# pick your leader



## nj1 (Nov 29, 2007)

You have a chance to pick any ficticous leader from any book to command your army against an enemy army twice the size of yours.
Who would you choose and why?

Mine would be Parmmenion from Gemmells Lion of macedon. 
Simply because he's the strategos.


----------



## Lady of Winterfell (Nov 30, 2007)

Good question! I think this will require some thought. I will get back to you.


----------



## Connavar (Nov 30, 2007)

Heh mine would be Parmenion from Lion of Macedon too.  If it was an ancient battle.


If it was a modern battle like in the 18-19th century i would Napoleon Bonaparte from Simon Scarrow's Young Bloods.


----------



## The Ace (Nov 30, 2007)

Belgarath from the Belgariad/ Malloreon.


----------



## bruno-1012 (Nov 30, 2007)

Queen Alisande from Stasheff's A Wizard in Rhyme.

As long as she is in the right she cannot be defeated in battle.


----------



## Rohan (Nov 30, 2007)

Coltaine from the Malazan series.


----------



## Omphalos (Nov 30, 2007)

Ender Wiggin.


----------



## Culhwch (Nov 30, 2007)

Lord Vetinari, Patrician of Ankh-Morpork.


----------



## Talysia (Nov 30, 2007)

I'd pick Belgarath as well.


----------



## Sephiroth (Nov 30, 2007)

I would third the choice of Parmenion.


----------



## Kissmequick (Nov 30, 2007)

I'd go for Sam Vimes

He'd prevent the war by arresting the opposing army for breech of the peace....Oh wait he did that didn't he


----------



## Joel007 (Nov 30, 2007)

General Tacticus, Lord Vetinari, or Grand Admiral Thrawn!


----------



## Connavar (Dec 1, 2007)

Joel007 said:


> General Tacticus, Lord Vetinari, or Grand Admiral Thrawn!




Frome where?

Also good to see Jayne again


----------



## Pyan (Dec 1, 2007)

Dakeyras, Gemmel's Waylander.


----------



## Rothgar (Dec 1, 2007)

Without hesitation I would choose Zhuge Liang (Kongming) the ultimate strategist and general from The Romance of the Three Kingdoms.


----------



## Connavar (Dec 1, 2007)

Rothgar said:


> Without hesitation I would choose Zhuge Liang (Kongming) the ultimate strategist and general from The Romance of the Three Kingdoms.




The original books?  Are they even realesed in english?

I read manhua(chinese comic) based on that story called Ravages of Time, it was pretty good.


----------



## Rothgar (Dec 1, 2007)

Connavar of Rigante said:


> The original books? Are they even realesed in english?
> 
> I read manhua(chinese comic) based on that story called Ravages of Time, it was pretty good.



You can read it online here: Three Kingdoms  (scroll down to the bottom) 

or the version I have, which is one of the newest translations and I thought was very well done, is here:  Amazon.com: Three Kingdoms: Chinese Classics (Classic Novel in 4-Volumes): Books: Moss Roberts

I would highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't read it.  The prose is not the most gripping but the story is fantastic.


----------



## Karn Maeshalanadae (Dec 2, 2007)

I'd have to agree with The Ace on this one and say Belgarath. I don't think, say, Bilbo would be a good general. Though I must admit, that WOULD be amusing to see...


----------



## Adasunshine (Dec 2, 2007)

I reckon I'd go for Iorek Byrnison from His Dark Materials Trilogy, he seems to know his stuff plus he has a bloody powerful army at his back...

xx


----------



## Joel007 (Dec 2, 2007)

Connavar of Rigante said:


> Frome where?
> 
> Also good to see Jayne again


 
Tacticus and Vetinari both come from the Discworld books. Thrawn is the greatest of the Empire's strategists in Star Wars. 

And yes, it is great to "be" Jayne again


----------



## Stormflame (Dec 10, 2007)

Uhh...Bill Clinton???
Not!


----------



## dustinzgirl (Dec 10, 2007)

Skilgannon.

Because I bet that boy is just dang sexy.

