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Identity Crisis #1
Hungry Gods
Superheroes. Undead. 'Nuff said.
The country's premier superhero team is missing. So when a mutant monstrosity goes on the rampage, it's Spitball to the rescue! He's a third-string hero today, determined to be first-string tomorrow. And the Army may be giving him just the chance he needs. Spitball's been invited to undertake a secret mission into America's heartland. What he's about to discover, however, is not a chance at stardom but a horror movie come to life...
Hungry Gods is a fast-paced adventure of costumed superheroes, government conspiracy theories, and flesh-eating zombies. Spandex adventure for adults.
The country's premier superhero team is missing. So when a mutant monstrosity goes on the rampage, it's Spitball to the rescue! He's a third-string hero today, determined to be first-string tomorrow. And the Army may be giving him just the chance he needs. Spitball's been invited to undertake a secret mission into America's heartland. What he's about to discover, however, is not a chance at stardom but a horror movie come to life...
Hungry Gods is a fast-paced adventure of costumed superheroes, government conspiracy theories, and flesh-eating zombies. Spandex adventure for adults.
220 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2015
132 people are currently reading
703 people want to read
About the author
J.D. Brink
75 books41 followersIf taking a college fencing class, eating from the trash can, and smelling like an animal were qualifications for becoming a sword-swinging barbarian, J. D. Brink might be Conan’s protégé.
Instead, he joined the Navy… twice. He’s served aboard a warship in the Pacific, collected intel from foreign submarines, trained corpsmen to save Marines, and cared for patients at hospitals in Kuwait and Japan.
Today (New Years, 2023), he’s a civilian, a freelance writer, nurse, and educator. They ask that he not wear the Viking helmet in front of actual people…
Sign up for his newsletter at https://www.subscribepage.com/jdbrink...
Instead, he joined the Navy… twice. He’s served aboard a warship in the Pacific, collected intel from foreign submarines, trained corpsmen to save Marines, and cared for patients at hospitals in Kuwait and Japan.
Today (New Years, 2023), he’s a civilian, a freelance writer, nurse, and educator. They ask that he not wear the Viking helmet in front of actual people…
Sign up for his newsletter at https://www.subscribepage.com/jdbrink...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
November 10, 2017
Superheroes vs Zombies! What's not to love? In truth this turned out to be a bit of a weird book. I do love the premise, superheroes are always fun, and J.D. Brink gave me what I thought I wanted by placing the focus on action and humour but for some weird reason this book never quite clicked with me. I'm not sure why. Sometimes I was caught up in the story and other times I was a little bored. It was the same with the humour. Sometimes it worked and was funny others times it flopped and was not. The end result is this turned out to be an average read. Which is a shame as it did grip me from the early pages so it feels like it could have been so much better!
Second string superhero, Spitball, gets his chance to join the big leagues when the US army call upon him to take a secret mission to small town Kansas to sort out a problem they are being very closed mouthed about. That problem is a zombie outbreak of course! Spitball's powers are similar to that of the Flash, but not as good, so he figures he should always be able to stay out of the grasp of the zombie horde and find the source of the outbreak. His mission begins to seem a bit more difficult when it soon becomes apparent that the world premier superhero team, and Spitball's idols, the Fab Five are already on the scene and half have fallen to the zombie horde and became super-zombies!
Spitball was a weird lead character. He was cocky and arrogant and was a mix of funny and annoying.
All in all this turned out to be an OK read that always felt like it was not far away from being a better one but just fell a little short. I'm not sure if I'll read the sequel or not.
Rating: 3 stars.
Audio Note: Todd Menesses did an OK job. He was not the sort of narrator that enhanced a story with his performance but he was adequate and did not detract from it.
