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Super Born: Seduction of Being
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266 pages, Paperback
First published June 29, 2010
365 people want to read
About the author
Keith Kornell
6 books11 followersKeith Kornell, author of Super Born: Seduction of Being has always been passionate about writing.
Super Born is a work of pure inspiration that created a new genre of novels... the super hero novel. Kornell says My alter ego, the narrator of the book, comes from an unknown area of my brain, as he bears no similarity to me, yet I cannot stop writing in his voice.
Super Born: Seduction of Being is Kornells third novel and the first published with Harper Landmark Books. He also published a children's book The Big Big Game in 2002.
Kornell is the founder of Crown and Kornell, a firm focusing on developing green operations throughout the US and Canada.
A graduate of John Carroll University Keith lives in Northern Ohio with his wife and son. He spends his limited spare time writing, sculpting and creating video productions.
"
Super Born is a work of pure inspiration that created a new genre of novels... the super hero novel. Kornell says My alter ego, the narrator of the book, comes from an unknown area of my brain, as he bears no similarity to me, yet I cannot stop writing in his voice.
Super Born: Seduction of Being is Kornells third novel and the first published with Harper Landmark Books. He also published a children's book The Big Big Game in 2002.
Kornell is the founder of Crown and Kornell, a firm focusing on developing green operations throughout the US and Canada.
A graduate of John Carroll University Keith lives in Northern Ohio with his wife and son. He spends his limited spare time writing, sculpting and creating video productions.
"
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 3, 2013
Super Born follows a single mom with a crappy job who has the misfortune of being stranded in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The book aims to be a straightforward but comedic superhero story that focuses on her struggle to fulfill her own needs and take care of her daughter, all of which her powers and sense of responsibility to the public at large complicates.
The humor is hit and miss, and it occasionally veers too far into the absurd, but it does its job well enough. The author’s use of multiple perspectives also undermines the pace and substance of the story. Despite that, his focus on a single mom who is unabashed about enjoying sex, conflicted by the desire to live her own life while raising her daughter, and who acts like most people actually would when they get super powers makes for an enjoyable read. And she enjoys calling herself the BIB. The last bit of it is “In Black,” so you can figure the rest out.
First, the humor. The real meat in the story focuses on how a quirky single mom deals with her life. The superpowers give it an air of the fantastic, but ultimately, the story is about how someone in her position would handle getting superpowers. What really keeps the story going is that she’s a goofy, normal person with superpowers, rather than a billionaire that beats up the economically underprivileged. She’s not an extraordinary person, just a mom trying to do her best. There is a good amount of grounded humor dealing with her struggles that really works in the book.
There are, however, many jokes that are outright absurd. The basic premise of the book is that there’s a special kind of radiation that makes men complete morons and gives women super powers. The men in Scranton, in this book, are so stupid they walk into lamp posts, can’t hold down jobs, and put antlers on their heads and shoot rifles at each other in a bar game to entertain themselves. For a story that finds its strength on the down to earth confronting the fantastic, humor like this is a bit far out there. Sure, make the men stupid, but not to the point that they’d drown themselves drinking out of a water fountain. Whenever the book veers into unbelievably absurd humor, it undermines its strengths. That being said, I frequently ended up laughing my butt off as I read.
The second issue with the book is that it follows two major perspectives: there’s the mother and the reporter who, after one meeting, is desperate to track her down because of his attraction to her. I think the reporter himself is an important character with a lot to contribute, but the book can never quite decide if it’s about him or the BIB. Although he gets more page-time than she does, the portions involving the BIB are more entertaining and interesting. The reporter is just another love-stricken schmuck, and most of his character development revolves around showing that he’s basically a decent guy.
Given that the BIB and the story of the single mom with super powers is what really drove this book, I think the bulk of it should have been from her perspective. The reporter only needed a couple of chapters, maybe three, but even then he should have been strictly viewed from the BIB’s perspective rather than as an independent actor. What makes this book good is a fun female character who is allowed to want and enjoy sex, to be insecure, and to beat up mobsters so she can blow off steam after an argument with her daughter. Having so much of the book dedicated to what amounts to her boy toy undermines her central role and passively counteracts her agency as a character. The book would have been stronger had it simply stuck to her perspective besides a chapter here and there.
All of that being said, she’s still a great character to read. One of my favorite scenes is when she wakes up after being black out drunk and realizes just how much trouble someone with super powers can cause. The author also does a fantastic job of lampooning a lot of the things that make comic books ridiculous via her character. When the mayor develops his version of a bat signal and rolls out the red carpet (literally) for her, she just ignores it and goes to a movie with her daughter and her friend. Why would she want to bother with all of that?
