Vicious
A masterful, twisted tale of ambition, jealousy, betrayal, and superpowers, set in a near-future world
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?
“A dynamic and original twist on what it means to be a hero and a villain. A killer from page one… highly recommended!” — Jonathan Maberry, New York Times bestselling author of Marvel Universe vs The Avengers and Patient Zero
“Schwab gathers all the superhero/supervillain tropes and turns them on their sundry heads… I could not put it down.” — F. Paul Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of the Repairman Jack series
“Vicious is dark and intricate and daring, twisting back and forth through time and morality and life and death until you can't turn the pages fast enough. I loved it.” — Dan Wells, author of I Am Not a Serial Killer
Readers also enjoyed
V. E. Schwab
V. E. Schwab, the pseudonym of Victoria Schwab, is a writer whose stories blur the lines between the fantastical and the deeply human. Under her pseudonym, Schwab crafts compelling adult fantasy and speculative fiction that is as thought-provoking as it is immersive. Known for her ability to build intricate worlds filled with morally complex characters, Schwab’s work often explores themes of identity, power, and the cost of immortality.
Villains
In the Villains series by V. E. Schwab, morality is a shifting shadow, and the line between hero and villain is drawn in ever-changing ink. Set in a world where extraordinary abilities can be both a blessing and a curse, this series dives deep into the nature of power, revenge, and the dangerous allure of becoming what you’ve always feared.
Villains consists of two primary books, and includes one additional book that complement the series but is not considered mandatory reads and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of one more book. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.

