The difference between an anti-hero and a villain protagonist is that the anti-hero often has the role of a hero but with darker sides.

This list is meant to help list books with characters that have the role of what would normally be considered an antagonist, someone you normally wouldn't cheer for. Maybe they have sympathetic sides, maybe they don't but the important thing is that it's the main character of the story.
1

by
4.46 avg rating — 1,147,775 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2

by
4.18 avg rating — 320,317 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
3

by
4.01 avg rating — 1,720,245 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
4

by
3.83 avg rating — 123,214 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
5

by
4.13 avg rating — 1,868,925 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
3.86 avg rating — 142,843 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
7

by
4.57 avg rating — 766,336 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
8

by
3.86 avg rating — 561,777 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
9

by
4.18 avg rating — 70,572 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
10

by
4.15 avg rating — 3,437,081 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
11

by
3.89 avg rating — 1,017,528 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
12

by
3.94 avg rating — 154,634 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
4.09 avg rating — 256,452 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
14

by
3.81 avg rating — 53,190 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
15

by
3.80 avg rating — 360,993 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
16

by
4.10 avg rating — 48,371 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
17

by
4.02 avg rating — 1,471,334 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
18

by
4.25 avg rating — 823,594 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
19

by
3.91 avg rating — 1,877,498 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
20

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 768,011 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
21

by
4.01 avg rating — 69,326 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
22

by
4.18 avg rating — 186,731 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
22

by
3.89 avg rating — 192,963 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
3.87 avg rating — 942,999 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
25

by
4.22 avg rating — 57,536 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
26

by
4.12 avg rating — 128,698 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
27

by
3.90 avg rating — 218,513 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
28

by
4.26 avg rating — 587,368 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
29

by
4.45 avg rating — 668,954 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
30

by
4.04 avg rating — 550,999 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
31

by
4.11 avg rating — 164,743 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
32

by
4.03 avg rating — 111,898 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
33

by
3.96 avg rating — 291,650 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
34

by
3.89 avg rating — 21,780 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
35

by
3.87 avg rating — 126,946 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
36

by
3.84 avg rating — 1,216,435 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
37

by
4.60 avg rating — 10,427 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.13 avg rating — 16,060 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
39

by
4.24 avg rating — 101,607 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
40

by
4.09 avg rating — 935,994 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
41

by
4.38 avg rating — 447,007 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
42

by
3.95 avg rating — 116,525 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
43

by
4.42 avg rating — 151 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
44

by
3.52 avg rating — 1,109 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
45

by
4.29 avg rating — 1,074,901 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
46

by
4.10 avg rating — 756,465 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
47

by
3.99 avg rating — 843,155 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
48

by
3.51 avg rating — 683,238 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
49

by
3.97 avg rating — 93,390 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
50

by
4.22 avg rating — 309,648 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
51

by
4.63 avg rating — 3,166,387 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
52

by
4.19 avg rating — 2,381,247 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
53

by
4.31 avg rating — 1,255,627 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
3.86 avg rating — 182,155 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
55

by
3.87 avg rating — 742 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
56

by
4.17 avg rating — 3,785 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
57

by
4.26 avg rating — 344,290 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
58

by
4.02 avg rating — 13,633 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
59

by
3.79 avg rating — 41,894 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.94 avg rating — 836,842 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
61

by
4.42 avg rating — 1,018,562 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
62

by
4.24 avg rating — 123,705 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
63

by
3.95 avg rating — 355,661 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
64

by
4.38 avg rating — 16,662 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
65

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 26,629 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
66

by
4.05 avg rating — 140,756 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
67

by
4.16 avg rating — 475,993 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
68

by
3.96 avg rating — 159,974 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
4.14 avg rating — 413,817 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
70

by
3.64 avg rating — 1,481 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
71

by
3.94 avg rating — 1,324 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
72

by
3.86 avg rating — 358,886 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
73

by
4.23 avg rating — 12,387 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
74

by
4.19 avg rating — 1,848 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
75

by
4.22 avg rating — 114,366 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
76

by
4.19 avg rating — 398,156 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
77

by
3.96 avg rating — 276,519 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
78

by
3.64 avg rating — 960 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
79

by
4.62 avg rating — 58 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
80

by
3.85 avg rating — 18,742 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
81

by
4.28 avg rating — 166,856 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
82

by
4.02 avg rating — 109,104 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
3.76 avg rating — 29,508 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
84

by
3.80 avg rating — 27,848 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
85

by
3.66 avg rating — 52,851 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
85

by
4.11 avg rating — 15,293 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
87

