I’ve been reading a lot of books lately and most of them seem to have really shitty (1 dimensional, women hating, really fucking dumb, insufferable) main male characters but I guess I’m looking for a book where the main male character is not written to appease to women or men, he’s not awful to women, absolutely can’t do any far right or romance bullshit. i guess the only requirement is that he’s a piece of shit but in a benevolent way?
by throwawayhelp62525
8 Comments
It’s fantasy and he’s not human, but my absolute favourite male protagonist is Bartimaeus from the trilogy by Jonathan Stroud starting with the Amulet of Samarkand.
It’s an alternate history where the British took over the world with the help of magicians, who are able to bind magical beings to their service and use their power. Bartimaeus is a medium level djinni who has been around for millennia and is pretty much sick of our shit. He’s seen all the power hungry masters come and go and is not impressed with much at this point.
He’s also absolutely hilarious. The book is told directly from his point of view and is one of my all time favourite narrators. He’s a self serving and slightly bitter character but also has unexpected bursts of heroism/conscience that are surprising to both the reader and himself. Definitely good/bad and his current master, without spoilers, struggles with that dichotomy as well.
Steerpike in the Gormenghast books is one, I think
Parker series by Richard Stark!
Kaz in Six of Crows
i feel like patricia highsmith tends to like this kind of guy. see:
talented mr ripley
strangers on a train
deep water
the blunderer
this sweet sickness
The Engineer Trilogy by KJ Parker. The MC is a self serving ass who is accidentally/on purpose starting a war.
I would recommend Prince of Thorns. Main character is in general. Just a bad dude to everybody.
*The Stranger* by Albert Camus