Superheros and super villains are dominating the movie and TV-sphere at the moment, but what about their literary counterparts? They seem to be a rarer breed, but we still managed to round up a list of our favourite books involving conflicted heroes, complex villains, and all sorts of morally-dubious characters in between. (FYI, we’re not including comic books in this particular article.) Have we left out any of your favourites? Let us know in the comments section below!
Vicious – V.E. Schwab
Plenty of humans were monstrous, and plenty of monsters knew how to play at being human.
A wonderfully nuanced, fairly dark book where there are no clear delineations between the good guys and the bad ones. Vicious involves two arch-nemeses, Victor and Eli, the former on a quest for revenge, and the latter murdering people in pursuit of what he thinks is ‘right’. Well-written, creepy, and full of twists and turns, taking on the hero/villain tropes and turning them on their spandex-clad heads.
Official blurb:
Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong. Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?
The Young Elites – Marie Lu
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Everyone has darkness inside them, however hidden.
Another wonderfully dark and delicious tale, The Young Elites, the first book in a trilogy, centres on a group of teenagers who developed strange and unusual gifts after surviving a blood fever. These survivors, known as ‘The Young Elites’, band together, but are feared by society and hunted down. The book is filled with scheming, manipulation and political manoeuvring, and features characters who very much dwell in the morally-grey zone.
Official blurb:
Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.
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Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all.
Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen.
Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.
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Dark Star – Bethany Frenette
Rule #47 of living with a superhero. Don’t mess with her costume.
It’s a little difficult trying to prove yourself when you’re the daughter of the city’s premier superheroine, Morning Star. Despite this, Audrey soon finds herself a target of the supernatural baddies her mom fights every night, and must strengthen her own powers to keep those she loves safe. The first in a three book series, Dark Star is a fun read with lots of heart.
Official blurb:
Audrey Whitticomb has nothing to fear. Her mother is the superhero Morning Star, the most deadly crime-fighter in the Twin Cities, so it’s hard for Audrey not to feel safe. That is, until she’s lured into the sweet night air by something human and not human–something with talons and teeth, and a wide, scarlet smile.
Now Audrey knows the truth: her mom doesn’t fight crime at night. She fights Harrowers–livid, merciless beings who were trapped Beneath eons ago. Yet some have managed to escape. And they want Audrey dead, just because of who she is: one of the Kin.
To survive, Audrey will need to sharpen the powers she has always had. When she gets close to someone, dark corners of the person’s memories become her own, and she sometimes even glimpses the future. If Audrey could only get close to Patrick Tigue, a powerful Harrower masquerading as human, she could use her Knowing to discover the Harrowers’ next move. But Leon, her mother’s bossy, infuriatingly attractive sidekick, has other ideas. Lately, he won’t let Audrey out of his sight.
When an unthinkable betrayal puts Minneapolis in terrible danger, Audrey discovers a wild, untamed power within herself. It may be the key to saving her herself, her family, and her city. Or it may be the force that destroys everything–and everyone–she loves.
Steelheart – Brandon Sanderson
Where there are villains, there will be heroes. Just wait. They will come.
The first book in Brandon Sanderson’s YA Reckoners trilogy, Steelheart takes a look at what happens when powerful beings you think are here to save you turn out to be the ones set out to destroy you instead. This is the reality for David, our MC, whose father is killed by one of these power-hungry Epics, and who seeks revenge by joining a secret hit squad out to destroy these beings. Action-packed, with some lighter moments of hilarity, as well as some deeper introspection on the nature of humanity.
Official blurb:
Ten years ago, Calamity came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary men and women extraordinary powers. The awed public started calling them Epics. But Epics are no friend of man. With incredible gifts came the desire to rule. And to rule man you must crush his wills.
Nobody fights the Epics…nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans, they spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them.
And David wants in. He wants Steelheart – the Epic who is said to be invincible. The Epic who killed David’s father. For years, like the Reckoners, David’s been studying, and planning – and he has something they need. Not an object, but an experience.
He’s seen Steelheart bleed. And he wants revenge.
Zeroes – Scott Westerfield, Margo Lanagan & Deborah Biancotti
The Zeroes, they’d called themselves as a joke. Like heroes, but not.
A fast-paced read with a diverse cast, Zeroes brings together 6 teenagers with rather unique powers, from crowd control to crashing technology. Unfortunately, they learn that there’s a price to pay for power, as they attempt to navigate their way through life (and some superhero missions to boot) with their abilities that are often more of a blessing than a curse.
Official blurb:
Don’t call them heroes.
But these six Californian teens have powers that set them apart. They can do stuff ordinary people can’t.
