Leaper: The Misadventures of a Not-Necessarily-Super Hero

by Geoffrey Wood

Has he gone crazy? Had too many espressos?
Or is he really a brand new super hero?

What if one day-suddenly, inexplicably-you discover you have a superpower? And what if it's not a very good superpower, either, like flying or super strength, and you have no idea what you are supposed to do?

Leaper follows the confessions of reluctant hero James, a recently divorced, life-long barista who finds himself in just such a predicament and asking those very questions. Is his newfound leaping power a miracle from God? The result of a lifetime of over-caffeination? Or a final break from sanity? Should James “do good” with his ability? But if doing good proves trickier than expected, where do you go for a superpower manual? And what is “good” anyway?

In this witty, unconventional novel, debut novelist Geoffrey Wood serves up equal doses of sharp humor and disquieting poignancy, exploring the meaning of redemption, beauty, and faith beyond all reason.


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Christian Fiction, Superheroes, Humor, Christian, Modern

322 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 19, 2007

About the author

Geoffrey Wood is a writer of fiction, plays and the occasional sonnet.

Reviews

[Von Sowards · Rating 5 out of 5]

To tell you the truth... I don't really read books. I have no patience for them. So you may ask, "Well if he doesn't read book then how does he write so many reviews?" Well I listen to them. Audiobooks. I feel that when I read I have to dedicate all of my time, talents, and interests, oh and lets not forget my attention span, into reading, comprehending, and finishing that book. As I read I feel like I should be doing more productive things like my laundry or cleaning my room. I love audiobooks.

But with this book I actually read it. Cover to cover, every word!. I hope you are proud of me! And the fun think about it is that I never once fell asleep. That means it was actually a good book!

I didn't know it was a christian book when I picked it up.

I walked into the library one evening not knowing that I would pick up a book to read. I had always wanted a good novel about a superhero. For some strange reason superheros always come in comic books and graphic novels, but rarely ever in a novel form. I love superheros, but I just can't get into a graphic novel.

So I walk up the the librarian at the desk and I ask "Could you help me? I would really love to find an adult novel about a superhero." She looked at me with this wide eye look and lowly turns to her computer. After narrowing the search down several times and finding only children's books and of course graphic novels, she finally comes up with three books: The Adventures of Supermom! (parenting 101), The Awakening (which further investigation showed me that it was not really what I was hoping for), and Leaper. I quickly checked to see if it came in audio for and... it did not... So like a rabbit chased into a corner, I checked out this book and figured it would take me two check out periods to finish it.

I finished it in a week and one day.

It was such a good book. There were things in it that I was unsatisfied with particularly the author's writing style, like the choppy a awkward first person pressent tense of the narration and the frustrating way that every one argued the exact same way and that 89% of the conversations are arguments. It gets rough.... BUT IT WAS STILL A GREAR BOOK! (I'll give him slack, this was his first book and it is probably much better then what I could have done)

But He really good at knowing how to slip simple things in, like a flashback that demonstrates his paranoia, and then through it back at you in an amazingly great parallel. The author does that all so much, and SO WELL! I liked it!

But the most greatest thing I discovered about this book was the thing that I did not even know was in there, a message of hope and faith. I loved how the author was able to take a thing like a superhero and teach how it testifies of Christ. All things denote that there is a Christ! Even the stars in the heavens and their orbit, to the face of every flower, child, and reflective watch, all teach us that Christ loves us and plays an active role in everyone's life. He loves us that much!

"Without God, reality is madness. Reason will tell you so. You either madly trust in God, or you trust in a world gone mad without him."

This was a good book.

[Ben · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't always avoid Christian fiction. But if I'm expecting to read about a man who suddenly gets a superpower and considers becoming a superhero, I am NOT HAPPY when I instead encounter a chicken-soup-for-the-soul book about a man struggling with life's problems who, after guidance by a friendly priest, accepts God into his life to be the best person he can be. There's nothing close to a "superhero" concept in the book at all, save the gag-inducing aphorism that anyone can find their inner superhero through Christ. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for finding decent secondary characters and a compelling plot.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't really enjoy this book. I am not a zany comedy type of girl. It reminded me a lot of Bruce Almighty. I can see how some people would get a kick out of it though. I will say the moral of the story was overall good. I was glad that the author concluded that God is still good in the midst of a crazy world, and that we simply trust Him. Amen and amen. He then seems to convey that helping others is the way to cope with the madness of earth. This is where I disagree and think many people who question faith and God will remain unsatisfied with this conclusion. Helping people as much as possible is a must. But that doesn't shed light on why there is suffering. I appreciate the author's attempt, but I think it falls short.

