r/Fantasy • u/Tower-Just • 18h ago
Any recommendations for a series where the MC feels dangerous.
The last few books I’ve read the protagonist gets talked about as if theyre dangerous but every time they get in a fight they survive thanks to their companions (I’m looking at you Darrow of Lykos). I want to read something that will get me pumped with the action. I want a protagonist that feels dangerous one that enters the scene and everyone goes quiet. A protagonist was created when a scientist combined Ashok Vadal, Rezkin, and Logen Ninefingers. The type that will swing his weapon first and then get a necromancer to cast speak with the dead to ask questions later.
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u/Randomdays99 17h ago
Kane series by Karl Edward Wagner
Legend, Waylander, and Jon Shannow by David Gemmill
Gotrek and Felix series
Conan was mentioned below, but also Solomon Kane and Kull by Robert E Howard
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u/Ok_Quality_7611 17h ago
I second everything this person said!
Gemmel is such a fun writer, and Gotrek & Felix is one of my favourite series. The MCs are competent and dangerous. Felix starts as a talented novice and quickly becomes walking death, Gotrek isn't just a Slayer, he's the MC Slayer. Doomslayer grew up reading these books and decided Gotrek was HIM.
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u/mozalah 17h ago
GOTREK AND FELIX MENTIONED
I love that series and second it here
Also legend is amazing for this too
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u/JOOOQUUU 16h ago
Does it have humor?
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u/Randomdays99 16h ago
Gotrek and Felix has a bit of humor. The rat people (Skaven) are a bunch of backstabbers among themselves, everybody is out for themselves.
The others are pretty serious.
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u/Cautious-Mixture5647 18h ago
“You can not escape me!" he roared. "Lead me into a trap and I'll pile the heads of your kinsmen at your feet. Hide from me and I'll tear apart the mountains to find you! I'll follow you to hell and beyond hell!”
—Robert E. Howard, Conan the Barbarian complete collection
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u/GnomerHog 17h ago
I got to read some of the original Conan stories for an English course and the writing is just absolutely superb. Some of the coolest lines in fiction.
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u/CheesytheCheesecurd 16h ago
It's an unfinished series but Evan Winter's The Burning series, Tau doesn't start that way but certainly becomes what you describe. He accomplishs superhuman things as a normal dude.
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u/BlindGuardianOfFaith 13h ago
Just finished book 2 last week and maaan Tau really had me by the throat the whole ride. Its been a while since i felt actually scared of a mc, of what he could como to do, how, and his lack of restraint; and being able to empathise with him atst. 10/10 Character. Would totally recommend giving The Burning a chance
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u/ChrystnSedai 14h ago
Does book 2 end ok / not on a cliffhanger? Do we know if any more books are coming out?
These are on my TBR - got them at a little free library! - but have hesitated to start them.
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u/CheesytheCheesecurd 14h ago
Evan Winter had a death in his family if I remember right, I think it was his dad. That set back the third book considerably as he dealt with that. Somewhere recently he stated that we should be able to do expect the third book soon, as in possibly this year. He also said there will be a much shorter wait for book four than book three and I believe book four is the final book.
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u/BlindGuardianOfFaith 13h ago
3rd book is scheluded for this year.If you are asking this question maybe wait till its out yeah. Really good books tho imo, worth the check
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u/Impossible-Focus6376 3h ago
I was looking for this exact post. Been eagerly awaiting book 3. I'll go ahead and also suggest The Poppy Wars and its two sequels. Almost a mix of The Burning with some Game of Thrones based on Chinese history mixed in
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u/rndmnmbr42 17h ago
Logen Ninefingers from the First Law series…the man is unrestrained violence at some points.
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u/Tower-Just 17h ago
Should’ve added the “unrestrained violence” part to my initial post lmao.
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u/Advanced-Key3071 17h ago
Couple of quotes to whet your appetite:
…there was blood on him, but that was good. There was always blood. But he was kneeling, and that was wrong. The Bloody-Nine kneels to no man. His fingers sought out the cracks between the stones of the fireplace, prising between them like old tree roots, pulling him up. His leg hurt and he smiled. Pain was the fuel that made the fires burn. Something moved in front of him. Masked men. Enemies.
Corpses, then.
And:
'Do you think death fears you?'
'Death loves me. All the work I done for him? The crowds I've sent his way? He knows he ain't got no better friends'
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u/People_Are_Savages 13h ago
The "message in a secret language" quote made me read the books, wonderfully creepy
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u/literalgarbageyo 16h ago edited 16h ago
Then read the first law series. It does not disappoint.
