[RobertsInferno]

What are some good fantasy books that tell the story from the view of the villain? I'm interested in reading one or two of them as I heard the idea the other day and feel that it would make a good read.

Thanks!

[metalprof]

It has been a long time since I read it, and others can correct me, but I'd toss The Coldfire Trilogy, by C.S. Friedman out there. One of the main characters that you spend a lot of time with is definitely an unsavory character, whose motivations are very much under suspicion - whether or not he ultimately plays the role of the true villain in the tale.

At least that's how I remember it, and it's the first example that came to mind.

Proceed with corrections, please! :)

Ken

[hawkwind]

Jacquiline Carey's Sundering series. Start with Banewreaker. 2 book series.

[FitzChivalry]

I could add Kellhus and Cnaiur in Bakker's The Prince of Nothing to Gerald Tarrant in The Cold Fire.

But i don't think that's what he asks for, those villains are fighting an even greater evil, which puts them often on the side of the good guys.
I think he is asking for fantasy from Sauron's POV.

[DailyRich]

Villains by Necessity by Eve Forward. Set after the forces of good triumph, it's about an evil band who set out to restore the balance between good and evil.

[hawkwind]

I think he is asking for fantasy from Sauron's POV.

Thats exactly what the Sundering series from Carey. Kind of a take on the Lord of the Rings but by the bad guys POV.

[Rob B]

As some have pointed out, Carey's Banewreaker/Godslayer duology AKA The Sundering is probably the best example of this type of story. ...and it's a very good read.

For some other suggestions, perhaps you'd like to check out this thread:


Evil Protagonists Wanted! (http://www.sffworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20411)

[RobertsInferno]

Some great suggestions, going to have to hit up amazon later today and buy a few books.

Thanks a ton, I'm excited about this type of genre or at least style.

Rob

[Werthead]

The Rise and Fall of a Dragon King by Lynn Abbey is a Dark Sun novel using the POV of one of the setting's primary villains. Simlarly, I, Strahd by P.N. Elrod does the same for Ravenloft. The latter is decent, but the former is excellent, possibly the best D&D tie-in novel ever written. The fact that Abbey is a 'proper' fantasy writer rather than a game writer helps with that.

A couple (okay, quite a few) of the characters in The First Law Trilogy and Best Served Cold by the Abercrombie are very dubious, although again they are fighting a yet-greater evil, so that may not count.

Harry Turtledove's Worldwar books feature frequent POVs from the villains, as does Peter F. Hamilton's Night's Dawn Trilogy, where primary villain Quinn Dexter is one of several major POV characters.

[l3gacy]

The Black Company by Glen Cook at least starts the better part of the opening trilogy from the 'bad guy' perspective.