About the Series
Set in the same world as The Good Guys, The Bad Guys follows Ben, a reformed criminal who gets a new identity in this fantasy world and considers using his skill at deception to help others. Where Montana punches everything, Ben relies on cons, stealth, and thievery. Same world, same system rules, different approach to progression. Can be read standalone or as a companion to The Good Guys.
The rogue angle provides variety within the same proven formula. Ben is a former criminal trying to put his talent for deception to good use, so his progression runs through cons, heists, and scheming. The progression satisfies the same “numbers go up, challenges get harder” loop that makes The Good Guys work, viewed from a different mechanical perspective.
This works for readers who enjoyed The Good Guys and want more content in the same world, or who prefer a slightly more tactical protagonist over Montana’s brute-force approach. Same readable pace. The tradeoff is that the same criticisms apply: repetitive prose, thin characterization, functional writing. If you bounced off The Good Guys, this won’t change your mind. It’s the same appeal in a different flavor.
Reading Order
- Scamps & Scoundrels (2019)
- Second Story Man (2019)
- Skull and Thrones (2020)
- War of the Posers (2020)
- Seas the Day (2020)
- High Gloom (2020)
- Back to One (2021)
- Trick of the Night (2022)
- Darktown Funk (2022)
- On a Throne of Lies (2023)
- 2 Lies, 2 Thrones (2024)
Can be read independently of The Good Guys. Same world, different protagonist and location.
If You Like This Series
- The Good Guys by Eric Ugland. Same world, hero-class protagonist; ongoing
- Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman. LitRPG with more depth and humor; ongoing
- Azarinth Healer by Rhaegar. Pure combat progression at extreme length
- Life Reset by Shemer Kuznits. Playing the villain role in an LitRPG; completed
- System Apocalypse by Tao Wong. System progression with more plot; completed