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Super Steve
It starts like just another in long string of Friday Steve Janson again fools himself into thinking he'll go for a stress-busting, head-clearing run, only to end up at the local Sav-N-Lo picking up a pack of Doritos. But when he ends up bleeding on the floor after a robbery gone wrong, and a mysterious stranger saves his life, he finds himself living every man’s dream. Or is that nightmare? In either case, he’s a superhero.
The darkly comic SUPER STEVE what if a regular person suddenly found himself stronger, faster, smarter than his fellow mortals? If nothing else (and, increasingly, there is nothing else), Steve is that average man, someone who clings to his sense of stand-up-guyness. He still puts in the overtime, even as the desks around him empty at the soon-to-be-extinct Metroburgh Green Pages. He makes sure his deeply pregnant wife and his baby-to-be live comfortably, even as his mountain of debt grows Himalayan. Sure, being the calm face that keeps everything alright gnaws at his slowly expanding gut some days, but it’s nothing a couple of MetroLagers can’t numb.
And at first, saving school busses and pulling kittens from trees suits Steve perfectly. But as crime grips the city – an agitated former Occupier freeing the people’s money; a disgruntled ex-geologist with a knife to grind; a military man determined to keep the streets safe, no matter how unsafe they get in the process –the demands grow unbearable. As Steve’s wife grows suspicious of his late-night activities, as his boss threatens his job if the absenteeism doesn’t end, as his finances spin out of control after a gadget-buying spree, he is forced to ask Must he sacrifice Steve Janson to be a hero? Or does he have to sacrifice the city in order to live with himself?
The darkly comic SUPER STEVE what if a regular person suddenly found himself stronger, faster, smarter than his fellow mortals? If nothing else (and, increasingly, there is nothing else), Steve is that average man, someone who clings to his sense of stand-up-guyness. He still puts in the overtime, even as the desks around him empty at the soon-to-be-extinct Metroburgh Green Pages. He makes sure his deeply pregnant wife and his baby-to-be live comfortably, even as his mountain of debt grows Himalayan. Sure, being the calm face that keeps everything alright gnaws at his slowly expanding gut some days, but it’s nothing a couple of MetroLagers can’t numb.
And at first, saving school busses and pulling kittens from trees suits Steve perfectly. But as crime grips the city – an agitated former Occupier freeing the people’s money; a disgruntled ex-geologist with a knife to grind; a military man determined to keep the streets safe, no matter how unsafe they get in the process –the demands grow unbearable. As Steve’s wife grows suspicious of his late-night activities, as his boss threatens his job if the absenteeism doesn’t end, as his finances spin out of control after a gadget-buying spree, he is forced to ask Must he sacrifice Steve Janson to be a hero? Or does he have to sacrifice the city in order to live with himself?
329 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 5, 2015
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4 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 28, 2020
If you're an adult fan of comics and/or super heroes, or just looking for a different kind of genre in a novel, Super Steve is a great read for you. When they're done properly, origin stories are always fun. This one is fun. It has lots of background and action for the grown-up comic lovers' appreciation of realistic-ish super power origins of both hero and villains (sort of in the mold of Unbreakable, though less dark) with some of the every day humour you get when you try to put a super hero in today's world (funny but less campy than Hancock). Super Steve is your relate-able everyman: How do you leave your 9-5 gig to fight crime when the boss is all over you, or from 5-9 when you have a pregnant wife at home?
April 23, 2015
This is a great super hero story. The ultimate result of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Steve soon realizes that being a super hero does not make his life super easy. Living a double life is always hard. Especially when your wife is pregnant and needing you at home, Hero versus villain stories are always fun reads for me. Add in a super hero and the action is great. I am giving this book a 4/5. I was given a copy to review, however all opinions are my own.
April 30, 2015
What's an average guy to do when he unexpectedly becomes a crime fighting superhero?
Super Steve is an entertaining crime thriller with a comic book superhero twist. Author Doug Cudmore weaves a intriguing tale of humor and suspense that follows average guy Steve Janson when he awakes from a robbery gone wrong, and suddenly finds himself with superhero powers. The superhero powers thrusts Steve into a brave new world where he has to balance his average everyday life of working and taking care of his very pregnant wife, with the call of fighting crime in his city at night. When the double life he leads gets unbearable, Steve has to decide which is more important: going back to average Steve Janson, or sacrifice it all to live out his superhero dreams.
Super Steve is a fun story that easily draws the reader into Steve's story. You can't help but relate to this typical average guy with everyday life issues, and then cheer him on when he follows his passion to fight crime with his newly acquired superhero powers. Crazy antics and mishaps await when Super Steve is on the prowl, so buckle up and get ready to follow him on his crime fighting adventures!
I must admit that I have never been a real fan of comic book superheros, but Super Steve is such an enjoyable story that I found myself laughing as I read the story. It has a great mixture of real average everyday life experiences, humor, and thrilling suspense, I found myself easily engaged and turning the pages to see what would happen next!
