Challenge: 50 Books discussion

Who or what is your favorite villain? Why?

Happy Friday!

Hi Dear all.

What do you mean Villain?

is it for self or others

thank you

Good Morning:

Dr. Hannibal Lecter - charming genius one minute then next ripping out your tongue and eating it with a nice Chianti.

Interesting question. Who is classified as a villain? The first literary character that came to mind was Raskolnikov of Crime and Punishment. He did commit a crime, one could argue it was evil, but is he a villain? I haven't read Crime and Punishment in a long time, but remember my sympathetic nervous system physically empathized with Raskolnikov. I think it is interesting when you can empathize at all with a villain.

Danine, who is one of your favorite villains and why?

Randall Flagg (or any of his other names)...

Count Fosco in The Woman in White. Such a unique character-- a charming animal lover who is also a master of veiled threats and supremely menacing.

I have to agree with Bishop... Randall Flagg is one of the best villains..

I also agree with Randall Flagg, although my favorite name for him is The Man in Black.

Smaug the dragon from The Hobbit. He's the perfect villain: arrogant, petty, and brutal. Plus, he literally sleeps with one eye open.

Iago.... what a wonderfully horrible character.

And.... O'Brien from 1984

Milady de Winter from The Three Musketeers.
Heathcliff (?) from Wuthering Heights.

ALL OF THEM FROM THE PATTERSON NOVELS.

Black Jack Randall from the Outlander series!

I find Lord Valdamort from Harry Potter series the worst. Loves to kill, torture, maim and could careless. Loves to kill just to kill. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's StoneHarry Potter and the Deathly HallowsHarry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanHarry Potter and the Goblet of FireHarry Potter and the Half-Blood PrinceHarry Potter and the Order of the PhoenixHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Wendy wrote: "Black Jack Randall from the Outlander series!"

I have read a few ,but he is off the same evil as lord vadamort inj harry potter series , sick villians

Cheri- I can't compare the two since I've never read any of the Harry Potter books, but Black Jack is definitely evil.......and a sick individual to boot!

Villains...that's a good topic. :) I seem to be drawn to them anyway.

I like the villains that have a sense of humanity to them, the villains that have a vulnerability to them and that aren't perfect. It makes them all the more dastardly when they do something to exploit another's weakness, and they have weaknesses of their own.

Speaking of Harry Potter...any writer can make a villain purely evil. I think it makes them a little two dimensional. But I loved the Malfoy family, mostly the patriarch - so convinced he was in the right, and went to extreme lengths to ensure the best for his family and what he thought to be the good of his world.

Or in J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan, Captain Hook. I thought he was kind of entertaining for a villain. Motivated by revenging himself on Pan, but also a bit of a hypocrite; careful about not displaying bad form...unless it was something he really wanted to do.

The only other coming to mind wasn't so much a villain as an antagonist, and she's so much fun to poke at: Lady Catherine de Burgh from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Another hypocritical character. She thinks she has the right to rule other's lives because of her station in life, but what I find 'excessively diverting' is her boasting about music. She never learned to play but claims no one has finer taste in all things musical than herself.

For me it's got to be Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights

Hehehe, I love to hate Black Jack Randall. And if the movies ever are made I would love to see Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy - Harry Potter movies) cast as Black Jack. Black Jack is seriously sick, love it!

Uriah Heep?

What about Umbridge in Harry Potter? I hated her more than Voldemort. She was pure evil

I agree, Danielle. Pure evil in pink -- what can be worse? LOL.

Wendy wrote: "Cheri- I can't compare the two since I've never read any of the Harry Potter books, but Black Jack is definitely evil.......and a sick individual to boot!
"


I kind of like Jack Randall. I feel a bit sorry for him actually. *hides*

Favourite villain? Shakespeare's are always so well done. Iago is definitely the best/worst and therefore my favourite.

Eva, I can understand feeling sorry for the guy. I think I did at one point too. But I quit when he started smashing fingers with a hammer. That was a deal breaker!

I gotta' agree - Hannibal Lecter . . . 'specially in the movies.

And the troll (whaddya' call 'im?) in The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings . . .

Golem.

Paris Trout from Pete Dexter's Paris Trout, the Ewell family in To Kill A Mockingbird, and Temple Drake from Faulkner's Sanctuary.

I agree with Professor Umbridge...she never learned her lesson...she was pure evil till the end

Agreeing with Aprile--- Iago was the first that came to my mind. Also Gollum/Smeagol- from Lord of the Rings- such a sad little creature, but still bad.

Dolores Umbridge is evil indeed. So is Annie Wilkes from Stephen King's "Misery".

In terms of movie villains, Anton Chigurh from "No country for old men". I would like to read the book someday, just to learn more about him.

Mrsku wrote: "Hehehe, I love to hate Black Jack Randall. And if the movies ever are made I would love to see Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy - Harry Potter movies) cast as Black Jack. Black Jack is seriously sick,..."

I love Jason Isaacs - one of my favorite movie villains, and a handsome one too!

I'd have so say Dorian Gray, it's a funny one because a lot of people would argue that he isn't a villan but I think he is. I like it because the book shows you his corruption, how evil isn't born but it made.

Mrsku wrote: "Hehehe, I love to hate Black Jack Randall. And if the movies ever are made I would love to see Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy - Harry Potter movies) cast as Black Jack. Black Jack is seriously sick,..."

Jason Isaacs would be perfect casting as Black Jack. If they ever make that film I'll be there in the front row, drooling.

Good question...there are so many to choose from. Kay Scarpetta's nemeses are all portrayed as dangerous and powerful...and since I've just been reading The Lost Symbol, the character of Mal'ach seems pretty dangerous. I also agree with Umbridge...don't know about Black Jack Randall...

I agree with Jack Randall, from the Outlander series, being a most dispicable villain. The man is seriously evil!

I have to go with Two-face from batman. I love the origins presented in his story.

Many years ago, Siskel & Ebert debated this in their movie review show. Ebert chose Harry Lime, the Orson Welles character from the Third Man and Siskel picked Hal the robot from 2001. Personally, I'll stick with Harry Lime. The Third Man was a short story by Grahame Green, so it qualifies as a book - I don't know about 2001.

Peg wrote: "Many years ago, Siskel & Ebert debated this in their movie review show. Ebert chose Harry Lime, the Orson Welles character from the Third Man and Siskel picked Hal the robot from 2001. Personally..."

2001 was a book with several sequels. I loved reading them as much as seeing the movie.

i must admit my favorite villain would have to be Bellatrix from Harry Potter. i have never felt so much hate and admiration for a fictional person.

Ariana Osgood/Briana Leigh Covington/Emma Walsh in the Private Series and the Privelege series by kate brian. She is so twisted and conniving. And yet you feel for her at the same time. Its amazing. Shes so crazy killing off 10 people or so with a snap of finger like its no big deal. but yet she has vulnerable moments too. Fabulous character