Vicious
Villains, Book 1
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wish list failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy Now for $26.21
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Jeremy Arthur
-
Written by:
-
V. E. Schwab
About this listen
V. E. Schwab's New York Times bestseller Vicious is 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, 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.
A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books.
©2013 V. E. Schwab (P)2022 Macmillan AudioYou may also enjoy...
-
Warm Up
- A Tor.Com Original Prequel to Vicious
- Written by: V.E. Schwab
- Narrated by: Jeremy Arthur
- Length: 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It's been 297 days since David died - and came back. He may have survived the avalanche, but the aftermath has been far worse. His wife moved out, taking his son with her, and a devastated David hasn't left his house since, terrified of the mysterious new power that followed him home from the ill-fated expedition. After months in seclusion, David's ready for a fresh start, and ventures out, determined to keep his power in check. But David's power isn't the one he needs to worry about.
-
-
A great introduction to a great series.
- By Review Rob on 2019-11-02
Written by: V.E. Schwab
-
The Fragile Threads of Power
- Written by: V. E. Schwab
- Narrated by: Kate Reading, Marisa Calin, Michael Kramer
- Length: 21 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Once, there were four worlds, nestled like pages in a book, each pulsing with fantastical power and connected by a single city: London. Until the magic grew too fast and forced the worlds to seal the doors between them in a desperate gamble to protect their own. The few magicians who could still open the doors grew more rare as time passed and now, only three Antari are known in recent memory—Kell Maresh of Red London, Delilah Bard of Grey London, and Holland Vosijk, of White London.
-
-
the new characters
- By NancyArbogast on 2024-08-31
Written by: V. E. Schwab
-
Gallant
- Written by: V.E. Schwab
- Narrated by: Julian Rhind-Tutt
- Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Olivia Prior has grown up in Merilance School for Girls, and all she has of her past is her mother’s journal—which seems to unravel into madness. Then, a letter invites Olivia to come home to Gallant. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. But Olivia is not about to leave the first place that feels like home; it doesn’t matter if her cousin Matthew is hostile, or if she sees half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways.
-
-
Fascinating story
- By Belzebuth on 2024-04-04
Written by: V.E. Schwab
-
This Savage Song
- Written by: V. E. Schwab
- Narrated by: Therese Plummer
- Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city - a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent - but he's one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music.
-
-
Good Story, Annoying Narration
- By E. A. Curran on 2023-05-03
Written by: V. E. Schwab
-
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
- Written by: V. E. Schwab
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 17 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
France, 1714: In a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever - and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world. But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.
-
-
Breathtaking from start to finish
- By Kasey on 2020-10-10
Written by: V. E. Schwab
-
A Darker Shade of Magic
- A Darker Shade of Magic, Book 1
- Written by: V. E. Schwab
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Kell is one of the last Travelers - magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel universes. As such, he can choose where he lands. There's Grey London, dirty and boring, without any magic, ruled by a mad King George. Then there's Red London, where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. There's White London, ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. And once upon a time, there was Black London...but no one speaks of that now.
-
-
Very good book, hated the narration. Bought physical copy instead.
- By Jordan on 2021-03-13
Written by: V. E. Schwab
-
Warm Up
- A Tor.Com Original Prequel to Vicious
- Written by: V.E. Schwab
- Narrated by: Jeremy Arthur
- Length: 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It's been 297 days since David died - and came back. He may have survived the avalanche, but the aftermath has been far worse. His wife moved out, taking his son with her, and a devastated David hasn't left his house since, terrified of the mysterious new power that followed him home from the ill-fated expedition. After months in seclusion, David's ready for a fresh start, and ventures out, determined to keep his power in check. But David's power isn't the one he needs to worry about.
-
-
A great introduction to a great series.
- By Review Rob on 2019-11-02
Written by: V.E. Schwab
-
The Fragile Threads of Power
- Written by: V. E. Schwab
- Narrated by: Kate Reading, Marisa Calin, Michael Kramer
- Length: 21 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Once, there were four worlds, nestled like pages in a book, each pulsing with fantastical power and connected by a single city: London. Until the magic grew too fast and forced the worlds to seal the doors between them in a desperate gamble to protect their own. The few magicians who could still open the doors grew more rare as time passed and now, only three Antari are known in recent memory—Kell Maresh of Red London, Delilah Bard of Grey London, and Holland Vosijk, of White London.
-
-
the new characters
- By NancyArbogast on 2024-08-31
Written by: V. E. Schwab
-
Gallant
- Written by: V.E. Schwab
- Narrated by: Julian Rhind-Tutt
- Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Olivia Prior has grown up in Merilance School for Girls, and all she has of her past is her mother’s journal—which seems to unravel into madness. Then, a letter invites Olivia to come home to Gallant. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. But Olivia is not about to leave the first place that feels like home; it doesn’t matter if her cousin Matthew is hostile, or if she sees half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways.
-
-
Fascinating story
- By Belzebuth on 2024-04-04
Written by: V.E. Schwab
-
This Savage Song
- Written by: V. E. Schwab
- Narrated by: Therese Plummer
- Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city - a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent - but he's one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music.
-
-
Good Story, Annoying Narration
- By E. A. Curran on 2023-05-03
Written by: V. E. Schwab
-
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
- Written by: V. E. Schwab
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 17 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
France, 1714: In a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever - and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world. But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.
-
-
Breathtaking from start to finish
- By Kasey on 2020-10-10
Written by: V. E. Schwab
-
A Darker Shade of Magic
- A Darker Shade of Magic, Book 1
- Written by: V. E. Schwab
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Kell is one of the last Travelers - magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel universes. As such, he can choose where he lands. There's Grey London, dirty and boring, without any magic, ruled by a mad King George. Then there's Red London, where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. There's White London, ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. And once upon a time, there was Black London...but no one speaks of that now.
-
-
Very good book, hated the narration. Bought physical copy instead.
- By Jordan on 2021-03-13
Written by: V. E. Schwab
What the critics say
2013, Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year, Long-listed
Entertainment Weekly's 27 Female Authors Who Rule Sci-Fi and Fantasy Right Now
"Fresh, merciless, and, yes, vicious. Wow." (Mira Grant, New York Times best-selling author of the Newsflesh Trilogy)
“Schwab's characters feel vital and real, never reduced to simple archetypes.... In a genre that tends toward the flippant or pretentious, this is a rare superhero novel as epic and gripping as any classic comic. Schwab's tale of betrayal, self-hatred, and survival will resonate with superhero fans as well as readers who have never heard of Charles Xavier or Victor von Doom.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)
“A fun, morally-flexible revenge tale...Vicious methodically ratchets up the tension as Victor and Eli circle each other for the inevitable kill.” (Daniel H. Wilson, NYT best-selling author of Robopocalypse)
What listeners say about Vicious
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 2022-02-10
Struggled to finish
It was like Cancel culture was mixed with a Clockwork Orange, and stirred with a magic stick
The protagonists were ugly, and the loyalties of the sub-characters, was wacked. Narrator was good.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!