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The Bad Guys #1
Schurken & Halunken
Gestern noch war Ben ein Kleinkrimineller, der die New Yorker Oberschicht ausgenommen hat.
Heute hat er ein neues Gesicht, einen neuen Namen und eine neue Welt, in der er sich zurechtfinden muss. Und Ben denkt, dass er dieses Mal vielleicht seine Fähigkeiten zur Entwaffnung und Täuschung nutzen kann, um anderen Menschen zu helfen.
Vielleicht.
Einem mittelalterlichen Stadtwächter dabei zuzusehen, wie er einen zehn Meter großen empfindungsfähigen Schleimbrocken abwehrt, der aus der Kanalisation hochgekrochen ist, bringt einen dazu, seine Lebensentscheidungen zweimal zu überdenken.
Morgen muss er ein Mädchen retten, eine Krone stehlen, einer Gilde beitreten und, was am wichtigsten ist, einen Gastwirt davon überzeugen, ein anständiges Omelette mit Speck und Käse zu machen.
Heute hat er ein neues Gesicht, einen neuen Namen und eine neue Welt, in der er sich zurechtfinden muss. Und Ben denkt, dass er dieses Mal vielleicht seine Fähigkeiten zur Entwaffnung und Täuschung nutzen kann, um anderen Menschen zu helfen.
Vielleicht.
Einem mittelalterlichen Stadtwächter dabei zuzusehen, wie er einen zehn Meter großen empfindungsfähigen Schleimbrocken abwehrt, der aus der Kanalisation hochgekrochen ist, bringt einen dazu, seine Lebensentscheidungen zweimal zu überdenken.
Morgen muss er ein Mädchen retten, eine Krone stehlen, einer Gilde beitreten und, was am wichtigsten ist, einen Gastwirt davon überzeugen, ein anständiges Omelette mit Speck und Käse zu machen.
536 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 25, 2021
974 people are currently reading
1378 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews
January 18, 2020
Mini-Review:
4 Stars for Narration by Neil Hellegers
4 Stars for Game Concepts/Mechs/World
2 Stars for Plot Development (Very Clunky)
Neil Hellegers is a good narrator. He's grown on me during the Good Guys series. =)
Bad Guys happens in the same world as the Good Guys, but shows a different aspect of the game. Author has come cool ideas but the story progression is lopsided.
To make sure, I listened to the intro three times and realized I did not imagine/add/detract anything. The writing was vague & there was little to tell when the MC went from the real world to the game world. Lack of descriptions made it seem like I was listening to a story with blob figures & paint splashed scenery.
I will probably try the next book when it comes out on Audible. What was appealing about the Good Guys is not evident in this book. In GG, I wanted to know what the MC was going to do. He's a bit of a pain in the ass but he smashed his way to success. It was funny. In Bad Guys, the MC is the less grumpy version of GG and not as entertaining. He comes across as naive and too "lucky" in what he gets away with his Gary Stu-ness.
4 Stars for Narration by Neil Hellegers
4 Stars for Game Concepts/Mechs/World
2 Stars for Plot Development (Very Clunky)
Neil Hellegers is a good narrator. He's grown on me during the Good Guys series. =)
Bad Guys happens in the same world as the Good Guys, but shows a different aspect of the game. Author has come cool ideas but the story progression is lopsided.
To make sure, I listened to the intro three times and realized I did not imagine/add/detract anything. The writing was vague & there was little to tell when the MC went from the real world to the game world. Lack of descriptions made it seem like I was listening to a story with blob figures & paint splashed scenery.
I will probably try the next book when it comes out on Audible. What was appealing about the Good Guys is not evident in this book. In GG, I wanted to know what the MC was going to do. He's a bit of a pain in the ass but he smashed his way to success. It was funny. In Bad Guys, the MC is the less grumpy version of GG and not as entertaining. He comes across as naive and too "lucky" in what he gets away with his Gary Stu-ness.
August 17, 2019
As you can see i gave this 5 stars which is a rarity for me, i did this because I enjoyed it so much!
I do however have some creative criticism... One point that was a niggling annoyance while reading this was that the economy. What silver and gold is worth is all over the place. It made zero sense, seriously make an excel spreadsheet write in every item that is to be bought or sold including wages and work it out so it makes sense. It might be a boring task for an author to do, but it's worth it so that the reading experience isn't ruined. It doesn't cost a weeks wage (of what is apparently better pay than a full-time guard) to get a taxi home. It's not even that expensive in London.
The only other thing that bothered me slightly is I have never met a gamer who doesn't hoard everything they can lay their sticky little fingers on. For a theif he didn't do that much thieving and sold magical items way too quickly. In a game you never know when something is going to be handy, you keep every unique item that you see.
The ending felt a little abrupt, we were just getting somewhere.
So yes it's true that's a lot of moaning for 5 stars, but i really did enjoy reading it a lot more than anything else ive read in months, i was starting to think I was really unlucky with picking a series.
I do however have some creative criticism... One point that was a niggling annoyance while reading this was that the economy. What silver and gold is worth is all over the place. It made zero sense, seriously make an excel spreadsheet write in every item that is to be bought or sold including wages and work it out so it makes sense. It might be a boring task for an author to do, but it's worth it so that the reading experience isn't ruined. It doesn't cost a weeks wage (of what is apparently better pay than a full-time guard) to get a taxi home. It's not even that expensive in London.
