What Makes for the Best Characters?

What makes for the best characters in books?  That’s a secret formula which some authors have mastered and others only wish to.  So, let’s take a closer look at this.  A first you might say that you have to like them.  That is true but some of the best characters are hated.  Look no further than Darth Vader in the Star Wars movies.  Vader was hated and feared by most people but I for one loved him as a character.  He was cool!  Even members of the Empire feared him.  Maybe detail is the secret to a good character.  No; while it helps, you can describe a person for pages and they’re still not liked.  So, it must be identifying with the character; right?  People certainly like someone they can relate to in a good book.  This is a tricky one because most of the time your character will only relate to a small sliver of the reading public.  To combat this some writers, use the shotgun approach.  They bombard you with characters and figure one of them will relate to the reader.  It does work quite often but it makes for a confusing read.  Actually, the secret formula is a combination of things; including the subjects above.  As much as I hated him, I liked having Darth Vader in the Star Wars films.  How boring would it have been without him there?  A good description never hurts; especially if they change throughout the story.   Identifying with a character in the book is a sure-fire way to keep someone reading.  Sometimes the reader is intrigued by characters they could never relate to in life.  The best characters in books are chosen by the reader and the formula is a blend of these topics and more.