[Aptorian]

A site called SF Signal has asked a bunch of authors to name their favorite villains in literature and other media. There's a bunch of well known names among them and some pretty good choices. It's a fun read.

http://www.sfsignal....t=Google+Reader

[Abyss]

Fun, tho i didn't know many of those authors so the context was a bit lost on me.

[Baco Xtath]

Idaan from A Betrayal in Winter was a brilliant villain and I have to second Glotka as one of the best also. Also, I have to say the Inhibitors from Revelation Space are some pretty badass villains.

[Salt-Man Z]

I think I'd have to go with Ma'elKoth/Tan'elKoth from Heroes Die/Blade of Tyshalle.

[worry]

Call me pedestrian, but one of my favorite villains is still Pe Ell.

[Baco Xtath]

Professor Weston in C.S. Lewis's Perlandra was a pretty vicious villain, if I remember correctly (it's been over 15 years since I read it).

[McLovin]

Darth Vader, before he became Failed Space Jesus
Darth Krayt, a Vong'd-up ex-Tusken Raider Sith Emperor-how is that not badass? (Star Wars: Legacy comics)
Grand Admiral Thrawn (Star Wars: Thrawn Trilogy books)

Arvin Sloane (Alias TV show)
Ben Linus (Lost TV show - seeing a JJ Abrams theme here)

Cersei Lannister (Game of Thrones books/TV show)

The No-God (Prince of Nothing/Aspect Emperor books) - because RSB's portrayal of him as this coffin-inside-a-tornado that keeps relentlessly asking WHAT DO YOU SEE? is so creepy and awesome

This is fun to think about.

[Tapper]

The Chairmaker of Use of Weapons.
The Lady of the Black Company.
Styliane Daleina of the Sarantium books.
Low-key Lyesmith of American Heroes (and his partner)
Agamemnon in the Iliad (I can't bring myself to calling Hektor a villain).
the evil guy in The Lies of Locke Llamora was a fairly devious bastardo.
and of course, as the article says, a certain brother of Corwin in Amber.

Ask me tomorrow, and I'll name 5 out of 6 differently, most likely.
Gaaah. Mael'Koth should definately be in there. Arturo Kollberg perhaps, too.

This post has been edited by Tapper: 23 February 2012 - 10:16 PM

[Coco with marshmallows]

Baco Xtath, on 23 February 2012 - 03:49 PM, said:

and I have to second Glotka as one of the best also.

I disagree, though only on the basis that I don't think Glotka is a villain. An anti-hero, certainly, but not a villain.

[Baco Xtath]

Cocoreturns, on 24 February 2012 - 12:23 AM, said:

Baco Xtath, on 23 February 2012 - 03:49 PM, said:

and I have to second Glotka as one of the best also.

I disagree, though only on the basis that I don't think Glotka is a villain. An anti-hero, certainly, but not a villain.

I agree with your disagreement, suffice it to say he's just one badass character of questionable morality depending on perspective and the weights of ends and means; as such I'd also like to nominate Bayaz.

[Baco Xtath]

And I'd also move to nominate every character Abercrombie's created.

[Slow Ben]

Randall FlaggThe Walkin DudeThe Ageless StrangerRichard FanninWalter o'DimMarten BroadcloakWalter Padick

[Morgoth]

Baco Xtath, on 24 February 2012 - 12:31 AM, said:

And I'd also move to nominate every character Abercrombie's created.

So you`re saying that Glotka is not an Abercrombie character?

[Tapper]

[random_observation]I like how a spelling mistake in the name Glokta is copied by everyone in this thread. [/random_observation]

[Baco Xtath]

Morgoth, on 24 February 2012 - 10:42 AM, said:

Baco Xtath, on 24 February 2012 - 12:31 AM, said:

And I'd also move to nominate every character Abercrombie's created.

So you`re saying that Glotka is not an Abercrombie character?

Sorry, I meant to say Terry Goodkind.

Spoiler

Wait....Huh?

And as for Gloshca.....yeah, I had to wiki Bayaz too....years and spelling don't meld well.

[Fist Gamet]

Tapper, on 24 February 2012 - 11:29 AM, said:

[random_observation]I like how a spelling mistake in the name Glokta is copied by everyone in this thread. [/random_observation]

Oh good grief, I had to go check this one...I've been reading it as Glotka all this time, it's Glotka in my head and now...oh...hwo did this happen?

Anyway, for me, he is a villain, as far as Abercrombie creates them (more of a grey character kind of man, I'd guess) and a brilliant one.

Cersei Lannister for sure. Yes, I get her motivations but she is a villainess!

[polishgenius]

Fist Gamet, on 25 February 2012 - 06:07 PM, said:

Oh good grief, I had to go check this one...I've been reading it as Glotka all this time, it's Glotka in my head and now...oh...hwo did this happen?

So have I. And I don't think we're the only ones.

This post has been edited by polishgenius: 26 February 2012 - 12:00 AM

[Paran]

Yeah, Glokta was the anti-hero... Bayaz was the super-villain! He royally f#cked everyone with a big jolly laugh! Ozymandias was a great villain. Grey and Left Eye were pretty good villains from American Gods. The Nazghul scared the crap out of me as a kid! Ma'Elkoth was brilliant too as friend+/enemy. The Consult are pretty insidious villain, and the No-God is a really cool villain conceptually.

Now, was Uther Doul a villain? Both the Machine and the Spider were quite scary in there own right from Perdido Street Station. Kellhus?

Of course there's always Eric Cartman in "Scott Tenorman Must Die"

[JLV]

I didn't see Bayaz as a villain, I saw him as an immortal that was actually written as an immortal -human- would be. An asshole who doesn't compare about the ants around him.

I don't buy into the discussion that all immortals should be like that, but since he was human at one point, it made sense to me.

[Orlion]

The Shrike!