The only other thing that bothered me slightly is I have never met a gamer who doesn't hoard everything they can lay their sticky little fingers on. For a theif he didn't do that much thieving and sold magical items way too quickly. In a game you never know when something is going to be handy, you keep every unique item that you see.
The ending felt a little abrupt, we were just getting somewhere.
So yes it's true that's a lot of moaning for 5 stars, but i really did enjoy reading it a lot more than anything else ive read in months, i was starting to think I was really unlucky with picking a series.
October 20, 2024
It seems that all of the MC's are young and - a bit naive. Is that easier to write? Seems like a bit of a cop out to me. Yes, I am an old, jaded, been lots of places person but still. Most of the MC's in Ugland's stories seem a bit...dumb. Nobody comes up with a plan in advance. They are all super reactionary. Let's hope some day he writes about someone who has plans in advance some day.
There is a 'luck' stat. Nobody ever EVER seems to put points into it. Why the hell not?
Hey, a couple (4) points got put into the 'luck' stat at last. Woohoo. Still thinking it would be an interesting book to see someone who always puts say half of their points into luck each and every level.
Despite levels being a HORRIBLE thing. Still. The moment you combine levels + online + PVP, you have griefers or - in the case of books - lazy writing (well, lazy thinking/world building).
Edit: See the first book of a different series of the author, The Good Guys for my review on this and two other series. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
There is a 'luck' stat. Nobody ever EVER seems to put points into it. Why the hell not?
Hey, a couple (4) points got put into the 'luck' stat at last. Woohoo. Still thinking it would be an interesting book to see someone who always puts say half of their points into luck each and every level.
Despite levels being a HORRIBLE thing. Still. The moment you combine levels + online + PVP, you have griefers or - in the case of books - lazy writing (well, lazy thinking/world building).
Edit: See the first book of a different series of the author, The Good Guys for my review on this and two other series. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
February 27, 2021
I wasted my time.
My critical mistake was to skip chapters 1-3 in the free preview. They seemed like an unnecessary prologue so I felt justified. I did like chapters 4-8, and based on them I decided to buy the book.
It was a good Isekai LitRPG beginning. Gain a new chance at life in a new world; get your first lucky kill immediately, followed by those delicious first level-ups. And that's it. Everything that follows is a slow, mind-numbing waste of time.
Turns out chapters 1-3 were more like what I was really signing up for. Lots of rambling and sidetracking; lots of tell, little show.
Immediately after the free preview on Amazon, there's a poorly disguised info dump spanning several chapters. It made me see some red but I figured I'll bite my teeth through it since I paid for it.
There's also quite a bit of light-hearted banter inserted inbetween, but I only found it annoying.
From chapter 17 on (at 22%) we finally get some shopping and training. It wasn't too bad, but I wasn't impressed either.
Chapter 22 gets us back to info dumping. We have a bit of action, too, but it's mostly tell and little show.
After tormenting me with yet some more banter, chapter 27 finally gives us the first fights since the free preview and... it's bad. My patience has been used up.
The book's remarkably high average rating is an absolute mystery to me. I'm aware that it's perhaps just a severe compatibility problem between me and the style the book is written in. Perhaps you will find the book more enjoyable.
Dropped at 40%.
My critical mistake was to skip chapters 1-3 in the free preview. They seemed like an unnecessary prologue so I felt justified. I did like chapters 4-8, and based on them I decided to buy the book.
It was a good Isekai LitRPG beginning. Gain a new chance at life in a new world; get your first lucky kill immediately, followed by those delicious first level-ups. And that's it. Everything that follows is a slow, mind-numbing waste of time.
Turns out chapters 1-3 were more like what I was really signing up for. Lots of rambling and sidetracking; lots of tell, little show.
Immediately after the free preview on Amazon, there's a poorly disguised info dump spanning several chapters. It made me see some red but I figured I'll bite my teeth through it since I paid for it.
There's also quite a bit of light-hearted banter inserted inbetween, but I only found it annoying.
From chapter 17 on (at 22%) we finally get some shopping and training. It wasn't too bad, but I wasn't impressed either.
Chapter 22 gets us back to info dumping. We have a bit of action, too, but it's mostly tell and little show.
After tormenting me with yet some more banter, chapter 27 finally gives us the first fights since the free preview and... it's bad. My patience has been used up.
The book's remarkably high average rating is an absolute mystery to me. I'm aware that it's perhaps just a severe compatibility problem between me and the style the book is written in. Perhaps you will find the book more enjoyable.
Dropped at 40%.
July 24, 2021
This is my first experience with this genre. I had no idea that there was such a thing as litRPG. Considering how popular this concept is in anime and manga though, it's not very surprising. Well, it sounded like a lot of fun and it was. I finished the audiobook in one day. Btw, note that by the time I'm writing this review I've now listened to the first three books in the series and they all start exactly after the other. So I'm having a bit of trouble differentiating between them.
I was a little worried that the game mechanics would ruin the immersion, but the clear indication of progress and the abundance of information was actually very satisfying. Not only the mechanics but the world of Voldrani, on the whole, is excellent. This book is set in a single city, but the layout and atmosphere of the place come across very clearly. On the same note, the magic, politics and dynamics of the world are also explored and explained. The only real issue with the world is the economy. The currency is a blend of copper, silver and gold coins, but the value of the currency is never explained and truly does not make sense.
