Lost Wanderer went just before me, reviewing Night. And Vein Glory comes up next. The entire chain is shown after my post.
***
Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman is one of the funnier books I've ever read. The point of view changes between Dr. Invincible and Fatale, the bad guy and the good girl. Both points of view are told in first person, but Grossman does a fantastic job with the voice, keeping it from being too confusing.
Dr. Invinicible is an evil genius, and his super power is his intelligence. He creates great tools, great plans, but ends up foiled because he is too cocky, and has some weakness the good guys can exploit. Yet he is never truly beaten, and always finds a way to go again.
Fatale is a down-on-her-luck cyborg, no longer able to find jobs to support her upkeep. She finally makes it big, and gets a chance to join The Champions. The Champions are an elite group of super heroes who must now find a missing member. Everyone suspects Dr. Invincible, as he's just escaped prison.
That is simply the beginning of the plot, and only the surface of the story. There is so much to the characters, and much monologuing by Invincible. There are stereotypical comic book heroes and villains, and definite references to characters that already exist.
Grossman also seems to have been influenced by The Watchmen, as there is a human side to all the characters. There are drawbacks to their powers that aren't addressed in standard comic books. Like Fatale having problems getting on planes because of how much metal is in her body. Or the young enhanced girl who needs constant presciptions to combat that damage the enhancements do to her.
It's a brilliant and neat story, with great one liners. It's not just for comic book fans, and I think people who dislike comic books might actually get a bit of enjoyment out of it. There is something for almost everyone to like.
Dr. Invinicible is an evil genius, and his super power is his intelligence. He creates great tools, great plans, but ends up foiled because he is too cocky, and has some weakness the good guys can exploit. Yet he is never truly beaten, and always finds a way to go again.
Fatale is a down-on-her-luck cyborg, no longer able to find jobs to support her upkeep. She finally makes it big, and gets a chance to join The Champions. The Champions are an elite group of super heroes who must now find a missing member. Everyone suspects Dr. Invincible, as he's just escaped prison.
That is simply the beginning of the plot, and only the surface of the story. There is so much to the characters, and much monologuing by Invincible. There are stereotypical comic book heroes and villains, and definite references to characters that already exist.
Grossman also seems to have been influenced by The Watchmen, as there is a human side to all the characters. There are drawbacks to their powers that aren't addressed in standard comic books. Like Fatale having problems getting on planes because of how much metal is in her body. Or the young enhanced girl who needs constant presciptions to combat that damage the enhancements do to her.
It's a brilliant and neat story, with great one liners. It's not just for comic book fans, and I think people who dislike comic books might actually get a bit of enjoyment out of it. There is something for almost everyone to like.
***
DavidZahir - http://zahirblue.blogspot.com/
Lost Wanderer - http://www.lostwanderer5.blogspot.com
RavenCorinnCarluk - http://raven.youareannoying.us
Vein Glory - http://podpeep.blogspot.com/
Shethinkstoomuch - http://shethinkstoomuch.wordpress.com
Lady Cat - http://randomwriterlythoughts.blogspot.com
Rosemerry - http://beyondtourism.wordpress.com/
Lost Wanderer - http://www.lostwanderer5.blogspot.com
RavenCorinnCarluk - http://raven.youareannoying.us
Vein Glory - http://podpeep.blogspot.com/
Shethinkstoomuch - http://shethinkstoomuch.wordpress.com
Lady Cat - http://randomwriterlythoughts.blogspot.com
Rosemerry - http://beyondtourism.wordpress.com/
