Top 10 Alpha Males

Ok, these are my men - (I wish)! I will put the name of the man - book title and author and that way you may find a lead guy you don't know about. (Of course, I am hoping to find some more reading material/hotties also). Fans herself in anticipation.....................

1 Jake Bannaconni - Burning Wild - Christine Feehan
2 Hawke - Kiss of Snow - Nalini Singh (JOINT SECOND) with Curran - Ilona Andrews - Kate Daniel's series
3 Raphael - Archangel's series - Nalini Singh
4 Jack Cole - Wicked Ties - Shayla Black (crap storyline but he is SO dominant)!
5 Mr Darcy - Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
6 Terrible - Unholy Ghosts series - Stacia Kane
7 Eric Northman - Sookie Stackhouse Books - Christine Harris
8 Wrath - Dark lover - J R Ward
9 Riley - Branded by Fire - Nalini Singh
10 Quinn - Kerri Arthur -

Of course, in an hour I will change my mind and probably remove/add/change my list but then I am only human!!

Hey, I moved this topic, since it has little to do with Kiss of Snow-spoilers. ;p Good list, although I can't agree with some of the guys there

1. Judd Lauren
2. Hawke
3. Zsadist (Black Dagger Brotherhood series)
4. Dageus MacKeltar (Highlander series)
5. Drustan MacKeltar (Highlander series)
6. Riley
7. Maddox (Gods of the Underworld series - Gena Showalter)
8. Aeron (Gods of the Underworld series - Gena Showalter)
9. Mr. Rochester (Jane Eyre)
10. Uhmm...I forget?


Catikins, I heartily approve of your list. A DELCIOUS list if I do say so myself. =]

not in any specific order, but some of the male leads over time that stand out as especially alpha...

Raphael – Archangel series – Nalini Singh (IMO of all of Singh's heroes so far Raphael is the most unapologetically ruthless, haven't read KoS yet, though)
Justin Alastair, Duke of Avon "Satanas" – These Old Shades – Georgette Heyer (he deserves his nickname; seems omniscient and for all his affected ways he is very dangerous)
James McKinley – Moonrise – Anne Stuart (a trained killer with almost no conscience; changeable)
Robert Cannon – Loving Evangeline – Linda Howard (Howard has quite a number of alpha heroes; this one is probably one of the most calculating and ruthless)
Simon Traherne, Earl of Blade – Scandal – Amanda Quick (one of her early regencies from the nineties; the hero is (almost) unswervable in his quest for revenge)
Croft Falconer – Midnight Jewels – Jayne Ann Krentz (contemporary from the nineties, when her heroes were way more alpha than nowadays)
Gregori Dragonseeker – Dark Magic – Christine Feehan (the prototypical Carpathian alpha male, though some of the others are pretty alpha, too)
Challen Ly-San-Ter – Warrior's Woman – Johanna Lindsey (time travel novel, this is heavy stuff)
Conar MacAuliffe – Lord of Wolves – Heather Graham (a viking novel, they were supposed to be alpha, I guess)
Anthony Welles, Earl of Clare – Devil's Embrace – Catherine Coulter (this is not for the faint-hearted; though I find Anthony's behaviour inexcusable and reprehensible, I was also reluctantly fascinated by him)

Monadh, I read Devil's Embrace...oh dear. He really was the DEVIL. I can see him as being incredibly alpha but with the whole 'ravishing' her scene...honestly I had to take a shower. It was....disturbing.

My friend recommended 'Scandal', do you? I'm wondering if I should just skip it? Let me know. =]

I just read that review (http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/94643090) and couldn't stop laughing. This Anthony-guy seems to be a creeeeeep! I think just to understand why it was so bad I'm going to go to the library and look if I find it there. Ftw. xD

@Ruby
Scandal was the first historical by Amanda Quick that I read and it is still one of my favorites, but it is a very 90ies romance, her heroines are much more emancipated today... I have to say that Emily (the heroine) still stands out in my head whereas the heroines from Krentz' more recent novels have begun to blur into each other...