I like our main character, Clyde. He has ethics, if not morals. I like that he decided to be on the wrong side of the law and doesn't feel guilty about killing or stealing. I like how he starts off deciding to be a bad guy, but can't stop himself from helping when people are in trouble. Other than that there is not a lot of character development though. Clyde is smart, and he makes logical decisions (a character trait that I always appreciate). He's also funny...sometimes. It's a bit of a hit and miss, but he's entertaining.
Clyde is a special little snowflake though. Everything that happens to him, especially in the beginning, is just so damn convenient. And throughout the book, the reader is very aware that Clyde Hatchet cannot fail. Every hardship he faces is simply a formality. Since he's just along for the ride, wanting to explore this new world and lacking a directive the book's plot can also feel a bit aimless. It's still an easy, entertaining and satisfying read though. I have no means to compare it to other books in its genre, but I enjoyed it and I'll probably read the whole series.
I was a little worried that the game mechanics would ruin the immersion, but the clear indication of progress and the abundance of information was actually very satisfying. Not only the mechanics but the world of Voldrani, on the whole, is excellent. This book is set in a single city, but the layout and atmosphere of the place come across very clearly. On the same note, the magic, politics and dynamics of the world are also explored and explained. The only real issue with the world is the economy. The currency is a blend of copper, silver and gold coins, but the value of the currency is never explained and truly does not make sense.
I like our main character, Clyde. He has ethics, if not morals. I like that he decided to be on the wrong side of the law and doesn't feel guilty about killing or stealing. I like how he starts off deciding to be a bad guy, but can't stop himself from helping when people are in trouble. Other than that there is not a lot of character development though. Clyde is smart, and he makes logical decisions (a character trait that I always appreciate). He's also funny...sometimes. It's a bit of a hit and miss, but he's entertaining.
Clyde is a special little snowflake though. Everything that happens to him, especially in the beginning, is just so damn convenient. And throughout the book, the reader is very aware that Clyde Hatchet cannot fail. Every hardship he faces is simply a formality. Since he's just along for the ride, wanting to explore this new world and lacking a directive the book's plot can also feel a bit aimless. It's still an easy, entertaining and satisfying read though. I have no means to compare it to other books in its genre, but I enjoyed it and I'll probably read the whole series.
January 27, 2023
Ended better than it started. The writing was not good. The editing was just plain bad. The story was slow and long winded. The odd thing is that there was a lot of very interesting setup that occurred in the second half of the book. You end up with an interesting setting for book 2, but with the writing and editing of the first installment I will not be continuing. If this book had an awesome story I would have looked past the shortcomings and simply given it a neutral review. Unless you have read every other book that might interest you I would stay away from this one. There are better books in this genre.
September 16, 2023
An enjoyable audiobook, one where a good reader keeps your attention even where the plot or purpose is less than stellar. The story is of a lackluster person being given a second chance on life inside the world of a fantasy RPG video game/DND adventure. It helped me push through some home projects I was spending late hours on and in the end, had me caught up enough in the conceit that I will be jumping into the second book soon.
Only three stars because it does not rise above the level of entertainment. But, I was entertained.
Only three stars because it does not rise above the level of entertainment. But, I was entertained.
February 17, 2021
Wow, what fun!
I am loving this Bad Guys series! Eric Ugland, I am digging your storytelling style! I previously listened to nearly all of the Good Guy series, which I mostly enjoyed. This Scamps and Scoundrels story is so entertaining. What a great start to the Bad Guys series! I have to say, Neil Hellegers’s skills as a narrator are superior!
I am loving this Bad Guys series! Eric Ugland, I am digging your storytelling style! I previously listened to nearly all of the Good Guy series, which I mostly enjoyed. This Scamps and Scoundrels story is so entertaining. What a great start to the Bad Guys series! I have to say, Neil Hellegers’s skills as a narrator are superior!
March 13, 2021
Ерик Угланд е доста производителен автор и това му личи, макар да публикува май само в интернет. Стилът му е обран, а езикът - доста в час. С това искам да кажа, че макар първата книга от трилогията за Лошите да не е нищо особено като идея, свят или недай си Боже философия, тя е написана добре и интересно, с достатъчно действие за да задържи вниманието и достатъчно интересни герои, за които да ти пука.
December 2, 2025
Empfehlung von einer Kollegin: man sollte eine Affinität zu Rollenspielen haben. Und am besten auch selbst gespielt haben (Pen and Paper oder am PC), sonst könnte es sein, dass man das ein oder andere nicht versteht, oder nicht drüber lachen/schmunzeln kann. Unser Hauptcharakter wird in eine"Rollenspiel-Welt" geschmissen und er entscheidet sich für das, was er vorher bereits gemacht hat: Clyde Hatchett - ein Dieb. Statt Mensch ist er nun aber ein Elf. Durch eine glückliche Fügung lernt er eine "Erdenbewohnerin" kennen, die ihm sehr kurz die wesentlichen Regeln nahebringt. Da sie die Stadt verlässt, ist sie nur kurz die Mentorin von Clyde, aber gibt ihm als Starthilfe und Dankeschön ihr Haus in der Altstadt. Und so wird Clyde in die Verwicklungen der ihn umgebenden Menschen und der Stadt gezogen. Er möchte u.a. einer Diebesgilde beitreten, die sich Keksgewerkschaft nennt (der Brüller :) ). Gelingt es ihm? Freue mich auf die weiteren Bände, so dass ich jetzt schon weiß, für was die Gutscheine von Audible verwendet werden.