[Alice Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This debut novel by author Geoffrey Wood was absolutely one of the best books I've read in a good while. Entertaining, funny, witty, with great characters and a compelling story. Did I say funny? Well, I don't often laugh aloud while reading in a room by myself, but this book had me do just that and quite a lot. But don't let the humor mislead you. This is also a very serious novel that tackles some very serious Christian issues in very interesting ways. Without saying too much, the play on the book's title is marvelously done and I'll say no more. No, this book delivers the best of both --seriously good laughs and thought-provoking scenes that really challenge and inspire.

[Alexandra Mecherkany · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not something I would have picked up for myself, it was recommended by someone. The characters were underdeveloped and I’m not quite sure what I was supposed to get from this one. Took me a while to get through it, would have abandoned it if it wasn’t given to me by someone who will ask what I thought.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

It had so much potential. A modern superhero who's addicted to espresso and is full of personality. And then the story just fell flat on its face. I guess that's what I get for buying books from the dollar store.

[Elias]

This is good so far, even if it features essentially Hiro's subplot on Heroes.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one has been on my TBR list for awhile, and there's a good reason for that. I received it through the Goodreads giveaway program, but had no idea of the religious content from the description they posted. I don't do well with books that have a religious message, ever since my bad experience with the sermon-disguised-as-a-novel that was Shadowmancer. Luckily for me, the religious message in Leaper is of the warm and fuzzy rather than cold and intolerant type, although it does still slow down the action a bit. James is an ordinary barista, troubled by his recent divorce, who is having acupuncture done when suddenly bam! he finds himself in his ex-wife's garage. It turns out that James has a "superpower" of sorts---the ability to visualize himself someplace and be there in an instant. Of course, there's a bit of a learning curve to using these powers, which is where the funny comes in. And there are a lot of really fun parts in this book---there is a scene in a grocery store, for instance, that completely cracked me up (those carts can be the dickens to deal with!), as well as an ill-fated first date. And then there's the message, which seems to be a combination of the importance of using one's abilities for good, and "letting go and letting God," and which is brought out as James tries to learn, not just how his powers work but how he should be using them.

There are definitely a lot of good qualities in Leaper, beginning with James himself. It is really easy to relate to him, because we've all been disappointed in love, stuck in a dead end job, or questioned our place in the universe at some point. James has found himself with extraordinary powers, though he starts out using them for his own gain (well, sort of---it's more of a "getting out of a bad situation" thing), he comes to decide he should really be putting them to a better use, since the powers come from God. And I like the idea of putting our abilities to the best use, whether you believe they come from God or no, and I especially liked the fact that in a book with a religious message, that message wasn't about sin or promoting an "us vs them"morality.* However, just because the message didn't offend me doesn't mean I wasn't annoyed by its heavy-handed application at times. There were some scenes that seemed to advance the message more than the plot---for instance, nearly every conversation James had with Father Chavez, his priest---and at least one character whose function I couldn't determine at all. And I won't spoil you by saying how James got his powers, just say that I thought it was really, really dumb, and the ambiguous ending didn't thrill me much, either.

So in sum I'd say I was pleasantly surprised by all the humor in this book and by James's unique voice, but occasionally annoyed by the heavy-handed delivery of its message. Luckily, it was a quick read as well!

*There's a scene in a bookstore which could be read as critical of Buddhism, but could also be read as critical of the self help industry and its appropriation of Eastern religions and philosophy, and in any case, the implied criticism is of effectiveness rather than moral worth. The other interaction James has with someone clearly not his own faith (there may be others whose religion isn't mentioned) is with his very strange neighbor Nelson, a self-proclaimed Protestant. Which is odd in itself---most Protestants I know would call themselves by denomination---Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian---instead. And I totally don't know how we're supposed to read the interactions between Nelson and James---they're just too strange.

