too steryopital cold, Asha is just too easygoing over everything and Aeron is a Zealous cartoon. With the exeption of his interactions with the Starks and Dagmer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roswell Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 4 hours ago, Daena the Defiant said: Catelyn Stark is by far the most well-rounded, human, flawed yet dynamic character. GRRM writes her as a dutiful intelligent woman, bound by the expectations of her society, wife/mother/daughter/sister yet he gives her incredible agency inside those bounds. The fact that the world around her turned upside down and ultimately causes the sundering of her family is just so heartbreaking. 1 hour ago, Prince Rhaego's Soul said: Best Written Characters Daenerys Targaryen Theon Greyjoy Barristan Selmy Tyrion Lannister Ned Stark I am not a fan of Theon and Ned, but also cannot deny the depth of their personal stories. 3 minutes ago, Arthur Peres said: For me is Catelyn, she feels kind of real, she is a noble woman that was raised as heir uo to a certain age, she has political knowloge but she also makes huge mistakes, she is entitled to some degree and elitist but this makes her more belivable, she is a mother and cleary loves her children, she is in a political marriage but was confortable in her situation and came to love her husband, but did not overcome his own secrets and still hold a petty grudge, but unlike other characters she is not a radical and deals with the situation by avoiding the "problem", the only trouble that I find on her character is that she is too much confident on Robb even though he is a teenager. I find Theon also very belivable, but the problem is that the characters he interacts are not. Ramsey is just too batshit crazy, Roose is too steryopital cold, Asha is just too easygoing over everything and Aeron is a Zealous cartoon. With the exeption of his interactions with the Starks and Dagmer. Best written is not always the same as favorite. It is also not the same in meaning as best human being in the story. It means Martin has done a great job of creating these folks and making them interesting to the readers. These are well written and not in ranked order. Catelyn Stark - she does not make my list of favorites but meets the requirements set by @Lord of Raventree Hall Daenerys Targaryen - my personal favorite and probably the best character ever created by George R. R. Martin. Arianne Martell Barristan Selmy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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