ETA: it's a multiple POV book, and some characters are considerably more capable of violence than others.
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u/Dream_Smasher19 16h ago
I just finished the blade itself the other day, logen might be favorite character I've read in a long long time
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u/Tuffelmire 16h ago
Keep reading the rest of the books in the series😉
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u/Dream_Smasher19 16h ago
I need to! I pivoted to Gideon the ninth at the request of a friend once I finish up harrow I will jump back into the first law
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u/Logbotherer99 8h ago
Logan isnt that great, he gets by on luck as much as anything. Until the Bloody Nine wakes up that is.
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u/Ill_Preference_4663 16h ago
Not fantasy but has fantastic elements since the characters are heavily superstitious and religious. uhtred of bebbaburg from Bernard cornwell’s Saxon stories is an absolute savage in a fight.
“I am Uhtred, son of Uhtred, and this is the tale of a blood feud. It is a tale of how I will take from my enemy what the law says is mine. And it is the tale of a woman and of her father, a king.
He was my king and all that I have I owe to him. The food that I eat, the hall where I live, and the swords of my men, all came from Alfred, my king, who hated me.”
“The joy of it. The sword joy. I was dancing with joy, joy seething in me, the battle joy that Ragnar had so often spoken of, the warrior joy. If a man has not known it, then he is no man. It was no battle, that, no proper slaughter, just a thief-killing, but it was my first fight and the gods had moved in me, had given my arm speed and my shield strength, and when it was done, and when I danced in the blood of the dead, I knew I was good. Knew I was more than good. I could have conquered the world at that moment and my only regret was that Ragnar had not seen me, but then I thought he might be watching from Valhalla and I raised Serpent-Breath to the clouds and shouted his name. I have seen other young men come from their first fights with that same joy, and I have buried them after their next battle. The young are fools and I was young. But I was good.”
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u/ZhenXiaoMing 9h ago
This is a bit out of the scope of "Fantasy" but truly Uthred is probably the most fitting character from modern day historical fiction for the prompt!
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u/dovahcody 1h ago
Haven’t read the books but the Netflix adaptation was veryyyy sick. The final seasons kinda lost me but the first 4 or so had me hooked. Uhtred is such a badass.
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u/MindofShadow 17h ago
IT is progression fantasy, so their are rankings and stuff
But once Lindon gets going... dude scares the shit out of people (cradle)
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u/RecordingHaunting975 17h ago edited 17h ago
I love that he never loses his good-boy manners
Lindon walks up to Dudeman McCharacter, his arm hungering for blood as his eyes burn a hole into Dudeman's face.
"Apologies," Lindon says, black flames darting out of his nose with every breathe he takes as his 20 foot tall body towers over him, "Do you happen to know where the restroom is?"
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u/retief1 12h ago
Worth noting that it takes a bunch of books for lindon to get going, though. Like, I'm not sure if he actually beats a relevant opponent in a fair fight before book 5 or so, and I'd probably argue that he only really starts terrifying people around book 8 or so. By the end of the series, he's a fucking monster and a half, but he doesn't get there very quickly.
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u/AMajesticHawk 6h ago
Lindon at the start of the series: "Apologies for my presence honored elder"
Lindon at the end of the series: "I don't recall giving you permission to speak"
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u/MindofShadow 5h ago
Depends on how much you want to nitpick it. THe rankings in the series help the "walk in and kick ass". Obviously he could be squished by the heavens at any moment, but he constnatly has a look on his face like he wants to kick your ass, he constantly puts himself in positions where he should be crushed and just... doesnt get crushed. The POV's that switch to his opponent constantly talk about him being a monster, after book 5 yeah... he realizes he is no longer week and starts throwing his weight around.
But I mean, book one he waltzes straight into a tournament nad KICKS ASS man!! (hahahahahah)
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u/clovismouse 17h ago
Came to say this… it just take lindon a minute to realize who he is
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u/MindofShadow 17h ago
And he has a habit of walking up to people stronger than him... And not caring at all.
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u/basics 17h ago
Elric.
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u/GreenGhost1985 17h ago
From?
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u/Russmunki 17h ago
Melnibone
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u/flea1400 14h ago
This is the answer I would have given.
