Who was the most compelling VILLAIN you've ever come across and why

[Billys]

Paul wrote: "It's hard not to like Lecter and Moriarty but I think I may throw Tom Ripley from The Talented Mr. Ripley into the mix as a "compelling" villain."

I think Tom Ripley is a more compelling psychopath (though maybe not villian) than either Moriarity or Lecter because of his immense efforts to participate in everyday life, and essentially to 'fit in' to his community. Wonderful books - have read them all numerous times.

[Malina]

I have to go with Ted Bundy for real life horrifying psychopath , I recently read The Stranger Beside me and it gave me nightmares.

Hannibal Lecter for fictional one.

[Miekey]

Billys wrote: "Paul wrote: "It's hard not to like Lecter and Moriarty but I think I may throw Tom Ripley from The Talented Mr. Ripley into the mix as a "compelling" villain."

I think Tom Ripley is a more compell..."

Ripley's a villain. A nice villain, but he kills people.

[Daniel]

The Governor from The Walking Dead. The comic book version is far nastier than the tv show version.

Satan, Old Testament.

And

Pennywise the Clown from It.

[C]

Used to be Hannibal. Just watched the new TV series called "Blacklist" tonight, and I now think that main character even beats out Hannibal.

[Danielle]

Alex Kork, from the JA Konrath 'Jack Daniels' novels. She befriended her victims before torturing them. They had no idea she was evil until it was too late.

[Renee]

Danielle wrote: "Alex Kork, from the JA Konrath 'Jack Daniels' novels. She befriended her victims before torturing them. They had no idea she was evil until it was too late."

ah-HA!. She was a nasty piece of work. Good choice.

[Marianne]

Count Fosco from the The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins is the best villian, because he uses his intelligence and is able to fool lots of people. Most people did not see him a dangerous sociopath.

[Donna]

The antagonist in Eternal Beauty showed no compassion, no emotion, which made him very scary. It was as if he was dead inside. Well, he did show a twisted love for one character, but it was so creepy. The book has stayed with me. Scary.

[Danielle]

Renee wrote: "Danielle wrote: "Alex Kork, from the JA Konrath 'Jack Daniels' novels. She befriended her victims before torturing them. They had no idea she was evil until it was too late."

ah-HA!. She was a nas..."

Pure evil, that one.

[Roberto]

the villain of the book

[Brittany]

I don't know how he compares to some of these villains but Arnold Friend from Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been by Joyce Carol Oates really creeped me out. He made you think a lot when he talked in that weird way of his... I'm still not sure of what he was!

[Ron]

Moriarty in the Holmes stories. I've read that Holmes' fascination with him was emblematic of the cocaine addiction. Also, since Moriarty appeared multiple times, that it was actually emblematic of the cocaine addiction of Doyle.

[Paul]

Joe wrote: "Joyce Carol Oates wrote a book called Zombie that had a really disturbing character called Quentin. He tried to find the best mate for him...a zombie. He tried making his own by usin..."


Thanks for that recommendation Joe. I have a number of JCO's novels & Zombie is one of them. It's now on my TBR list. Cheers.

[Ron]

One that was disturbing to me, was Blue Duck in Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. A very sinister fellow, indeed.

[Paul]

Villains?

Hmmmm... for me there is one who stands out. That would be Parker from the 'Parker Series' by Richard Stark. Never has there been (in my reading experience) a more amoral, brutal, uncompromising, relentlessly reprehensible character in the 'Hard Case Crime/thriller fiction genre. He's the archetypical anti-hero with absolutely no redeeming features & i loves him.

[Sean]

I really like the character Dudley smith from the james ellroy novels.I know he is a policeman and doesnt fit the usual villain role but he is a bad cop and the scenes he is in are the best parts of the books.

[Feliks]

Not mystery, crime, or thriller... but 'Steerpike' from The Gormenghast Novels. He is a young, charming, charismatic, ambitious, 'nobody' who is given a chance to become loved and successful. Instead, (although he is given every opportunity to be noble and decent)..he turns down the ghastly route of sadism, cruelty, selfishness, and betrayal. You start out cheering for him and loving him..but by the middle of the book he makes you sick-to-your-stomach; and you start cheering for him to be exterminated. Nerve-wracking; similar to 'Day of the Jackal'.

