Assistant to the Villain

Assistant to the Villain, Book 1

By: Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Narrated by: Em Eldridge

ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem, terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.

With ailing family to support, Evie Sage's employment status isn't just important, it's vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn's most infamous Villain results in a job offer—naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don't find evil so attractive, Evie.

But just when she's getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat . . . and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain—and his entire nefarious empire—out.

Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work . . . and ensure he makes them pay.

After all, a good job is hard to find.

Contains mature themes.

©2023 Hannah Nicole Maehrer (P)2023 Tantor

Critic reviews

"In this audiobook, Evie Sage is navigating financial challenges and takes on the role of assistant to a notorious villain, diligently managing office tasks and supporting his exploits.... Em Eldridge's narration adds a subtle depth to the characters. Eldridge's voice work...plays a role in making the audiobook a compelling journey into the captivating world of Evie and her enigmatic employer." (AudioFile)

Cliffhanger

Just be prepared this is a slow burn with zero spice. It ends on a cliffhanger. I do look forward to the sequel and enjoyed the story.

I really struggled with the narrator on this audiobook. Her voices were good but the cadence of her voice was frustrating to listen to. It was like listening to Ai brought to life. The inflections were not correctly timed and it was really noticeable at the end of sentences. I tired really hard not to let it bother me but it was so distracting to listen to.

Couldn’t finish

I am usually one who finishes a book no matter what. I just cannot with this one. The narration is without a doubt the worst I’ve heard. I don’t mean to sound unkind to the actual person but it just sounds like a high school student trying to play act as a radio journalist.

Narration is awful, story is amazing

The narrator is perfectly AWFUL, but the story itself had me rolling with laughter. I recommend you read the physical copy to avoid the horrid narrator.

Voice Actor Awful, book FANTASTIC

Despite the voice Actor being absolutely dreadful, the plot, character development, and dry humor made this a four star listen. I may just read it anyways because it was just such a great story.

Did AI Narrate This?

This is what happens when we let AI take over. This story read like Chat GPT wrote it for an 11th grade creative writing assignment. That, combined with the unnatural cadence of the narrator made it hard to follow and get into. It’s a good start, but needs a LOT more work and…sophistication.