[David Caldwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, if I could give half stars, I would have rated this book 2.5 stars.A liitle better than okay but not quite up to liking it.The main reason was I had not fully realized what the book was about. When I read the book summary, I thought the book was going to be a funny trying to learn how to be a superhero book.I was thinking it might be like that old TV show, the Greatest American Hero (which I really enjoyed when it first came on but can't watch it now--those special effects were so bad).But that isn't what the book is about.It is more of a man learning trust and faith in God.

When I read the back of the book with a little more attention, it does say this but you have to look for it.So I guess that is my fault, but it didn't help that since I was wanting the funny superhero book.

Looking at the story, I never really warmed up to the main character.He was neurotic and paranoid. He often complained that he should have thought before he talked.I felt he should have thought before he did most of the things he did.Like duct taping his door before leaping so he couldn't get back into it.He never trusted anyone.He also could not accept his wife had left him.He kept annoying her even though she kept saying to leave her alone.Even when he knew what he needed to do to fix a problem, he just wouldn't do it.

Ther was also the bizarre neighbor.Is it now a law that there is a strange neighbor in every apartment building? It is true that he made some good points, but mostly he was just confusing.

Several times the characters seemed to refuse to hold to any logical conversation.One example, a character is asked if she remembers ever going out with him.Her response is that she would love to go with him.How is that remembering?

Finally there were a few printer gremlins in the book but nothing major.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not often does a book make me laugh out loud. Rarely does one make me laugh out loud often. And even more remotely, does the book make me laugh out loud so much that I end up reading the entire book to my husband. Leaper is an unexpected gold nugget, not only in the world of literature, but even more so in Christian Fiction. Though, that hardly seems to be a proper category to place such a treasure. No disregard to Christian Fiction, though I believe the true gems are quite few in that genre (and this coming from a former Christian retailer!).
Subtleties of phrases and expressions are what delight me as a reader, and Geoffrey Wood built that delight to a whole new level. Finally! An author I *get*, and who *gets* me! It was such a pleasure to simply sit back, read, laugh and enjoy where this adventure was going. I felt that I found a new kindred spirit, and I couldn't wait for the next journey (his second book is The God Cookie -- also a sheer delight).
Having been a retailer, it was disheartening to see that I couldn't turn more people onto Mr. Wood's work. I don't know if it was my customer base, but I know making this book known to the masses has been difficult. If you have a great oddball sense of humor, I cannot recommend Leaper enough. Geoffrey Wood is a fantastically gifted author. Please get to know him through Leaper.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

The trick to the fiction clearance section at Half Price books is that everything is lumped together. So, as it has happened to me before, I pick up a book thinking it's just a regular novel and about a quarter to a third of the way through the book I realize it's in a more specific category of fiction, in this case, Christian fiction. It threw me off. Granted, I am a religious, spiritual, church-going person. I was pleasantly surprised when the character was reading CS Lewis and when he went to meet with a priest after getting a superpower. Then he realizes that the power is a gift from God, a present day miracle and the action stalls out for him to work that out.

I would have enjoyed the book more if someone handed it to me and said, "hey, here's a book about a man who gets a superpower from God." I just wanted a light, fast, easy read about a guy bumbling around with a brand new superpower. The author was funny and it could have been that book and a spiritual book, especially because the main character was having a total nervous breakdown. He was so crazy that I thought it was going to have some insane twist, but it was in fact a book about the man learning to accept God's grace. If I had known that before I started, I probably would have enjoyed it more.

[TatiAnna · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, this book is hilarious. It's funny in a "I'm cringing at everything that's happening specifically because it feels so real" kind of funny. The hero of the story, James, is really an anti-hero because he is reluctant in a big way. He's flawed and awkward and paranoid and it's great. I never once felt like he was a stale or cardboard character. His narration of the book, which is kind of like a diary and also a confession, is beautifully honest and real.

Second, the book, which deal with James discovering and coming to terms with a superpower he suddenly finds he possesses, is mostly perfect.

If i have one caveat, it's that the book takes a pretty sharp turn into cold and bracing waters of reality and religion at the end. It's an abrupt change, and a little jarring. I'm a Christan myself, and i found the last act to be very illuminating in terms of faith, but it did seem a trifle at odds with the first three-quarters.

