Liam begrudgingly travels to another lord's domain to receive a noble education, and the Guide makes sure to muck up his reputation. When Liam attempts to bribe the reigning lord in exchange for a cushy life on the planet, he's deemed destitute and given the cold shoulder! Thinking the man is just far too upstanding for his "incentives", Liam decides that other nobles who got the same treatment must be just as wicked as he is! Will his pretty boy roommates, Kurt, and the gorgeous yet surprisingly friendly girl, Elia, become his new evil besties?
Liam Sera Banfield, by all accounts, is a genius of intergalactic statecraft as well as an irrepressible idiot. Neither will stop him from pursuing his goal of becoming an infamous overlord, and neither will stop him from serving up fresh justice to whomever should dare cross paths with him or his allies. In I'M THE EVIL LORD OF AN INTERGALACTIC EMPIRE v2, Liam's awkward tendency to mistake ill-fortune for good, as well as the reverse, continues unabated. Time to go to school.
The peculiar rules governing the nobility's coming-of-age in the Algrand Empire have necessarily pushed the protagonist to enroll in a three-year curriculum dedicated to ensuring he's worthy of his status; it's an off-world combination of a finishing school and an internship for rich kids. Sounds like a piece of cake. Now, if only Liam's attendance data hadn't been switched with the lazy son of House Petack, a barony in decline. If only the local pirate gang didn't have such close ties to the host, House Razel, and it's ruling Viscount. If only one of Liam's newest friends wasn't a diehard fujoshi.
EVIL LORD v2 is a smoother, more balanced read than the previous volume. The context of Liam's assorted musings on the value of villainy is somewhat contrived (e.g., attending what amounts to high school), but the author's massaging of the novel's rhythm, and each character's continue growth, make the book more appealing than it might otherwise be at first glance. The novel series' calculated use of time skips is employed to great effect here, serving readers substantive glimpses of key moments of Liam's study-abroad campaign (e.g., surviving hard labor, engaging new friends, dawdling through boring classes). Again, it's somewhat contrived and not entirely original, but because the author handles it so deftly, one doesn't really mind.
For example, Liam makes friends with numerous peers. His new friends are mostly the sons and daughters of barons from less-well-off planets, and they're all as charming or awkward as he. Kurt, of House Exner, is the scion of a knighted man; the Exner household knows little about fair governance and is considerably clumsy at it (which Liam mistakes for effective evildoing). And then there's Eila, the third daughter of House Berman, a chatty girl in whom her family sees little use or expectation. Whether shearing hedges on the campus grounds or romping through pilot training, these kids and others form a tight group.
EVIL LORD v2 appears ready to promise more, peer-focused friendships like these in the future. Amagi (the head maid android) is fun, Nias (the clumsy engineer) is a hoot, and Tia (the princess knight turned ally) is adorably strange, but none of them are Liam's social or political peers. As much as one delights in meeting new characters, like Eulisia Morisille, a lieutenant with the Third Weapons Factory, and gawk as she stumbles over her failures to entice Liam into purchasing her wares, Eulisia's character is ultimately a joke. Eulisia might come into play later, as a trope (e.g., the conniving, spited female type), but she's still just a punchline. Better instead to throw some sunlight over to Katerina Sera Razel, daughter to Viscount Razel and betrothal of Peter Sera Petack. Katerina is arrogant and petty. Then she loses everything. And then, interestingly, instead of giving up, she smiles an exasperated smile, and picks herself up.
This novel series has plenty to look forward to, so long as the author continually develops these and other secondary characters and continues highlighting the curious but fun worldbuilding elements that pop up here and there (e.g., military academies, political hierarchy). EVIL LORD v2 boasts smoother and more confident narrative transitions, a clearer narrative premise, and an expanded cast of likable characters. Liam always dabbles in a little bit of mischief, a little bit of justice, and a little bit of violence. If he's not careful, he might have a decent shot a much cushier post at the Imperial Home Planet.
I had really enjoyed the first book of this series, so I had high hopes for the second, and yep, it was a lot of fun. Look, I will be frank here, this isn't a book series that takes itself too seriously. Sure, the overall story is kind of a power fantasy, but I am okay with this. After all, I work a day job and enjoy Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest, Volume 1, so yeah. But the thing is, with this series so far, there is a nice balance between the over the top stuff, and the more serious aspect of it. The sci-fi is played very loose and fast, which works for it, making it more akin to a space opera more than anything else. Each character is very much what you would expect from a light novel. (ie: a couple traits for the side characters and nothing much else, but it works) This book sees Liam going to another lord's domain for an education. We are introduced to a few new characters which I am sure carry onto to other volumes, (and they are an interesting pair), as well as a bit of a nightmare of a noble son. In the end, I really enjoyed this book. For the fact that we are looking at Liam's entire time at this noble's territory, and parts of it could be viewed as boring, it actually is handled really well. The pacing can sometimes be a bit off, but for the most part I didn't really notice it until just now, thinking back on it. It's nice to see the Guide being the antagonist still. It felt very much like they may get rid of him, but the fact that he does something small, yet so impactful to this book's plot, was a good way to handle him in my view. So yeah, I really enjoyed this book. It was fun, Liam continued to be untouchable, and wonderfully ignorant of his inability to be evil. (There is a comparison to be had here between Liam and Ains (spelling) in Overlord, Vol. 1: The Undead King. Both are ignorant of their rolls. Liam is trying to be an evil lord, and failing. Ains is trying to be the protector of his guild's creation, but keeps being evil through his followers' and his own design. While both are overpowered, Liam has a certain innocence to him that Ains doesn't have, which is why this story works better in my mind than that of Overlord.) So yeah, this series is worth picking up.
