Last week we started a poll asking you to submit your votes for the most EPIC character in a sci-fi book or series.
Hundreds of you voted on over 50 characters that were submitted to the debate.
Today, we've parred the list down to 10 as determined by the majority of you, and now we want to find out who comes out on top. Register your vote below, and duke it out in the comments.
Who do you think is the MOST ICONIC CHARACTER in a sci-fi BOOK or SERIES?
Paul Atreides from Dune by Frank Herbert 17%, 133 votes
133 votes17%
133 votes - 17% of all votes
Honor Harrington from the Honor Harrington series by David Weber 17%, 128 votes
128 votes17%
128 votes - 17% of all votes
HAL-9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke 15%, 116 votes
116 votes15%
116 votes - 15% of all votes
Lazarus “Woodrow Wilson Smith” Long from Heinlein books. 14%, 104 votes
104 votes14%
104 votes - 14% of all votes
Arthur Dent from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams 8%, 61 vote
61 vote8%
61 vote - 8% of all votes
Andrew “Ender” Wiggins from Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card 7%, 53 votes
53 votes7%
53 votes - 7% of all votes
Hari Seldon from Asimov's Foundation series 6%, 49 votes
49 votes6%
49 votes - 6% of all votes
R. Daneel Olivaw from Isaac Asimov 6%, 45 votes
45 votes6%
45 votes - 6% of all votes
Valentine Michael Smith from Stranger In A Strange Land by Robert Heinlein 5%, 39 votes
39 votes5%
39 votes - 5% of all votes
Roland Deschain from Dark Tower by Stephen King 5%, 38 votes
38 votes5%
38 votes - 5% of all votes
Total Votes: 766
March 14, 2019
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https://discoverscifi.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/THE-MOST-ICONIC-CHARACTER-IN-SCI-FI.png315560Discover Sci-Fihttps://discoverscifi.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/discover-scifi.pngDiscover Sci-Fi2019-03-14 18:37:092019-04-27 19:49:32Who is the most iconic character in as sci-fi book or series?
27replies
Keith says:
It has got to be Hal-9000 ! Everyone knows what that character sounds like; even non science fiction fans. I know it’s hard to believe but there are a few misguided people out there who prefer other genres. Maybe that’s what Hal was really afraid of? “I’m afraid Dave. I’m afraid.”
Much as I have my own personal faves and much as I wanted to vote for them, this is for the most “iconic”, so I had to vote for the one most of my friends would say.
I would have thought that HAL is known more widely by sci-fi fans, if only from seeing the 1969 film. If I were to choose anyone from the Foundation books, I would have said Hari Seldon who is omnipresent throughout.
Issac Asimov and his Foundation Series is what got me into Sci Fi. I picked up a bunch of his books for 10 cents each at a school fair and started reading. I was a Sci Fi buff from that moment on…
Issac Asimov and his Foundation Series is what got me into Sci Fi. I picked up a bunch of his books for 10 cents each at a school fair and started reading. I was a Sci Fi buff from that moment on…
I had to go with Wiggins. Simply because that series is the advanced student ‘bible’ for lack of a better term. Every AP student I have ever met has read the series.
For those who can remember, Earl Dumarest from ECTubb’s early 70’s to early 80’s series was one of my favorites. And, while Odd Thomas is not exactly SciFi, it’s definitely not a simple thriller.
Leto Atriedes II from the Dune series is the most “epic” protagonist in the genre. Read the Dune saga, read the the first three Pern novels, read the hitchhikers guide. Arthur dent is comic relief (the protagonist is the mice who built Earth), Lessa and the legend of moretta are the real heroes of mcaffreys novels, and Paul muad’dib may have been the big boy of Dune but his boy was the big boy of the entire series and the most epic protagonist of any sci-fi novel
Leto Atriedes II from the Dune series is the most “epic” protagonist in the genre. Read the Dune saga, read the the first three Pern novels, read the hitchhikers guide. Arthur dent is comic relief (the protagonist is the mice who built Earth), Lessa and the legend of moretta are the real heroes of mcaffreys novels, and Paul muad’dib may have been the big boy of Dune but his boy was the big boy of the entire series and the most epic protagonist of any sci-fi novel/series
Honor Harrington! As an exploration of character and courage, Weber at his best is unsurpassed…his moments of action and conflict are totally engrossing…if only he would not bury the good stuff in quite so much context and “world building”.
To me Science Fiction is about the scientist, and especially the ones who change the world or the universe because of their science and their actions. Hari Seldon never forgets his science and his actions are courageous while pushing his scientific goals.
