Adolin Kholin is a character is the Stormlight Archive book series by Brandon Sanderson. In this Top Ten list, I explain why Adolin is my favorite character in the first two books – The Way of Kings 
Please be aware that there will be spoilers in this Top Ten List for both books. You can highlight the “empty” areas to read.
1. He is a fashionista and can still keep his macho image.
I have always wondered if writers have prescience or have some precognitive abilities. Brandon Sanderson is as far from the fashion world as possible, yet he has created a world that is worthy of the Parisians four years before the resurgence of men’s fashion that began a year ago. Thank you Brandon for creating Adolin who can worry about buttons, cuffs, cravats and color combinations when he has to fight a duel in the afternoon. It just takes my breath away.
2. Adolin summons his shardblade first, and then asks questions later.
In the Way of Kings, Adolin defended a courtesan when an officer from Sadeas camp was physically abusing her. That was the first time that Adolin and Khaladin crossed paths. It was also the first time that Kaladin saw Adolin’s shard blade. This incident with the courtesan reminded me of Captain Kirk who usually shoots first and then asks questions later. This little bit of Captain Kirk in Adolin is just so swoonworthy!
3. He is a blonde in a family of brunettes, making him a man apart from his family.
A blonde in a family of brunettes, who happens to be the royal family, must give Adolin lots of insecurities yet he did all the right things and trained to be the next High Prince. The whole royal family – Gavilar, Navani, Elhokar, Jasnah and Dalinar have all black hair. Renaren has mostly black hair with just a little blonde mixed in. Adolin is mostly blonde with a sparse mix of black hair. Surrounded with very strong personalities, that can give havoc to a young boy’s self confidence, yet Adolin worked through it.
4. He won his shard blade and chosen by a Ryshadium as a teenager.
Adolin might have inherited his plate, but he won his shard blade in a duel. And a Ryshadium horse just not bond to anyone. The rider has to be chosen by the horse. Adolin just went beyond the definition of cool with those two accomplishments. He went from cool to hot in one heartbeat, not ten!!!
5. Adolin is a babe magnet.
Many readers believe that Adolin is a player. I did too when I first “read” the two books. Then I “listened” to them recently. That was when I realized that women actually “call” on Adolin and not the other way around. So, his reputation as a being a player might be exaggerated. Additionally, Adolin feels bad when a relationship falls through. He was starting to get a complex, which incidentally takes us to the next reason why I love Adolin Kholin.
6. He is sensitive and full of emotions yet handles them very well.
So, does this make Adolin the strong silent type? I don’t know but listening to the books, I cannot help but compare how Adolin and Kaladin deal with their struggles and disappointments. While Kaladin seems to like wallowing in misery and blame the whole world for his troubles, Adolin perseveres. Cases in point – the way Adolin handled Dalinar’s vision and his stoic acceptance of Sadeas betrayal while the whole Kholin army was fighting for their lives.
7. Adolin loves his family and will protect them with his life.
This is easy to explain. Adolin is protective of Renaren. It is obvious even in small ways but really showed during the full-disadvantaged duel. Adolin also dueled his peers to defend Dalinar and their house’s honor. He faced the assassin in white twice to defend Dalinar and in a way Elhokar.
8. He knows when he is wrong and accepts responsibility for it.
There are many examples as seen in the number of spheres he spends for gifts to the women he courted when the relationship is on the brink of falling through. But, the best example is again with how he reacted when they figured out that Dalinar was not losing his mind. It was hard to accept he was wrong, but Adolin owned up to it.
9. There is a bad boy inside Adolin itching to get out.
There is darkness in Adolin that Sadeas brings out. And that makes him so human! He is not just the blonde Adonis who happens to be a Prince and gets along with everyone including the grooms and lowly workers. Adolin’s actions towards Sadeas and the insecurities he felt when Shallan revealed her true nature at the end of WoR just make Adolin so real!
10. Adolin is a proto-Radiant or a proto-anti-hero.
Perhaps, this is the most important reason why I love Adolin as a character. He is so open-ended. He can go either way. It really depends on how Brandon Sanderson will mold him. Though Kaladin is very interesting, his path is set. For Adolin, it can still go either way. Why do I think he is a proto-radiant – his shard blade is always gleaming, according to Dalinar. And Adolin’s blade has started to form in less than 10 heartbeats. Is a spren awakening? Yet, on the other hand, Adolin and Sadeas confrontation did not end well. Will that darkness claim Adolin?
