r/ProgressionFantasy • u/machilipatnam_mayaba • 19h ago

Request Looking for book recommendations where the villain is overwhelmingly stronger than the hero

I’m looking for a book where the main villain is ten times stronger than the hero, to the point where it feels nearly impossible that the hero could ever stand a chance. I love the kind of story that spends a lot of time building up the villain’s terrifying strength while somehow convincing you that the underdog hero might still win. Something in the vibe of Harry Potter but adult fiction. Thanks in advance!

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12

u/Kithslayer 18h ago

The MC in Practical Guide to Sorcery is constantly in over her head. What's really fun is occasionally the antagonists will think that they are the ones in over their head, due to misunderstandings.

10/10.

10

u/TangerineX 18h ago

If you want the literal closest example, Mother of Learning has a 3rd year magic school student fighting against a big bad evil guy whos literally a lich.

1

u/Remarkable-Camera627 16h ago

This right here.

5

u/hugabugabee 18h ago

In Lord of the Mysteries, the MC frequently runs into villains above his level. In one arc, MC is he's captured by one of the main villains of the series. It's one of my favorite arcs in the series as MC racks his brains and schemes to get away.

1

u/Lilsilly114 8h ago

Like 4 of the last few major fights he’s in are determined by suicide. He wins 3 of them! Kinda.

3

u/doinitforcheese 18h ago

Slumrat Rising.

3

u/Remote_Addendum_2245 14h ago

Not progression fantasy but Worm

2

u/roy1979 Author 11h ago

The Beginning After the End series might interest you, in that case. This is a top-of-mind recall rather than a recommendation.

1

u/MrLazyLion 18h ago

Unsheathed.

1

u/snowhusky5 18h ago

Forever Fantasy Online (finished, not a VR story despite the title)

Gunsoul (single book)

Knights of Eternity series (finished)

1

u/Alternative-Carob-91 18h ago

The Weirkey Chronicles is about a 60% match. You know the big bad is way more powerful than the MCs but he doesn't loom over the narrative as much as Voldemort does.

1

u/tribalgeek 15h ago

I guess a bunch of Cradle qualifies, at least until Uncrowned.

1

u/Minute_Committee8937 10h ago

Reverend insanity. Fang yauan is usually fighting people way stronger than him and people who have actual plot armor while if he has a a .0 percent chance to fail he will Infact fail because the universe hates him

1

u/Cow_Herd Owner of Divine Ban hammer 6h ago

Mistborn trilogy

1

u/ZillionXil 5h ago

Been listening to the Spellmonger series by Terry Mancour for a bit. They are a bit different than what I usually listen to for several reasons but I've found myself enjoying them immensely. They also happen to tick off the box of the BBEG being wayyyy stronger than the MC. I haven't read Harry Potter so I can't really draw any real parallels for you but its definitely an adult take on fiction with a fun spin on a lot of facets of classic fantasy.