Amazon Cover
The Rules of Supervillainy by C.T. Phipps
AMAZON BOOK BLURB
Gary Karkofsky is an ordinary guy with an ordinary life living in an extraordinary world. Supervillains, heroes, and monsters are a common part of the world he inhabits. Yet, after the death of his hometown’s resident superhero, he gains the amazing gift of the late champion’s magical cloak. Deciding he prefers to be rich rather than good, Gary embarks on a career as Merciless: The Supervillain Without Mercy.
But is he evil enough to be a villain in America’s most crime-ridden city?
Gary soon finds himself surrounded by a host of the worst of Falconcrest City’s toughest criminals. Supported by his long-suffering wife, his ex-girlfriend turned professional henchwoman, and a has-been evil mastermind, Gary may end up being not the hero they want but the villain they need.
MY REVIEW
A solid entry into the superhero prose genre. A couple deus-ex-machina moments help save the day, but I think those sudden saves are going to bite the character hard later and are totally within the genre being written. I’ll be upset during book two if things don’t have fallout, but every indication is someone on a frying pan suddenly getting the ability to jump and when coming down just starts to see the fire (to be continued in book 2).
Love the amoral character’s relationship with his wife and two ex-girlfriends. Some very mature (and immature) relationship dynamics going on with the story.
Falconcrest is an awesome city within the superhero world and is a worthy character in its own right like most great cities of story, reality & myth: Gotham and Chicago are two examples. With only one book read, Falconcrest City is about the Central City and Atlanta level, but I have hopes it might grown into a New Orleans level personality.
Final comment: When Death LIKES you, you may want to question your life choices.