Hello! I'm looking for books where the antagonists (whether individuals, organizations, or forces) have a truly menacing presence or reputation. The kind of characters or groups whose very mention sends a chill down your spine, and whose power, influence, or actions feel like an inevitable threat. Bonus points if these 'enemies' are complex and not just evil for the sake of being evil. Think of characters or entities with deep motivations, strategic minds, and the ability to shape the world around them.
by BearNutsHurt
7 Comments
It’s a common rec but the red rising series. The guy is known as “The reaper” and for a lack of better term, he’s edgy as fuck
NVM I misread antagonist as protagonist. I still think the golds are pretty menacing tho, so rec still applies
The Great and terrible beauty series by Libba Bray has a really good villain in my opinion
Randall Flagg from Stephen King’s “The Stand” is exactly this. He’s also in Stephen King’s Dark Tower series, but The Stand is truly one of the best books I’ve ever read!
P.S.: I used AI for the description because I just couldn’t find the words. Hope that’s not a problem…
Mistborn is great because the big bad guy is so menacing that there is a genuine lore reason for it, and it is so cool.
Prince of Thorns has one of the most despicable protagonists that you’ll enjoy hating. Then he sort of grows on you. He’s still a bad guy, but he becomes your bad guy.
The Odessa File by Frederick Forsyth. The antagonists are none other than the SS