On the same note, the author does a great job examining the tension between living a mundane life working a crap job and being a superhero at the same time, how the need to preserve her secret identity forces her to put up with a terrible boss and all of the tedium that comes with it. She can throw trucks around like pillows, but unless she wants to endanger her daughter she can’t really stay honest and capitalize on her powers. Also, there’s the part of her that still wants to find romance and her own life, but she also has to take care of a daughter trying to act like her mom and clipping her wings. There’s a lot to be said for exploring those sorts of themes, and the fact you have the woman in a superhero costume doing it makes it that much better.
Overall, the book is a success. It made me laugh, and I really enjoyed what the author did with the BIB. The humor got a bit silly in some places, but there was always something within a chapter or so that’d get a sincere grin out of me. I think the author should have dropped the reporter as more than a token perspective so he could really focus on the BIB, but it didn’t ruin the book. This book is fun, quick, touches on some real issues, and leave you with a smile or a chuckle.
The humor is hit and miss, and it occasionally veers too far into the absurd, but it does its job well enough. The author’s use of multiple perspectives also undermines the pace and substance of the story. Despite that, his focus on a single mom who is unabashed about enjoying sex, conflicted by the desire to live her own life while raising her daughter, and who acts like most people actually would when they get super powers makes for an enjoyable read. And she enjoys calling herself the BIB. The last bit of it is “In Black,” so you can figure the rest out.
First, the humor. The real meat in the story focuses on how a quirky single mom deals with her life. The superpowers give it an air of the fantastic, but ultimately, the story is about how someone in her position would handle getting superpowers. What really keeps the story going is that she’s a goofy, normal person with superpowers, rather than a billionaire that beats up the economically underprivileged. She’s not an extraordinary person, just a mom trying to do her best. There is a good amount of grounded humor dealing with her struggles that really works in the book.
There are, however, many jokes that are outright absurd. The basic premise of the book is that there’s a special kind of radiation that makes men complete morons and gives women super powers. The men in Scranton, in this book, are so stupid they walk into lamp posts, can’t hold down jobs, and put antlers on their heads and shoot rifles at each other in a bar game to entertain themselves. For a story that finds its strength on the down to earth confronting the fantastic, humor like this is a bit far out there. Sure, make the men stupid, but not to the point that they’d drown themselves drinking out of a water fountain. Whenever the book veers into unbelievably absurd humor, it undermines its strengths. That being said, I frequently ended up laughing my butt off as I read.
The second issue with the book is that it follows two major perspectives: there’s the mother and the reporter who, after one meeting, is desperate to track her down because of his attraction to her. I think the reporter himself is an important character with a lot to contribute, but the book can never quite decide if it’s about him or the BIB. Although he gets more page-time than she does, the portions involving the BIB are more entertaining and interesting. The reporter is just another love-stricken schmuck, and most of his character development revolves around showing that he’s basically a decent guy.
Given that the BIB and the story of the single mom with super powers is what really drove this book, I think the bulk of it should have been from her perspective. The reporter only needed a couple of chapters, maybe three, but even then he should have been strictly viewed from the BIB’s perspective rather than as an independent actor. What makes this book good is a fun female character who is allowed to want and enjoy sex, to be insecure, and to beat up mobsters so she can blow off steam after an argument with her daughter. Having so much of the book dedicated to what amounts to her boy toy undermines her central role and passively counteracts her agency as a character. The book would have been stronger had it simply stuck to her perspective besides a chapter here and there.
All of that being said, she’s still a great character to read. One of my favorite scenes is when she wakes up after being black out drunk and realizes just how much trouble someone with super powers can cause. The author also does a fantastic job of lampooning a lot of the things that make comic books ridiculous via her character. When the mayor develops his version of a bat signal and rolls out the red carpet (literally) for her, she just ignores it and goes to a movie with her daughter and her friend. Why would she want to bother with all of that?
On the same note, the author does a great job examining the tension between living a mundane life working a crap job and being a superhero at the same time, how the need to preserve her secret identity forces her to put up with a terrible boss and all of the tedium that comes with it. She can throw trucks around like pillows, but unless she wants to endanger her daughter she can’t really stay honest and capitalize on her powers. Also, there’s the part of her that still wants to find romance and her own life, but she also has to take care of a daughter trying to act like her mom and clipping her wings. There’s a lot to be said for exploring those sorts of themes, and the fact you have the woman in a superhero costume doing it makes it that much better.
