Toshiaki Koala 0 Report post Posted September 29, 2003 I would say... 1. Achilles - Ender's Shadow series (pretty much the ultimate bad guy) 2. Sauron/Morgoth - LOTR (yes, I know they are not the same person, perfect example of the "don't show the monster" rule) 3. Raven - SnowCrash (come on, he has a hydrogen bomb wired into his brain) 4. Madame Defarge - A Tale of Two Cities (proves that a woman can be an effective heel) 5. Grand Admiral Thrawn - Zahn's Star Wars trilogy (many fanboys hate him, but what do they know) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jingus 0 Report post Posted September 29, 2003 Personally, one guy I've always loved to hate was Thernardier from Les Miserables. He was the real villain of the book, not Javert like some people think. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
{''({o..o})''} 0 Report post Posted September 29, 2003 The Butler. It seems I can't go a book without him being revealed as a murderer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jingus 0 Report post Posted September 29, 2003 . . . f.b.o.p.r. wins. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
{''({o..o})''} 0 Report post Posted September 29, 2003 *bows with slight head nod* Thank you kind sir, I am honored that someone of you stature would even converse with me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jingus 0 Report post Posted September 29, 2003 Stature? Hell, I'm just an unemployed schlub typing on a keyboard. But I do know a damn funny post when I see one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrRant 0 Report post Posted September 29, 2003 Moriarty. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Mad the Swine Report post Posted September 29, 2003 1. Annie Wilkes (Misery). She kills a policeman and cuts Paul's foot off to keep him confined. 2. Napoleon (Animal Farm). All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others. 3. Claudius (Hamlet) 4. Leland Gaunt (Needful Things) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kahran Ramsus 0 Report post Posted September 29, 2003 3. Claudius (Hamlet) The thing I like about him, is that he is actually a far better king than Hamlet's father. Anyways, it pretty much has to be Moriarty. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrRant 0 Report post Posted September 29, 2003 Anyways, it pretty much has to be Moriarty. Sherlock Holmes' nemesis is representin'. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted September 29, 2003 Ingune Joe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Firestarter 0 Report post Posted September 29, 2003 Another vote here for Grand Admiral Thrawn, although I see him as more of an antihero or even just a hero opposed to the regular cast than a villain per se. Regardless, he was fucking magnificent. I was rooting for him to win or return throughout all five of Zahn's books. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest TheZsaszHorsemen Report post Posted September 29, 2003 There are a few that spring to mind: Professor Moriarty - ("The Final Problem", The Valley of Fear, The Hound of the Baskervilles) King MacBeth - (MacBeth) Saruman the White - (Lord of the Rings trilogy) Ernst Stavro Blofeld - (Thunderball, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, You Only Live Twice) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest TheZsaszHorsemen Report post Posted September 29, 2003 The thing about Moriarty is that through the 60 some odd Sherlock Holmes stories, Mori is only in 3. He's also only in one classic (THotB) other then that the truly great Holmes stories are pretty much devoid of him. However, he made a hell of a debut when he came about as close as anyone to killing Holmes, and got put over by Holmes as his only equal. That sort of thing sticks with readers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
starvenger 0 Report post Posted September 29, 2003 Another vote here for Grand Admiral Thrawn, although I see him as more of an antihero or even just a hero opposed to the regular cast than a villain per se. Regardless, he was fucking magnificent. I was rooting for him to win or return throughout all five of Zahn's books. Some people just don't like the expanded universe. It's their loss. Without Zahn's trilogy, you probably wouldn't have the prequels, or the Special Editions. OK, that's not necessarily a good thing. Still, Thrawn was a great character, since he wasn't balls out evil - he would do his nefarious deeds in a subtle sort of way, but more often than not he did things because he was That Damn Good. I like the Yuzhaan Vong as well, because writers have been allowed to flesh out the species for 18 books, and that gives them more depth than the "flavour of the month" villain that populated some of the earlier Star Wars novels. Branching out from galaxies far, far away... Iago in Othello, Moriarty in the Sherlock Holmes novels, Big Brother in 1984 are favourites of mine in books that I've read. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nighthawk 0 Report post Posted September 29, 2003 Moriarty is good. Dracula maybe. My personal favorite is Dr. Griffin, the Invisible Man. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nevermortal 0 Report post Posted September 29, 2003 Satan. Seriously. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toshiaki Koala 0 Report post Posted September 29, 2003 Another vote here for Grand Admiral Thrawn, although I see him as more of an antihero or even just a hero opposed to the regular cast than a villain per se. Regardless, he was fucking magnificent. I was rooting for him to win or return throughout all five of Zahn's books. Well, I used to hate you before this post, but I respect you completely now, honestly. Ernst Stavro Blofeld - (Thunderball, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, You Only Live Twice) Out of the James Bond books (that I've read), Mr. Big is hands-down the best villain. I was really surprised how much better (and different) this book was from the movie, and Mr. Big was one of the few villains from literature that I was genuinely in awe of. And he was so boring in the movie (except his death scene, of course). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MrRant 0 Report post Posted September 30, 2003 I just wish Thrawn wouldn't have died (even though he was cloned). He could have been a character that could have been used in books past the that trilogy. He does make an interesting cameo in Star Wars: Tales From The Empire in the short novel by Timothy Zahn and Michael Stackpole. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