I would definitely recommend this book if you like a sharp and funny read that will make you laugh out loud and seriously consider your relationship with God. Or even just the nature of faith and how it factors onto our human relationships.

[Virginia · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unexpected encounter at the communion rail during Mass leaves James with a new talent -- or perhaps a curse, he can't decide which. He can instantly go from one place to another. Of course, at first he can't control the ability, which leads to some pretty awkward situations. Like the time he pops into his ex-wife's house wearing nothing but his underwear. Remember the movie, "Jumper"? Douse that idea in holy water and you have the premise of Leaper.

I won this book in a GoodReads First Reads Giveaway, and I'm glad I did. I would not have picked it up on the bookstore shelf because of the cover, which doesn't even begin to do the story justice. The writing is good, at times clever and at other times deep. For instance, here's a quote from page 300 that I re-read several times because it is so good:

"It seems doing good isn't doing good. It's desiring to be there when God shows up with the good."

All in all, an enjoyable read and a good debut from an author who I expect to hear more from.

[Tandava Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the premise here would have been interesting enough on its own without having an overly neurotic, completely bungling main character. There were too many times the stream-of-consciousness narration hampered rather than enhanced the story. And it's harder to think about the issues involved or how I would handle such a situation when this fellow can't even get me as far as having normal conversations with people.

Still, for all that, I kind of liked the guy. And there were a few times I actually laughed out loud (in a public place, no less) which I rarely do when reading silently. I also really liked several of the secondary characters, and would have liked to have seen more of them (I guess that cancels out as both a plus and a minus). Father Chavez, Monica, and Nelson all deserved more screen time. The ending was mostly good, though could have used a little more clarity about the message, even while preserving the ambiguity of what actually happens.

So... I wanted to rate this higher, but I think I'll have to just leave it as a 3.

[Ricki · Rating 1 out of 5]

When I look back at it, this was a pretty terrible book. The plot was lackluster, the characters were stock figures, but the main reason I look back at it as a terrible book is the way the main character treated his coworker who just wanted a friend. James just didn't like him, blew him off, didn't care at all, and his coworker ended up committing suicide. Afterward James thinks, "If only my superpower could have kicked in, or if only I'd hung out with him, I could have saved him." But he looked at that guy like just a soul to be saved--not a person with value worth befriending. The book NEVER REACHES the conclusion that God loves every single person on earth with a passionate love, and everyone who follows God should strive to have His love for the people of the world. And it's just so sad that it passed through so many hands in the publishing process without anyone saying, "Hang on, there's a major problem with this theology--Christians shouldn't just care about saving souls, they should actually care about those individual people and love them with God's love."

[R. G. Nairam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this book as much as I would've liked to.

My investment and interest in it varied chunk by chunk, and I quite frankly found multiple sections confusing due to the character voice and lack of dialogue tags. It had a cool theme and some cool characters, but the villain came across as unbelievable to me and several exchanges of dialogue in the last third of the book seemed stilted. Maybe it's just a technique I'm not a fan of, but increasingly-worse-and-unbelievable-for-humor!! was mostly lost on me. It's like the first time I saw the Princess Bride and hated it (don't worry, we're cool now).

I don't know. It had a lot of cool things going for it, and one spoilery thing I didn't exactly see coming but worried about from the beginning, and I did care about James and want things to go better for him...

I may read it again some time and see if (like Princess Bride) it would improve for me on a second experience.

As it is, it did some neat stuff but in the end didn't come together for me.

[Aviv · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book starts out strong with a hilarious inner monologue that lets you know you are not the only one who has strange thoughts. While the writing is sometimes dis-orienting, no more so than what it would be like to actually be in someone else's mind, listening to their thoughts. The writing makes you feel as if you are really privy to main character, James', inner ramblings.

The book takes a turn for the more spiritual, with James visiting those same questions all humans ask themselves at one point or another about God, the meaning of life, and our purpose here. James' confrontation of these issues is for the most part touching, though some parts got a bit preachy and long for my personal taste.

All in all, a solidly entertaining read and an utterly believeable main character, who, in some ways, reminds you of yourself.