I know, terrible reason to pick a leader. But he's dang good with a blade too. And smart. And did I mention sexy? Can you have a crush on a book character?


----------



## The Ace (Dec 10, 2007)

If Lord Vetinari were  in charge the enemy would be too busy fighting among themselves to notice that we were egging them on, good choice.


----------



## Joel007 (Dec 10, 2007)

Jingo is a fantastic example. 
Not in a state of war, merely in a state of football. 
Arresting two armies for disturbing the peace was awesome


----------



## Aleksei (Dec 10, 2007)

Flavius Belisarius, no doubt about it. (though he was a real person, I am referring to the fictional portrayal of him in David Drake's and Eric Flint's Belisarius series.)


----------



## george c (Dec 10, 2007)

Robb Stark of winterfell. young, brave and a great leader


----------



## Ramoth's Rider (Dec 10, 2007)

Oh toughie - ummm Anyone at all eh?

OK in the case Lord Soth and his knights cos your know that one touch and your enemy is dead.


----------



## matt-browne-sfw (Dec 12, 2007)

How about William Adama from BSG? Cylons always got twice as many ships...


----------



## chrispenycate (Dec 12, 2007)

Miles Vorkostigan.
Sneaky little devil who will do everything to avoid casualties in his forces, and will never consider a head-on assault.

Better than all these valiant heroes who don't care how many get through as long as the battle is won.


----------



## Tea is my copilot (Dec 12, 2007)

chrispenycate said:


> Miles Vorkostigan.
> Sneaky little devil who will do everything to avoid casualties in his forces, and will never consider a head-on assault.
> 
> Better than all these valiant heroes who don't care how many get through as long as the battle is won.


 
MY CHOICE COMPLETELY.
He's brilliant. I'm probably partly in love with him.


----------



## nj1 (Dec 12, 2007)

chrispenycate said:


> Miles Vorkostigan.
> Sneaky little devil who will do everything to avoid casualties in his forces, and will never consider a head-on assault.
> 
> Better than all these valiant heroes who don't care how many get through as long as the battle is won.


 

Who? 
Is this person a commander of a large or small force? A small force leader generally attemps to keep casualties low as they have little resources.

I was thinking when posting this thread that the two armies are within say ten miles of each other, so there's room to manouvre but gurilla tctics are less likley to occur?


----------



## Stormflame (Dec 12, 2007)

Uhh....George Bush?
**Blink, blink** and the room is quiet.


----------



## Connavar (Dec 13, 2007)

Aleksei said:


> Flavius Belisarius, no doubt about it. (though he was a real person, I am referring to the fictional portrayal of him in David Drake's and Eric Flint's Belisarius series.)



Have you read the other series by Drake and SM Sterling called The General also based on Belisarius?

I wonder which one of the two series to read.

Is the series you talk about written like historical fiction and based on his life?  I would like that.


----------



## gully_foyle (Dec 13, 2007)

How about Cheradenine Zakalwe from Use of Weapons by Iain M Banks? He's a pretty good general, just don't mention chairs.


----------



## AE35Unit (Dec 14, 2007)

Either Slippery Jim diGriz from The Stainless Steel rat books or Rincewind from Discworld,complete with Luggage!


----------



## Reading_fanatic (Dec 16, 2007)

If it's a fantasy battle I would Jasaray the Stone General from David Gemmells Rigante series.

If it's a Sci-Fi battle I would pick Honor Harrington from David Webers Honor Harrington series.


----------



## danedane (Dec 16, 2007)

Ender form Ender's Game he may be just a kid but hes smarter then me


----------



## K. Riehl (Dec 16, 2007)

Ender, as he never lost a battle.


----------



## Fake Vencar (Dec 18, 2007)

Obviously, it would have to be Prince Arutha as he DID defeat an army of more than twice the men


----------



## that old guy (Dec 18, 2007)

Hile Troy, Thomas Covenant/The Illearth War


----------



## nj1 (Dec 18, 2007)

Fake Vencar said:


> Obviously, it would have to be Prince Arutha as he DID defeat an army of more than twice the men


 
I've never thought of Arutha as a general. Perhaps cos in most books he's off on some secret mission with a handfull of pals. Even during the defence of Krondor I didn't think of him as a commanding general even though he was in charge of the defence of the kingdom.