June 3, 2024
Quite interesting and a nice flavour of humor and personal touch of perception
April 17, 2023
Lots of Fun
I love Gamelit and this is definitely that. The main character is a lovable rogue. He wants to be a bad guy but ends up doing the right thing on accident. How fun.
I love Gamelit and this is definitely that. The main character is a lovable rogue. He wants to be a bad guy but ends up doing the right thing on accident. How fun.
April 28, 2020
Only got highlight is Neil Hellegers as the Voice Actor in this book.
Everything else is just a plain dumb young adult that is playing a unlikable THIEF. So many things are wrong with this idiot MC in the first two hours of listening. Like getting serious advice from a certain someone that's been there longer than a day and NOT taking it. Maybe I am being hard on this because I think Thief's are pieces of garbage and most punishments should be like in some middle east countries deal with them. Bottom line, they are well not likable.
Everything else is just a plain dumb young adult that is playing a unlikable THIEF. So many things are wrong with this idiot MC in the first two hours of listening. Like getting serious advice from a certain someone that's been there longer than a day and NOT taking it. Maybe I am being hard on this because I think Thief's are pieces of garbage and most punishments should be like in some middle east countries deal with them. Bottom line, they are well not likable.
January 21, 2020
Set in the same world as Eric Ugland's "The Good Guys Series", this story follows a different character in the Imperial Capital City who's pursuing the path of a thief. Like Eric Ugland's other book, this one's got a charming cast of characters, simple but deep world, interesting plot, and well done action. By the end of the book I was torn between wanting to see him meet up with Montana at some point and just wanting this plot line to continue. I highly recommend both Eric Ugland's series.
April 12, 2021
If you like dnd, your gonna enjoy this read he takes alot of spells directly from Dnd. The main character is very enduring! He's more of a Han Solo type then an actual bad guy.
November 5, 2022
A great read about a man trying to be an honorable thief
Another story of a man transplant to a magical world, that has style, deadliness, magic, and adventure. He gets to pick his name, his race, class and set some stats before he is dropped into an alley and a murder occurring right in front of him.
Time to decide what type of life he wants to lead and act or run. He acts and well, read on to see his adventures in the new world where he manages a short term guide as he helps another traveler from earth escape the city. He gains a lot in the quest he’s given, because of course quests are real if there is magic, elves, dwarves, and orcs.
Very thief has a start somewhere, his just happened to be back on earth, now he gets to se show those skills translate to a game like world.
Another story of a man transplant to a magical world, that has style, deadliness, magic, and adventure. He gets to pick his name, his race, class and set some stats before he is dropped into an alley and a murder occurring right in front of him.
Time to decide what type of life he wants to lead and act or run. He acts and well, read on to see his adventures in the new world where he manages a short term guide as he helps another traveler from earth escape the city. He gains a lot in the quest he’s given, because of course quests are real if there is magic, elves, dwarves, and orcs.
Very thief has a start somewhere, his just happened to be back on earth, now he gets to se show those skills translate to a game like world.
September 15, 2023
This took me a little bit longer than I thought I would because works been kind of hectic again the characters I really enjoyed I really like the action between them in the world building however The game world thing got kind of old and some scenes kind of dragged on a little bit I kind of waited to get to the next area of the story and just took a little bit too long to get there I think this would be a very fun game to play but some of the scenes just took way too long to get through all in all not bad I definitely will read more by this author this is definitely worth checking out.
January 21, 2021
Good book
Good start to a new series, there were something’s that bugged me but on the whole pretty dame good story.
Good start to a new series, there were something’s that bugged me but on the whole pretty dame good story.
October 15, 2024
I liked the beginning but as it continued I became more and more disillusioned. My biggest gripe is the fact that things just keep getting more unbelievable with the MCs relationships, set up for everything to work out just right for me, and general world building.
May 10, 2022
Summary:
Since I have read 5 of the “Good Guys” (GG) series books already, and since both series encompass the same game world, my review will be comparing this series (BG) to the former at times. The novel begins similar to GG book 1 in that the MC’s enter the game world by some obscure means. The character creation and stat allocation process was fun as well as the MC’s intro/tutorial (of sorts) to the land of Voldrani (sp?) Whereas it took 2-3 books of GG before things really took off for me, everything was polished and ready to go, entertainment wise, from the start in this novel.
I’m gratified to learn that BG encompasses the same game world, cities, vernacular, and culture as GG. Of course I’m wondering if the MC will ever intersect with the MC of GG, but will have to wait and see.
Some things I really enjoyed about this novel are as follows:
1. The author really toned down the profanity but managed to keep the humor vs. GG series. While I missed some of the creative profanity, all in all it’s a definite plus in my book.
2. The story explored the game world’s magic system in greater detail than GG, how it works, strengths and limitations, and fleshed out some of the cultural taboos. Being affected by casting certain spells is an intriguing concept too (i.e. Shadow Step). Finally, a Rogue with support spells as back up sounds like an incredible game character.