[Tom]

Hannibal Lechter because he's so smooth.
Count Dracula because he's so hypnotic.
Gollum in Lord of the Rings because he's such bathos.
Richard III because he's Richard III.

[Kathy]

Tom, I am on the other side of the Richard III debate. Don't see him as the villain that Henry VII was at all. But that is for another session.

For me it has to be Hannibal Lechter. He combined so many characteristics of villains into one very sick puppy. And of course it is even more scary when the villain is ultra-intelligent.

[Ken]

Long John Silver
Kasper Gutman
Walter White
Gus Fring
Faber, "Die Nadel"
Flagg
Diogenes Pendergast

[James]

Toni wrote: "Wyatt Dixon, from James Lee Burke's novels BITTERROOT and IN THE MOON OF RED PONIES.

Dixon is a former rodeo clown who made me understand why some people are afraid of clowns. He has a wide smile ..."

I've never quite known whether Wyatt Dixon is actually a villain or not. He is one of JLB's 'redeemed/redeemable' characters it seems.

Legion Guidry on the other hand... :)

[James]

Any of David Peace's villains tend to be particularly unpleasant. As do his protagonists, for that matter.

[Feliks]

James wrote: "Any of David Peace's villains tend to be particularly unpleasant. As do his protagonists, for that matter."

You remind me of 'Simon Peace', from 'The Viking Process'. A fave thriller. Peace is a super-efficient, cutting-edge, modern business consultant--trained in psychology, brainwashing, and audience manipulation--and he stops at nothing to enable his corporate employers capture more market share.

[Feliks]

'Cicero Grimes' from Elmore Leonard's "Hombre" --one of the scariest bad guys ever.

[Anthony]

Dr. Molotch from . Dr. Molotch is a highly intelligent, respected scientist who goes rogue once he realizes the money that can be made in underground organ harvesting.

A manic monster who knows no end, he views human beings as money bags.

This villain is based on real life events in Eastern Europe. Check out the book for a full synopsis.

[Danielle]

Jerry Reinhold in JD Robb's Thankless in Death. What a whining, immature brat! Deadly, though.

[Teresa]

I agree with the other comments on here that mentioned Gretchen from the Chelsea Caine books. The fact that Archie is so wierdly attracted to her after all she has done to him makes her incredibly dangerous.

[[deleted user]]

Alex Forrest from

[Barbara]

Aaron{{REBLAST}} wrote: "Alex Forrest from "

I only saw the movie but Alex Forrest was a frightening b____.

[Keri]

Hobie in Lee Child's Tripwire! One of the 'best' bad guys! You knew he was bad, but you still found him compelling.

[Mary]

The new tv show Blacklist character of Reddington oh my that is a compelling character.

[Benjamin]

I'd be curious to know what you thought of Jack in PATRIARCH RUN. You're on his side until the end, when you finally realize he's the bad guy.

[Carmen]

Wolff, in Ken Follett's THE KEY TO REBECCA. Man without a true home, Nazi spy, utterly ruthless in the way he uses hero's child as leverage. The best thriller ever written IMHO.

[Susan]

Carmen wrote: "Wolff, in Ken Follett's THE KEY TO REBECCA. Man without a true home, Nazi spy, utterly ruthless in the way he uses hero's child as leverage. The best thriller ever written IMHO."

Carmen, that is one of my all-time favorite books! Your assessment of Wolff is perfect.

[Paul]

Parker from the series of the same name, by Richard Stark (there are about 25 books in the series). Parker is an utterly ruthless, amoral, brutal character. 'The Hunter' is the first book in the series. Excellent!!

[Joyce]

Moriarty by a landslide.. because so much is left to our imagination.

[[deleted user]]

James Gordon Jr. in Batman: The Black Mirror by Scott Snyder. This villain is just so cold, and just has no empathy towards other lives.

[Peter]

Otter and Serrato in GURL-POSSE KIDNAP. The corn field scene with the tequila bottle is a personal favorite.