Oct 29, 2026
Villains Books in Order
V.E. Schwab's Villains series starts with two college roommates who work out how to give themselves superpowers and become each other's worst enemy. It's sharp and morally gray, and the story jumps between timelines.
By V. E. Schwab · Complete: Victorious finishes the trilogy.
Where to start
Read in order: Vicious, then Vengeful, then Victorious.
The Villains books in order
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Book 1
Vicious Our pick
College roommates Victor and Eli work out how to give themselves superpowers, and ten years later one breaks out of prison to hunt the other. A sharp, morally gray revenge story where nobody is the hero.
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Book 2
Vengeful
Five years after Vicious, Victor is still chasing answers about his own power while a ruthless newcomer sets out to take over the city's underworld. A bigger cast with the same sharp edges.
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Book 3
Victorious
Victor, Eli and their allies and rivals all end up on a board set by an opponent none of them saw coming. The final Villains book closes out the rivalry that started in Vicious.
Good to know
- The jumps between past and present take a chapter or two to settle into; it pays off.