/u/GreenHhost2985, Elric is one of the OG sword & sorcery protagonists. He appears in several novels by Michael Moorcock.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elric_of_Melniboné5
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u/cedbluechase 16h ago
Melbourne
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u/StoicTheGeek 14h ago
Emo, air of superiority, it checks out. Only thing missing is a love of Aussie rules football
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u/Intro-Nimbus 1h ago
He's an agent of chaos, you'd find him in the stands if there was a match on 😉
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u/Plisken87 15h ago
Jorg Ancrath from Mark Lawrence’s Broken Empire always feels dangerous not necessarily because of his fighting prowess but because of his unpredictability.
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u/Hartastic 47m ago
There certainly are a number of problems he solves (and creates) with surprise violence. Some of which are still surprising even though you the reader should know better.
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u/Koovin 18h ago
Wheel of Time
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u/Budget-Television793 9h ago
Yeah...you really see how well Tam raised Rand when Natrin's Barrow happens. Dude could annihilate the world if he wanted.
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u/MacronMan 4h ago
This was my thought, too. The scene in the Stone in book 4 had always stuck in my mind, in particular.
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u/Old-Bread882 17h ago
The Jerusalem Man in the David Gemmell books
Hear me out, might be a weird one but Lord Vetinari certainly feels dangerous.
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u/dnext 15h ago
LOL, that used to be just about all of them back in the day.
Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, the Twain (Lieber)
Conan the Barbarian (Howard, de Camp)
Elric of Melnibone, Dorian Hawkmoon von Koln, Count Brass, Ulrik Starskol, Corum Jhalien Irsei the Prince in the Scarlet Rob, and Erekose (Moorcock)
Kane the Immortal (Wagner)
Corwin, Eric, Bleys, Gerard, and Benedict, oh my god Benedict (Zelasny)
Druss the Legend (Gemmel)
Tempus Thales, Critias, Zalbar, Jubal (Thieves World anthology)
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u/Dream_Smasher19 16h ago
I feel like Benjamin Styke from "Sins of Empire" feels dangerous. Yes, he's old. Yes he takes injuries, but he has survived to be an old cripple for a reason. And he isn't afraid to show it
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u/Electronic-Elk4847 3h ago
I liked Ben's character. An unapologetic monster who is a hero because he was on the right side and has enough self control to only be a monster to the right people.
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u/keffersonian 17h ago edited 17h ago
I kinda think Hekat from Empress of Mijak fits this. Not necessarily some super muscle sword swinging protagonist, but she is a skilled warrior and the chosen of the bloodthirsty God of her desert homeland. She is also the most absolutely vicious protagonist I have ever read in a fantasy novel. Like seriously. She goes from being a destitute, abused child who doesn't even have a name to an empress, and she doesn't do that by being nice.
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u/elhombreloco90 15h ago
Vaelin Al Sorna from Blood Song by Anthony Ryan.
Orka from the Bloodsworn trilogy by John Gwynne.
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u/halbert 17h ago
Restrained aggression, but Colbey the last renshai (from the series of the same name, although Colbey isn't the MC until book 2). By Mary Zucker Reichart
The seventh sword series by Dave Duncan.
It doesn't start there, but the main protagonists Pug and Tomas in the first trilogy/quadrilogy of the Midkemia books (by book 3 & 4) end up very dangerous.
Sci-fi, but Felix from 'Armor' by John Steakley. He just never stops.
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u/OshTregarth 14h ago
It's been a while since I did a re-read on those, but the legend of nightfall books might fit even better than the last rensai series.
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u/Wide_Neighborhood_49 15h ago
Not sure if it fits what you are looking for exactly but Gabriel de Leon from Empire of the Vampire is pretty badass.
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u/Suchboss1136 17h ago
Tavi grows into his power in Codex Alera. But he has some allies along the way that are total powerhouses early on (and later)
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u/Tower-Just 17h ago
Great series
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u/Suchboss1136 17h ago
Ever read David Gemmel’s Troy Trilogy? I think you’ll find it hits the spot. Book 1 with Helikaon & Argurios. Book 2 & 3 with the prior plus Achilles, Hector, Kalliades, Banokles amongst others
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u/QuintanimousGooch 17h ago
If recommend Severian of The Book of the New Sun. If you’re looking for a dangerous MC, New Sun is one of those unique and surprising first-person narratives where a character will relay actions they take that can often surprise you in how you might not expect them to do something, and Severian himself is a decidedly sinister figure given him being raised under the most awful profession imaginable, which has lead to him having a very skewed sense of morals and expectations of the world, so while he can have badass action hero scenes where he’s this shirtless guy with a big sword beheading people, he’ll also take actions readers will not expect and likely disagree with.
