A masterful tale of ambition, jealousy, desire, and superpowers.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, … 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?
In Vicious, V. E. Schwab brings to life a gritty comic-book-style world in vivid prose: a world where gaining superpowers doesn’t automatically lead to heroism, and a time when allegiances are called into question.
“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
One of Publishers Weekly’s Best Fantasy Books of 2013
At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
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I adored this book.
The back and forth timelines made it really interesting. I can’t wait to read the next book. Everything from the characters, to making the EO’s was so well done to where I almost believed EO”s could be made. I really liked how Eli and Victor were so real and grey rather than the standard hero and villian.
Bad vs. Worse.
I …
The paths of Victor Vale and Eli Cardale merged when they became college roommates. With both having keen intellect and intense ambition, they attempt to test certain theories as it pertains to the creation and confirmation of extraordinary abilities. With failures and successes, Victor and Eli discover more than they could have foreseen and their …
This is a young adult book, not my normal reading material – but I loved it. V. E. Schwab had great characters and fabulous pacing. A true page turner! The story is a bit macabre, though. Lots of death and death images, but this is a fantasy set in a world where the right set of circumstance can make the dead rise again with super powers. I …
Love this author. The stories are original and captivating.
Dark, enticing and wonderfully addicting… A delectable insight into heroes and villains.
Dark and fascinating. Unlike anything I’ve read before.
Cant wait for Vengeful!
Couldn’t put this one down. Eli and Victor were an interesting pair. I enjoyed the back and forth from the future to the past. I’m anxiously awaiting the next book.
Vicious is my favorite of Victoria Schwab’s books, which is saying something. Fresh writing, non-linear storytelling, and (maybe?) an unreliable narrator make Vicious a total win.
Bonus points if you get this one in before the companion novel, Vengeful, comes out later this year!
4.5 stars. This was a fantastic book. Eli and Victor are college students preparing to write their theses. When Eli suggests writing his on EO’s (extraordinary persons), everyone chuckles until they realize he is serious. When Eli makes the discovery that all EO’s seem to have something in common (all have had a near death experience), he decides …