Overall, the book is a success. It made me laugh, and I really enjoyed what the author did with the BIB. The humor got a bit silly in some places, but there was always something within a chapter or so that’d get a sincere grin out of me. I think the author should have dropped the reporter as more than a token perspective so he could really focus on the BIB, but it didn’t ruin the book. This book is fun, quick, touches on some real issues, and leave you with a smile or a chuckle.
July 10, 2020
Eight women born in Scranton, PA, on January 18, 1976, during the Super Bowl, all grow up to be superheroes. What was going on in Scranton during that time? And why only women? A superhero comedy/mystery with lots of laughs and sex. In a word: screwy!
July 8, 2012
When I first saw this book cover I immediately thought it was about a blonde who fought against criminals. My second thought after that was maybe it was about a girl who used masks and followed along the lines of 50 Shades of Grey.
This is the actual synopsis from Amazon: An evolution in the female superhero, Super Born: Seduction of Being is a romantic satire based on a quirky journalist's search for a reluctant Super Woman. She is a single mother with thirty years of normal existence before super powers begin to show themselves and complicate her life. As she searches for her new place in the world, a crowd of "others" search for her as well. Told from both the journalist's and superhero's point of view, Super Born is a flowing unique read.
Whew - I love being right, well at least some part right! I can not say enough how much I enjoyed this book. Finally we have a superhero that is like a normal person. The story really starts when a Doctor believes the woman who will be a Superhero lives in Scranton, PA.
Side note, did you know that city workers in Scranton, PA had their pay cut to minimum wage?! Yes that includes firemen and police officers. How can you even live on that? It would take a week of working to fill my car up with gas, and I get more than 26 mpg! The city is obviously being crazy and obviously has no empathy for their workers.
Back to Super Born... The perspectives of a journalist and of Super Born are used to tell us the story, in a diary type of format. It goes from how the journalist first gets involved with the Doctor when he believes that their are superwomen located in Scranton due to the high surge of 'radiation' during the Superbowl of '76. After the radiation exposure, the men go crazy and have a thing called RFD, while some women actually get super powers like Super Born. She was catching criminals and preventing crimes, which in turn makes people jealous. While on one side the journalist and everyone becoming her fans on a website love her, their are others like the not so successful superwomen and crime lords that despise her. Be sure to check out the website at : www.thebib.org
This is the actual synopsis from Amazon: An evolution in the female superhero, Super Born: Seduction of Being is a romantic satire based on a quirky journalist's search for a reluctant Super Woman. She is a single mother with thirty years of normal existence before super powers begin to show themselves and complicate her life. As she searches for her new place in the world, a crowd of "others" search for her as well. Told from both the journalist's and superhero's point of view, Super Born is a flowing unique read.
Whew - I love being right, well at least some part right! I can not say enough how much I enjoyed this book. Finally we have a superhero that is like a normal person. The story really starts when a Doctor believes the woman who will be a Superhero lives in Scranton, PA.
Side note, did you know that city workers in Scranton, PA had their pay cut to minimum wage?! Yes that includes firemen and police officers. How can you even live on that? It would take a week of working to fill my car up with gas, and I get more than 26 mpg! The city is obviously being crazy and obviously has no empathy for their workers.
Back to Super Born... The perspectives of a journalist and of Super Born are used to tell us the story, in a diary type of format. It goes from how the journalist first gets involved with the Doctor when he believes that their are superwomen located in Scranton due to the high surge of 'radiation' during the Superbowl of '76. After the radiation exposure, the men go crazy and have a thing called RFD, while some women actually get super powers like Super Born. She was catching criminals and preventing crimes, which in turn makes people jealous. While on one side the journalist and everyone becoming her fans on a website love her, their are others like the not so successful superwomen and crime lords that despise her. Be sure to check out the website at : www.thebib.org
December 12, 2011
The narrator of the story is a freelance journalist who ends up becoming involved with Dr. Jones, who is convinced that Scranton, PA is home to superwomen due to a surge in episilon radiation. Jones has a whole formula set up and has determined that those most likely to be superwomen were born on 1/18/1976, close to half-time during the Super Bowl. So, the narrator sets out to find a superwoman and becomes obsessed with one that he called B.I.B. (beeoyatch in black). The B.I.B. is responsible for taking down multiple villains and doing other good deeds, but will the journalist be able to find her?