3. Whereas in the GG series, Montana doesn’t know what kind of man/hero he wants to be until book 5’ish. Clyde has an archetype from the start (i.e. Robin Hood). However, he definitely appears to be a good guy at the start of BG book 1 exactly how Montana appears to be the bad guy at the start of GG book 1.
4. The MC inherits all that a previous rogue owned, including all her troubles, and this plot element did a fantastic job in shunting Clyde into the thick of it vs. a slow build up that usually needs to occur first.
5. Unlike in GG, there is an immediate love interest in BG book 1 (that I can only assume her description and mannerisms mirror the author’s actual wife).
6. Speaking of stories, it got really interesting toward the end, picking up a storyline that’s present in the GG series (emperor overthrown, multiple powers seeking throne). And it looks like the MC will be picking up unlikely alliances in this series like GG, which is really cool as otherwise disparate factions are aligned under Clyde’s tutelage.
Some dislikes:
* It might be a newb type thing, but the MC has no sense of his money and what he can buy.
* I kind of missed the excessive profanity. I felt like the author toned it down a bit too much in Book 1 of BG.
* This might resolve itself later in series but Clyde is a bad guy amongst bad guys which actually makes him appear as a good guy.
* The LitRPG element in this “GameLit” novel is completely random and inconsistent at times.
In summary, I loved book 1 and eagerly look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Since I have read 5 of the “Good Guys” (GG) series books already, and since both series encompass the same game world, my review will be comparing this series (BG) to the former at times. The novel begins similar to GG book 1 in that the MC’s enter the game world by some obscure means. The character creation and stat allocation process was fun as well as the MC’s intro/tutorial (of sorts) to the land of Voldrani (sp?) Whereas it took 2-3 books of GG before things really took off for me, everything was polished and ready to go, entertainment wise, from the start in this novel.
I’m gratified to learn that BG encompasses the same game world, cities, vernacular, and culture as GG. Of course I’m wondering if the MC will ever intersect with the MC of GG, but will have to wait and see.
Some things I really enjoyed about this novel are as follows:
1. The author really toned down the profanity but managed to keep the humor vs. GG series. While I missed some of the creative profanity, all in all it’s a definite plus in my book.
2. The story explored the game world’s magic system in greater detail than GG, how it works, strengths and limitations, and fleshed out some of the cultural taboos. Being affected by casting certain spells is an intriguing concept too (i.e. Shadow Step). Finally, a Rogue with support spells as back up sounds like an incredible game character.
3. Whereas in the GG series, Montana doesn’t know what kind of man/hero he wants to be until book 5’ish. Clyde has an archetype from the start (i.e. Robin Hood). However, he definitely appears to be a good guy at the start of BG book 1 exactly how Montana appears to be the bad guy at the start of GG book 1.
4. The MC inherits all that a previous rogue owned, including all her troubles, and this plot element did a fantastic job in shunting Clyde into the thick of it vs. a slow build up that usually needs to occur first.
5. Unlike in GG, there is an immediate love interest in BG book 1 (that I can only assume her description and mannerisms mirror the author’s actual wife).
6. Speaking of stories, it got really interesting toward the end, picking up a storyline that’s present in the GG series (emperor overthrown, multiple powers seeking throne). And it looks like the MC will be picking up unlikely alliances in this series like GG, which is really cool as otherwise disparate factions are aligned under Clyde’s tutelage.
Some dislikes:
* It might be a newb type thing, but the MC has no sense of his money and what he can buy.
* I kind of missed the excessive profanity. I felt like the author toned it down a bit too much in Book 1 of BG.
* This might resolve itself later in series but Clyde is a bad guy amongst bad guys which actually makes him appear as a good guy.
* The LitRPG element in this “GameLit” novel is completely random and inconsistent at times.
In summary, I loved book 1 and eagerly look forward to reading the rest of the series.
January 27, 2020
A wonderful start to the companion series Good Guys. Although the MC can't quite compare to Montana, he's a well developed, likeable character with a great story. Adventure, leveling, intrigue and a heroic thief. Altogether a winning combination. Recommended for anyone who enjoys books from Eric Ugland or LitRPG.
August 16, 2019
A great start of a new series, in an existing world
This story takes place congruently with the events in the Good Guys series by the same author.
There's so much fun happening in this story! We're exposed to an area of the world that directly impacts the events of the other series, while at the same time being its own thing.
The main characters are dichotomous and are not just a copy of each other in a different setting. Motivations, actions and reactions are completely different and unique.
Lastly, Mr. Ugland's mind goes places in this story that in anyone else’s hands would make for a ridiculous story where in this case it’s an uproarious fun read.
Now I have 2 series to bother him about.
This story takes place congruently with the events in the Good Guys series by the same author.
There's so much fun happening in this story! We're exposed to an area of the world that directly impacts the events of the other series, while at the same time being its own thing.
The main characters are dichotomous and are not just a copy of each other in a different setting. Motivations, actions and reactions are completely different and unique.
Lastly, Mr. Ugland's mind goes places in this story that in anyone else’s hands would make for a ridiculous story where in this case it’s an uproarious fun read.
Now I have 2 series to bother him about.