----------



## Doug Graves (Dec 28, 2007)

Easy: Elric...he doesn't even need an army.


----------



## Simple Simon (Jan 12, 2008)

Matrim Cauthon from The Wheel of Time series.


----------



## Joel007 (Jan 12, 2008)

From Ian Irvine's books, I wouldn't mind Cryl-Nush Hlar after his leadership at the battle of Gumby-Marth. Scrutator Xervish Flydd is a pretty awesome leader too


----------



## Lucien21 (Jan 12, 2008)

Honor Harrington


----------



## AE35Unit (Jan 13, 2008)

Having finished A Princess on Mars I would have to say John Carter of Barsoom! 
ERB would be honoured!


----------



## tyr (May 2, 2008)

Gandalf The Grey. 
He is the mastermind of the good army against Sauron. Gandalf has no official leadership, so not only he has to think the way to defeat Sauron, he must convince and motivate others to fight Sauron.


----------



## Hilarious Joke (May 3, 2008)

I like the aformentioned idea of Belgarath commanding my army.


----------



## Purdy Bear (May 7, 2008)

Aragon from LOR, and if it fits, Artemis Fowl from Eoin Coffers books.  The boy is just well wicked, and you know he would get the job done in a very sneaky, and underhanded manner.


----------



## DeepThought (May 26, 2008)

I was initially going for _Ender Wiggin_. But was beaten to it...good call you guys.

I was surprised nobody mentioned *Thufir Hawat* (Mentat) though, from _Frank Herbert's Dune_. A master strategist, thinking and analysing complex scenario's; a human computer. Even _Baron Vladimir Harkonnen_ (a genius himself albeit twisted) is reluctant to kill him in order to used his mentat capabilities to bring one of his rival houses down (Corrin?), this alone speaks volumes of his talent. Also *Miles Teg* another mentat from _Heretics of Dune_. A military genius, once even chosen as Supreme Bashar of the Bene Gesserit.

Cheers, DeepThought


----------



## nixie (May 26, 2008)

Coltaine, Whiskey Jack, Tavore Paran all from Erikson's Malazan series, all excellent leaders.


----------



## Nesacat (May 26, 2008)

Bheeshma, Drona or Krishna from the epic Mahabharata. Great strategists and tacticians and not above trickery either.


----------



## DeepThought (May 26, 2008)

Nesacat said:


> Bheeshma, Drona or Krishna from the epic Mahabharata. Great strategists and tacticians and not above trickery either.



I bought *Mahabharata* by _C. Rajagopalachari_ and *Ramayana* by _C. R. Dutt_ on my last trip to India. I remember posting about _Ashok Banker _and his take on the legend. 



Nesacat said:


> ..._If you really wish to delve into the realm of Hindu myth, you might want to give traditional versions a try first to get feel of them before you venture into the retellings._



I was sticking to your above suggestion when I bought the aforementioned two. Really looking forward to read them. By the way, is this pair good traditional versions?

Cheers, DeepThought


----------



## yngvi (May 26, 2008)

I'll go for Johann Karlsenn from the 'Berserker' series by Fred Saberhagen.  He got the job done.


----------



## Wybren (Jun 22, 2008)

Well as he does appear in books, I would have to say The Doctor.


----------



## Alurny (Jun 22, 2008)

Elric of Melnibone


----------



## nj1 (Jul 11, 2008)

Alurny said:


> Elric of Melnibone


 
I'm currently reading Elric after having bought the fantasy masterworks (17) it contains 'Stormbringer' and a few short stories and to be brutally honest I don't think that much of Elric so far, every 'adventure' he's had so far has ended in the most anti-climatic way. He conjours up a spell and hey presto the worlds OK again or his patron God destroys the enemy for him . 
Also without his sword he's so weak he can't stand up on his own !

Sorry but I just don't rate him as yet. Maybe things get better?


----------