Second string superhero, Spitball, gets his chance to join the big leagues when the US army call upon him to take a secret mission to small town Kansas to sort out a problem they are being very closed mouthed about. That problem is a zombie outbreak of course! Spitball's powers are similar to that of the Flash, but not as good, so he figures he should always be able to stay out of the grasp of the zombie horde and find the source of the outbreak. His mission begins to seem a bit more difficult when it soon becomes apparent that the world premier superhero team, and Spitball's idols, the Fab Five are already on the scene and half have fallen to the zombie horde and became super-zombies!
Spitball was a weird lead character. He was cocky and arrogant and was a mix of funny and annoying.
All in all this turned out to be an OK read that always felt like it was not far away from being a better one but just fell a little short. I'm not sure if I'll read the sequel or not.
Rating: 3 stars.
Audio Note: Todd Menesses did an OK job. He was not the sort of narrator that enhanced a story with his performance but he was adequate and did not detract from it.
February 11, 2015
I got this in exchange for an honest review blah blah blah.
Wow, this was surprisingly good. It's basically superheroes vs. zombies, but presented in a new way. Very realistic considering the premise. The characters were all well thought out. Very human for superhumans. It also contained a little bit of everything: humor, horror, action, and drama. Parts of it made me laugh out loud, other parts were quite horrific. It would probably make a great graphic novel if the author ever decided to go that way.
I would recommend this to any fans of horror OR superheroes, and if you like both, well, you'll love it! J.D. Brink is an author to watch.
Wow, this was surprisingly good. It's basically superheroes vs. zombies, but presented in a new way. Very realistic considering the premise. The characters were all well thought out. Very human for superhumans. It also contained a little bit of everything: humor, horror, action, and drama. Parts of it made me laugh out loud, other parts were quite horrific. It would probably make a great graphic novel if the author ever decided to go that way.
I would recommend this to any fans of horror OR superheroes, and if you like both, well, you'll love it! J.D. Brink is an author to watch.
May 3, 2016
My original Hungry Gods audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
Hungry Gods by J.D. Brink is the first in a series called Identity Crisis. The story follows the antics of a teenaged super hero who just wants to make it big. In a world of caped and masked superheroes who are called by the government to solve problems created by real life monsters and villain, Spitball is a low level superhero. All he dreams about is using his super-speed powers to launch him into a life of fame and to secure his spot in the Phenomenal Five, the most famous team of superheroes. After fighting off a monster that was terrorizing his town, this little bit of fame leads to a military official to request his services. Little did Spitball know, he was entering a fight that might be too big for his skills. As the story unravels, Spitball is faced with a series of terrors, intrigue, and conflicts between his expectations and realities about what being a superhero is.
This novel improved for me after I accepted the costumed superheroes functioning as a part of the real life plotline. It was bewildering and frustrating in the beginning, but once accepted the plot developed nicely. The premise for the story where a naïve fame-hungry young superhero enters a fight too big for him was actually pretty interesting. It created room for Spitball to learn about the reality of being a superhero and learn from it. Unfortunately, I really felt like he hadn’t learned anything from the experience and was still like an overzealous puppy at the end. I found this extremely disappointing because Spitball’s naiveté was difficult to hear. I did however, like phenomenal five characters that Spitball is able to meet and the background on the relationship between those characters. The nature of the zombies and their relationship to the superheroes was really interesting and unique. The superheroes vs. zombies-like premise in itself was unique. This is mostly an action filled story about superheroes fighting off an unknown threat to the public. Ultimately, while I didn’t like Spitball’s character, there was a lot of plot development, action, and a hint of what’s to come in the future novels.
The narration by Todd Menesses was well done. He captured the voices of the different characters really well. He was able to capture the feelings and the situation that the characters were throughout the novel. He also hit Spitball’s voice straight on. It was great. The production quality was good. I would recommend this story to anyone who likes superhero, action stories.
Audiobook was provided for review by the narrator.
