Apprentice to the Villain is the second book in the Assistant to the Villain series by Hannah Maehrer. The series originated from Maehrer’s popular TikTok skits, where she portrays a bubbly, cheerful assistant interacting with her villainous boss. The skits play on the stereotypes and tropes of the fantasy genre, which often features starkly evil antagonists.

The first book of the series follows Evie Sage, a young woman who struggles to support her family after her brother’s death and her mother’s abandonment. She takes care of her father, Griffin, who suffers from the incurable Mystic Illness, and her 10-year-old sister, Lyssa. While searching for work, Evie encounters Trystan, the kingdom’s Villain, in a desperate situation. He hires Evie as his assistant, and she quickly excels in the role, growing to love her new job. Trystan’s nemesis is King Benedict, a supposedly benevolent leader who imprisoned Trystan upon deeming his magic too dangerous. After escaping, Trystan embraced his role as The Villain, convinced that his fate was predetermined.

Assistant to the Villain takes an intimate approach, focusing on Evie’s slowly emerging romantic interest in Trystan, Trystan’s evolution as The Villain, and the external forces that shape interpersonal relationships and character development.