Who do you consider an Anti-Hero in fiction?

[Anson Caralya]

Elric (all the eternal champions) by Michael Moorcock

Elric is by far the most interesting fantasy anti-hero I've encountered. However, I'm not sure about the other aspects of the eternal champion as anti-heroes. Corum and Hawkmoon were quite traditional do-gooders IIRC. Erekose did some horrible stuff in a rage towards the beginning of his tales but then spent himself atoning. Not sure if Moorcock has changed the slants with recent novels as I haven't followed his latest stuff.

Oh, and the Von Bek in "The War Hound and the World's Pain." That was a good one.

And has anyone mentioned Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser? Gotta have them!

 

[Aus_Snow]

Arr.

Oh, and Waylander. And Decado. Matter of fact, there are a few of these types in Gemmell's books.

Arr?

 

[Thurbane]

For me, the quintessential anti-hero is Angus Thermopyle from The Gap series...

Cugel from the Dying Earth books is my second pick...

 

[Azgulor]

For me, the quintessential anti-hero is Angus Thermopyle from The Gap series...

Cugel from the Dying Earth books is my second pick...

Blast ye, ye scallywag! No more grog for you, it's addled yer wits. Angus Thermopyle was nuthin' but a black-hearted murderin', rapin' bastard of a villain if'n ever there was one. Arrgh!

I can see where you might be thinkin' ole Black Angus might not be a villain thru-n-thru, but ye'd be settin' the bar pretty low for t'other anti-heroes.

Azgulor

 

[cmrscorpio]

Although he eventually becomes a true hero in the later books, Roland Deschain is definately an antihero in the first couple Dark Tower books by Stephen King. He is completely self centered, a bully, engages in kidnapping, and has no compunctions about killing innocent men, women and children.

 

[BadMojo]

Mickey Rourke from Sin City.

Yeah, Marv is definitely an anti-hero. He seems to have his own twisted moral code and the whole thing with Goldie shows the "softer side of Marv". On the other hand, he's an insane, murdering, torturing, thieving thug...

I think the only character in Sin City close to being a traditional hero would be Hartigan.

I'd also submit Tyrion Lannister from George R. R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" books.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Every second character from Firefly. Especially Mal.

 

[Dioltach]

The main character in K.J. Parker's Scavenger trilogy -- ironically, I can't remember his name.

As for Harry Flashman, I wouldn't call him an anti-hero. More like a snivelling, cowardly, self-serving, bullying bastard who just happens to be running for his life while honourable people are doing the decent thing. The only way you can have "Harry Flashman" and "hero", in any form, in one sentence is if they're connected by the words "does not belong in any sentence containing". (Yep, I'm a fanboy.)

 

[Michael Dean]

Interestingly, Harry Flashman is an antihero under all the definitions, past and present.

Ha, ha! As I was reading the history of the definition, I kept thinking, "Yep, that's good ole' Flashy" with each new version of the word. And I think the poltroon would agree with every word, rest his soul!

 

[Deuce Traveler]

In some darker writings, Conan can be made into an anti-hero. Riddick.