Review: Soon I will be Invincible by Austin Grossman

Book: Soon I will be Invincible by Austin Grossman
Release Date:  June 5th 2007

 

Except:
Doctor Impossible—evil genius, diabolical scientist, wannabe world dominator—languishes in a federal detention facility. He's lost his freedom, his girlfriend, and his hidden island fortress.

Over the years he's tried to take over the world in every way imaginable: doomsday devices of all varieties (nuclear, thermonuclear, nanotechnological) and mass mind control. He's traveled backwards in time to change history, forward in time to escape it. He's commanded robot armies, insect armies, and dinosaur armies. Fungus army. Army of fish. Of rodents. Alien invasions. All failures. But not this time. This time it’s going to be different...

Fatale is a rookie superhero on her first day with the Champions, the world's most famous superteam. She's a patchwork woman of skin and chrome, a gleaming technological marvel built to be the next generation of warfare. Filling the void left by a slain former member, we watch as Fatale joins a team struggling with a damaged past, having to come together in the face of unthinkable evil.

Soon I Will Be Invincible is a thrilling first novel; a fantastical adventure that gives new meaning to the notions of power, glory, responsibility, and (of course) good and evil



Review:
First thing first i wasn't sure what to think coming into this book. I got this book from bookswamp on a whim and have had it sitting on my shelf for awhile. The other day i decided i wanted to read something different and grabbed it. I'm so very glad i did. 

First props to Austin Grossman for staring out with Doctor Impossible's POV. If it was Fatale's POV first i'm not sure i would have been as hooked as i was. Mainly because Doctor Impossible was the star of the book for me. I loved him and would have been just as happy reading only from his POV. Being that this book is a satire of the superhero genre i would have to say he was a mix of Magneto and Lex Luthor. Though in my mind since i read DC Comics and Dark Horse he was more of a parody of Lex Luthor mixed with some Riddler, Toyman, and the Penguin. I don't really read any Marvel. That being said of course CoreFire was a direct parody of Superman/Spiderman if i ever saw one. Away from that, most Superhero books rarely ever go into the minds of a villain. If they do it's often one dimensional. The same cannot be said for Doctor Impossible. You really got to see him dive into his psyche and see's what drives him. And the thing about it as a reader i could associate myself with him more than any of the Superhero's. Whom among us who were picked on or ignored at school would love just to be a super villain and rub it into those people's faces. Course the sane ones of us don't. One thing i really loved about Doctor Impossible is that he's not insane. He just knows he's better and smarter than everyone-else and why not flaunt it. Therefore when he breaks out of prison why not take over the world. He's obviously the right person to run it. At least in his head.

Now onto the Superhero crowd. First things first, i didn't like Fatale or any of the superheroes much. They pretty much all annoyed me. I found Fatale to be a bit to whiny and the other hero's dull. I will admit i share Fatale's wish to hurt Elphin and kinda of wanted to see Rainbow Triumph die. They were all such one deminsion. The only one of interest was Regina. Whose story was a direct rip of Narnia. Still she was the most interesting for some reason. 

Plot wise sometimes "Soon I will Be Invincible" lagged. As in speed it up. The beginning went quite fast and the end was very much a page turner. Especially the twist with Lily. That was something i never saw coming. You hear about two separate people the whole book and not once do you put them together. Till you read it and it all makes since. What type of superhero book would be without a Joker like beginning.

All in all, i'm looking forward to the next in the series. ^^
Final rating:
4 Bunnies. Interesting plot and characters that left me wanting to read more. Does have some corny bits to it though. 

Star Wars: Blood Ties v1 reviewed

I've decided i'm going to add comics to my list of things to review as well. ^^ Plus i can use them as fillers when i'm busy reviewing books for other sites. Today i bring you:

Comic: Star Wars: Blood Ties v1/4

Writer: Tom Taylor

Artist: Chris Scalf

Release Date: August 25, 2010

 

 

 

Here begins a multigenerational tale of honor and redemption, starring two of the heaviest hitters in theStar Wars galaxy-the father-and-clone team of Jango and Boba Fett!

Shortly before the start of the Clone Wars, Count Dooku sends Jango Fett on a mission that will affect the course of Boba Fett's life some twenty years later. But for now, neither of them knows what the future holds in store, and besides, they have their schedule filled dodging monsters and fighting bad guys! 

 

 

      First thing first I am a Star Wars geek. I have been since i was 13 years old. I most favor the Old Republic in the series so this new mini series is right up my alley.  One thing we never really get is Boba Fett's early life when he was still cruising around with his father/original self. In this issue we get Jango Fett teahing Boba about fear. Boba ask's why his father isn't afraid of anything. This leads Jango in teaching him why. In true Mandalorian bounty hunter fashion he does it why sending him to face the Pardlam alone, without any weapons, but a jet pack. Boba does so and brings back a tooth to show. The story then shifts into Count Dooku sending the Fetts on a assassination mission. They're target is a nameless man and all they know is that he's on the planet Atzerri. Jango and Boba of course finds him, but discovers he's a clone. This is where the comic leaves off. 

 
I found this issue to be a bit short. I really wished it was longer and expanded on Boba's fear training. His lack of fear is a key trait of his and was disappointed they just glanced off of that. Despite that issue i found the twist at the end to be perfect. I'm dying to know how a rouge clone got out. We have to remember that this story takes place a year or two before "Attack of the Clones" comes out. Therefore Jango Fett clones aren't exactly everywhere. In fact they're only supposed to be on Kamino.  So how one got out is a really big deal. Another thing i have to point out is that the art in the comic is BRILLIANT! It can make me understand why the issue was short. I can't imagine how long every panel must have taken to do.

Final Story rating: 4 1/2 bunnies. I want to read more, but was disappointed some parts were so short.

                                                    Final Art rating: 5 bunnies. Beyond Beautiful.