I Used to Be an Evil Genius: But Now I Have to Save the World cover art

I Used to Be an Evil Genius: But Now I Have to Save the World

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I Used to Be an Evil Genius: But Now I Have to Save the World

By: Pixel Ate
Narrated by: Sawyer Varvel
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About this listen

Xander Quinn is a genius. A teenage mastermind. Some might even say a supervillain in training, though he prefers the term “ethically flexible entrepreneur.”

His latest heist? Foolproof. The part where a superhero showed up and he got yeeted into a world of magic, monsters, and medieval nonsense?

Yeah. Not part of the plan.

Now, Xander is stranded in a land where dragonkin rule and magic is real. Which sounds kind of cool, except his high-tech gadgets are toast and humans are low man on the food chain.

But Xander didn’t become a genius by giving up. If the laws of physics don’t always apply, fine. He’ll make new ones. With a little rune magic, some serious upgrades, and a dangerously snarky attitude, he’s about to change the game.

©2025 Pixel Ate Books (P)2025 Pixel Ate Books Science Fiction & Fantasy Magic
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I enjoyed the mashup. Would be interesting to see what happens in the next book

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This is a supercool portal fantasy that's aimed slightly higher than Pixel Ate's Minecraft books - as an adult I enjoyed it, but I feel like it's probably written for ages 10-16. It has a smart, geeky MC, a strong female sidekick, no swearing, no romance and plenty of adventure.

The basic story revolves around a teen supervillain who is teleported to an alternate dimension where magic is real, dragons exist and humans are slaves. He learns to create rune magic, and things pretty much get awesome from there.

Writing is top notch. The book's voice is razor sharp, with style to spare. My favourite line has got to be:

"The dragon observed with the detached curiosity of someone watching ants beneath a magnifying glass, its cosmic attention already drifting as though this apocalypse were merely a passing thought. No gloating. No monologuing. Just the cold efficiency of a gardener pruning dead leaves."

This is a great book, perfect for Pixel Ate fans who are growing out of Minecraft and looking for something slightly older.

5 stars, highly recommend.

Review by a parent

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