Steel yourselves, Champions. It’s time…for the Annual Hero Poll!
For those of you who may be new, every year I hold a poll to crown the top voted heroes from my K. M. Shea and A. M. Sohma books. (There is a heroine version that is usually held in the summer–it was canceled last year, though, when we had the Summer Reading Event running!) Since I first started this poll Stil of Rumpelstilskin has won the contest every year, until last year when there was an upset as Merlin from King Arthur and Her Knights took first!
Who will win this year? YOU DECIDE! Vote for your top five favorite heroes. This poll closes January 24th, so you have until then to deliberate on your selection. And to all my heroes…good luck!
Special note: The poll order changes with every refresh, so look carefully to make sure you haven’t missed any of your favorites!
Stil doesn’t have to be so distraught about coming in fourth…the only hero from his universe to beat him is the elf king. And really, who could compete with that?!
Also, YAY Solus! He and Kit are one of my favorite couples, probably tied with Emerys and Quinn. But Solid likes to hide in plain sight too much. Kinda like Alexei, another of my favorite people.
Thanks for all the great heroes, Kitty. Looking forward to as many more as you can dream up!
Solus hides in plain sight. Silly auto correct!
Merlin 12.04 1
Emerys 11.68 2
Solus 11.44 3
Stil 11.35 4
Farrin 9.07 5
I’m soo happy! My favorite people won! (Except for Friedrich. 🙁 Soo sad.)
Thank you soo much Kitty!
I was rooting for fred and benji too. Though i have crazy hopes for them still being in the interview. They both are awesome.
Still, i love merlin and solus and farrin.
Solus comes 3rd. Kitty you have to write a retha book this year. Please.
I feel like I should just note that of the current front runners (Merlin, Emerys, Solus Miles, Stil, and Farrin) all have blue or grey eyes and all but Merlin have black hair. To clarify, I don’t think that actually means anything or impacts their positions in the vote, it’s just kind of interesting the way that is turning out.
Has emerys’ hair color ever been mentioned? Cool thought though.
I’m pretty sure Farrin was described as having “black-tea” hair, not completely black. But yeah, that’s a really interesting thought!
I voted as well, and I would love to see both Solus and Emerys beat Stil!!! The Hero Poll interview from last year was hilarious to read, especially since Stil was sulking through most of it because he didn’t win. Hopefully Emerys has gotten better at shape shifting.
Hey Kitty, if Solus Miles places in the top three in the hero poll can we get book 4 of the second age of Retha released in 2019? Not that I’m not excited for the Fairy Tale Enchantress Angelique series because I love everything you write but I am super bummed that we are going to have to wait an ENTIRE YEAR for the last two books in the series.
That’s an amazing thought. Please agree kitty.
Ditto. I’m with Lindsey and Kinshuk on this. I really like Kitty’s Fairytale Series, but now that I’ve read all 3 books with Retha, I’m just sad at the thought of having to wait until 2020 to find out what happens. Especially where book 3 ended!
I love this idea! I put a hold on Percy Jackson to read Retha to my dad. We were so dedicated we got through all three in record time! He was so sad when I told him we had to wait so long for the next book. I get waiting until after the Angelique series, though. I write stories (for fun, and none at Kitty’s level), and it can get disorienting and wreck your focus to jump between them too much. I can’t imagine how much focus it must take to write books with so many characters and worldbuilding to keep straight!
My top people are: Farrin, Freidrich, Emerys, and Stil. Emerys and Stil are really funny and Farrin and Freidrich are protectors! I love them sooooo much!
Voted! Personally, I want Farrin to win. Then I want Rakel to win the Heroine Poll (presuming it’s going to happen this year). … And both of them to win the possible Couples Poll. You can tell I like the Snow Queen books! 😜
But if there was an option for second, third and forth places, I’d want (in this order): Isaia, Fritz and Alexsei (or Stil).
What about you guys? Who did you vote for/want to win?
Stil, Merlin, and Farrin are always my top three. Also voted for Solus and Arion.
That’s cool! Haven’t read Merlin or Solus’ books, and read part of Arion’s. They all seem neat! Especially Arion and Solus.
My top people are: Farrin, Freidrich, Emerys, and Stil. Emerys and Stil are really funny and Farrin and Freidrich are protectors! I love them sooooo much!
Aww, that’s wonderful! Freidrich is a great character! 😊
Emery and Stil. Hard for me to choose.
Oh NO! Farrin is dropping behind!!! I want him to win so much! But Emerys is pretty cool and so is Merlin. I’m crossing my fingers for a three way tie! XD
I knooow! Poor Farrin! We need him up there! ☹️
Merlin takes the lead! Closely followed by Solus and Emerys, racing neck and neck, with Still just behind! Who will win? Stay tuned to find out!
Yay, the hero poll has begun!! ;))))
Say, Kitty, is there a “favorite secondary characters” or “favorite side characters” poll? Or a favorite couples poll? Because there’s some guys here that, while I dont swoon over them personally, I love the dynamic they have with their girl!