Super Steve is a thoroughly entertaining, fast paced and action packed superhero crime thriller. This is a great book for fans of comic book superhero stories.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Pump Up Your Book.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
Super Steve is an entertaining crime thriller with a comic book superhero twist. Author Doug Cudmore weaves a intriguing tale of humor and suspense that follows average guy Steve Janson when he awakes from a robbery gone wrong, and suddenly finds himself with superhero powers. The superhero powers thrusts Steve into a brave new world where he has to balance his average everyday life of working and taking care of his very pregnant wife, with the call of fighting crime in his city at night. When the double life he leads gets unbearable, Steve has to decide which is more important: going back to average Steve Janson, or sacrifice it all to live out his superhero dreams.
Super Steve is a fun story that easily draws the reader into Steve's story. You can't help but relate to this typical average guy with everyday life issues, and then cheer him on when he follows his passion to fight crime with his newly acquired superhero powers. Crazy antics and mishaps await when Super Steve is on the prowl, so buckle up and get ready to follow him on his crime fighting adventures!
I must admit that I have never been a real fan of comic book superheros, but Super Steve is such an enjoyable story that I found myself laughing as I read the story. It has a great mixture of real average everyday life experiences, humor, and thrilling suspense, I found myself easily engaged and turning the pages to see what would happen next!
Super Steve is a thoroughly entertaining, fast paced and action packed superhero crime thriller. This is a great book for fans of comic book superhero stories.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Pump Up Your Book.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
April 16, 2015
My Thoughts:
I found this book highly enjoyable. I am a huge fan of comic books and graphic novels, and this book really plays into that whole area! It reminds me of a great blend between Hancock and Batman, where an average man is less average than he appears, taking to the night to rid the world of injustice and evil, even if it is by his own means and may cost him everything.
I love that Steve is a typical guy, with lots of extraordinary dreams about what he can do for the world. He goes about his daily life, trying to still put bread on the table, take care of his pregnant partner and keep his boss off his back. His life is by no means perfect, and he’s really starting to find it harder to keep his double life secret, especially with the mounting piles of bills.
I love that Steve is following his true passion, but that life isn’t perfect, just like in the real world. He runs into issues, money problems, problems with the boos, his partner and mishaps in his nightlife. It is all very real and a lot of it is very tongue in cheek, hilarious, but there is also a serious side to it.
Steve is a great character, with a lot of real-world depth to him, and a hint of the not-so-real. He is a crime-fighter,bringing that comic book world closer to us, but he is also an average joe, just trying to make ends meet.
I thought this was a great read and know loads of my fellow comic readers will like it as well, and also those average joes out there who just want to get a chuckle out of life.
I found this book highly enjoyable. I am a huge fan of comic books and graphic novels, and this book really plays into that whole area! It reminds me of a great blend between Hancock and Batman, where an average man is less average than he appears, taking to the night to rid the world of injustice and evil, even if it is by his own means and may cost him everything.
I love that Steve is a typical guy, with lots of extraordinary dreams about what he can do for the world. He goes about his daily life, trying to still put bread on the table, take care of his pregnant partner and keep his boss off his back. His life is by no means perfect, and he’s really starting to find it harder to keep his double life secret, especially with the mounting piles of bills.
I love that Steve is following his true passion, but that life isn’t perfect, just like in the real world. He runs into issues, money problems, problems with the boos, his partner and mishaps in his nightlife. It is all very real and a lot of it is very tongue in cheek, hilarious, but there is also a serious side to it.
Steve is a great character, with a lot of real-world depth to him, and a hint of the not-so-real. He is a crime-fighter,bringing that comic book world closer to us, but he is also an average joe, just trying to make ends meet.
I thought this was a great read and know loads of my fellow comic readers will like it as well, and also those average joes out there who just want to get a chuckle out of life.
May 1, 2015
Ever wondered what a superhero might do all day, if his day job wasn't being a millionaire playboy like Bruce Wayne?
Ever considered the implications behind all those wacky origin stories, where it seems like everyone gains their superpowers by being dunked in a vat of radioactive goo or bitten by a radioactive bug?
What would the world of superheroics look like if some regular guy - perhaps a guy like Steve Janson - took up the cape and underwear-as-outerwear?
To read the rest of this review, see my post at Black Heart Magazine here: http://wp.me/purzf-4Kt
Ever considered the implications behind all those wacky origin stories, where it seems like everyone gains their superpowers by being dunked in a vat of radioactive goo or bitten by a radioactive bug?
What would the world of superheroics look like if some regular guy - perhaps a guy like Steve Janson - took up the cape and underwear-as-outerwear?
To read the rest of this review, see my post at Black Heart Magazine here: http://wp.me/purzf-4Kt
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews