I began the Villains trilogy by V. E. Schwab because I had a NetGalley ARC (for the conclusion) waiting for me and little time to catch up (before it drops in bookstores). Based on the cover and what I saw on the back of the book, the first book—Vicious—was not what I expected, which is not a bad thing in this case. I was happily surprised by what I got: very readable writing with an occasional artistic flourish and bits of insight; total Umbrella Academy vibes with a dash of Frankenstein; new adult (not YA) dark academia and a blurring between good guys and baddies.

Blurb: Victor and Eli were once college roommates, the brightest young minds in pre-med and strangely attracted to each other’s enigmas and dark sides. But when they discover that they might be able to manufacture so-called extraordinary powers with near-death experiences, they plunge headfirst into experimentation with fracturing results. Ten years later, Victor escapes from jail hellbent on revenging himself against his old buddy, trailing a couple of new associates. Eli has spent all his free time eliminating people with super-powers with the help of an insidiously powerful young woman. Victor and Eli will surely meet again; who will be left standing?

I was rather alarmed by some of the basic concept content in this book. I am currently looking for an agent for a trilogy of my own, and for the record, I had never heard of the idea of NDEs causing superpowers (let alone know that another book series was built on this concept) before I wrote my own version of this story. I dreamed it (literally). I also have both experience with and a minor obsession with NDEs. In the long run of this trilogy, the NDEs fade behind the superpowers, and the tone of these books and mine are so very different. But still, what an obnoxious bummer. Great minds think alike and there’s nothing new under the sun and all that.

Back to Villains.

Each book is pretty darn long, but I was very happy with the structure. (I am sure it has its haters, because it is, as the youth say, a choice.) The first book jumps back and forth between the now and the past, both timelines moving forward toward a meeting at “now.” These times are clearly noted at the beginning of each chapter, so it’s mostly easy to follow (though some pausing and thinking may be required). It shifts POV as well, though it has an omniscient narrator, 3rd POV. The cast of characters is very clear if not a little cartoonish (especially in appearance). Sure, the story explores origins and the nature of humankind, but it’s also a light read in its way, a fun story, entertainment.

It is rather cinematic, and though the rights for the first book were bought right away, they seem to be sitting on those rights (which is not uncommon) and I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you. Despite that this series would be perfect as a streaming series. You’d hardly have to change a thing. Just look at Umbrella Academy. Yes, I mentioned it again because I couldn’t get away from it as I read. The vibes are so similar.

It was a very small ask when I had to move right on to the second book, Vengeful.

Blurb (not to be read yet if you don’t want to know things about the end of the first book): I like the official one on Goodreads, etc. “Marcella Riggins needs no one. Flush from her brush with death, she’s finally gained the control she’s always sought—and will use her new found power to bring the city of Merit to its knees. She’ll do whatever it takes, collecting her own sidekicks, and leveraging the two most infamous EOs, Victor Vale and Eli Ever, against each other. / With Marcella’s rise, new enmities create opportunity—and the stage of Merit City will once again be set for a final, terrible reckoning.”

Now, it is not uncommon for second-slash-middle books in a series to be lesser than the first and the last. Just like it’s not uncommon for the mid part of a standalone book to sag, thus the term “saggy middle.” I would not call Vengeful saggy, but I didn’t love it as much as I enjoyed Vicious. While I still enjoyed the back-and-forth and across-cities-and-time, it didn’t feel as fresh or natural with this new (and continuing) storyline. I also found the new primary character, Marcella, to have so much promise but then a lack of the nuance that the other characters have. Sure, she was a victim, but mostly she’s just a villain from top to bottom, beginning to end. I wanted more from her character. (I’m a hypocrite. I have a character very like her in another project I am currently editing. But maybe I’m not a hypocrite because it was the nature of these books to have characters that straddle the line.)

Still, Vengeful is easy to read and entertaining. It is more crime-world and has zero academia. I don’t think it even qualifies as new adult anymore, as most of the characters are over 30, including the two MCs. The overarching narrative is progressing along superhero comics lines, not whatever else it could be. I’m still getting Umbrella Academy vibes. I’m still enjoying reading it, want to keep going, but it’s easier for me to see the flaws that were probably always there—the occasional slip-up, the flatness of many of the places and people.

And then I arrived at the ARC, Victorious. Note to self: don’t take thirteen years to release a trilogy. There is so much momentum and interest lost.

Blurb: Only one is left standing, but the stage is set with a number of pawns and their allegiances and enmities. With two entities at odds in a city falling apart, what will happen next? And who will survive it? Does anyone even deserve to survive?

While this was a great wrap-up (because it is still easy-reading and still jumping around and still dark and conflicted and still a comic-book-y, engaging story), it also probably didn’t have to happen after the wrap-up of the first two books. But since Victorious (the ARC) was why I was here, I plunged in and swam straightaway into the depths.

If you have already read the first two of this series, you should get hold of Victorious straightaway (as of its publication tomorrow). It will probably be one of your top reads of the year (assuming that you didn’t hate the first two because why would you read this if you did?). If you haven’t even begun, then know that I was caught unaware by this series. It wasn’t on my radar but it’s solid, especially if you like superheros stories, antiheroes, and/or The Umbrella Academy. (There we go again.) In that case, you should go out today and buy/borrow Vicious. It’s likely you’ll enjoy reading it and be curious to read Vengeful. And now—for the first time ever—you can read straight through the trilogy without having to pause for years on end. So that’s exciting. Like waiting to binge a show until its complete.

Recommend for superhero nerds and for speculative readers who want their writing a little better than adequate and who appreciate a little over-the-top-ness. Let’s hope renewed interest in the series will get us a show. 😉

Also, watch Umbrella Academy.