Lazarus Long, Arthur Dent, Hari, Ender are all iconic characters. I voted for R. Daneel Olivaw because of his shadow or actual presence in so much of Asimov’s different series. The original Foundation Series was published the year of my birth.
U all are in the know except i think the most epic is Edgar Rice Burroughs series, “John Carter of Mars” series…. This was what got me introduced and addiced to sci-fi in the first place, Ann McCafferty is also quite the writer in her series… However its nice to know all you guys out in the ether are still kickin it an havin fun!!!
It has got to be Hal-9000 ! Everyone knows what that character sounds like; even non science fiction fans. I know it’s hard to believe but there are a few misguided people out there who prefer other genres. Maybe that’s what Hal was really afraid of? “I’m afraid Dave. I’m afraid.”
Much as I have my own personal faves and much as I wanted to vote for them, this is for the most “iconic”, so I had to vote for the one most of my friends would say.
More people know who HAL is than any of the others. Even people who don’t like sci-fi know who HAL is so that seems most iconic to me.
Is this a joke?
McCaffrey’s PERM series?
Dr. Susan Calvin: AZIMOV?
Perry Rodan in the PRRY Rodan series?
Where is McCaffrey’s Ruth!!!
Ruth? Lessa is the greatest hero of the original saga
Lessa is indeed the strongest human character in the series, but Ruth is the mutant dragon that saves the day.
I would have thought that HAL is known more widely by sci-fi fans, if only from seeing the 1969 film.
If I were to choose anyone from the Foundation books, I would have said Hari Seldon who is omnipresent throughout.
Issac Asimov and his Foundation Series is what got me into Sci Fi. I picked up a bunch of his books for 10 cents each at a school fair and started reading. I was a Sci Fi buff from that moment on…
Me too. I read “I Robot” in the 6th grade back in the mid 60’s and that’s all it took.
Me too, read the trilogy in a week, rode my bike to the library every week to get more…
Issac Asimov and his Foundation Series is what got me into Sci Fi. I picked up a bunch of his books for 10 cents each at a school fair and started reading. I was a Sci Fi buff from that moment on…
I had to go with Wiggins. Simply because that series is the advanced student ‘bible’ for lack of a better term. Every AP student I have ever met has read the series.
For those who can remember, Earl Dumarest from ECTubb’s early 70’s to early 80’s series was one of my favorites. And, while Odd Thomas is not exactly SciFi, it’s definitely not a simple thriller.
What amazes me is how many books exist in that series – I would have said that they definitely come under the heading of science ficxtion.
As great as all those characters are… Sgt Sorilla Aida from Evan Currie’s Hayden War series stands out to me.
Leto Atriedes II from the Dune series is the most “epic” protagonist in the genre. Read the Dune saga, read the the first three Pern novels, read the hitchhikers guide. Arthur dent is comic relief (the protagonist is the mice who built Earth), Lessa and the legend of moretta are the real heroes of mcaffreys novels, and Paul muad’dib may have been the big boy of Dune but his boy was the big boy of the entire series and the most epic protagonist of any sci-fi novel
Leto Atriedes II from the Dune series is the most “epic” protagonist in the genre. Read the Dune saga, read the the first three Pern novels, read the hitchhikers guide. Arthur dent is comic relief (the protagonist is the mice who built Earth), Lessa and the legend of moretta are the real heroes of mcaffreys novels, and Paul muad’dib may have been the big boy of Dune but his boy was the big boy of the entire series and the most epic protagonist of any sci-fi novel/series
Even more so than corwin of amber
Honor Harrington! As an exploration of character and courage, Weber at his best is unsurpassed…his moments of action and conflict are totally engrossing…if only he would not bury the good stuff in quite so much context and “world building”.
I’m the person who put up the original list item for Honor Harrington. I’m glad to see so many other people also agree she’s the most iconic 🙂
To me Science Fiction is about the scientist, and especially the ones who change the world or the universe because of their science and their actions. Hari Seldon never forgets his science and his actions are courageous while pushing his scientific goals.
I’ve always been a huge fan of Logan 5 in the Logan’s Run Trilogy by William F. Nolan.
Rick Deckard from the Blade Runner flick.
Why no lensman?
Lazarus Long, Arthur Dent, Hari, Ender are all iconic characters. I voted for R. Daneel Olivaw because of his shadow or actual presence in so much of Asimov’s different series. The original Foundation Series was published the year of my birth.
U all are in the know except i think the most epic is Edgar Rice Burroughs series, “John Carter of Mars” series….
This was what got me introduced and addiced to sci-fi in the first place, Ann McCafferty is also quite the writer in her series…
However its nice to know all you guys out in the ether are still kickin it an havin fun!!!
AndromedanTravellor