Vicious

Vicious is V.E. Schwab's 2013 standalone novel (later expanded into a series) that revolutionized superhero fiction by asking a deceptively simple question: what if the people with powers aren't heroes at all? This morally complex thriller follows two brilliant, damaged men who each believe they're the hero of the story - and both are wrong. Dark, propulsive, and utterly devoid of traditional heroism, Vicious is a masterclass in antihero storytelling that forces readers to root for characters who commit genuinely terrible acts.

The novel employs a dual timeline structure, alternating between "Last Night" (ten years ago, when everything fell apart) and "Tonight" (present day, when Victor enacts his revenge). This non-linear approach slowly reveals how two ambitious university students became superpowered enemies whilst building tension toward their inevitable confrontation.

Ten years ago, Victor Vale and Eli Ever were roommates at Lockland University, brilliant students fascinated by ExtraOrdinaries - people who develop supernatural abilities after near-death experiences. Victor is sharp, ambitious, and desperate to prove himself. Eli is charismatic, religious, and obsessed with understanding EOs. Their research partnership becomes competitive friendship becomes dangerous obsession as they theorize that near-death experiences under specific conditions might trigger EO abilities.

What begins as academic curiosity becomes reckless experimentation. Eli successfully kills and revives himself, gaining regenerative healing. Victor, consumed by jealousy and ambition, attempts the same - but his girlfriend Angie and Eli's girlfriend (Victor's former interest) become collateral damage in ways that shatter their friendship irreparably. When Victor gains his power - the ability to manipulate pain, both inflicting and eliminating it - the confrontation between former friends turns deadly.

The present timeline opens with Victor escaping from prison after ten years, accompanied by his cellmate Mitch Turner and a mysterious young girl named Sydney Clarke. Sydney is an EO who can resurrect the dead, rescued by Victor from her own dangerous situation. Together, this unlikely trio seeks Eli Ever, who has spent the decade methodically hunting and murdering EOs, convinced they're abominations that God wants eliminated.

Schwab's genius lies in making both Victor and Eli compelling despite their monstrous actions. Victor is cold, manipulative, willing to torture and kill to achieve his revenge. He uses Sydney, controls Mitch through loyalty, and prioritizes his vendetta over morality. Yet readers understand his rage, his sense of betrayal, his very human desire for vindication. He's not heroic - but he's captivating.

Eli positions himself as righteous crusader, believing he's doing God's work by eliminating "unnatural" EOs. His religious conviction provides moral framework for serial murder, making him genuinely terrifying in his certainty. He's handsome, charming, seemingly heroic - and absolutely monstrous beneath the surface. Schwab explores how conviction can justify atrocity, how belief in one's righteousness enables horror.

The novel refuses to provide a clear hero. Both men are villains by any reasonable standard - Victor seeks revenge regardless of collateral damage, Eli commits serial murder in God's name. Yet both see themselves as protagonists, and Schwab gives each perspective enough depth that readers understand, if not condone, their actions.

Supporting characters ground the supernatural chaos. Sydney Clarke, despite her power, is ultimately a traumatized child seeking safety and family. Her relationship with Victor is complicated - he uses her, but also protects her, and she becomes the closest thing he has to genuine connection. Mitch provides normalcy and loyalty, choosing to follow Victor despite understanding exactly who Victor is.

The powers themselves reflect character. Victor's pain manipulation mirrors his emotional state - he's been hurt and now controls hurt in others. Eli's regeneration reflects his inability to let go, to move past, to die. Sydney's resurrection ability connects to her own death and revival. Powers aren't random gifts but manifestations of trauma.

Schwab's prose is sharp and efficient, balancing literary sophistication with thriller pacing. Short chapters create momentum, whilst the dual timeline structure provides both mystery (what happened?) and inevitability (how will this end?).

Themes of moral ambiguity, revenge and its costs, the corrupting influence of power, friendship's destruction, self-perception versus reality, and whether monsters can justify their actions run throughout.