@Patricia
I wouldn't quite call Anthony a creep but he certainly behaves in a very contemptible way...at the beginning of the novel he abducts the heroine just before her marriage to another man and then proceeds to rape her so that she can never go back. In a way I found it a very disturbing book, but it was published in the early eighties. I certainly do not condone rape, but it is a work of fiction and one has to keep in mind that at that time women were considered the legal property of their husbands (in the novel they are not married yet, but Anthony plans to marry her) and I think it was only in the last century that the notion of rape within marriage was established at all; before that it was considered a wife's duty to be at the disposal of her husband whenever he wanted...
Maybe I'm twisted, but even being aware of all of the above I found myself reluctantly fascinated by this story...

monadh, I doN't know how you were able to read this book. I couldn't read the whole thing. It disturbed me. I understand what you're saying and I have to admit that on a philosophical or psychological level I'm not as.. reluctant.

I guess, my problem is not that he did rape her. Well, it's not like I like it, but the real problem is how she starts to like being treated that way and how in the end they are together. I couldn't continue reading it after he beat her, it just.. well, I couldn't. So, hm. I can't really judge or rate it, but I didn't like what I read. I didn't like how he said: "I'm not going to hurt you" just to tie her to the bed and rape her. Or when she got preggers and he said "How could I possibly have planned that?" Well, you fucked her almost every day. How would that happen? The things that Karla points out in her review PLUS something I can't verbalize just yet. I have to think about the novel. I want to finish it to have the full picture, but it's like.. Idk, I almost had to purge when I read "I have to beat you cus you didn't do what I said and although you already regret it and won't do that again, although I won#t do it in front of anyone so we could simply act as if I had punished you, I'm going to do it. And I'm so sorry, but you forced me. Just as your forced me to abduct and rape you." ..

Well, forget that. I'm too confused right now. oô
I think it's quite.. personal for me.

Patricia wrote:Hey, I moved this topic, since it has little to do with Kiss of Snow-spoilers. ;p Good list, although I can't agree with some of the guys there

Thank you Patricia, I agree but couldn't work out how to move it!!! Also, I lost it and have only just found it again ..........sheesh........I am blonde! xx

Yay!!!!!!!!! This is brilliant!!! You have provided me with loads of new alphas to meet and fall for - I am so fickle ...... in a week it will be 'who's Hawke'?, oh yeah that guy from KOS - he's ok...

@ catikins

I love Mr Darcy, but I don't really see him as an alpha male. I see him as being a massive dork, smart, but really bad at any kind of social interaction. I think Jane Austen's villains are more likely to be the alpha types. Henry Crawford, for instance. The Brontes wrote alpha males (Rochester and Heathcliff), but they're bastards.

@ Ruby and monadh
I've read some Amanda Quick, but the names are so similar I get them mixed up. I do remember the one I liked best was Seduction. I did find them a little dated – the men too domineering, the women too innocent – but I quite liked them.

I’ve heard such bad things about the old skool 70s and 80s romance writers like Bertrice Small, Kathleen Woodiwiss and Catherine Coulter that I stay away from them. I did really like The Windflower, but I read it because it came highly recommended. It’s old skool, but it’s still awesome. In general though, 70s, 80s and even some 90s stuff squicks me. Even Lisa Kleypas’ 90s stuff can be dodgy.

On the subject of rape in romance, has anyone read Claiming the Courtesan, by Anna Campbell? It has an old skool plot (a duke’s courtesan leaves him, so he kidnaps her and rapes her repeatedly), with a more modern approach (it’s meant to be creepy and fucked up). It didn’t quite work for me – I couldn’t forgive him, and I wasn’t convinced by her forgiveness, but it’s a fascinating read in a train wreck kind of way.

Uh... I will post a list at some point. (Though I only like alphas in fiction and fantasy. In real life they can be a mistake.)

In no particular order, because ranking is always hard...

