In most media, characters will often be given moral choices where their morals interfere with their goals. Like having to choose between saving a loved one or starting a war; saving a loved one or dooming all of humanity to die by a disease; killing everyone in their sietch or starting a galaxy wide jihad; etc.
These moral questions are all very intriguing, but thinking too much about them got me itching for something else.
I am looking for a book or book series where a major pov(like, Jon Snow or Arya Stark levels of page time, at least) has a single, grand scale goal, and will do anything, even kill loved ones, to achieve that goal. By grand scale goal I mean something like bringing about a certain form of government, ending some existential threat, conquering the world(but in a way where you root for them, like Alexander the great or Oda Nobunaga, not in an evil, Sauron kinda way), stuff like that. Not some “Protect my friends” or “kill that guy” goal.
It’s fine if they’re a villain, as long as they’re a pov and at least somewhat sympathetic. The post is tagged sff, but Nonfiction or historical fiction is cool too.
by Randomguy4285