The best fantasy books with protagonists I'd like to be friends with

Why do I want to be friends with Vlad? In this often LOL funny series, Vlad is an "Easterner" (a human) assassin who practices witchcraft and communicates psionically with his sarcastic familiar, Loiosh, (a miniature-dragon-like creature). Vlad's enemies—Dragaerans (elves, only don't try to tell them that) are sorcerers. That puts Vlad at a disadvantage. But Vlad's witchcraft often baffles his enemies. He also uses a rapier, which gives him a more flexible fighting style than his enemies' hack & slash methods. Not only that, he has an appreciation for good food, which is enormously attractive. As his friend I'm pretty sure Vlad would take me to his favourite restaurant, Valabar's, where I would drink excellent wine and eat amazing food, and would *probably* not be killed by Vlad's enemies.

I love our heroine, Thursday Next, with her tragic past, kickass integrity, and pet-cloned dodo named Pickwick. She's fearless, (at least she hides it well), and I admire someone with excellent problem-solving skills, and a desire to do good in the world. I would provide Thursday with moral support when her love life crumbles, and when her mother is trapped inside a Wordsworth poem. Admittedly, I'd be terrified to have an evil genius on the loose, especially one who would kidnap Jane Eyre right out of her book for his own wicked ends. But if anyone can prevent catastrophe, it's Thursday. And you see... Thursday has been inside the book before. Wouldn't you like to go inside fiction with her? This whole series is exciting, suspenseful, and funny!

The main reason I'd like to be friends with Seth Brown is, well, he's a Messiah. He can heal me if I cut myself, he can resurrect me in the event of my untimely death—though by all accounts the afterlife is rather, ahem, pleasant, so I might fight him on that—and he can turn tap water into a perfect cup of coffee. His resurrected arctic fox friend is an excellent ally, but Seth could use another human to help track down the vile bishop who's killing off his half-brothers in an effort to eliminate all but the one-and-only True Messiah. Or, on second thought, maybe I'd stay out of the line of fire by getting a job at the local Ducky Mar....

I have so much admiration for witch Paige Winterbourne, who has had a teenage ward named Savannah thrust upon her, when Paige herself is barely out of teenagerhood. Paige's coven disowns her, even as evil forces are trying to woo Savannah, and get Paige out of the way by framing her for murder. I have zero patience for their lack of support. It's no wonder Paige is forced to accept the help of the terribly persistent young lawyer who ought to be her archenemy. He's a sorcerer, and sorcerers never have the best interests of witches in mind. Especially the heir of one of the most powerful cabals. I would help Paige communicate with a teenager. Moreover, I would take Savannah out for lunch so Paige can... communicate with her lawyer.

I would love to be friends with Meg because she's smart and passionate. And wow, could she ever use some friends who believe in her! I also think we'd get along because we're both nerdy: she's into math and science, and I'm nerdy because I'm into theatre and music. I didn't wear braces like she does, but I did wear glasses and always felt awkward, because I was tiny and quiet. I wouldn't be able to relate to her father having vanished off the face of the earth, but I could certainly listen and support her. And I would love to hang out in her funky old house and have sleepovers, and eat spaghetti cooked by her mom over a Bunsen burner.