1. Hawke (it's possibly just because KoS is the most recent NS book. In a month it might be Judd on the list)
2. Marcus, Lord Westcliff - It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas
3. James, Viscount Sanburne - Bound by Your Touch by Meredith Duran
4. Bran - Son of the Shadows by Juliet Marillier
5. Christian, Duke of Jervaulx - Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale
6. Christopher Phelan - Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas
7. Vere, Duke of Ainsworth - The Last Hellion by Loretta Chase
8. Calvin Morrissey - Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
9. Red - Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier
10. Sylvester, Duke of Salford - Sylvester by Georgette Heyer

And now for least favourite alphas. I don't want to be seen to be criticising other people's reading preferences here. Romantic heroes are purely a matter of taste, and these are ones that really, really don't work for me, even when I may like other things about the books.

1. Ahmed ben Hassan - The Sheik by Edith Maude Hull (there is a lot about this book that makes me angry, but mostly the rape and breaking of heroine's spirit. It was published in 1919 and was a best seller.)
2. Patch - Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (abusive)
3. Edward Cullen - Twilight by Stepheny Meyer (creepy, manipulative stalker)
4. Jace Weyland - Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare (bastard)
5. Justin, Duke of Avon - These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer (there's some awesomely dark slash written about him, but the cannon version is a little too much for me. I do - reluctantly - find him fascinating, though.)
6. Dev - Easy Connections by Liz Berry (rapist)
7. Justin, Duke of Kylemore - Claiming the Courtesan by Anna Campbell (kidnapper, rapist)
8. Justin Vallerand - Only With Your Love by Lisa Kleypas (rapist. Also, what's with all the Justins? Bizarre.)
9. Lucien de Malheur - Breathless by Anne Stuart (Plans the gang rape of a woman to get revenge upon her brothers. Also, has a pretentious name.)
10. Michael Wyndham - Love's Prisoner by Mary Janice Davidson (I don't feel as strongly about this book as the others, probably because it's so fluffy, but still... rapist)

1. Judd Lauren (Melting away like Ice in the sun)
2. Hawke (I haven't read the book yet, but I don't care^^)
3. Jacob Black (yes, I know ... but he's so the opposite of Edward, and I love him because of that)
4. Rhage (Yes, he's cute)
5. Kaleb Krychek (He's an Alpha boy. Let's see if the boy grows to a man)
6. Clay (I began the series with him an Tally and I won't forget him)
7. Riley (He would be the Family-Alpha ^^)
8. Lucas (Very much Alpha)
9. Gabriel (from Blood and Chocolat. The movie not the book. I didn't like anyone in the movie except for him and the aunt. They were totally cool)
10. ....?

@Patricia
you are right, Devil's Embrace is a very disturbing book, especially for the reasons you named. Even so I wouldn't describe the heroine as the doormat type, she somehow becomes a willing accomplice in her own subjugation...

@Sycorax
I didn't mean that these were my "favorite" alphas, as a matter of fact I think some of them are real heels. I'm just saying that these guys stand out in my mind as the "most alpha" heroes I've read.
Also, I have some issues with your list: firstly I wouldn't describe Sylvester as very alpha, Heyer has done quite a number of heroes that are way more alpha IMO, for instance Julian?, Lord Worth in Regency Buck, Charles (though he doesn't stand a chance against Sophy) in The Grand Sophy, Max Ravenscar in Faro's Daughter, Marcus, the Earl of Rule in The Convenient Marriage and Carleton in Lady of Quality.
Also, in a way I like Justin Alastair (These Old Shades); though he is scary and dangerous, he never mistreats the heroine. Originally he buys her with the notion to use her as a tool to revenge himself on her father, but when he finally does take his revenge, he doesn't do it for what her father did to him, but for what he did to her.
I was reluctantly fascinated by Lucien the Malheur, even though he is a complete heel. He doesn't plan the gang rape of just any woman, but of his woman and even though he doesn't go through with his plan, he doesn't much redeem himself in my eyes.

Needless to say that I would consider such behaviour completely unacceptable in real life, but that's what fiction is for!