by
3.51 avg rating — 6,269 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
88

by
4.51 avg rating — 356 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
89

by
4.34 avg rating — 54,970 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
90

by
3.93 avg rating — 19,469 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
91

by
4.24 avg rating — 110,819 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
92

by
3.96 avg rating — 16,837 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
93

by
4.07 avg rating — 22,888 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
94

by
3.97 avg rating — 240,915 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
95

by
4.04 avg rating — 109,409 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
96

by
4.48 avg rating — 978 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
96

by
4.48 avg rating — 23 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
98

by
4.13 avg rating — 56,261 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
99

by
4.39 avg rating — 429 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
99

by
4.35 avg rating — 215,847 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
384 books · 643 voters · list created December 29th, 2013 by Otto (votes) .
288 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Otto 4156 books
53 friends
Shelly 932 books
16 friends
Tora 90 books
6 friends
Ann 356 books
552 friends
Brandi 141 books
531 friends
Stella 85 books
385 friends
Mel 60 books
1 friend
Nathalie 407 books
0 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-19 of 19 (19 new)

dateUp arrow    newest »

message 1: by Emily (new)

Emily Annnnd there seem to be no female MC's.......


message 2: by Nati (new)

Nati Emily wrote: "Annnnd there seem to be no female MC's......."

The protagonist from Plague of Angels is female.


message 3: by Otto (new)

Otto What's an MC?


message 4: by autumn (new)

autumn Main character, I believe


message 5: by Zakle (last edited Mar 10, 2015 06:29AM) (new)

Zakle Otto wrote: "What's an MC?"

M stands for main and C stands for character. A lot of people, both online and off, will sometimes use that instead of actually saying or writing it.


message 6: by Otto (new)

Otto Ah, thanks.


message 7: by Otto (new)

Otto And yes the MC of Plauge of Angels is an awesome female as is the MC of Subtle Beuty, Lady Susan and numerous MCs in the short story collections.


message 8: by Otto (new)

Otto You can head over to the Female Anti-heroine list if you like. :)


Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* Dracula isn't the protagonist of Dracula


message 10: by Amu (new)

Amu Emily wrote: "Annnnd there seem to be no female MC's......."

There are several, although most weren't released when you posted this. I'd really recommend The Young Elites by Marie Lu.


message 11: by [deleted user] (new)

Adelina in The Young Elites was more anti hero than villain tbh


Angry_Tree_Hugger Fellow wrote: "Adelina in The Young Elites was more anti hero than villain tbh"

In book 2 she killes a girl and her family because the girl disrespect her by spitting on her shoe. That is more than just an anti hero.


message 13: by [deleted user] (new)

Mastersheep wrote: "Fellow wrote: "Adelina in The Young Elites was more anti hero than villain tbh"

In book 2 she killes a girl and her family because the girl disrespect her by spitting on her shoe. That is more tha..."


It's been a while since I last read the Young Elites but I definitely remember some stuff about it. In my opinion she's an anti hero because she is constantly debating against her own mind and her "good consciousness" sometimes pulls her back from doing something evil. Sometimes she even does good things voluntarily (view spoiler) Now she is definitely the villain of the story to other people who oppose her, but to us readers she is definitely an anti hero as she is struggling as to whether or not to do good or evil. A villain would be someone like Jorg who literally gives no shits about the people he kills and never cares about doing something good.


Alyzzp: MG Explorer How is Kaz a villain lmfao. Just bc he's greedy doesn't mean he's a villain.


message 15: by Stefan (new)

Stefan Putting Gone Girl on this list is quite a major spoiler.


message 16: by Sabrina (last edited Feb 21, 2021 07:04PM) (new)

Sabrina Lady Awesome: MG Explorer wrote: "How is Kaz a villain lmfao. Just bc he's greedy doesn't mean he's a villain."

Kaz murdered people. He killed that one guy who betrayed his gang. He ripped someone's eye out of their socket. But yeah, in the end it was for money.


message 17: by Megan (new)

Megan what books are good in this list for a mature young adult?


message 18: by Abby (new)

Abby Megan wrote: "what books are good in this list for a mature young adult?"

SIX OF CROWS AND THE CRUEL PRINCE, they are so good!


message 19: by Cindy (last edited Dec 04, 2023 08:27AM) (new)

Cindy Huskey I'm pretty sure nonfiction books about the KKK and Emmett Till don't actually qualify in a list of antiheroes as fictional characters (check the last page).


back to top



Related News

Need another excuse to treat yourself to a new book this week? We've got you covered with the buzziest new releases of the day, according to early...

Anyone can add books to this list.