The Discarded Villainess [Grimdark Isekai Trilogy]

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Book Cover By: SookMayaLeec & MatchSeia

Previously titled "The Discarded Harem Member’s Counterattack [Isekai Villainess Tale]"

A gothic fantasy set in a magical version of Eurasia (Europe & Asia). If you like portal fantasy (isekai), twisted protagonists, magic, and strategy over brute force, this novel is for you!

Updates every Wednesday and Thursday unless I have health issues affecting me. Chapters are typically 1k to 1.8k long in the word count.

Content Warning: Incest, Torture, Beheading, Misogyny, PTSD, and Abusive Relationships.

BK1: Winter 2022 - Summer 2023 BK2: Winter 2023 -

Prequel Summary

Ione was a simple baker's daughter until she awakened as a saintess. Thrust into a war as the muse of a psychotic cultist, she must take her chances with a war-hardened princess and her entourage to find freedom. The tragic prequel of "The Discarded Villainess" details the reality that created the myth of the Dark Saintess.

General Summary

High School student Leila has always been a fan of fantasy novels. From romance to dark fantasy to humorous parodies, she's read them all. But being such a hungry reader has turned her into a critical one who is not afraid to dock a five-star novel to a three. One such novel to feel her wrath is a high-ranking, best-selling grimdark series whose ending made her want to puke. Angry about the characterization of the female lead turned villain of the week, she gives a scathing review and berates the author publicly. Going to bed right after, the teenager expected to wake up with a response and maybe some upvotes.

Instead, she finds herself being cursed to live in the story she dunked on as the character she watched gets written into an utter dumpster fire. Cleo is described as a seductive and skilled assassin prodigy whom the main character fell for at first sight. The definition of the best girl and Mary Sue. But by the end of the series, she's number 100000 of a nameless harem of badass but sub-servant women, one of which's taken her place as the MC's fiance. Leila awakens right where she stopped reading and the worst scenario possible: her execution.

Leila must not only survive till the original series' main character, the crown prince, is five feet under, but she also has to take down every obstacle in her way. Because the plot isn't going the way it was planned, enemies are around every corner and if she loses, she never returns home.

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2023
Author: MarytheGorgon

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 3.1/ 5.0
Followers: 182
Views: 104,972

Chapters(85 total)

Reviews

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Community Reviews(3)

SlapABearRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Very enjoyable dark story about revenge in a messed up violent world. And when I say dark I mean dark. This isn’t twilight dark, but real dark messed up stuff. Don’t read it if that’s not what you like. But if you like stories that have heavy stakes, and a morally questionable lead, you’ll enjoy yourself. And for those of you that feel the need to falsely report this story, just because you don’t like it, nobody is forcing you to read it, just move on.
BrGastlRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
I have trouble categorizing this novel. And sometimes I think about stop reading it and then I just can't but go back and pick it up again.
In my eyes there are mainly two types of Villainess Novels. One which features a psychopathic MC who just does act of warcrimes daily, like sickening emotions, blood&splatter or just acts of violence etc. And the other would be the 'typical nofucks given/MC goes black story'. In which they act brash and somewhat villainous though have some part of justice on their side and can be considered as good. Like a cold blooded king who rules dutiful, not necessary cruel, but also not caring. Some people also categorize the 'reincarnated into a villains body' though thats hardly villainy, if you just start a normal harem story after the intro in my opinion.
With former I have my issues, since its basically glorification of senseless acts of villainy. With later being a bit stereotypical when they lean to heavily on the rage part. When someones snaps it has to end at some point and they calm down, having a MC 24/7 in outrage feel just wrong. Most often those novels don't find a good exit or balance and they loose themselves in the story with repeating musters since they leaned to heavily on that narrative making it boring after few chapters.
But this novel is slightly different the author described her ambitions as "wanting to root for the MC while not directly supporting her" I still am not sure, if I like that concept, but its written well. The authors intention work perfectly on me. On one side I want to look at the MC and say "Look at you, are you even self-aware" and on the other side i want to read further how that mess ends. And while I don't support her action I somehow find some of them not far fetched or senseless violence there is a disturbing logic to all. The author writes good to a degree were I wonder if they work with unhinged people every day. The acts of unhinged behavior don't repeat they feel like variables of a graph
mOrphiRoyal Road
★★★★ 3.5
The premise of this story is one that I have only seen a few times before. The character is essentially sucked in to a book she is reading and picks up the plot from that current point. I think the author could have expanded on this a little before diving in as its really a fascinating concept.
The style of the authors writing is clear and concise. Good grammar but light on the descriptions of anything that doesn't involve pain or torture. I think anyone who has a strong revenge fetish or just enjoys reading about inflicting pain would probably enjoy this. It doesn't do it for me when it starts off at the beginning of the story without any emotional investment. It reads like watching a snuff film for a murder of people you don't know. Would have liked to have a deeper emotional connection to the MC beforehand.
The main character through chapter 8 seems to rapidly accept being sent to the world from a book series and become a revenge driven-at-all costs antihero with little introspection. Feels flat and one dimensional, hopefully she gets fleshed out later.
Overall a solid read but a little too edgy and/or grimdark for my tastes. Fans of those genres will enjoy.