Disclosure: I received this book through GoodReads First Reads

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked this book at the beginning--a lonely, divorced man suddenly develops a "superhero" ability and runs into a series of comic misadventures learning to deal with it. I laughed out loud a few times early on, but the tone seemed to darken and get more religious as it went on. The writing (which is first person narrated) is casual and conversational at first, but gets looser and less coherent as it went on. I think it was supposed to be representative of his internal confusion and new philosophy, but I got a bit bored with some of the rantings. I felt it ended before the story should have--maybe a setup for a sequel?--and it could be really interesting in the next book as he embarks on his new life.

[C.O. Bonham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not your average Superhero novel and James is not your average Superhero. If you pick up this book thinking that it is just going to be some knock off of Jumper then you are way wrong. They might share the same super power but Davy Rice is well adjusted compared to the James of Leaper.He is a recently divorced man who learns the hard way that when God Calls you can't hang up on him. Imagine having a power that you can only use if your intentions are completely unselfish. And that is only the beginning of James' problems.

Just to warn you though this is one of those books that will frustrate you and want to make you pull your hair at the unfairness of it all. This must be real life because nothing goes right for James and it makes having super powers seem completely unappealing.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

i can't give this 3 stars or say i liked this book, because a) the writing style was too erratic and b) for all the introspection and legitimate angst, i never cared much for the protagonist. and i really wanted to, because i thought this was a great idea for a book. but the execution - way off.

it may sound funny, since i am no superhero (!), but some of his pain points were rather universal. so, i related, but even so, many of the rounds of arguing with himself/god felt false, lacking of heart. then again, maybe i just didn't fully grok the writing style. maybe if the overly caffeinated personality type had resonated with me, it would've felt genuine. somehow i doubt it.

[Stitch Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Tackles themes of faith and trust in a completely original way. The voice is manic, comedic, and very conversational though at times erratic as the protagonist struggles with his what is happening to him. But despite the comic rush of the narrative, the insights are still profound. Not your typical Christian fare and I mean that in a good way. No, the voice is entirely original and entertaining and the super hero elements are only a vehicle for the more weightier matters. Definitely one I would recommend...

[Mike Rummler · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a little thick on the religious side and I wish it would have gone further with the character after he comes to grips with his leaping ability. Hopefully book 2 is on the way.

[Criss · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK, I was not expecting that AT ALL. It's refreshing when a book can charm, challenge and leave the reader thinking about it's subtle themes for hours or days after the last page is read.

This book has been on my BTBR for several years and I can't remember what is what about this book that intrigued me. So, when I saw it at Half Price I grabbed it to give it a go. I spent the first quarter of the book trying to decide if it was YA or not (not really). Although the title character, James, talks about conversations he has with the parish priest I would not have pegged this as a "religious" or "faith" book, but then in the 2nd half things really got moving and some big questions got asked and the answers were surprising, and thought provoking, and initiated more questions.

I would challenge you to pick up this book and give it a read without any preconceived ideas about leaping; why we all must take a leap regarding faith or family or ambition and why faith and trust are so important and so difficult for us mere humans to grasp and hold onto.

[Sharon Falduto]

"The Misadventures of a Not-Necessarily-Super Hero" is the subtitle of this book. The unlikely hero of the novel finds himself suddenly "blessed" with the ability to transport himself through space. The overall tone of the book is sardonic, although it has a grounding in questions about faith. In fact, I was a bit surprised at the God-heaviness that appeared as the book wore on.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up positive that I would read a few pages and then put it away, but I was so wrong and I'm so grateful for the impulse to pick it up. This was so much more interesting and thoughtful than I expected. I loved the discussion of faith and good throughout the novel. It was a really interesting read that I might revisit in the future.

[Patrick Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fast read. I am not even sure what to think about the story. I can kind of relate. Life is falling apart and feels like it is just daily chaos. One thing after another and it never stops. How do you keep the faith through it all.

[TheSuperKim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is one of those pleasures that never fade.

[Caroline Harbour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, challenging magical realism

[Adrienne Organa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful. Very vague, weird, and depressing.

[Julianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The funniest thing I have ever read, had me literally breathless with laughter while reading it, I still think about parts of this book and laugh to this day.