Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
I love villains. Seriously, they can often make a story for me. (I think it has something to do with that old adage that 'villains act, heroes react'.) Of course, it does make it particularly painful when you know that the villain will be killed at the end. As usually happens.
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Villain: Darkling
Why: Because he's so good at playing people, making you sympathize with him then, just as you start thinking that maybe he's not so bad, he hits you with the realization that he was just lying all along. Also because this is a villain that has style, he's not a blunt force 'beat 'em up' type villain and I so approve.
The Binding Stone by Don Bassingthwaite
Villain: Dahmir
Why: I was very easy to please when I was younger - and this villain was one of the first I remember thinking was kind of awesome. Honestly, I think it was mostly because of his ability to shapeshift from a human into either a bird or a dragon and back again. (And his eyes that were acid green.)
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Villain: The Wood
Why: I'm not going to pretend that I didn't have problems with this book - but the villain being a practically sentient, malevolent literal forest was totally cool!
Sora's Quest by T.L. Shreffler
Villain: Volcrian
Why: To me, there is little better than a villain that actually has a reason for what they are doing - and, I think, Volcrian's is one of the best. He blames one of the 'heroes' for his brother's death. (Of course, it doesn't take long for a good villain to go off the deep end, either.)
The Emperor's Edge by Lindsay Buroker
Villain: Forge
Why: It's not often that I actually manage to read about a well-oiled villain organization. But Forge is just that, oddly enough. They, usually, work together well and they have layers of plans upon plans.
Timebound by Rysa Walker
Villain: Saul
Why: Delightfully creepy in a way that just makes you go 'man, I hope someone kills him soon'. He doesn't care who he hurts and he is brilliant mentally if emotionally bankrupt. Not a favorite in the 'I want their story' but a favorite in the love to hate way.
The Comet's Curse by Dom Testa
Villain: Various ones from the series
Why: I couldn't pick just one favorite villain, as, each book, the 'villain' changes. But it's never a human villain. We have natural disasters and aliens and sickness and I actually really like that because it's not like they realize - or even care - that they're the villain and making things more trouble for the heroes.
Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine
Villain: The Great Library of Alexandria
Why: Okay, so it's really the employees, but, seriously, they are severely whacked with what they think's appropriate and their response to, what they see as, a threat. But, there's a part of me that, for as out there as they are, loves even the idea of evil librarians.
The Night Parade by Kathryn TanquaryVillain: (Some of) the Yokai
Why: I really liked how some of the yokai were helpful and others were a hindrance, but none of them were good or evil. (And I adore yokai to begin with, so this was just amazing.)
Ticker by Lisa Mantchev
Villain: Calvin
Why: I think it's great how he started off as a good person and, because of a good idea went about the wrong way, he totally went off the rails. You see, when the love of his life died, Calvin promised her he'd look after and help her younger sister that had a weak heart. Well, it was a wonderful plan, but man, the way he went about it was delightfully horrible.
And there we have ten villains or villainous organizations that I like reading about. And I've also realized that I don't read as many books with straight-up villains as I thought. ;) Definitely need to get a few more of them.
I love villains. Seriously, they can often make a story for me. (I think it has something to do with that old adage that 'villains act, heroes react'.) Of course, it does make it particularly painful when you know that the villain will be killed at the end. As usually happens.
Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Villain: Darkling
Why: Because he's so good at playing people, making you sympathize with him then, just as you start thinking that maybe he's not so bad, he hits you with the realization that he was just lying all along. Also because this is a villain that has style, he's not a blunt force 'beat 'em up' type villain and I so approve.
The Binding Stone by Don Bassingthwaite
Villain: Dahmir
Why: I was very easy to please when I was younger - and this villain was one of the first I remember thinking was kind of awesome. Honestly, I think it was mostly because of his ability to shapeshift from a human into either a bird or a dragon and back again. (And his eyes that were acid green.)
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Villain: The Wood
Why: I'm not going to pretend that I didn't have problems with this book - but the villain being a practically sentient, malevolent literal forest was totally cool!
Sora's Quest by T.L. Shreffler
Villain: Volcrian
Why: To me, there is little better than a villain that actually has a reason for what they are doing - and, I think, Volcrian's is one of the best. He blames one of the 'heroes' for his brother's death. (Of course, it doesn't take long for a good villain to go off the deep end, either.)
The Emperor's Edge by Lindsay Buroker
Villain: Forge
Why: It's not often that I actually manage to read about a well-oiled villain organization. But Forge is just that, oddly enough. They, usually, work together well and they have layers of plans upon plans.
Timebound by Rysa Walker
Villain: Saul
Why: Delightfully creepy in a way that just makes you go 'man, I hope someone kills him soon'. He doesn't care who he hurts and he is brilliant mentally if emotionally bankrupt. Not a favorite in the 'I want their story' but a favorite in the love to hate way.
The Comet's Curse by Dom Testa
Villain: Various ones from the series
Why: I couldn't pick just one favorite villain, as, each book, the 'villain' changes. But it's never a human villain. We have natural disasters and aliens and sickness and I actually really like that because it's not like they realize - or even care - that they're the villain and making things more trouble for the heroes.
Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine
Villain: The Great Library of Alexandria
Why: Okay, so it's really the employees, but, seriously, they are severely whacked with what they think's appropriate and their response to, what they see as, a threat. But, there's a part of me that, for as out there as they are, loves even the idea of evil librarians.
The Night Parade by Kathryn TanquaryVillain: (Some of) the Yokai
Why: I really liked how some of the yokai were helpful and others were a hindrance, but none of them were good or evil. (And I adore yokai to begin with, so this was just amazing.)
Ticker by Lisa Mantchev
Villain: Calvin
Why: I think it's great how he started off as a good person and, because of a good idea went about the wrong way, he totally went off the rails. You see, when the love of his life died, Calvin promised her he'd look after and help her younger sister that had a weak heart. Well, it was a wonderful plan, but man, the way he went about it was delightfully horrible.
And there we have ten villains or villainous organizations that I like reading about. And I've also realized that I don't read as many books with straight-up villains as I thought. ;) Definitely need to get a few more of them.