August 28, 2019
Alert
I hate trying to write reviews because there are really only pass/fail results for me. Did I make it all the way through? Yes? 5 stars. No? There would be nothing here to read. In all fairness, if an author holds my attention from page one to the end, they’ve done their job. Anything less than 5 stars is petty criticism from someone incapable of even doing the job let alone doing a better one.
So in respect for the author and their work, I am going to start pasting this along with a generic review I found somewhere. “This was a fun book. I am glad that I read it. You should try it too.”
Cheers
I hate trying to write reviews because there are really only pass/fail results for me. Did I make it all the way through? Yes? 5 stars. No? There would be nothing here to read. In all fairness, if an author holds my attention from page one to the end, they’ve done their job. Anything less than 5 stars is petty criticism from someone incapable of even doing the job let alone doing a better one.
So in respect for the author and their work, I am going to start pasting this along with a generic review I found somewhere. “This was a fun book. I am glad that I read it. You should try it too.”
Cheers
March 15, 2020
this books is 80% descriptions and inner monologues. if i wanted to read page after page of descriptions and inner monologues id pick up a classic. DNF
September 21, 2021
I am no longer doing individual reviews for every book, I will do one for the entire available series posted at the first book after I read them (or if I stop and will note this and why). As this is where you are going to decide whether to read it or not, then you will not need anyone's thoughts about subsequent books to know if your going to read them or not...
Content - Main character is likeable, more realistic than other main characters in other series (more morally ambiguous). In book one, has clear progression path with lots of fights/choices/etc. The fights don't take up too many pages and his story is interesting. I actually appreciate the first bit of a new book (from book two and on) has a bit from the previous book, so if I am not reading back to back, it helps freshen your memory.
Harems - No harems. He does have a single "girlfriend", although there is some description of them kissing, it is nothing bad and nothing further than this. Family friendly for all ages.
Translation - None, it's nice to read a book that didn't have translation issues. I know he's a native English speaker, but lately many of the books I have found in this and the Wuxia genre online and in Kindle have been translated and have many translation issues, this was a change I enjoyed!
Thoughts - I enjoyed this way more than the "Good Guys" series! Some people have made note of the author spreading himself thin with multiple series going on at the same time, while this can be argued, he still puts out books faster than other authors I am reading and the quality of this series does not seem to take a hit in this regard. I gave books one through six a 5 star each. The story has a clearly defined arc in each and makes a solid progress in them. This is until book seven, which while lengthy in pages, it seems less progress is made and could be added to book six to flow more fluidly or lengthen book seven and get a bit further in his journey. I gave book seven a 4 star rating. I did not like the reset part, while this is the authors story and he has his reasons, I don't feel that enough was changed to make it worth part of the story (note it wasn't that big of a change) and to be honest I wouldn't want it to be a complete change as that should be a different series as after six books the main character "is who he is". I will continue reading this series and at the time I am writing this Sept 2021 there is another book out in three months and can be pre-ordered now.
Content - Main character is likeable, more realistic than other main characters in other series (more morally ambiguous). In book one, has clear progression path with lots of fights/choices/etc. The fights don't take up too many pages and his story is interesting. I actually appreciate the first bit of a new book (from book two and on) has a bit from the previous book, so if I am not reading back to back, it helps freshen your memory.
Harems - No harems. He does have a single "girlfriend", although there is some description of them kissing, it is nothing bad and nothing further than this. Family friendly for all ages.
Translation - None, it's nice to read a book that didn't have translation issues. I know he's a native English speaker, but lately many of the books I have found in this and the Wuxia genre online and in Kindle have been translated and have many translation issues, this was a change I enjoyed!
Thoughts - I enjoyed this way more than the "Good Guys" series! Some people have made note of the author spreading himself thin with multiple series going on at the same time, while this can be argued, he still puts out books faster than other authors I am reading and the quality of this series does not seem to take a hit in this regard. I gave books one through six a 5 star each. The story has a clearly defined arc in each and makes a solid progress in them. This is until book seven, which while lengthy in pages, it seems less progress is made and could be added to book six to flow more fluidly or lengthen book seven and get a bit further in his journey. I gave book seven a 4 star rating. I did not like the reset part, while this is the authors story and he has his reasons, I don't feel that enough was changed to make it worth part of the story (note it wasn't that big of a change) and to be honest I wouldn't want it to be a complete change as that should be a different series as after six books the main character "is who he is". I will continue reading this series and at the time I am writing this Sept 2021 there is another book out in three months and can be pre-ordered now.
January 12, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.75 stars for me - a good book!
My personal scale:
1 star - not for me fam
2 star - meh
3 star - good book
4 star - really good book
5 star - loved it
I listened to the audio book
BOOK REVIEW
For those who love Dnd, rpg, Solo Leveling, or isekai to game world, I think this is a fun book to pick up. Because i have read a lot in this type of genre, it didn't exactly feel new or exciting to me (yet?~)--but none the less this was a pleasant story to listen along to.
This first book doesn't take you into the juicy action yet, that is probably a lot of the reason why i wasn't excited yet. The MC is young and also starting at Lvl 1 so you need to take that into consideration--no one is going to be fighting a dragon at lvl 1! He did do some impressive things considering his level but nothing crazy. This first book is more to set up the world, the plot, and getting the main character settled into their new life.