Hungry Gods by J.D. Brink is the first in a series called Identity Crisis. The story follows the antics of a teenaged super hero who just wants to make it big. In a world of caped and masked superheroes who are called by the government to solve problems created by real life monsters and villain, Spitball is a low level superhero. All he dreams about is using his super-speed powers to launch him into a life of fame and to secure his spot in the Phenomenal Five, the most famous team of superheroes. After fighting off a monster that was terrorizing his town, this little bit of fame leads to a military official to request his services. Little did Spitball know, he was entering a fight that might be too big for his skills. As the story unravels, Spitball is faced with a series of terrors, intrigue, and conflicts between his expectations and realities about what being a superhero is.
This novel improved for me after I accepted the costumed superheroes functioning as a part of the real life plotline. It was bewildering and frustrating in the beginning, but once accepted the plot developed nicely. The premise for the story where a naïve fame-hungry young superhero enters a fight too big for him was actually pretty interesting. It created room for Spitball to learn about the reality of being a superhero and learn from it. Unfortunately, I really felt like he hadn’t learned anything from the experience and was still like an overzealous puppy at the end. I found this extremely disappointing because Spitball’s naiveté was difficult to hear. I did however, like phenomenal five characters that Spitball is able to meet and the background on the relationship between those characters. The nature of the zombies and their relationship to the superheroes was really interesting and unique. The superheroes vs. zombies-like premise in itself was unique. This is mostly an action filled story about superheroes fighting off an unknown threat to the public. Ultimately, while I didn’t like Spitball’s character, there was a lot of plot development, action, and a hint of what’s to come in the future novels.
The narration by Todd Menesses was well done. He captured the voices of the different characters really well. He was able to capture the feelings and the situation that the characters were throughout the novel. He also hit Spitball’s voice straight on. It was great. The production quality was good. I would recommend this story to anyone who likes superhero, action stories.
Audiobook was provided for review by the narrator.
July 7, 2015
Review: HUNGRY GODS by J. D. Brink
I need to make a little icon for "WOW!!) to add to my reviews. HUNGRY GODS certainly qualifies. I read it in about two hours, in the middle of the night, very uncommon for me. I enjoyed it so much. Not only is it very smoothly written, but the author has a cherishable sense of humour. His balancing of character impact against non-stop action is just glorious. Some sentences I stopped to reread a couple times (example: Gargoyle' s expression of not-quite-apology to Spitball (Luke) after nearly removing him from the land of the living. The description was priceless. HUNGRY GODS is NOT just your ordinary "SPLASH!! BAM!! ##*** POW!!" Comic event. It's really, really good [and a rereader].
I need to make a little icon for "WOW!!) to add to my reviews. HUNGRY GODS certainly qualifies. I read it in about two hours, in the middle of the night, very uncommon for me. I enjoyed it so much. Not only is it very smoothly written, but the author has a cherishable sense of humour. His balancing of character impact against non-stop action is just glorious. Some sentences I stopped to reread a couple times (example: Gargoyle' s expression of not-quite-apology to Spitball (Luke) after nearly removing him from the land of the living. The description was priceless. HUNGRY GODS is NOT just your ordinary "SPLASH!! BAM!! ##*** POW!!" Comic event. It's really, really good [and a rereader].
July 7, 2015
Five Category Rating System:
Concept: 1/2 Star
Writing: 1/2 Star
Structure: Star
Credibility: 1/2 Star
Character: 1/2 Star
-------------------------
Total: 3 Stars
Audience Suitability: Adult - Profanity, Adult Situations, Explicit Violence
"Hungry Gods" is a well-paced, fantasy thriller, a collision of publicity hungry superheroes, zombies, and teenage growing pains.
On the plus side, the writing is for the most part clean and has a good, workmanlike flow that serves this kind of material well. Telling this story from the viewpoint of a second rate, teenage superhero gives it a fresh quality. The action scenes are well constructed and exciting.
On the minus side, there are more than a handful of typos and grammatical errors that interrupted the flow of the narrative. Also, there is one continuity error that broke my suspension of disbelief. Except for the main protagonist, the characters are largely two-dimensional and stereotypical.
