This week’s Top Ten (hosted by The Broke and the Bookish) is about jerks in literature.

Looking around at other people’s lists this week, it seems I’m not reading the same books about jerks as others but still, I managed to rustle up ten guys that fall into the jerk category.

August in Water For Elephants. Unpredictable, abusive, one minute he’s charming the next he’s crazed with anger and he blames it all on love.

The Narrator of The Gargoyle. Not all jerks are the villains, I came to quite like the unnamed narrator but he was certainly a jerk for a large part of the book.

Richard in the Anita Blake series. I am starting to hate Anita but Richard is one seriously annoying character. He’s a blimmin’ werewolf yet he’s so judgemental, still keeps coming back for more abuse then gets angry at everyone in sight.

Matt in Nineteen Minutes. I hate bullies anyway but he was also a complete jerk to his girlfriend and hid behind his popularity.

Hercules in Greek mythology. No matter what story he’s in I always think “what an arrogant tosspot”!

Assef in The Kite Runner. Starts of as a bully and gets given power, the worst kind of jerk and one I was wishing death upon.

Michael in Triptych – one of the few times I’ve gone through a book hating the main character (and not hating the book as a result).

Old Nick in Room (I nicked him from someone else’s list but I completely agree).

Paddy in This Charming Man. Seems like your run of the mill variety jerk but he’s so much worse.

Daniel Brophy in the Rizzoli and Isles series. Am I allowed to call a priest a jerk? Well he’s certainly jerking Maura around when I think the damage is done and he’s just being hypocritical.