It is sort of hard to describe the story - I apologize if I’ve given too many spoilers, but I wanted to give an idea of what this book is about. It is written as a journal, with periodic inclusions that give the B.I.B.’s point of view. Also, neither she nor the narrator are ever named in the story, which I found somewhat interesting. I got a huge kick out of the story, frequently laughing out loud and reading sections to my husband. There was, however, definitely a need for further editing – there were a number of typos and lots of problems with punctuation. Don’t let that put you off, however – this is a fun read and I can definitely recommend it, especially if you want a big laugh or two!
It is sort of hard to describe the story - I apologize if I’ve given too many spoilers, but I wanted to give an idea of what this book is about. It is written as a journal, with periodic inclusions that give the B.I.B.’s point of view. Also, neither she nor the narrator are ever named in the story, which I found somewhat interesting. I got a huge kick out of the story, frequently laughing out loud and reading sections to my husband. There was, however, definitely a need for further editing – there were a number of typos and lots of problems with punctuation. Don’t let that put you off, however – this is a fun read and I can definitely recommend it, especially if you want a big laugh or two!
September 23, 2013
First off let me say that this book cover is really sexy and eye-catching. Second, when I read the title for this book I was expecting it to be kind of like erotica. Not that I have anything against erotica. In fact I do enjoy reading these types of books. You can imagine my surprise when this book was nothing like an erotica book. There was minimal sex. So don’t let the title of this book turn you off from reading it.
Actually this book reads more like a comic book. So fans of comics, sci-fi, or fantasy will enjoy this book. This book made me think of the Will Smith movie, Hitchcock. Only this book is better than the movie. I like that the hero is a regular mom or B.I.B. Yes, B.I.B. is the new M.I.L.F.
While I did enjoy reading this book for the reasons I already mentioned, I did find that it did not hold my attention 100% of the time. The energy of the story dropped at times and so than the story read slowly. I even found myself skimming parts. Still an enjoyable read.
Actually this book reads more like a comic book. So fans of comics, sci-fi, or fantasy will enjoy this book. This book made me think of the Will Smith movie, Hitchcock. Only this book is better than the movie. I like that the hero is a regular mom or B.I.B. Yes, B.I.B. is the new M.I.L.F.
While I did enjoy reading this book for the reasons I already mentioned, I did find that it did not hold my attention 100% of the time. The energy of the story dropped at times and so than the story read slowly. I even found myself skimming parts. Still an enjoyable read.
March 27, 2014
It took me a while to glance through this book. I know others have said that the cover was great but I wasn't enthused. It looked too much like a cheesy romance novel. That finally put aside, the book is comical and an enjoyable read. Switching between the characters for different first hand accounts was a good twist. The book centers around one woman with super powers that is just trying to live her life and has all the same issues we all suffer from. Throw into the mix super powers and hilarity and unbelievable stunts ensue.
June 12, 2015
SUPER BORN: Seduction of Being by Keith Kornell (Harper Landmark Books, 2013).
I'm a pretty easy mark for "ordinary person gets superpowers" story. This one, ehhh, sorry; it had problems.
There are several PoV characters. They switch back and forth, frequently in the same chapter, with no clear demarcation between the switch. That last is exacerbated by all the PoVs being 1st-person viewpoints, all expressed in similar speech patterns and phraseology. To try and make clear which character is speaking, some particular detail gets inserted into the first paragraph of each switch in PoV; it felt like a forced and clumsy technique. The prose is workmanlike, interrupted by the occasional *clunk* of a poorly written sentence or unnecessary phrase.
None of the characters came across as sympathetic, or engaging, or as possessing any real depth. They were all idiots and cartoons, to one extent or another. (To be fair, part of the plot is that men who live in Scranton, PA are, literally, idiots. There's a reason for this, not just because, y'know, Scranton.) I could never decide if the novel was supposed to be a straight story, or humor. If the latter, I didn't laugh at the jokes. The portions where the "humor" was based on self-destructive behavior (alcoholic blackouts, promiscuous sex, etc.) just made me feel sad. I felt like I was watching an Adam Sandler movie. (There are people who would consider that last a positive attribute. I am not one of those people.)
I finished the book, but more from a reviewer's obligation than the meager enjoyment I got from the experience. I'd give it two stars.
(Other reviews mostly rate it higher, four or five stars. That sort of thing is why I complain about the "irrational exuberance" of most ratings on Amazon, Goodreads, etc. No one wants to be a meanie, so most reviewers over-rank by at least one or two stars. Five stars? That's something I think should be given only to books that are extraordinarily good. I don't like being a meanie, either, but I try to give criticism that will be useful to the writer as well as the reader.)
I'm a pretty easy mark for "ordinary person gets superpowers" story. This one, ehhh, sorry; it had problems.
