Paragons of common sense and self-control

Many are the stories I've read where protagonists are hot-heads without common sense, and not an ounce of self-control or foresight, easily goaded and manipulated. That can be fun, but it can also very quickly become annoying if it's not handled well, if the character is made to look willfully stupid and self-destructive for no good reason.

What about the opposite? Tell me of protagonists whose common sense, judgement and self-control are among their most defining features right from the start.

for starters, the Temeraire series. Laurence is always in control of himself, even if he isn't so much of Temeraire.

Also Peshawar Lancers and The Lies of Locke Lamora. Locke is especially a planner and plotter.

Honor Harrington, in the series starting with On Basilisk Station by David Weber

Gandalf, Dumbledore.

I suspect they'll often be secondary characters, since those who have it so together from the start don't get to illustrate central conflicts or undergo much growth.

Yes, I should have been more clear.
I meant primary characters, not mentor-types or designated companions.

If this means that the book won't have the protagonist growing up/into a better person, I'm perfectly fine with that. Not every story needs to be a Bildungsroman/Hero's Journey. In fact, I often prefer those that aren't.

That's a tough one! The coming-of-age thing is pretty ingrained into a lot of fantasy. I can think of a handful of sci-fi examples, but not much fantasy.

Hhhm. Prince Raoden from Elantris by Brandon Sanderson is pretty mature right from the start, IIRC. Maybe Ringil from The Steel Remains? Shadow from American Gods. Maybe Samuel Vimes from several of the Discworld books, notably Guards! Guards!, Men at Arms and Feet of Clay.

Speaking of Discworld, Granny Weatherwax should fit the description. Wyrd Sisters, Witches Abroad, Maskerade...

The Master of Shadow in Curse of the Mistwraith is very epitome of self restraint and cool-headed clear thinking. Doesn't make his life any easier though. Excellent series well worth reading.

#9 I'll second that. I immediately thought of Arithon s'Ffalenn when I read the title of the thread.

Oh hurrah. FINALLY found Curse of the Mistwraith in ebook form that my reader can read.

Also, Anamander Rake in Gardens of the Moon certainly fits, but then Gardens isn't conventional and there isn't really a single protagonist, so not sure if he'll qualify under all the criteria. But if there is anyone who is driven by cool calculus its him. For that matter so is Whiskeyjack, Calladan Brood and most of the characters in the book. No emotional tantrums there, except perhaps Paran and he has an excuse because a God is messing with him.

Yes, Arithon would fit.
I dropped The Wars of Light and Shadow after Warhost of Vastmark, not because I didn't like it (I did), but because the release-schedule was killing me. I plan on picking it back up once the series is finished.

Granny Weatherwax is also a great fit, and from what I've read so far, Tiffany Aching would be as well.

Also agreed on the Malazan books, more than a few characters would fit. But with a huge ensemble cast it's hard to single out primary characters.

Although by far not in the same league as Arithon, Tavi of the Codex Alera by Jim Butcher might also fit the description.

If you don't mind science fiction, Cordelia Naismith in Shards of honour by Lois McMaster Bujold is a very level headed hero - not in the least bit TSTL.

>6 d_h:, 7
If this means that the book won't have the protagonist growing up/into a better person, I'm perfectly fine with that. Not every story needs to be a Bildungsroman/Hero's Journey.

The coming-of-age thing is pretty ingrained into a lot of fantasy.

When I think of the term "novel" I think of a literary work involving the protagonist going through a major change, a change in who he/she is. We normally don’t think of that as being limited to the fantasy novel in particular. (At least I don’t.)

I can think of good novels in which this doesn’t happen - e.g., in The Maltese Falcon, Sam Spade is pretty much the same person at the end as he is at the beginning - but I perceive them as the exception.

In fact, don’t the self-appointed guardians of the haute literary world consider it a key desideratum for the protagonist to undergo a major change? (Not that I usually pay much attention to that crowd, but even a stopped clock...)
If nothing about the protagonist’s situation has changed by the end, I think I’d perceive the novel as sterile, unless it is very good in its other aspects.

Cazaril from Curse of Chalion is pretty level headed after 5? years as a slave.

Tyrion Lannister from A Game of Thrones is all about using his noggin' and keeping his cool (mostly) when he's in a tight spot, dealing with abuse, etc. Although whether he's a protaganist is debateable. Anyway, he does think his way out of more than a few scrapes and it's a large part of his appeal to readers.

There are many characters that fall under this category in the Liaden Universe series by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller.

Anrel Murau has common sense and self-control...not too sure about the judgment, but that drives the story. A Young Man Without Magic by Lawrence Watt-Evans

Perhaps Sophie in Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones would qualify.

Aunt Pol in The Belgariad more than fills the bill.

She has her own book, too. lol

Ooh - difficult one! I can think of loads of hot-heads... But for cool common sense and self-control, just three:

Rowan, from the Steerswoman books, starting with The steerswoman's road by Rosemary Kirstein.

Lydia Asher, from Those who hunt the night and traveling with the dead by Barbara Hambly.

Nicholas Valiarde, from The death of the necromancer by Martha Wells.

Barbara Hambly creates wonderful real characters. They start out being being decent to the core, and face such obstacles that they deepen and grow even more lovely. Even without the adventures, you want to spend time with them.

John Aversin and Jenny Waynest of the Winterlands series, begins with Dragonsbane. John is the paragon of good sense. Jenny wrestles with menopause in one of the later books; quite a rare depiction.

I also second #14's Cordelia Naismith nomination. She's another character I love to hang out with regularly.

Perhaps Fitz from Robin Hobb's Assassin's Apprentice. The tale itself was told a bit slowly but with passion. Fitz is also not perfect but he was far more stoic than I expected him to be.

Gah, I hated the Farseer trilogy. So much that I won't ever pick up another of Hobb's books.

You might want to try The Legend of Nightfall, as long as the character doesn't also have to be particularly morally upright. Nightfall has a pretty good head on his shoulders, most of the time.

Actually, characters who are or were assassins and spies and thieves and the like are probably good bets in general for having the ability to keep a cool head--otherwise they'd be dead or caught pretty quickly.