I enjoyed this slower build up because it feels more realistic and I think this will make it a lot easier to ease your way into the mechanics of the world and what's going on in it if this is your first book in the genre. I think also this slower burning plot will make it super satisfying because you will be able to see the MCs development grow naturally, and you'll feel a sense of pride when they get into the thick of it later in the series when they are a matured, higher level bad ass (I assume that's what he will be).
The character is morally gray in his first life and he brings those same ideals into this world, but he's on a journey to see what he wants to make of life this time. A lot of interesting variables were introduced so I'm looking forward to what the next book has to hold
AUDIO REVIEW
The narrator was pleasant! I haven't had a really good male narrator in a long time, i felt like this narrator was very animated and fit the MCs vibe well.
My personal scale:
1 star - not for me fam
2 star - meh
3 star - good book
4 star - really good book
5 star - loved it
I listened to the audio book
BOOK REVIEW
For those who love Dnd, rpg, Solo Leveling, or isekai to game world, I think this is a fun book to pick up. Because i have read a lot in this type of genre, it didn't exactly feel new or exciting to me (yet?~)--but none the less this was a pleasant story to listen along to.
This first book doesn't take you into the juicy action yet, that is probably a lot of the reason why i wasn't excited yet. The MC is young and also starting at Lvl 1 so you need to take that into consideration--no one is going to be fighting a dragon at lvl 1! He did do some impressive things considering his level but nothing crazy. This first book is more to set up the world, the plot, and getting the main character settled into their new life.
I enjoyed this slower build up because it feels more realistic and I think this will make it a lot easier to ease your way into the mechanics of the world and what's going on in it if this is your first book in the genre. I think also this slower burning plot will make it super satisfying because you will be able to see the MCs development grow naturally, and you'll feel a sense of pride when they get into the thick of it later in the series when they are a matured, higher level bad ass (I assume that's what he will be).
The character is morally gray in his first life and he brings those same ideals into this world, but he's on a journey to see what he wants to make of life this time. A lot of interesting variables were introduced so I'm looking forward to what the next book has to hold
AUDIO REVIEW
The narrator was pleasant! I haven't had a really good male narrator in a long time, i felt like this narrator was very animated and fit the MCs vibe well.
August 1, 2022
3 The World As The Perfect Vanilla Frosted Playground You Wish It Were Stars
Scamps & Scoundrels is the first book in The Bad Guy's series by Eric Ugland.
Very short work. There was a decent amount of plot progression, but the route the author took to explore Clyde's new life was twisted and obscure. A veritable minefield of interesting happenings. A little confusion was surely added to the mix, but the combined whole of the outcome was intriguing and enjoyable for all it encompassed.
I still have so many questions. About the White Hand. About the man who now owes his life to Clyde Hatchet, and that man's kingdom. About the Empire. About the magic of this world. About the system of leveling. About the Shadow Realm, other Realms and how they can utilized.
The pits are perhaps the most intriguing of this entire endeavor, outside of Gideon and their extensive use of the Royal 'we'. Is Gideon also all the small hooded figures in their shop? Are they one being, in some simulcrum of a hive mind?
I think there is just enough information explored in this book to make a satisfying base for future exploration of this world. But nothing truly enriching to be worth even 4 stars. We need more world building for the Empire itself, and the rest of the world to even touch on approaching such heights.
While confusing and subpar at first, I truly came to appreciate and enjoy the cadence of all dialogue in this book. It comes across as fast-talking repartee. Like some rendition of british comedy duos, or Monty Python. I'm not sure if I hope this style of conversation will be so prevalent throughout all of this series, but it has a certain draw either way.
Most of all, however, I am interested in further exploring the Biscuit Union, and the creature in the sub-basement.
Scamps & Scoundrels is the first book in The Bad Guy's series by Eric Ugland.
Very short work. There was a decent amount of plot progression, but the route the author took to explore Clyde's new life was twisted and obscure. A veritable minefield of interesting happenings. A little confusion was surely added to the mix, but the combined whole of the outcome was intriguing and enjoyable for all it encompassed.
I still have so many questions. About the White Hand. About the man who now owes his life to Clyde Hatchet, and that man's kingdom. About the Empire. About the magic of this world. About the system of leveling. About the Shadow Realm, other Realms and how they can utilized.
The pits are perhaps the most intriguing of this entire endeavor, outside of Gideon and their extensive use of the Royal 'we'. Is Gideon also all the small hooded figures in their shop? Are they one being, in some simulcrum of a hive mind?
I think there is just enough information explored in this book to make a satisfying base for future exploration of this world. But nothing truly enriching to be worth even 4 stars. We need more world building for the Empire itself, and the rest of the world to even touch on approaching such heights.
While confusing and subpar at first, I truly came to appreciate and enjoy the cadence of all dialogue in this book. It comes across as fast-talking repartee. Like some rendition of british comedy duos, or Monty Python. I'm not sure if I hope this style of conversation will be so prevalent throughout all of this series, but it has a certain draw either way.
Most of all, however, I am interested in further exploring the Biscuit Union, and the creature in the sub-basement.
October 12, 2022
The premise and story were okay.
The dialogue was atrocious. Nearly every single interaction was filled with characters constantly interrupting each other and it only served to lengthen the interactions. I respect an attempt at realistic dialogue, but every conversation was constantly using "I mean", "Um", "Like" to such an overwhelming extent I would have to take breaks.