We had a favorite secondary character’s poll in 2017, but it was HUGE, and took about two months to go through. This year I am considering the favorite couple idea, because a few of the secondary characters could be tossed in as well, and it wouldn’t take more than one round. 🙂
That’s true!
Wow, that was hard! I voted for everyone I voted for last year, and then chewed my nails over how to spend my last two votes! Stil had better look out – as of this moment, he’s almost tied with Solus, and Emerys is leading them both!
It’s just too difficult to choose! I do really like characters like Steffen who don’t get many votes, but you have so-o-o many others, that since I have to narrow my choices down to only five? Ach! I try to look for those heroes who seem to grow the most through the story.
That’s a big reason why I love Steffan so much- he had great character growth that continued even beyond his book into Wild Swans.
Other than him from the fairy tales, in terms of growth.. I’d say maybe Lucien grew the most? X)
I agree with both of you about Steffen. He actually continues to grow a bit in the last book of Angelique’s series as well. Sometimes he gets a bad rap because he can be…difficult…but in reality he’s probably the most open about his love for Gabi and is willing to change his way of thinking and acting for her. (And he actually does it, too. His character was born from me reading male characters that promise to change but never do and still get the girl anyway.)
I love steffen and gabi as a couple and yes he is a really devoted husband.
Yes!! I’m so excited we’ll see more of Steffan and his character development! 😀 Despite his mistakes, I’ve always respected him for his willingness to change, so it’s so interesting to see that he was inspired by male protagonists who didn’t.
Yay, the voting begins!!
I would love if Steffan didn’t get almost last place again though. X) Gabi and Steffan are so awesome. I know he messes up sometimes, but Steffan’s just such a great character. He’s hilariously, entertainingly distinctive but human, flawed but still someone you can stand behind. His interactions with his family are just hilarious, and his character arc and growth over time has been, dare I say, brilliant, and almost beautiful to see. It’s my favorite! I love the dazzling, usually poll popular guys as much as the next girl, and I voted for for them! But, you know. Not all amazing guy characters have to be so… swoony, haha. I feel like Severin’s underrated too, but the fact that Steffan has been pretty much bottom two since this poll was born makes me incredibly sad. Like, dang, that’s rough. 🙁 It’s always hard to pick because I love so many of them, but I feel like Steffan deserves so much better. So please, I appeal to thee: if thou hath any love for the Kronprince of Arcainia, if you could spare him a vote for his honor I would appreciate it. 😉
Ah, and by voted I mean I voted for some of the popular guys, not all. I did vote for Severin and Steffan, haha. Hence my appeal.
Lol, sorry Faith, I didn’t pay attention to who was commenting, so please just ignore my earlier response to you.
Lol! I was so confused by this until I realized what you meant. No, I’m not K.M. Shea. 🙂
You’ve just made it too difficult to choose! I do really like Steffen as a character, but you have so-o-o many others, that you have to narrow my coffees down to only five? Ach! 😄
I know right?? Too many good choices. But yes, go for Steffan! He needs our help. XD
Honestly, this choice just gets harder every year. Though I’ll admit Farrin is still my first pick every year.
I had to include the Montamos brothers, because they made me laugh more than any other hero you’ve written, but other than that I really like the sweet guys who are always there for the girls. Like Solus, Alexei, Benjimir (Even if it takes him some learning on how to be sweet), Callan, Isaia, etc. Although with Isaia there were moments where I dearly wished to smash his impossible head against a wall! Even though Benjimir was an unpleasant character in Red Rope of Fate, I started to love him the first time he stood up for Fyn at their wedding. It pained me for Fyn to be so blind to the fact that his affections weren’t an act. And then Solus just makes me absolutely melt! I loved how offended he got when Kit started musing aloud about why he is such a lone wolf.
I LOVE the Montamos brothers! (I admit I cheat by putting them together, but I don’t care!) Because of their rapport with Raven, and because there are two of them, they let me be funny in ways I can’t be with the other books!
(And I’m with you in a fondness for Isaia, and I really like Benjimir and Solus as well!)
Has it really been a year since Merlin beat out Still? Also, I did vote for Solus, but he’s ahead of everyone and I feel like he might have an advantage with those who are solely A M Sohma fans.
Solus is ahead right now, but the first few hours are never a good measure I’ve learned. (In all honesty, I’ll be thrilled if he makes top 8 as the K. M. Shea fans greatly outnumber Sohma fans!)
But it will be interesting to see if Stil reclaims his title, or if an upstart like Emerys takes it. Emerys was insanely high last year considering he hadn’t been out long when I put the poll up, so I’m half thinking now that even more people have had a chance to read his story, he might pull off a win…
One of my votes definitely went to Solus, though I have to say, it felt a little bit like a “cheat” because he’s a multiple-book hero so we haven’t actually fully met him yet–there’s obviously some back story and whatnot yet to come. But I’m so fond of him I voted anyway ;-).