starvenger 0 Report post Posted September 30, 2003 I just wish Thrawn wouldn't have died (even though he was cloned). He could have been a character that could have been used in books past the that trilogy. He does make an interesting cameo in Star Wars: Tales From The Empire in the short novel by Timothy Zahn and Michael Stackpole. Judging from the Expanded Universe books from that era it was SOP to have a villain-of-the-month. And let's face it - some other author would have fucked up the character. And no, I'm not talking about Kevin J Anderson. He's not the greatest writer, but he does have respect for the EU characters. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Firestarter 0 Report post Posted September 30, 2003 Well, I used to hate you before this post, but I respect you completely now, honestly. Imagine my relief. Thrawn was a great character, since he wasn't balls out evil - he would do his nefarious deeds in a subtle sort of way, but more often than not he did things because he was That Damn Good. Yeah, and also, he had a real motive to do the things he did. It wasn't just "I must rule the entire GALAXY!" bullshit - he honestly thought his way was better and his system of government, based on the Emperor's New Order, would ultimately benefit people more than the Rebellion's. Plus, he was respected by his subordinates not only for his strategic and tactical genius but for the way he treated them. Darth Vader was a cardboard cutout who ruled through fear and stupid random killing, but Thrawn was a superlative military commander who inspired loyalty and even devotion - and that loyalty paid off for the Empire. A good example is the far-reaching effect of his decision to promote the ensign who let Luke Skywalker escape from the Chimera tractor beams the second time - when Lando tried the same trick in Spectre of the Past, the Empire had come up with a countermechanism and it didn't work. Thrawn never killed without reason and his opposition to the Rebellion was honourable. That's why I see him as a hero, although technically I suppose he still falls into the "villain" category. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Plushy Al Logan Report post Posted September 30, 2003 Don Juan Napoleaon (Animal Farm) Dracula Herbert west, Reanimator Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HarleyQuinn 0 Report post Posted September 30, 2003 Nurse Ratchett in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest TheZsaszHorsemen Report post Posted October 1, 2003 Another vote here for Grand Admiral Thrawn, although I see him as more of an antihero or even just a hero opposed to the regular cast than a villain per se. Regardless, he was fucking magnificent. I was rooting for him to win or return throughout all five of Zahn's books. Well, I used to hate you before this post, but I respect you completely now, honestly. Ernst Stavro Blofeld - (Thunderball, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, You Only Live Twice) Out of the James Bond books (that I've read), Mr. Big is hands-down the best villain. I was really surprised how much better (and different) this book was from the movie, and Mr. Big was one of the few villains from literature that I was genuinely in awe of. And he was so boring in the movie (except his death scene, of course). As someone who has read EVERY Bond book I'm glad to see someone else enjoying them. Alas, Big is not the best antagonist in the canon however. I'd give it to either Blofeld, Dr. No (who's nearly Satanically evil in the novel), or Hugo Drax (who is also much better in the novel.) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nighthawk 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2003 You know who else is good, Fu Manchu. Had a mustache named after him and everything. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kaertos 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2003 I have three... Sauron & the Nazgul from Lord of the Rings Brand from The Chronicles of Amber Lloth from Salvatore's Dark Elf Trilogy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr. Tom 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2003 Lloth from Salvatore's Dark Elf Trilogy Bah. Jarlaxle and Artemis Entreri were the best villains Salvatore ever wrote about. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kaertos 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2003 True... and I'll give you that, but when I was thinking "villains" I automatically think "the big evil booga-booga behind it all". Artemis was awesome until he became friggin' immortal. Drizzt cut him up like a hundred times but something always kept him from dying. It got a little ridiculous. The biggest downfall of that series is that nobody ever died and stayed that way. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toshiaki Koala 0 Report post Posted October 1, 2003 Brand from The Chronicles of Amber I loved the books (read six so far), and he is indeed a great character, but isn't it somewhat of a spoiler to list him as a villain? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vyce 0 Report post Posted October 2, 2003 Marney is a Star Was fan?!?! Moriarty is, of course, the solid choice. I've recently picked up two audiobook versions of Holmes stories - both dramatized with a full cast. One is an excellent BBC production, another is a production featuring Sir John Gielgud as Holmes and Orson Welles as Moriarty. As for Macbeth, I would list him more as a tragic hero or an antihero. The Lady Macbeth was the true villain there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
