I’m hoping to find books with a compelling villain protagonist. If not a protagonist, then someone we get to see more than rarely with a book that can carry the spaces between.
When I say compelling, what I mean is a character who is a whole person doing terrible things, where you see the full machinery of how they got there and what it takes out of them, but the narrative isn’t using that interiority to smuggle them back toward heroism or antihero sympathy. The complexity serves understanding, not their absolution.
A good example is Azula from Avatar. (Spoiler for Avatar: the Last Airbender) . . .
During her breakdown towards the end I wasn’t watching and just thinking wow she’s crazy now. You could feel the fear and loneliness, and yet, she still would have killed zuko and katara if she could.
A great trilogy I read that did this was the First Law, especially with Glokta. I’ve since tried getting into Best Served Cold, but get bored quickly. I might try to power through though if it’s worth it later. The Poppy War trilogy I tried to get into as well, but none of the characters made me want to keep reading.
Other characters I love: Cersei and Tywin Lannister, Joanna Wellick, Handsome Jack.
by ColorsInApril