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If you've been around this blog for a while, then you know I can't resist a devious villain. The bad guys are usually my favorite characters in a book. I find their motives to be more complex and interesting than the motives of the heroes. Today, we're going to talk about my all-time-favorite book baddies.

I'm going to use a loose definition of "Villain" for this post. Some of these characters aren't evil. They just make questionable choices. (A few of them actually are evil, though.)

Books With Villains As Main Characters

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

Adult Science Fiction

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archenemies have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

Why I recommend it: Let's get the obvious one out of the way first. This is book #1 in the Villains series. Since the book series is called "Villains," you know there will be some epic bad guys. Victor and Eli do not disappoint. They will make you hate yourself for cheering them on. Even if you don’t like superhero stories, I recommend giving this book a try. It's a fast-paced, murderous romp through a familiar—yet dystopian—world.

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YOU BY CAROLINE KEPNES

Adult Thriller

When a beautiful aspiring writer strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he Googles the name on her credit card.

There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting.

As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder.

Why I recommend it: I don't normally read thrillers, but I'm obsessed with You. Joe is a disgusting dude who I'd never want to meet in real life, but he's an awesome fictional character because I'm constantly horrified by his behavior. He'll give you nightmares for sure.

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ILLUMINAE BY AMIE KAUFMAN & JAY KRISTOFF

Young Adult Science Fiction

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival mega-corporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than a speck at the edge of the universe. Now with enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to evacuate with a hostile warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A plague has broken out and is mutating with terrifying results; the fleet’s AI may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a web of data to find the truth, it’s clear the only person who can help her is the ex-boyfriend she swore she’d never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, maps, files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes.

Why I recommend it: It's about a murderous spaceship AI. Who can resist a story about a murder robot? I can't. I love this book because it's fast-paced and hilarious. You'll never forget these characters. I've read it multiple times and recently decided to check out the audiobook. It's written like a radio play. There are sound effects and a big cast of narrators. If you're searching for a unique audiobook, listen to this one! It will definitely hold your attention.

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The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

Adult Historical Fiction

In June 1954, eighteen-year-old Emmett Watson is driven home to Nebraska by the warden of the work farm where he has just served a year for involuntary manslaughter. His mother long gone, his father recently deceased, and the family farm foreclosed upon by the bank, Emmett’s intention is to pick up his eight-year-old brother and head west where they can start their lives anew. But when the warden drives away, Emmett discovers that two friends from the work farm have hidden themselves in the trunk of the warden’s car. Together, they have hatched an altogether different plan for Emmett’s future.

Why I recommend it: If you enjoy books about road trips gone wrong, then this one is for you. The characters' trip really goes off the rails. Emmett wants to start his life over in California after serving time for manslaughter. Emmett's friend Duchess has other plans. Duchess wants a New York adventure. And forgiveness. And revenge.

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A CHRISTMAS CAROL BY CHARLES DICKENS

 Adult Classic

With A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens created a modern fairy tale and shaped our ideas of Christmas. The tale of the solitary miser Ebenezer Scrooge, who is taught the true meaning of the season by a series of ghostly visitors and given a second chance, was conjured up by Dickens during one of his London night walks, who "wept and laughed" as he composed it. Taken to readers' hearts for its humor, compassion and message of redemption, it remains his best-loved book.

 

Why I recommend it: Who's your favorite classic villain? Scrooge is mine! Usually, I’m not a Dickens fan because I can tell he got paid by the word and stuffed as many words as possible into his books, but A Christmas Carol is short and succinct. It has a timeless moral: Don’t be a jerk. This story will give you hope that the difficult people in your life can change and become better humans.

 

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Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Young Adult Science Fiction

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

Why I recommend it: Neal Shusterman is brilliant at world-building and does not shy away from difficult ethical questions. This is one of the most thought-provoking dystopias I’ve ever read. The series is packed with complicated characters who are forced to make tough decisions. Then there’s the action and the cliff hangers. OMG, the cliff hangers. I couldn't put this book down because I was always desperate to find out what was going to happen next.

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As Meat Loves Salt by Maria McCann

Adult Historical Fiction

England, 1640s. Jacob Cullen is an educated, vigorous and dauntingly strong manservant in a Royalist household, who has begun to develop a dangerous interest in god-fearing revolutionary pamphlets. He is on the brink of marriage to his virginal sweetheart, but is unsure of his emotional needs, and in possession of a boiling point he reaches all too often. But Jacob is also afraid of being discovered as the murderer of a local boy and, as armed horsemen arrive on the very day of his wedding feast, it prompts a series of impetuous, temper-fueled bad decisions.

Why I recommend it: I hesitated to put this book on the list because I didn't love it. The pacing is too slow for my tastes, but you can't deny that Jacob Cullen is an evil dude. He's selfish and bad-tempered. He'll manipulate, murder, and rape to get what he wants. It's been a long time since I hated a character as much as I hate Jacob Cullen. He's . . . yuck. He deserves every bad thing that happens to him.

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Oryx And Crake by Margaret Atwood

Adult Science Fiction

At once an unforgettable love story and a compelling vision of the future. Snowman, known as Jimmy before mankind was overwhelmed by a plague, is struggling to survive in a world where he may be the last human, and mourning the loss of his best friend, Crake, and the beautiful and elusive Oryx whom they both loved. In search of answers, Snowman embarks on a journey—with the help of the green-eyed Children of Crake—through the lush wilderness that was so recently a great city, until powerful corporations took mankind on an uncontrolled genetic engineering ride.

Why I recommend it: If I had to pick my all-time-favorite villain, I'd probably choose Crake. I love him because I understand his motives. He wants to help the world. He has good intentions. His plans just . . . go badly awry and end up causing the apocalypse. Oops.

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The Butcher's Hook by Janet Ellis

Adult Historical Horror

Georgian London. Summer 1763.

Anne Jaccob is coming of age, the daughter of a wealthy merchant. When she is taken advantage of by her tutor—a great friend of her father’s—and is set up to marry a squeamish snob named Simeon Onions, she begins to realize just how powerless she is in Georgian society. Anne is watchful, cunning, and bored.

Her savior appears in the form of Fub, the butcher’s boy. Their romance is both a great spur and an excitement. Anne knows she is doomed to a loveless marriage to Onions and she is determined to escape with Fub and be his mistress. But will Fub ultimately be her salvation or damnation? And how far will she go to get what she wants?

Why I recommend it: Anne is disgusting. That's the only way I can describe her. She has a slight obsession with sex and blood. And with committing murder. She's a spoiled yet powerless upper-class woman who takes out her aggression on Georgian society. She's the perfect horror villain. No one will stop her from getting what she wants.

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Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

Young Adult Fantasy Graphic Novel

Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren't the heroes everyone thinks they are.

But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona's powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.

Why I recommend it: The other villains on this list are gross, so let's end with a fun one. Nimona is irreverent and subversive. This book takes fantasy tropes and flips them on their heads. What is “Good” and what is “Evil”? Who decides these things? Can a person be both good and evil at the same time? If you love quirky, funny reads, then this graphic novel is for you.

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Who is your favorite fictional villain?