10 books about vigilantes with magical powers
When justice wears a cloak of mystery and magic, the night belongs to those who refuse to obey the rules.
Not all heroes wear badges. Some walk in the shadows, guided not by law—but by vengeance, compassion, or raw defiance. And when magic merges with justice, you get vigilantes who wield not just weapons, but elemental fury, arcane spells, and ancient powers. These characters don’t wait for permission—they rewrite fate with every step.
Here are 10 spellbinding books that follow vigilantes with magical powers, where the line between hero and outlaw blurs in the most thrilling ways.
1. Vicious by V.E. Schwab
What happens when men play gods? Victor and Eli were once college roommates, obsessed with near-death experiences that grant supernatural abilities. But when their experiments succeed, they become enemies—each believing he’s the true arbiter of justice. Victor’s powers may be dark, but his mission: darker still. Ruthless. Electric. Unforgettable.
2. Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older
In the heart of Brooklyn, Sierra discovers her family’s secret legacy: the ability to infuse ancestral spirits into art. When dark forces threaten her community, she becomes an untrained—but fierce—guardian. With spray paint and spirits, she becomes the city’s magical shield. Street magic meets resistance in vivid, soul-deep storytelling.
3. The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
Paige Mahoney is a dreamwalker, part of an underground syndicate in a dystopian London where clairvoyants are hunted. When captured, she discovers even darker forces at play. As she rises through a brutal, hidden society, Paige becomes a rebellious force armed with forbidden powers. A fight for freedom in a world that fears magic.
4. Seraphina’s Lament by Sarah Chorn
In a realm shaped by decay and elemental magic, Seraphina—scarred and powerful—seeks retribution. As a brutal regime topples, the gifted rise with vengeance. Her abilities are fueled by fire and grief, and she becomes a force nature itself cannot ignore. Gritty, tragic, and stunningly lyrical.
5. The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi
Set in a magical version of 19th-century Paris, a group of misfit outcasts use their talents—including powerful forging magic—to steal back what was stolen from them. Led by the brilliant Séverin, these vigilante scholars fight a society that gatekeeps knowledge and power. Lush, thrilling, and subversively magical.
6. An Unkindness of Magicians by Kat Howard
In New York’s magical elite, a deadly tournament decides who will control power. But Sydney is an outsider with terrifying magic—and a vendetta. She doesn’t want to play the game. She wants to destroy it. A dark, glittering tale of revenge and magical reckoning.
7. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
Karou, an art student with mysterious ties to monsters and magic, lives between worlds. When her found family is slaughtered, she transforms from curious girl into vengeful myth. With blue hair, secrets, and strange powers, she steps into a war where justice means rewriting destiny. Haunting, beautiful, and fiercely imaginative.
8. City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty
Nahri is a con woman in 18th-century Cairo until she accidentally summons a warrior djinn and is swept into the magical city of Daevabad. As political unrest brews, Nahri must choose where her loyalties lie—and becomes a powerful player in a city built on betrayal. Revenge, revolution, and mysticism collide in dazzling fashion.
9. The Savage Song by Victoria Schwab
In a city divided by violence and monsters, August Flynn is a being who can steal souls with music. He wants to be human. He wants peace. But when darkness rises, he becomes what the city needs—a vigilante monster who punishes the wicked. A lyrical and haunting antihero tale.
10. Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao
Xifeng, destined for greatness, rises from poverty to claim her throne—but her ascent is soaked in blood and dark magic. While not a vigilante in the traditional sense, she takes destiny into her own hands, challenging an empire and rewriting the story of the villain. A lush, deadly East Asian fantasy retelling.
✨ Magic Doesn’t Wait for Permission. Neither Do They.
These vigilantes don’t wear capes. They carry scars, secrets, and supernatural power. Some fight for justice. Some fight for revenge. And some? They fight because no one else will.
If you’re drawn to stories where magic is rebellion and justice demands more than law—these books will set your soul alight.
