Second Story Man

Bad Guys Series, Book 2

By: Eric Ugland

Narrated by: Neil Hellegers

"Has your life here been so difficult? You seem to fail upward at every opportunity."

So says Careena, the hag teaching Clyde Hatchett how to use magic. It certainly doesn't feel like that to Clyde, who's still got a day job scraping mud (at least he hopes it's mud) out of monster pits, and whose "thieves' guild" is more concerned with baking cookies than with protecting him against a rival gang. He keeps accumulating roommates - like a freed sex slave and a retired paladin - who make him nervous, but for very different reasons. And let's not get started on the mimic that's taken up residence by Clyde's shower, or the supposedly tame grimeling in his closet....

And yet even with all the annoyances, distractions, and occasional death threats, Clyde's found himself at the center of a massive conspiracy to kill the Emperor. He's the only one with proof that could save the man, and take down an entire network of corrupt nobles, evil slavers, and power-hungry despots. Clyde really hopes Careena is right about him - the fate of the entire Empire depends on it.

©2019 Eric Ugland (P)2020 Tantor

Great Series

If you loved The Good Guy Series, you will love this one. I highly suggest you ignore the summary of what this book is about cause it's very wrong. I think the author had it as a place holder and never updated it.

Eric doesn't disappoint another great book

Again another great book in the guys series I didn't want say good or bads since I believe it the all be tying in together. Was at 1 point drinking a soda when the author talks about one of the guards doing what any guard would do what any guard would ever do. And then he ran away screaming . I was drinking soda at the time I blea mountain pew out of my nose it was very painful but very funny. Good time can't wait to see how they tie to together.

Best series EVER!

2020 (2021) has been a tough year(s). So, when I feel overwhelmed I listen to (escape into) the series to cheer me up. And I’m not embarrassed to admit I have probably listened to both the Good Guys and Bad Guys series 4-5 times. Like I said, it been a rough year.

These books have the perfect blend of humor, action and drama. The characters are well developed, honest, and consistent. But not depressing like you would find in “great literature”. After all, it’s a pandemic! I don’t need, or want, tragic emotionally deep characters. Yuck! Instead; Ugland provides protagonists who are heroic, humble, and fallible, without being sappy, or hopeless.

The action is well paced, comic relief perfectly timed, and storyline isn’t predictable. Even after 14 books, to date, I am happy to report I still get surprised.

I can not recommend both the Good Guys and Bad Guy series enough! (Which is why I’ve copy-n-paste this review into all the series books).

great

The book just getter better each time I listen to it. Great book l, great author, and a great narrator

Omg so good

Bro, Ive read all the majors and been in this genre for a year. This is THE BEST. Read (listen) to it. Perfect narration.

Full circle

Good book! Not sure how I feel about the end. Lets hope it ends well.

exhilarating story

can't wait to get to the next book. this one was wonderful. very fun to listen to. Simply fun

Gets better

I am really enjoying this series. The plus side about finding it so late is the majority of the books are free. I would have paid for this series. If that not a glowing recommendation, I don’t know what is lol

Fun LITRPG

Excellent LitRPG story with good world-building, and interesting and likable characters. It is a good mix of action and humor and does not get bogged down in the gaming aspect. I listened to the audio version and the narration complemented the writing.

Intriguing

One of the fascinating things about this second series by Ugland is that his new hero, Clive Hatchet, is interacting with an important plotline from the Good Guys series from a thousand or more miles away. Anyone reading this book who has already read the Good Guys (and that should be everyone) knows the fate of the emperor and how it's going to come about. Yet, Clive is uncovering critical information about who has it in for the most powerful man in the world. And he's struggling to get more to try and avert a dastardly deed that the reader knows was already committed. It's a great situation and promises to get even better.

In the meantime, Clive has joined a sort of "retired thieves' guild" as an effort to get a younger and more active thieves' guild off his back. It is a complete failure. And he can chalk up a few new nemeses on his list and add a few more reasons to hate them by the end of the book. And this does not take into account his lengthy encounter with the undead and his introduction to a paladin. If you don't think that the roguish thief should be hanging out with a paladin, well, neither does Clive.

Ugland just packs this novel with new quirky powers and situations. But if that wasn't enough to whet your appetite for the next book, he throws in his best cliffhanger ending yet. I don't know how the heck Clive is supposed to get out of this one.