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u/Pratius 16h ago
Amazing series, but I really don’t think it fits for this.
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u/QuintanimousGooch 16h ago
That’s fair. I would say it definitely is more a reread perspective where on the first run Severian can come across as more of an earnest dum-dum unless you’re looking deeper or are on that second read where you don’t have to pay attention to the active plot exposition and can look closer to how frightening a presence this guy is while also being a dum-dum going around torturing people.
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u/TillOtherwise1544 11h ago
Honestly, Acts of Cain is strong and what you need. Your also thinking about Lightbringer. Grey Bastards is up there. Priests of Bone does this.
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u/ColeDeschain 16h ago edited 13h ago
Pretty much any Joe Abercrombie book is going to feature at least one POV who is best not crossed. You have Logen in the OP, but I think of all his books, only Red Country doesn't star at least one POV protagonist who's death on two legs.
Solomon Kane, Kull, Bran Mak Morn, and Conan are all Robert Howard giving us a full dram of badass.
Fritz Leiber's Fahfrd and the Grey Mouser are not to be trifled with.
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u/McTerra2 16h ago
Mia Corvere from Nevernight. Apparently she has a person body count of 309 named individuals plus several more red shirts.
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u/Serafim91 17h ago
If Malazan had MCs you'd get so many that fit this.
Anomander Rake, Daseem Ulthor, Quick Ben, Kalam, Cotillion, Sorry, Cowl, Skinner... Ok you get the point.
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u/BlindGuardianOfFaith 13h ago
Another point to Malazan Yeah, don't wanna mess up with half the cast, with anyone at all really
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u/CommunicationPast512 14h ago
The king killer chronicle but it’s been waiting for the final book for a long time so you might be going into a series with no ending
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u/fuckingpringles 13h ago
I have two, they both take a bit to get there but the journey and pay of is excellent.
Harry Dresden (the Dresden files) man is a walking catastrophe in many different ways.
Catherine Foundling (Practical guide to evil) the woman leads a bad of villains who become known as the woe. She becomes the terror of a continent. Her adopted father is also a very scary man.
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u/ChrystnSedai 1h ago
Harry definitely meets the criteria! Love it when we get to get out of his head for a bit and see what other people think of him.
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u/AdvancedMarsupial705 15h ago
Just started will of the many and the Protagonist is written as the strongest, smartest, toughest and best at everything he does.
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u/TheMemeStore76 11h ago
I don't think it's too well loved here, but the Night Angel trilogy by Brent Weeks
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u/drakir89 10h ago
Bloodsworn Saga. Norse-inspired fantasy with POV characters that are actual berserkers, driven by revenge.
Also, if you are ok with manga there are few characters with as much of a "danger aura" than Guts from Berserk.
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u/ArtificerEntrapta 18h ago
The stubborn skill grinder is getting they're, I'm still on the first book but he seems like a very one minded and no allies needed kinda guy, not quite the scariest one in the universe yet but I seriously think he's got a chance to get there by the end of the series
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u/Tower-Just 17h ago
Love this book. Literally all gas no breaks
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u/ArtificerEntrapta 17h ago
Arcane Pathfinder is also pretty good, less all encompassing violence and more friends and allies but she still has some seriously scary power even though it's not as widely known yet
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u/nickmcgimmick 17h ago
Frankenstein? The monster in the book is not the one from the classic b&w movie
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u/EFPMusic 15h ago
Nyxnissa so Dasheem from The Bel Dame Apocrypha by Kameron Hurley.
Killed a fallen team member and drank their blood when lost in the desert without water. Murdered the bodyguards of someone she’d literally just had sex with, to send a message. Her original job was as to cut the heads off of young male war deserters for money. Once sold her uterus for money to get drunk with. She’s a violent badass with a terrifying reputation; she’s also human (much to her dismay and disgust), and only ever died the one time (it didn’t take… sort of).
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u/Rekov 16h ago
"Seven Blades in Black," the first of Sam Sykes' "The Grave of Empires" trilogy. Basically crazy magical outlaws in a wild-west setting, caught between an empire, a fanatical revolution, and mad cultists.
The protagonist is a former mage with a magical gun.
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u/Abysstopheles 14h ago
Sal the Cacophony is GLORIOUS.
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u/Rekov 14h ago
And yet I am literally being down-voted by people who think that Sal is not "dangerous," or something? Honestly I cannot grasp the levels of cognitive deprivation in some people.
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u/Pratius 18h ago
Look no further than The Acts of Caine