There are several PoV characters. They switch back and forth, frequently in the same chapter, with no clear demarcation between the switch. That last is exacerbated by all the PoVs being 1st-person viewpoints, all expressed in similar speech patterns and phraseology. To try and make clear which character is speaking, some particular detail gets inserted into the first paragraph of each switch in PoV; it felt like a forced and clumsy technique. The prose is workmanlike, interrupted by the occasional *clunk* of a poorly written sentence or unnecessary phrase.
None of the characters came across as sympathetic, or engaging, or as possessing any real depth. They were all idiots and cartoons, to one extent or another. (To be fair, part of the plot is that men who live in Scranton, PA are, literally, idiots. There's a reason for this, not just because, y'know, Scranton.) I could never decide if the novel was supposed to be a straight story, or humor. If the latter, I didn't laugh at the jokes. The portions where the "humor" was based on self-destructive behavior (alcoholic blackouts, promiscuous sex, etc.) just made me feel sad. I felt like I was watching an Adam Sandler movie. (There are people who would consider that last a positive attribute. I am not one of those people.)
I finished the book, but more from a reviewer's obligation than the meager enjoyment I got from the experience. I'd give it two stars.
(Other reviews mostly rate it higher, four or five stars. That sort of thing is why I complain about the "irrational exuberance" of most ratings on Amazon, Goodreads, etc. No one wants to be a meanie, so most reviewers over-rank by at least one or two stars. Five stars? That's something I think should be given only to books that are extraordinarily good. I don't like being a meanie, either, but I try to give criticism that will be useful to the writer as well as the reader.)
February 13, 2012
I knew as soon as read the first couple of pages that I was going to enjoy reading this book. I'm not a huge fantasy reader but I have been persuaded by this one. Although I think a lot to do with my enjoyment of the book came from the authors writing style, a light hearted story, humorous, tongue in cheek in parts and weirdly or not slightly believable!! I also loved the way the book alternated between first hand accounts from both main characters.
The two main characters were both down to earth, you had the single mum turned super hero alongside the day to day reporter/journalist guy who loves his beer the other!! The story follows the after affects of epsilon radiation exposure in the town of Scranton, turning the men into morons known as RFD's, reduced functuality disorder and the opposite effect on the women, giving some of them super powers. One woman in particular, dressed in black, started to gain a lot of interest after villain after villain were being captured, crime after crime were being prevented, rescue after rescue were becoming an everyday occurrence, all followed by the hero dress in black sightings.
The reporter, who by now is besotted with the Super Born, teams up with a scientist try to find the identity of this particular 'Super Born', dressed all in black now known as the 'BIB'. From the scientists research narrowing this down to only eight women who were born during the Super Bowl, January 18th 1976. The BIB website was formed, quickly increasing its fans and sightings. Unfortunately they were not the only ones to be hunting her down, villains, crime lords and jealous inferior super women wanted her found as well. Who would find her first? What would happen to her?
A really enjoyable and amusing read. What I also love is the fact that the author has actually brought to life parts of the book, his website is bib.org the same as the book and he has also brought out the BIB t-shirts, brilliant!!
The two main characters were both down to earth, you had the single mum turned super hero alongside the day to day reporter/journalist guy who loves his beer the other!! The story follows the after affects of epsilon radiation exposure in the town of Scranton, turning the men into morons known as RFD's, reduced functuality disorder and the opposite effect on the women, giving some of them super powers. One woman in particular, dressed in black, started to gain a lot of interest after villain after villain were being captured, crime after crime were being prevented, rescue after rescue were becoming an everyday occurrence, all followed by the hero dress in black sightings.
The reporter, who by now is besotted with the Super Born, teams up with a scientist try to find the identity of this particular 'Super Born', dressed all in black now known as the 'BIB'. From the scientists research narrowing this down to only eight women who were born during the Super Bowl, January 18th 1976. The BIB website was formed, quickly increasing its fans and sightings. Unfortunately they were not the only ones to be hunting her down, villains, crime lords and jealous inferior super women wanted her found as well. Who would find her first? What would happen to her?
A really enjoyable and amusing read. What I also love is the fact that the author has actually brought to life parts of the book, his website is bib.org the same as the book and he has also brought out the BIB t-shirts, brilliant!!
December 5, 2013
Fast paced and funny. This book is both quirky and fast paced so it was a fun read that was easy to pick up and follow.
The narrative is at first from Allie the single mom who accidentally discovers her super powers jumping up to get a bowl off the shelf.