I have had a hard life and suffered a wee bit of abuse at the hands of people who are supposed to love you. So forgive me I cannot romanticize abuse of any form in books. I do not condemn those who read or enjoy it I am only speaking for myself. I studiously avoid rape by the hero in any romance novel I read.I can tolerate it from anyone else except the hero.I watched first hand my own mother's abuse too so sorry I will not consider that type of person in my list of alpha males. I do not mean to offend anyone just voicing my tuppence.

For the record rough sex or even some form of seduction like a forced one is not rape in my book though.

@ monadh

I'm just saying that these guys stand out in my mind as the "most alpha" heroes I've read.

Oooh, that makes me want to compile another list along those lines - alphas that fascinate you, whether or not you actually like them. I love making lists. Avon would definitely make that one, as would Mr Rochester.

Yeah, you have a point about Sylvester - that hadn't occurred to me. Looking back at my list, there are few others who are probably not honest to goodness alphas. For a replacement Heyer I might go with the Vidal from Devil's Cub, then - definitely an alpha, if a less accomplished one than his father. See - I have massive double standards. Vidal behaves appallingly to Mary throughout most of the book (including almost raping her), whereas Avon is at worst cold to Leonie, and so gorgeously humble and self effacing at the end. Yet I find him creepy and kind of adore Vidal. I suppose it shows how personal your reactions and tastes are - they don't always make sense when considered logically. For instance I'm ok with a lot of things in erotica that make me furious in romance, though I still have a sticking point. Erotica is even more about fantasy than romance is - the driving force behind a story being sex rather than relationships. However I still find it somewhat bizarre when I'm enraged at something in one genre that I can shrug off or put aside in another.

This is the sort of thing I find fascinating to discuss in romance - I have endless rambling conversations about this sort of thing with my (unfortunately few) romance reading friends. I'm sorry if I came across as overly critical in my earlier post.

@ Kitard
I think it's natural that our experiences affect our taste in romance. I'm so sorry you and your family have had to go through that. I have been lucky personally, but I have friends who have experienced domestic abuse and rape, and hearing their stories has made me less tolerant of rape in romance than I might otherwise have been. For me, being ok with forced seduction or rough sex depends on the book and on the way the scene is written.

@Kitarad
my post wasn't aimed as criticism against anybody else's opinion, only as an explanation why I included a heel like Anthony Welles in my top alpha list. I read romance as an escape and so for me I can accept some things that I would never tolerate in real life. That said, I can completely sympathize with you, that, having had bad experiences in this regard yourself, you can't stand to read about it in romance novels. And I have to say, I also find "rape" scenes (even in medieval historicals and/or historicals written in the 70ies/80ies very problematic, because, even if it would be authentic for the time period mostly romance novels reflect the attitudes of the time they were written in). I think one of the reasons I still remember Anthony after so many years after reading it (you can't imagine how many romances I have completely forgotten what they were about) is, that I found the book deeply disturbing.

@Sycorax
Yeah, I can go with Vidal. I think in a way he is more approachable and less scary and cold than his father. With Justin Alastair I especially like the "gorgeously humble and self effacing" part at the end; but this works so well because of the way his character was set up in the rest of the novel. I also have to say that normally I don't like such a big age difference between hero and heroine but for these two it works, because Leonie is this strange mix of innocence and experience beyond her years.
The relationship between Vidal and Mary is completely different, they are not that far apart age wise and she is a very grounded young woman whereas he is reckless and exuberant. It is true, he tries to rape her, but is then shot for his trouble by her and I think that marks a turning point in their relationship.
I like rough, steamy sex in my romance novels but for me there also has to be some connection between the characters before they jump into bed with each other or do it against a door or tree or whatever (it doesn't have to be everlasting love) and there should also be some plot, otherwise I'm just bored. I also think a book can be very erotically charged without there being any actual sex scenes in it (for instance Faro's Daughter where the hero and the heroine constantly try to best each other.)

Yes I know it was authentic for that era I actually remember reading sweet savage love and never touching anything but Mills and Boon after that. I am 50 + so I had the pleasure of living through that era. I think that was why I gravitated to science fiction and mysteries and court room drama at a younger age the romance books by the writers for that age made it difficult for me to like them.

