1. Link the Writer

    Link the Writer Flipping Out For A Good Story. Contributor

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    Can you recommend me a book where the villains win?

    Discussion in 'Discussion of Published Works' started by Link the Writer, Jun 11, 2014.

    Just out of curiosity, is there a book or a set of books where the villains win? The day is not saved, the hero fails, and the book ends on a very sour note? I'm just curious because there seems to be a lot of books where it's the other way around, so I want to know what this type of book looks like.

    Thanks for any suggestions. :D
     
  2. pirate1802

    pirate1802 Member

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    That would be... depressing as hell. :(
     
  3. Caeben

    Caeben Member

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    Depending upon your perspective, The Watchmen would probably qualify as this.
     
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  4. Link the Writer

    Link the Writer Flipping Out For A Good Story. Contributor

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    It would be, but then there'd be a sequel where the new heroes defeat the bad guys! :D

    But yeah, it would be very depressing. Even I don't like reading much of that stuff.

    I've never watched The Watchmen before, to be honest. :/
     
  5. HelloThere

    HelloThere Senior Member

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    Can't think of any books but Star Wars V: The Empire strikes back ends on a bummer.
     
  6. Thomas Kitchen

    Thomas Kitchen Proofreader in the Making Contributor

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    *Watchmen

    It's a Marmite kinda film - you either love it or you hate it. I love it; it's one of my favourite films ever. :)
     
  7. Bryan Romer

    Bryan Romer Contributor Contributor

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    In the Warhammer 40000 universe the Chaos Space Marine Legions are the "villains". Many of the novels are told from their point of view and they often win a clash with the Emperor's forces.
     
  8. sunsplash

    sunsplash Bona fide beach bum

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    American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis kind of qualifies though it's more left open to interpretation than the clear cut "villain winning" theme you're looking for. I can't think of any books that I've personally read like that, actually. The closest thing that comes to mind at the moment is the first Saw film...that was horribly awesome the first time I saw it.
     
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  9. Thomas Kitchen

    Thomas Kitchen Proofreader in the Making Contributor

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    I watched American Psycho for the first time the other day. It was good, but I need to watch it again; I had no idea what sort of film it was going to be. :rolleyes:
     
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  10. sunsplash

    sunsplash Bona fide beach bum

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    The book was over-the-top too graphic for me, even though the dark humor was apparent, so it's one I won't be reading again but the movie, I agree, was a good adaptation considering the material and I have no qualms with what was left out. The ambiguous ending while reading left me more satisfied than I think it would have had it been established for certain...

    As a novel, it's the closest thing I can think of but as to the OP, a clear hero vs. villain tale where evil triumphs (not an internal struggle, anti-hero or transformative hero to villain, or main protagonist death [thinking Hamlet, Medea, Antigone, The Awakening...]) I'm sure there are some books out there like that but nothing I've personally read or heard of.
     
  11. Garball

    Garball Banned Contributor

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    I can't think of any books like this either. I don't remember the short story The Mist having the same as the movie, but I would highly recommend watching both The Mist and Arlington Road
     
    Last edited: Jun 11, 2014
  12. Link the Writer

    Link the Writer Flipping Out For A Good Story. Contributor

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    I have a confession to make: I made this thread when I was in a really foul humor and looking back, I regret that.

    That said, I do appreciate your suggestions. :D I'll look into them if I have the time. Errm...Yeah, now I'm feeling bad that I made this thread. :[
     
  13. Thomas Kitchen

    Thomas Kitchen Proofreader in the Making Contributor

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    No need to feel bad. We got to talk about films. :D
     
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  14. Thomas Kitchen

    Thomas Kitchen Proofreader in the Making Contributor

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    Also, I had a quick look online, and Goblin Corps by Ari Marmell seems to follow the bad guys. No idea if it's any good, though! :p
     
  15. Annûniel

    Annûniel Contributor Contributor

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    The Conquest of the Americas by Spanish Conquistadors and European Colonists



    Ok, maybe that will get me flamed... :unsure:
     
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  16. Garball

    Garball Banned Contributor

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    Well, Montezuma did get his revenge:rofl:
     
  17. Robert_S

    Robert_S Senior Member

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    Read it or watch it. It's a good graphic novel and a good movie.

    How about "Seven."

    Not a book, but a damn good movie.
     
  18. stevesh

    stevesh Banned Contributor

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    My cousins in Alabama would suggest any book about the Civil War ...
     
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  19. Link the Writer

    Link the Writer Flipping Out For A Good Story. Contributor

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    I am reading the Jeff Shaara books, and it flips between Union and Confederate point of views, so yah. :D
     
  20. EdFromNY

    EdFromNY Hope to improve with age Supporter Contributor

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    Come Nineveh, Come Tyre - Allan Drury. Soviets take over the US. Warning: ham-handed polemic.
     
  21. Lemex

    Lemex That's Lord Lemex to you. Contributor

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    I Am Legend by Richard Matheson. Though that book did the good thing of swapping the roles completely to make a sophisticated philosophical point.
     
  22. VTitus

    VTitus New Member

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    Idk if you like fantasy at all but a friend recommended this trilogy to me and i was surprised at how entertaining it was as I usually can't stay with some fantasy books because a lot of them feel manufactured. (at least to me)



    Warning: Spoiler ahead

    Unclean, undead, unholy by Richard Lee Byers
    This trilogy would basically fit for what you asked for in the original post. I was actually invested in the story and was totally shocked when I got to the end. I still remember the feeling right now a couple years later lol.
     
  23. Marcus Burzum

    Marcus Burzum Member

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    I my memory is good, the villains win at the end of Bad Monkeys of Matt Ruff. But I am not 100% sure. Anyway I recommend you this book, it's a very original thriller.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bad_Monkeys
     
  24. Thomas Kitchen

    Thomas Kitchen Proofreader in the Making Contributor

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    Just thought of a few more - sort of. They're "what if" books: Resurrection Day by Brendan Dubois (Concerning the Cuban missile crisis), The Plot Against America by Philip Roth (Lindbergh vs Roosevelt), and Fatherland by Robert Harris (What if Hitler had won?).
     
  25. nippy818

    nippy818 Senior Member

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    I always thought that "Of Mice and Men" and "Slaughterhouse 5" both ended pretty negatively
     

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