Take Ethan, a.k.a. Scam. He’s got a voice inside him that’ll say whatever you want to hear, whether it’s true or not. Which is handy, except when it isn’t—like when the voice starts gabbing in the middle of a bank robbery. The only people who can help are the other Zeroes, who aren’t exactly best friends these days.
Enter Nate, a.k.a. Bellwether, the group’s “glorious leader.” After Scam’s SOS, he pulls the scattered Zeroes back together. But when the rescue blows up in their faces, the Zeroes find themselves propelled into whirlwind encounters with ever more dangerous criminals. And at the heart of the chaos they find Kelsie, who can take a crowd in the palm of her hand and tame it or let it loose as she pleases.
Filled with high-stakes action and drama, Zeroes unites three powerhouse authors for the opening installment of a thrilling new series.
Nimona – Noelle Stevenson
Isn’t that the whole point of being a villain, that you don’t have to follow the rules?
Villains who won’t kill, heroes hiding secrets, a bloodthirsty orphan girl…Filled with hilarity, but also contemplating some deeper issues of morality, this graphic novel (based off the incredibly popular webcomic of the same name) is a mishmash of magic, murderous intentions, mad science, mayhem and madcap adventures…with a dash of aMorous feelings between our manly archenemies. (Sssh, I had to keep the alliteration going!)
Official blurb:
Nemeses! Dragons! Science! Symbolism! All these and more await in this brilliantly subversive, sharply irreverent epic from Noelle Stevenson. Featuring an exclusive epilogue not seen in the web comic, along with bonus conceptual sketches and revised pages throughout, this gorgeous full-color graphic novel is perfect for the legions of fans of the web comic and is sure to win Noelle many new ones.
Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren’t the heroes everyone thinks they are.
But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona’s powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.
Black Widow: Forever Red – Margaret Stohl
Forever red, that’s what they call your kind.
Okay, so technically this one is based on a pre-existing Marvel character, but Black Widow is totally a fan favourite. Well, at least for me, anyway. In this YA novel, we get a glimpse of a younger Natasha, fresh from her ordeal in the Red Room. However, she does share page space with Ava, a teen girl who later becomes her protege, and Alex, a boy who is mysteriously connected to them. The book also features appearances from other beloved characters in the Avengers universe, so keep an eye out!
Official blurb:
Natasha Romanoff is one of the world’s most lethal assassins. Trained from a young age in the arts of death and deception, Natasha was given the title of Black Widow by Ivan Somodorov, her brutal teacher at the Red Room, Moscow’s infamous academy for operatives.
Ava Orlova is just trying to fit in as an average Brooklyn teenager, but her life has been anything but average.The daughter of a missing Russian quantum physicist, Ava was once subjected to a series of ruthless military experiments-until she was rescued by Black Widow and placed under S.H.I.E.L.D. protection. Ava has always longed to reconnect with her mysterious savior, but Black Widow isn’t really the big sister type.
Until now.
When children all over Eastern Europe begin to go missing, and rumors of smuggled Red Room tech light up the dark net, Natasha suspects her old teacher has returned-and that Ava Orlova might be the only one who can stop him. To defeat the madman who threatens their future, Natasha and Ava must unravel their pasts. Only then will they discover the truth about the dark-eyed boy with an hourglass tattoo who haunts Ava’s dreams. . . .
Fallout (Lois Lane) – Gwenda Bond
I was many things, but I wasn’t a quitter. I didn’t give up, and I wasn’t going to start.
Featuring another recognisable fan favourite, this time Lois Lane from DC’s Superman universe, Fallout is a fun read where our 17-year-old heroine ends up in the thick of things on her first day of school, despite her best intentions to keep a low profile. Never one to allow injustice to stand, she embarks a mission to solve the mystery of a bizarre yet terrifying school bullying of a fellow student. Lois makes use of her smarts as a school newspaper reporter, and of course, has a little help from her virtual friend, SmallvilleGuy… (HINT HINT)
Official blurb:
Lois Lane is starting a new life in Metropolis. An Army brat, Lois has lived all over—and seen all kinds of things. (Some of them defy explanation, like the near-disaster she witnessed in Kansas in the middle of one night.) But now her family is putting down roots in the big city, and Lois is determined to fit in. Stay quiet. Fly straight. As soon as she steps into her new high school, though, she can see it won’t be that easy. A group known as the Warheads is making life miserable for another girl at school. They’re messing with her mind, somehow, via the high-tech immersive videogame they all play. Not cool. Armed with her wit and her new snazzy job as a reporter, Lois has her sights set on solving this mystery. But sometimes it’s all a bit much. Thank goodness for her maybe-more-than-a friend, a guy she knows only by his screenname, SmallvilleGuy.
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