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The 52 Book Club's 2025 Challenge - hosted by the52bookclub

Non-human antagonist
An antagonist is the opposing force in a story. It may be a character, group, force, idea, etc. It is an opposer working against the protagonist's (leading character's) goals. This is what creates the main conflict in the story. Traditionally, we think of an antagonist as "the bad guy" or the villain of the story.

A non-human antagonist doesn't necessarily need to be a physical character. It could also be nature, technology, disease, the protagonist's own emotions, a hostile environment, society, etc. 
All books added
The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck

The Women in the Castle

Jessica Shattuck

356 pages • hardcover • 2017

fiction historical emotional informative sad slow-paced
Out There Screaming by Jordan Peele, John Joseph Adams

Out There Screaming

Jordan Peele, John Joseph Adams

386 pages • hardcover • 2023

fiction horror short stories dark mysterious tense medium-paced
The Light of All That Falls by James Islington

The Light of All That Falls

The Licanius Trilogy #3

James Islington

830 pages • paperback • 2019

fiction fantasy adventurous emotional tense medium-paced
The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri

The Book of Fire

Christy Lefteri

342 pages • digital • 2023

fiction contemporary emotional reflective sad medium-paced
Grief is the Thing with Feathers / On Grief and Grieving / Mindset / The Art of Happiness 10th Anniversary Edition by Max Porter

Grief is the Thing with Feathers / On Grief and Grieving / Mindset / The Art of Happiness 10th Anniversary Edition

Max Porter

96 pages • paperback

fiction magical realism
Heir by Sabaa Tahir

Heir

Heir Duology #1

Sabaa Tahir

17 hours, 46 minutes • audio • 2024

fiction fantasy young adult adventurous dark emotional medium-paced
Home Tears by Tijan

Home Tears

Tijan

308 pages • paperback • 2016

fiction contemporary romance emotional medium-paced
Across the Desert by Dusti Bowling

Across the Desert

Dusti Bowling

320 pages • hardcover • 2021

fiction middle grade adventurous medium-paced
Columbus Day by Craig Alanson

Columbus Day

Expeditionary Force #1

Craig Alanson

303 pages • paperback • 2016

fiction science fiction adventurous funny fast-paced
Polybius by Collin Armstrong

Polybius

Collin Armstrong

352 pages • hardcover • 2025

fiction horror mystery science fiction thriller dark mysterious tense medium-paced