Liam has been enjoying his new life as a minor noble in a sci-fi/fantasy universe, but as he's still growing up, he's got several educational hurdles ahead of him. One of those is a three-year stint under another noble. So Liam picks one at random, and heads off to unintentionally cause chaos once again . . .
These go by so fast. This novel is pretty much entirely focused on Liam's three years abroad. As usual, the Guide is trying to screw him over, but somehow everything he intended to be a problem Liam takes to be a blessing in disguise. And his gratitude is literally killing the Guide.
I do enjoy the fact that he's finally made a friend in Kurt, his roommate. Kurt is what everyone believes Liam to be---the upright noble struggling to maintain his honor. Except Liam, who believes he's evil, is somehow better at this than Kurt is. I especially like the confrontation with the pirates, and how Liam's not-totally-inaccurate view of them as lootboxes means he never shows them any mercy. Liam can't be bribed or reasoned with, not because he's good, but because he sees himself as terrible (and is proud of it), and therefore guilt trips don't work on him.
Other secondary characters are more annoying. Tia has gone well past loyal and straight into fanatacism (and her art is very... uh.... lopsided and looks very off to me). Nias and Eulisia trying to sell things via seduction make for jokes I was sick of the first time they show up. We also get a new character who has no regard for privacy or decency.
Overall, though, this is still breezy, funny, and generally pretty good. I do hope at some point it gets an anime. I rate this book Recommended.
Much more of a slog than volume 1 was, and the translation fell back to what seems to be at best google translate. Jokes were lost, sentence structure and flow faltered regularly and it largely seemed like whoever edited this didnt care to correct the worst of it.
Which is a little sad because its still silly fun. Though its extremely far into what are usually the worst of power fantasy trope, and it really doesnt dig far into logistics and worldbuilding its happily spotlighting its own absurdity.
Bonus points: By sheer bullheaded determination the author has still avoided actually giving the protagonist a harem, and the increasingly ridiculous reasons for that makes me laugh. Bonus points for the yaoi shipper(s) in story.
A story taking refuge in absurdity and functioning only because the protagonist is an unreliable narrator who is completely missing the point and still trying to be evil but failing so badly that he is actually a good lord.
Not one id actually recommend sadly. It has potential and ive got a few more of them apparently on the way ill treat as a guilty pleasure, but maybe mostly because of the translation trouble but its really just not that good.
The power of confirmation bias continues to rule the universe. It's fun to watch things escalate again as Liam tries his best to be an evil overlord.
Sadly for him, every time he tries, it only strengthens his reputation as a benevolent ruler. With bigger battles, more waifus, and an army of cute maids it sure is difficult being an evil overlord.
I finished out the very end of May 2025 by reading _I'm the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire!_ light novels 1-8 (i want more more) and the manga series 1-5. the anime version is in this Spring 2025 season "Ore wa Seikan Kokka no Akutoku Ryoushu". The series is laugh out loud funny (well silly), has AI maids, Mecha, lots of mecha, "The Way of the Flash", evil gods... and well, i like it (a lot).
Liam has rebuilt his planet and is now in the process of making his other planets in his domain livable and prosperous. But his coming of age requires him to train at another lords planet in order to learn. So after they decide where he is going they make a lot of gifts to have his time there be easy. But the Guide sees an opportunity, he mixes everything up and confuses the Lord as to who Liam really is. What happens next seems like mystical.
If you like manga and light novels and fancy an epic space battle saga soap opera rather than the normal evil demon lord etc, then this series should be the one to read its got plot twist giant robots battles space pilots and a protagonist that has no clue that he thinks hes evil but all he seems to be doing is good, i love it so more please.
This was a good follow-up to the first book, though I felt like the pace slowed a little. I knew where a lot of things were going and felt impatient for them to get there. The humor still gave me a solid laugh out loud moment as what I considered a throwaway joke made a callback later in the story.
The story was a little slow but I loved it. I laughed pretty hard at the Sci fi std. I enjoyed the new characters and the action. I can't wait for the next one.
Quite interesting story and enjoyable finished pretty much this book within a day would recommend to anyone who enjoys futuristic fantady themed stories
Still interesting. The Guide who feed on negative energy and a boy raised supposed to be an evil lord but every of it's action turned to be a wise ruler. A comedy and action fantasy in one pack.
It is about when Liam goes to other people's place to learn and he gets a bad welcome time because people that travel switch information with other people's places so it makes Liam's information look bad but Liam doesn't care at that point and he says that the guy that travels protect him a lot and it also talk about Liam friend that they come from a bad place and Liam like them so he wants to be friend with them.
I very much enjoyed this entry into the series it still holds strong with new characters being introduced and the world being expanded upon. There is even interesting character development for all characters except for that Guide. Definitely recommend keeping up with the series and enjoying this hilarious MC.
He thinks he's an evil lord and acts like one too ,but being surrounded by his competent people and helping with the day to day work and keeping his territory going and prospering, he comes out looking whole and clean and benevolent, it's funny to hear his inner dialogue and what his planets people think of him, he's also really into getting rid if the space pirates for purely selfish reasons like them being his personal wallet and helping him pay off his enormous debt thanks to his prior family , just non stop unexpectedly funny things happen and are caused by luck , fate or the guide also his pup, there's so many misunderstandings and still hilarious things just go in his way , read this series and you'll be laughing along the reading this book and enjoying it
Liam has to undergo a 3-year education among another noble family. He does not feel like there is much point, but has little choice in the matter. Due to the bad reputation of his family, things do not go as planned, especially when the Guide tries to make things harder.
Much like volume 1, 2 is an entertaining read in which Liam tries to be a villain, but inadvertently earns the respect of those around him. It is not particularly ground breaking, and the world building somewhat simple, but a good support of the story. All in all, a fun read and exactly what I expected.