Reading: Hero Status by Kristen Brand
Jan. 5th, 2019 06:04 pm
As a superhero novelist myself, I'm always looking for fresh takes on the genre. I found one in this story!
I really enjoyed this novel's focus on David del Toro as a person, in particular as a family man in love with his wife and trying to be a good dad. Of course, this particular dad has an alter ego as the super-strong White Knight, retired superhero, and is married to a one-time super-villain with mind control abilities, but all marriages have challenges. :-)
Of course, since it's a superhero story, it doesn't stay a quiet domestic bliss sort of story. There's a wonderfully creepy super-villain in Dr. Sweet and lots of in-fighting based on misunderstandings and judgments about each other's morality. I loved the different takes on heroism and the cooperation and competition among heroes and with the authorities.
The action sequences are innovative and exciting and the relationships and history from del Toro's past build suspense and intrigue. It's a good balance of plot and character that had me cheering for del Toro throughout. I was engaged from beginning to end and would definitely read more of this series.