"The first clue came the day I innocently jumped to get a bowl off of a high shelf. This was not a big leap, mind you, just a little hop. But I found myself chest deep through the ceiling and into my upstairs neighbor’s kitchen."
This seeming act of normalcy thrusts her through the ceiling of her apartment into her neighbors kitchen and a whole new destiny. I loved that her first thought was not about her new found super strength but how her neighbors had gotten the landlord to put in new appliances. This sums up the story about a woman struggling with a vastly new existence that has just opened up to her.
The story follows a lot of well loved tropes - saving the city from the bad guys - intrigue with mysterious other super heroes - cold war experiments etc. but winds it all up with the new twist of a very unusual super hero - a single Mom.
The narrative moves to Logan a reporter who falls hard for Allie (nicknamed the B.I.B - B*tch in Black) and becomes obsessed with finding out who she is and also protecting her from her new found enemies. He is a goofy and groan0-worthy character at times but comes across as likeable and you do want him to get the girl in the end.
Mash up Bridget Jones and Stephanie Plum with some Batman, Heroes (TV show)and a soupçon of the Bourne Ultimatum and you have Super Born.
Recommended because its 1)fun 2)easy read 3)entertaining 4)with a new twist on the female super hero genre.
The narrative is at first from Allie the single mom who accidentally discovers her super powers jumping up to get a bowl off the shelf.
"The first clue came the day I innocently jumped to get a bowl off of a high shelf. This was not a big leap, mind you, just a little hop. But I found myself chest deep through the ceiling and into my upstairs neighbor’s kitchen."
This seeming act of normalcy thrusts her through the ceiling of her apartment into her neighbors kitchen and a whole new destiny. I loved that her first thought was not about her new found super strength but how her neighbors had gotten the landlord to put in new appliances. This sums up the story about a woman struggling with a vastly new existence that has just opened up to her.
The story follows a lot of well loved tropes - saving the city from the bad guys - intrigue with mysterious other super heroes - cold war experiments etc. but winds it all up with the new twist of a very unusual super hero - a single Mom.
The narrative moves to Logan a reporter who falls hard for Allie (nicknamed the B.I.B - B*tch in Black) and becomes obsessed with finding out who she is and also protecting her from her new found enemies. He is a goofy and groan0-worthy character at times but comes across as likeable and you do want him to get the girl in the end.
Mash up Bridget Jones and Stephanie Plum with some Batman, Heroes (TV show)and a soupçon of the Bourne Ultimatum and you have Super Born.
Recommended because its 1)fun 2)easy read 3)entertaining 4)with a new twist on the female super hero genre.
July 3, 2012
I’ve definitely never been a huge “super-hero” fan, but what a great, fun book! I knew immediately I was going to like it!
Super Born: Seduction of Being, by author Keith Kornell, revolves around a journalist who thinks that Scranton, PA is the home of superwomen; based on an irregular radiation surge in the city.
The journalist meets up with Dr. Jones, who believes that women born during this surge were born with extraordinary powers that begin to develop through their life. The funny thing is, only a woman that was born during the halftime of the Super Bowl, on 1/18/1976, have these powers! Yes, it’s an odd little anomaly, but it adds to the quirkiness of this story.
The book is “narrated” and told from both the journalist perspective and also the Super Born’s (called the B.I.B), or “b*tch in black”. It chronicles how the journalist finds her as well as how she learns to disguise, but still utilize her superpowers to take down bad guys in the city.
I don’t know about you, but wouldn’t it be cool to be a superwoman? Mothers are superwomen anyway, but to have the ability to vacuum the house and cook dinner without lifting a finger? Yep, I’m there!
I truly enjoyed this book and it is an easy, light read that will have you laughing out loud. As far as I’m concerned, Kornell has a definitely hit with this one!
*Warning: this book can definitely be a bit crude in its humor, so if you don’t enjoy this type of humor, you should steer away from it.
Super Born: Seduction of Being, by author Keith Kornell, revolves around a journalist who thinks that Scranton, PA is the home of superwomen; based on an irregular radiation surge in the city.
The journalist meets up with Dr. Jones, who believes that women born during this surge were born with extraordinary powers that begin to develop through their life. The funny thing is, only a woman that was born during the halftime of the Super Bowl, on 1/18/1976, have these powers! Yes, it’s an odd little anomaly, but it adds to the quirkiness of this story.
The book is “narrated” and told from both the journalist perspective and also the Super Born’s (called the B.I.B), or “b*tch in black”. It chronicles how the journalist finds her as well as how she learns to disguise, but still utilize her superpowers to take down bad guys in the city.