I am sorry to revisit this topic but today I was reading something a person wrote about how it is actually love that drives men to treat women poorly. I am not writing this to invite discussion just writing to get this off my chest.

I know what it feels like to be beaten and told the other person loves you and is doing it because they love you. I am sorry I cannot understand that at all. No person can truly love a person and hurt them by raping them or allowing the person they claim to love be beaten and raped by others or torturing them however the same reason men who love another beat them and think they still love them allows women in that relationship to be loved in that way. That I understand that those kind of relationships can exist is because I have watched it happen right before my eyes so I am not amazed by the depth of feeling abuse can have. I just do not think it is love. I think it is a level of obsession but not love.

That's horrible. I think it is possible to have some kind of love for someone (or think you do) and treat them badly, but to say that the love is the cause of the abuse is bullshit. It's a weak and fucked up excuse, trying to throw the blame back on the victim.

Kitarad, I am very glad I wasn't reading romance during the 70s and 80s. I know there were some wonderful books written then (I'm fond of The Windflower), but that trend of abuse and rape makes me uncomfortable. And angry. At least it's not triggering for me. I'm not surprised you gravitated to other genres. I was having a conversation today about genre writing in the 70s, and how while romance was ultra conservative and scary from a feminist perspective, there was interesting, socially radical stuff going on in sci fi.

For me love is a lot in terms of Sascha`s power - the more you hurt someone the harder it hits you back. So any kind of abuse toward someone, especially a person you claim to love, is impossible. You want them to be happy, not break their spirit.

My reasons why I can't stand rape and abuse from the hero are very similiar to yours, Kitarad. I'm sorry to hear that and the people who said that it's love that.. I can't even..

And Jelena, yes - Exactly!

Oh and two Alphas I liked very much: Curran (Ilona Andrew's Kate Daniels-series) and Barrons (Karen Marie Moning's Fever series). :>

Patricia ............ 'HELLO', I haven't been on for ages as I have been busy with work and also loads of reading. Just read book 3 of the Ilona Andrews Kate Daniel's series and I agree with you Curran is hawt, and I am going to check out Karen Moning's Fever series now. Frustrating because I read the first 3 of the Kate Daniels series on my kindle but the 4th is only in paperback! Anyway, glad to be back and hope you are well, I've missed you guys and all the KOS furore!!! xxx

What about Adam Hauptman from the Mercy Thompson Series?

Heya!

You're not the only one. It seems like I only manage to go online once in a while and my posts have the quality of a five years old. But, hey.. It's not like anyone expects more of me anyway, so.. :'D

Glad you're here again! Curran is soo yummie, right? I usually have problems with heroes like him, I mean.. he tried to choke her. BUT he's forgiven. Need to think about that.. lol, I'm a hyprocrite but I like it. xD

Oh, that sucks! You can send me your paperback and I'll send you my ebook, lol ;D

We (I dare anyone say something else :<) missed you, too!

And I'm still always imagining you talking like Dr. Who.. Missed that, as well. Mwuaha.

Almost forgot to say: OH YES, BARRONS! asfasdfawekj!!!! (<- wtf? xD)

- - - -

purdygertie, I don't know. I'm not really a fanwhore when it comes to Patricia Briggs. Although I have to admit, she has an awesome name. Anyway, is he really an Alpha-Alpha? I need to reread the series, but I don't really remember much of his Alpha behavior and even less that I actually adored/loved/asdaghsj-ed over. Hmmm...

Edit: I KNEW it. You're new! Welcome here! I love your icon!

Edit 2.: That sounded aggressive, but it wasn't meant to.. oô (Couldn't see it before, because I already finished this answer, then was told that someone else wrote something and answered right away without looking who it really was.. Um.. I'm bad at explaining stuff, in case you haven't noticed.)

Edit 3.: I actually don't have to add anything at all, but I wanted to say something random and noticed how I didn't dance the sushi dance in quite a while. *dances the sushi dance* Okay.. I'll shut up.. No one loves me.. I knew it.. *sniff* Forever alone...