[saintjon]

Nothing disappoints like a lame villain. IMO a villain is a good villain because
a: they're truly bad. they do so many terrible things you hate them with a passion
b: they're so cool in their villainy you find yourself almost cheering for them
Then you have those villains who don't kill any lovable characters or do other reprehensible things. They aren't cool enough to be likeable. They suck.
My examples are Ctuchik from the Malloreon (it takes an extra lame villain to forget the first rule of their own bloody power) and Os'angar from WoT (I love this series, but what the hell did he do, anyway?) I want to hear about those crummy, cardboard villains who died too easily, weren't evil enough and generally made your book less enjoyable than it could have been.

[jbcohen]

I understand what you are saying. There are some villains that I just love to hate. For me the best of them is Tabso Tovoc of Magic: The Gathering. She is a totally wicked spider lady.

I understand that you do not like gaming novels. Then don't bother with this one, Magic: The Gathering is the king of gaming novels.

[saintjon]

Au contraire most of the books I've read have been gaming novels. It's just that I've also read tons of other stuff and gaming novels, while still presenting the occasional gem, don't seem to satisfy the old apetite anymore. Anyway, lame villains is the topic. Not best villains. I'm looking pure mediocrity! The creme du la crap!

[takezosan]

I may be black-listed from certain dragonlance sites for saying this, but I feel Takhisis kinda bit... She was nothing but smoke and mirrors where the other gods at least had DEPTH! Her servants kicked major arse, but that's a different matter entirely...

[Cannon Fodder]

The fantasy genre is full of lame villians. Personally I feel it's a bit of cliche having a bad guy with a bad leg but there you go.

Sorry.

[lukaspriest]

Can anyone say DARKEN RAHL?

[jbcohen]

You won't get black listed for that. She is a bit on the lame side. As for Darken, never considered him but you know you might be right.

[Rob B]

Do you mean Darth Vader er..excuse me Darken Rahl? he he.

The best "villians" are the ones that aren't really villians at all. The characters that are at odds with the "hero" simply because he/She (i.e. the villian) is trying to make their situation better. The "villians" you can empathize with and almost understand their actions.

[Qin]

Lame villains? They're in every other fantasy novel. It's almost worthless to compile a list considering how embarrasing it is to the genre. A better question would be why so many writers bother in the first place. Once you've read enough fantasy books (or even descriptions of fantasy books), it's not hard to realize that the majority of the books published are very primitive and worthless. And we wonder why no one takes the genre seriously anymore?

[Rob B]

Qin, do you like fantasy novels?