I just finished up Red Rising and I really enjoyed it but I can't bring myself to dive headlong into a series right now. My current read is A Separate Peace and next on the docket will be the autobiography of Theodore Roosevelt.
I tend to struggle to finish books that I start but this year I wanted to get better about reading so I set a very modest goal of 14 books. I'm already finished with five books since the start of the year!
I think the prior reply explained it best though. You're not literally copying and pasting a fictional character into your world and just changing their name. You're using good characters from fiction and copying their tropes into your world. Because those tropes work and they exist for a reason.
In any work of fiction, including building a TTRPG world, it is assumed you will be borrowing inspiration from other sources. I can't imagine having to try to come up with 100% unique characters and ideas to run for my players. I've had lots of instances too where I come up with something I think is original and a player asks "oh wait, is this inspired by X?"
Point of the ramble being: everything has been thought of to some degree—it's how the applications are used in your world that make them unique. Plus when we encounter a character that reminds us of an existing really good one, I think it makes it easier/more comfortable to get into a good RP mood with them. And even more fun when you do subversions of their existing character.
Gilmore Girls. I know the show has some problematic humor but it's one of the best shows I've ever watched as far as characterization is concerned. The writing and the characters have a way of sucking you into the story that I haven't really found in any other show.
As someone who is brand new to this community as of yesterday (another Reddit convert) I have to say this level of transparency and explanation is a breath of fresh air. It makes me very excited to be a part of this community. Thanks for all the hard work!
Currently readingA Separate Peace because I was convinced my high school self was just too immature when he labeled it as the worst book he has ever had to read... it's not the worst book I've ever had to read but it's not a good book either.
Next up will probably be either The Guns of August or Teddy Roosevelt's autobiography.