Ask a devoted reader to reveal their favourite literary character, and you might unleash a clash fiercer than a Quidditch tournament.
Yet a freshly minted survey—commissioned by Amazon UK to herald this year’s Kindle Storyteller Award—has sorted the country’s heroes quicker than the Sorting Hat, putting one smooth-talking secret agent at the top of the pile.
THE TWENTY GREATEST EVER LITERARY HEROES…
| Hero | Book & Author | % of Votes |
|---|---|---|
| James Bond | by Ian Fleming | 27% |
| Frodo | The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien | 26% |
| Harry Potter | by J.K. Rowling | 24% |
| Sherlock Holmes | by Arthur Conan Doyle | 19% |
| Clarice Starling | The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris | 19% |
| Alice | Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll | 15% |
| Matilda Wormwood | Matilda by Roald Dahl | 15% |
| Mowgli | The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling | 14% |
| Jonathan Harker | Dracula by Bram Stoker | 13% |
| Jane Eyre | by Charlotte Brontë | 10% |
| Elizabeth Bennet | Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen | 10% |
| Katniss Everdeen | The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins | 10% |
| Pongo | 101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith | 9% |
| David Copperfield | by Charles Dickens | 9% |
| Paul Sheldon | Misery by Stephen King | 8% |
| Winston Smith | 1984 by George Orwell | 7% |
| Offred | The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood | 7% |
| Dorothy Gale | The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum | 6% |
| Ishmael | Moby-Dick by Herman Melville | 6% |
| Mark Renton | Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh | 5% |
“We all love a hero, whether they’re complicated, an underdog or as charismatic as they come. That passion shines through in many of our Kindle Storyteller Award entries. Championing independent authors and exploring the brilliant characters they dream up is always something the judges look forward to—and we can’t wait to see what this year’s entries bring, including all the new heroes we’ll be rooting for.” — Jen Barrett, Amazon UK
Why characters cast the strongest spells
Almost two in three respondents declared that vivid protagonists and villains alike are the beating heart of any novel. Little wonder, then, that a staggering nine out of ten believe books are the most moving art form.
Nearly a quarter actively hunt for stories that tug at every emotional string, while over four in five confess to rereading cherished titles an average of seven times—proof that great tales enjoy more comebacks than Nearly Headless Nick.
Britain’s reading rituals
- Avid readership: Three-quarters of adults claim the ‘bookworm’ badge with pride. One in three insists reading is nothing less than a passion, and over eight in ten call it life’s finest pleasure.
- Reading rate: The typical Brit romps through four books each month, favouring fictional worlds (two-thirds) over factual ones.
- Genre hotspots: Nail-biting thrillers top the chart, closely shadowed by true crime, classic whodunnits and historical sagas. Fantasy, romance and the occasional memoir complete the literary feast.
- Favourite reading nooks: Bedtime dominates—nearly six in ten curl up with a novel before lights-out, followed by sofa sessions, sun-lounger escapes, and garden hideaways. Long train journeys and daily commutes also double as portable libraries for many.
What this means for tomorrow’s storytellers
The research underscores a simple truth: unforgettable characters wield more magical power than any spell.
As the Kindle Storyteller Award opens its doors to new manuscripts, would-be authors have their marching orders—craft heroes (and anti-heroes) readers will follow into fire, flying broomstick or not.
After all, Britain has spoken, and its next favourite literary character could be waiting just beyond the turn of the next page.