I don’t know about you, but wouldn’t it be cool to be a superwoman? Mothers are superwomen anyway, but to have the ability to vacuum the house and cook dinner without lifting a finger? Yep, I’m there!
I truly enjoyed this book and it is an easy, light read that will have you laughing out loud. As far as I’m concerned, Kornell has a definitely hit with this one!
*Warning: this book can definitely be a bit crude in its humor, so if you don’t enjoy this type of humor, you should steer away from it.
March 2, 2012
Super Born is a story based in the town of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Because of epilson radiation exposure between the years of 1969-1981, certain men have become "morons" while some women have developed superpowers! The town papers starts to take notice of a mysterious woman saving lives and capturing bad guys. Who is this woman in black? Is she human - or something more?
This story is in the form of a journal written by a Scranton man who was one of the first to know of these superwomen. He searches for the mysterious woman (the BIB), going as far starting a website to track her down. Meanwhile, the BIB is a single mom turned superwoman who's just trying to figure out how to balance her normal life with her strange, new powers.
I love the form of this book as it's very straight-forward and nothing is held back. It also seemed very fast-paced to me, which I liked. The first chapter jumped right in and it got interesting quick. There's also a sprinkle of humor here and there (I actually laughed out loud a couple of times).
I feel like this book has a reputation of being "sexy" but it wasn't all that inappropriate (okay, the journalist might be a horndog with a potty mouth). I was expecting raunchy sex scenes that were going to make make me gag but luckily, none of that! It's definitely not a book for kids but it's not entirely tasteless either.
This story is in the form of a journal written by a Scranton man who was one of the first to know of these superwomen. He searches for the mysterious woman (the BIB), going as far starting a website to track her down. Meanwhile, the BIB is a single mom turned superwoman who's just trying to figure out how to balance her normal life with her strange, new powers.
I love the form of this book as it's very straight-forward and nothing is held back. It also seemed very fast-paced to me, which I liked. The first chapter jumped right in and it got interesting quick. There's also a sprinkle of humor here and there (I actually laughed out loud a couple of times).
I feel like this book has a reputation of being "sexy" but it wasn't all that inappropriate (okay, the journalist might be a horndog with a potty mouth). I was expecting raunchy sex scenes that were going to make make me gag but luckily, none of that! It's definitely not a book for kids but it's not entirely tasteless either.
January 26, 2012
I won a copy of Super Born: Seduction of Being by Keith Kornell through Goodreads.
What a fun book!!! I was a little apprehensive going into this book, I thought maybe it was a YA novel (by looking at the cover) but, as it turns out, definitely NOT YA. Ok, it had a few errors in it, mostly punctuation. I loved the acronyms in the book, RFD's, SSS's, B.I.B. The tone the characters used was so fun!! I loved the characters' thought processes. I suspect both men and women would love this book. Women would like it because, well, what woman wouldn't want to read about superior women. And men would like it because, well, hot, powerful women, need I say more?
The narrator is just an average, beer drinking, woman loving guy who becomes enamoured with this mysterious woman. I had a blast reading about his quest to find her and reading about her struggles with her daughter.
Definitely a great action comedy book!!!
What a fun book!!! I was a little apprehensive going into this book, I thought maybe it was a YA novel (by looking at the cover) but, as it turns out, definitely NOT YA. Ok, it had a few errors in it, mostly punctuation. I loved the acronyms in the book, RFD's, SSS's, B.I.B. The tone the characters used was so fun!! I loved the characters' thought processes. I suspect both men and women would love this book. Women would like it because, well, what woman wouldn't want to read about superior women. And men would like it because, well, hot, powerful women, need I say more?
The narrator is just an average, beer drinking, woman loving guy who becomes enamoured with this mysterious woman. I had a blast reading about his quest to find her and reading about her struggles with her daughter.
Definitely a great action comedy book!!!
April 4, 2012
I am so glad I got to read this book. I love how I felt like the book was at my level with the people in the book. Now this book uses strong language but its nothing that I don't hear everyday while hanging out with my friends. The B.I.B. is a single mom in her 30's and I could relate to her since I am a mom in my 30's. I like how she can pull off the whole mom and super hero with no one knowing who she is not even her daughter Paige. This has so many twists and turns that I couldn't stop reading. I wanted to know more. I found myself cheering for the B.I.B. Just when you think you know whats going to happen next you are amazed at how it does happen. I would give this book an A-. I just wish it didn't have to end. I could of kept reading. I however will warn that this isn't for anyone to read unless you are ready for the harsh language and adult content. I loved it but to each there own when it comes to down to it. I would love to see a Super Born 2.
