Neil Zawacki

MWAH HAH HAH...erm, excuse me. I was practicing my evil laugh per page 23 of "How to Be a Villain". First, a great big THANK YOU to Pamela who turned me on to this wonderfully wicked and side-splittingly seditious book. "How to Be a Villain" is your step-by-step guide to all things villainous. Conveniently divided into five informative sections, each containing suggestions and examples to help you on your journey into the heart of darkness. From picking a villain outfit to choosing the show more perfectly evil minion to thwarting the forces of good...this book has it all and is sure to be a hit with budding villains everywhere. There's even a fill-in-the-blank Evil Plan form towards the end of the book to help you or your evil friend settle on a devious plot or scheme to take over the world, cause death and destruction, or amass large fortunes via corporate evilness. This book has something for everyone and if nothing else, will leave you gasping and laughing at Neil Zawacki's wacky humor. show less

Oh my heavens! I haven't laughed so much in ages. This is an excellent how-to manual for someone who does really want to become a villain or a great afternoon read for someone who needs a pick-me-up. Some of my favourite lines:

In the end, the most important part of being evil is feeling good about your bad self.

To become a first-rate mad scientist, you'll need two important qualities: superior intelligence and mind-boggling insanity.

Remember, spandex is a privilege, not a right.

If you want show more to be feared, desired, and drop-dead gorgeous all in one, the dominatrix outfit is the look for you, although you may be a bit chilly at times. show less

Sequel to How to Be A Villain. This one tells you how to make your life better from sprucing up you lair with a moat or guardian dragon to making friends and car pooling with other nefarious warlords. Just fun tongue in cheek how guide to better living. As much fun to look at for the illustrations as it is to actually read the text. Great way to pass a little extra time.

The Villain's Guide to Better Living is a sequel of sorts to Zawacki's first book, How to Be a Villain. I enjoyed this one just as much as or more than the first. Having dealt with "evil laughs, secret lairs, master plans and more!!!" in the previous book, Zawacki now turns his attention to making the life of a villain more enjoyable. He covers health (how to get that sickly pallor), friends and dates (a villain can have them!), home décor, time management, and more.

The illustrations are show more wacky and fun, just like the first book. It's a different illustrator though — Bill Brown instead of James Dignan. Their styles are very similar, but Brown's jumped out at me a bit more. Maybe it's because I just finished the second book, and had read the first one a few months ago.

Like the first book, this guide is best read in little bits as you have time. Fans of Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, and Eoin Colfer will enjoy the snarky humor of this book. Recommended! show less