The author was attempting to simulate wit in these conversations as well, but it was just more filler useless dialogue that accomplished nothing besides adding to the word count. Worst of all, it wasn't even witty. Painful to read, even more painful to listen to. The narrator did an excellent job, but hearing the conversations out loud just highlighted how terribly written they were.
An example of what the dialogue as like. (I did not pull this from the book, I typed this to illustrate the flaws constantly showing up. C1 and C2 are character 1 and 2 respectively)
C1: That doesn't look safe
C2: Yeah, it is dangerous. I mean-
C1: Did I say it looked dangerous?
C2: No, I mean, Um-
C1: What, don't they have danger where you come from?
C2: No, I mean, Yes, we have-
C1: Whew, I sure wish I lived somewhere without danger. What hamlet did you say you were from?
C2: I didn't, I mean, we do, I mean we do have danger!
C1: Then why did you say you didn't? Jeez boy, maybe you took a harder hit to the head I thought.
C2: I didn't say that, you did!
C1: Yes definitely harder than I thought.
C2: Where did you say, Um, I mean, where are you from?
Now imagine that awful dialogue monopolizing every character interaction. This book's word count could have been halved without the ridiculous conversations.
The dialogue was atrocious. Nearly every single interaction was filled with characters constantly interrupting each other and it only served to lengthen the interactions. I respect an attempt at realistic dialogue, but every conversation was constantly using "I mean", "Um", "Like" to such an overwhelming extent I would have to take breaks.
The author was attempting to simulate wit in these conversations as well, but it was just more filler useless dialogue that accomplished nothing besides adding to the word count. Worst of all, it wasn't even witty. Painful to read, even more painful to listen to. The narrator did an excellent job, but hearing the conversations out loud just highlighted how terribly written they were.
An example of what the dialogue as like. (I did not pull this from the book, I typed this to illustrate the flaws constantly showing up. C1 and C2 are character 1 and 2 respectively)
C1: That doesn't look safe
C2: Yeah, it is dangerous. I mean-
C1: Did I say it looked dangerous?
C2: No, I mean, Um-
C1: What, don't they have danger where you come from?
C2: No, I mean, Yes, we have-
C1: Whew, I sure wish I lived somewhere without danger. What hamlet did you say you were from?
C2: I didn't, I mean, we do, I mean we do have danger!
C1: Then why did you say you didn't? Jeez boy, maybe you took a harder hit to the head I thought.
C2: I didn't say that, you did!
C1: Yes definitely harder than I thought.
C2: Where did you say, Um, I mean, where are you from?
Now imagine that awful dialogue monopolizing every character interaction. This book's word count could have been halved without the ridiculous conversations.
July 20, 2024
This was a very fun book. A thief in our world gets badly injured keeping the kids and the woman of the house that he was burglaring from being burned to death by her worthless husband. Lying in the burn ward with nothing to look forward to, he gets a chance to enter the same fantasy roleplaying game Montana is in in The Good Guys and he takes it, even though he thinks he’s dreaming. He then approaches character creation like many of us would and roles up a thief, thinking his real-world experience might help him. What follows is an introduction to the fantasy roleplaying world of Eric Ugland and life in an imperial city. We get to watch Clyde start at first level and try to figure out how he can survive.
I was prepared not to like Clyde—after all, this is the Bad Guys series. But Ugland lied to us. Clyde is every bit the hero that Montana is. But he has a totally different skillset and set of circumstances. And those circumstances are interesting. I thought more than once about Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser and their heroic battle against the Thieves Guild of Lankhmahr—only Ugland is a bit more sophisticated about how things work.
There is so much to love in this book. It took a little long for Clyde to catch his stride, but now that he has I can’t wait to read the next one.
I was prepared not to like Clyde—after all, this is the Bad Guys series. But Ugland lied to us. Clyde is every bit the hero that Montana is. But he has a totally different skillset and set of circumstances. And those circumstances are interesting. I thought more than once about Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser and their heroic battle against the Thieves Guild of Lankhmahr—only Ugland is a bit more sophisticated about how things work.
There is so much to love in this book. It took a little long for Clyde to catch his stride, but now that he has I can’t wait to read the next one.
October 5, 2020
There are few books I have found as entertaining and funny as this one. Ugland's writing on the flip side of the coin to 'The Good Guys series' we find the introduction to the 'The Bad Guys' series very similar. Protagonist in a dire situation has nothing to lost and wham into this new RPG landscape.
I love the story flow and witty dialogs. A page turner and tummy rumbling laugh riser.
Gonna binge on this series for sure. Need to highly recommend the audiobook that TOR has come out for it. The voice artist is simply amazing.
Highly recommend if you are looking to pick up a book that has the dark but is much lighter. The protagonist is fun and enjoyable if you have read the books in the Good Guys series since the events happen kinda in parallel. One with the king and the other with his thingman.
What is a thingman? Well pick up the book and find out.
I love the story flow and witty dialogs. A page turner and tummy rumbling laugh riser.
Gonna binge on this series for sure. Need to highly recommend the audiobook that TOR has come out for it. The voice artist is simply amazing.
Highly recommend if you are looking to pick up a book that has the dark but is much lighter. The protagonist is fun and enjoyable if you have read the books in the Good Guys series since the events happen kinda in parallel. One with the king and the other with his thingman.
What is a thingman? Well pick up the book and find out.
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