July 23, 2012
What a unique twist on a super hero story!! First of all, we finally have a super hero in B.I.B. that comes from a "normal" everyday person versus what we are used to seeing in comic books. Secondly, I LOVED how she is a mom in her thirties that has to deal with what most moms have to deal with everyday, 24-7 and manages to keep her identity hidden from all those around her. I think most moms can relate to this! We all have a hidden identity that we hide from our families in order to keep the household running which include emotions and dreams we think about during our free time. Finally, the fact that we were reading a diary type format from two points of view allows you to see the story through two different eyes. I really enjoyed reading this book, from beginning to end it keeps your attention and guessing what will happen next....and most of the time your guess is wrong!
August 10, 2016
To begin with I really enjoyed this book. It is a truly interesting twist on the usual superhero story.
That being said, the beginning was a little slow for me. There was a lot of back and forth between view points that at times was confusing. I felt there were parts that were didn't quite have enough forward motion to it to keep me reading.
Around the middle part though there was more action and I just couldn't put it down. I loved the characters and the entire story dynamic. There were twists and turns that I didn't expect at all especially based on the begining.
If not for the slow begining I would rate this a five star book. All in all though it is definately worth the read. Now I'm off to get the next one.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book, through Reading Deals, so I could give an honest review.
That being said, the beginning was a little slow for me. There was a lot of back and forth between view points that at times was confusing. I felt there were parts that were didn't quite have enough forward motion to it to keep me reading.
Around the middle part though there was more action and I just couldn't put it down. I loved the characters and the entire story dynamic. There were twists and turns that I didn't expect at all especially based on the begining.
If not for the slow begining I would rate this a five star book. All in all though it is definately worth the read. Now I'm off to get the next one.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book, through Reading Deals, so I could give an honest review.
November 18, 2013
I won a copy of this book from Goodreads.
I was a little unsure about it when I saw the cover but I'm so glad I gave it a chance. I really enjoyed this book! I liked the characters and the humor through the book.
I liked that the story was told from different characters' perspectives but I felt that they didn't really have their own voices. It was obvious that the same person wrote each chapter. For instance, the phrase "if you know what I mean" was overused by more than one character. (How many people actually say that so much?) It was mildly annoying but easy to get past.
I think it would make a good series. I would definitely like to read about more of the B.I.B's adventures.
I was a little unsure about it when I saw the cover but I'm so glad I gave it a chance. I really enjoyed this book! I liked the characters and the humor through the book.
I liked that the story was told from different characters' perspectives but I felt that they didn't really have their own voices. It was obvious that the same person wrote each chapter. For instance, the phrase "if you know what I mean" was overused by more than one character. (How many people actually say that so much?) It was mildly annoying but easy to get past.
I think it would make a good series. I would definitely like to read about more of the B.I.B's adventures.
January 20, 2014
Overall Superborn is a fun story where the two main characters share a somewhat self-depracating sensibility. Imagine a super heroine who hates her name but uses it anyway. She is given the name “Bitch In Black” or more preferably “Bee-Eye-Bee” but definitely not “Bib”. This passive acceptance of a name she does not like is made more interesting when you know the latter half of the title is the “Seduction of Being.”
I wrote a full review on my blog: http://cranialgunk.com/blog/2013/11/1...
I wrote a full review on my blog: http://cranialgunk.com/blog/2013/11/1...
December 23, 2015
Super Born: Seduction of being
I really enjoyed reading this book. The heroine was wonderful. This is a different take on super heros. Allie is a super hero and she at first did not know why. She just helped others in the city of Scranton Pennsylvania. With trying to hide her identity while others are trying to find her, makes for a very interesting read. I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book, through Reading Deals, so I could give an honest review.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The heroine was wonderful. This is a different take on super heros. Allie is a super hero and she at first did not know why. She just helped others in the city of Scranton Pennsylvania. With trying to hide her identity while others are trying to find her, makes for a very interesting read. I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book, through Reading Deals, so I could give an honest review.
February 26, 2012
I really enjoyed this book! I thought the way it was written was really cool too, it was like reading the diary of to people. I wish the author would've gone into more detail about how the women discovered and felt about the super powers. I also think this would make a great series, I'd definitely read it! I hope to see more books in the near future.
October 10, 2013
The B.I.B exists! A super hero born during halftime with special powers in Scranton, PA with well some other females rises to the occasion. Let's just say the book was filled with vivid scenes of what a super hero that is real and female would look like.
http://bookntech.blogspot.com/2013/10...
http://bookntech.blogspot.com/2013/10...
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