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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 Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

The Hero of Ages

Mistborn #3

Brandon Sanderson

758 pages • paperback • 2008

fiction fantasy adventurous emotional tense 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
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

Cloud Cuckoo Land

Anthony Doerr

626 pages • hardcover • 2021

fiction historical literary science fiction adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced
A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland

A Taste of Gold and Iron

The Mahisti Dynasty #1

Alexandra Rowland

503 pages • hardcover • 2022

fiction fantasy lgbtqia+ romance adventurous emotional medium-paced
House of Monstrous Women by Daphne Fama

House of Monstrous Women

Daphne Fama

336 pages • hardcover • 2025

fiction horror dark tense medium-paced
The Unbreakable Boy: A Father's Fear, a Son's Courage, and a Story of Unconditional Love by Scott LeRette

The Unbreakable Boy: A Father's Fear, a Son's Courage, and a Story of Unconditional Love

Scott LeRette

256 pages • hardcover • 2014

nonfiction autobiography biography memoir religion emotional hopeful medium-paced
The Book That No One Wanted to Read by Richard Ayoade

The Book That No One Wanted to Read

Richard Ayoade

128 pages • hardcover • 2022

fiction childrens funny lighthearted fast-paced
The Hidden Child by Louise Fein

The Hidden Child

Louise Fein

13 hours, 57 minutes • audio • 2021 user-added

fiction historical emotional informative sad medium-paced
The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb

The River Is Waiting

Wally Lamb

14 hours, 35 minutes • audio • 2025

fiction literary dark emotional sad medium-paced