C. L. Norman

In no particular order, here are 10 roguely types I am thankful for. I am grateful I had a run in with them either in the pages of a book or on the screen, big or small. They are fun and exciting and have contributed to my love of the snarky not-so-law-abiding characters.

1. Phillipe the Mouse from Ladyhawke.  From that first scene where we see him chattering away to himself and God while making his escape from an inescapable prison, Matthew Broderick as Phillipe captured my attention and my adoration. If you are wondering where Mouse got her name it was from this character.
2. Silk from David Edding’s Belgariad and Mallorean.  Silk mastered the arts of disguise, lockpicking, pick pocketting, corrupting the young and he did it all with a flair that left him my favorite character in a series of ten books full of so many interesting characters.
3. Han Solo from Star Wars. Who says rogues can only be in european fantasies? I certainly don’t. Han Solo with his blaster at his side and that crooked grin is my favorite rogue in space. So what if he can’t pick pockets (that I know of) or pick locks. He gets into plenty of trouble without those skills and watching him try to get out is something I have loved to do since I was a wee child.
4. Malcom Reynolds AKA Mal from Serenity/Firefly. The only reason Han is my favorite rogue in space is that I’ve known him longer. Mal holds a very very close second place in my heart. Mal has attitude and flair that is attention grabbing from the beginning. Watching his confidence leak away when confronted with a woman, Inara, is so much fun that I kept hoping for more of those scenes.
5. Sydney Bristow from Alias. Ok, so Sydney didn’t have the snarky attitude most of the rogues on this list have but she was so cool in her many disguises and spies are such close cousins to rogues that I had to include her. I rewatch the Alias seasons about every six months I adore the character so much. She had mad skills and so many obstacles to her dreams that I love watching her journey through it all to the happy ending she so much deserves.
6. Max Guevara from Dark Angel. Max had the snarky attitude, the world outlook that said theft was just part of a healthy economy, and enough selfishness to make her a world-class rogue. She was also genetically engineered to make her really good at it. While the second season of this series (with the exception of Jensen Ackles) irritated me with its complete change of direction, I love the first season. Logan’s attempts to make Max into a heroine are a joy to see.
7. FitzChivalry FarSeer AKA Fitz from Robin Hobb‘s The FarSeer Trilogy and beyond. We get to see Fitz learn how to become an assassin under the tutelage of Chade and once he starts mastering those skills his life gets more complicated. At the end of the first trilogy I felt so sorry for this character for everything that he had to sacrifice and endure. He lacks snark but he is a hero with skills with poison, sword, and sneaking. This rogue is one I feel so sorry for that I don’t want to leave him alone in his world. I have to visit to keep him company as he goes through his trials.
8. Kylar Stern from Brent Weeks‘ Night Angel Trilogy. Kylar is an assassin, a wetboy if you will. He is also an orphan like Fitz but instead of growing up in a castle being trained there he grows up in the slums. Kylar is trained by Durzo Blint who has plenty of his own secrets of his own. No snark but a conscience, Kylar chose the field of assassination as a way to escape his life on the streets and rides that very bumpy road to the end. And I couldn’t put the books down until he got there.
9. Hanse Shadowspawn from the Thieves World series.  Hanse had attitude, stealth, nimble fingers, and mystery. He was a the ultimate second-story man and his stories were my favorites in this series.
10. Seregil from Lynn Flewelling‘s Nightrunner books. Seregil has aliases, a way with a set of lockpicks, a trick for dealing with pesky guard dogs, and snark enough to light up a suite of rooms. He is part spy, part rogue, and all fun. And he may be showing up on the big screen soon too. So very cool.

That’s it. My list of 10 rogues I am thankful for this holiday season. I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving. What roguely types are you thankful for?

        

Yesterday, I found myself choking up as Star Wars: Legacy Revealed ended on the History Channel. I asked my crybaby self what in the world would make you cry at a documentary about Star Wars. The answer I came up with had everything to do with why I love the movie so much.

When I was a little girl (don’t most Why I love Star Wars stories start when they were young?) one of my favorite days of the year was the day that Star Wars aired on TV. This was before cable so it only happened once a year. And it was before we even thought about owning a VCR player. It was magic.

This night was a holiday for the family. Everyone would gather around the TV, anywhere from two to five siblings, Mom and Dad, and we would watch Star Wars.

My favorite part then had Luke swinging across the retracted walkway with Leia in his arms. He was a prince and she was the princess. It was very romantic. Of course after I saw the other two movies and learned they were siblings it lost some of its luster. But then, when I was starry eyed, sitting in the darkened living room, repaired TV from Goodwill flickering with wonderous images, I loved that part of the movie.

The family also use to go to the Drive-In all the time. I don’t think we ever saw Star Wars when we went (I was little more than 3 years old when it was released and my memories of those times are fuzzy) but I did see something very cool at the concession stand one night. One image that remains with me still. Darth Vader standing next to the payphone, bucket of popcorn in his gloved hand, staring down the passersby. He was the first celebrity I ever saw in person and I remain in awe of him to this day.

The above picture was taken in Victoria, BC in 2007. I had never been there before and it was my first trip out of the country. Darth Vader playing the violin was the first street performer I saw. And he played my instrument. I played the violin for all through junior high and high school and I could tell, Darth Vader had talent.

Tomorrow night, I hope to spot another Darth Vader, stalking the streets, seeking treats. And if I start sobbing at the sight, don’t mind me. I am just remembering nights spent with the family, together, in front of the TV.