If you are looking for a thrill ride with a pack of superheroes vs. a zombie horde, this book serves that purpose quite well and was an easy read.
Concept: 1/2 Star
Writing: 1/2 Star
Structure: Star
Credibility: 1/2 Star
Character: 1/2 Star
-------------------------
Total: 3 Stars
Audience Suitability: Adult - Profanity, Adult Situations, Explicit Violence
"Hungry Gods" is a well-paced, fantasy thriller, a collision of publicity hungry superheroes, zombies, and teenage growing pains.
On the plus side, the writing is for the most part clean and has a good, workmanlike flow that serves this kind of material well. Telling this story from the viewpoint of a second rate, teenage superhero gives it a fresh quality. The action scenes are well constructed and exciting.
On the minus side, there are more than a handful of typos and grammatical errors that interrupted the flow of the narrative. Also, there is one continuity error that broke my suspension of disbelief. Except for the main protagonist, the characters are largely two-dimensional and stereotypical.
If you are looking for a thrill ride with a pack of superheroes vs. a zombie horde, this book serves that purpose quite well and was an easy read.
December 29, 2014
Brink's writing is full of adventure, humor, and enough suspense and action to keep you reading until the book is done. If you've never thought about reading a book about a superhero instead of a comic or a movie, this is the change you'll want to take.
Spitball is your average mostly-unknown superhero, ready and waiting for his opportunity to save the world, so when the country's most well-known superheroes are missing and his government comes asking for help, he can't help but jump at the chance. What follows is a fast-paced adventure built from too-believable situations and hugely engaging superheroes.
If you or someone you know is a fan of action/adventure books or superhero stories, you'll want to pick up Brink's work the first change you get...
So, yes, absolutely recommended!
Spitball is your average mostly-unknown superhero, ready and waiting for his opportunity to save the world, so when the country's most well-known superheroes are missing and his government comes asking for help, he can't help but jump at the chance. What follows is a fast-paced adventure built from too-believable situations and hugely engaging superheroes.
If you or someone you know is a fan of action/adventure books or superhero stories, you'll want to pick up Brink's work the first change you get...
So, yes, absolutely recommended!
March 9, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Spitball isn't very likeable at first. He's arrogant and doesn't think about the consequences to his actions before acting. But he definitely grows on you. And if he did think before acting the book might never have happened, so that's a plus for him.
Superheroes vs. zombies makes for a very fun book. Zombie superheroes are not something I would want to run into, but they were really awesome in this book!
I can't wait to read more in this series.
Spitball isn't very likeable at first. He's arrogant and doesn't think about the consequences to his actions before acting. But he definitely grows on you. And if he did think before acting the book might never have happened, so that's a plus for him.
Superheroes vs. zombies makes for a very fun book. Zombie superheroes are not something I would want to run into, but they were really awesome in this book!
I can't wait to read more in this series.
January 19, 2024
Brink mixes over-the-top powers and fights of superhero fiction with the tenser investigation of a gritty conspiracy thriller, creating a tale that might be precised as zombie noir.
When a giant lizardman attacks Opal Bay, budding superhero Spitball races in to defeat it on live television, an act that attracts the attention of the US Army. Taking the mission will involve both promising to keep everything he does secret and missing a private interview with an attractive local news reporter, but the opportunity to join the big leagues (and get paid like it) is too much to turn down—and he has a brilliant scheme for how footage of his heroism can get out anyway. Unfortunately, the Army’s desire for secrecy includes not telling him why they have quarantined a small town.
This novel weaves the flawed superheroes trope with zombie action. In addition to the usual challenges of selfishness, shock, and lack of experience that come up in the classic zombie outbreak narrative, this adds an interesting layer of questions about which powers might be good or bad against zombies and what might happen if someone with powers is infected.
The major arc of the book is dealing with the zombie infestation, and Brink does not short the reader on either horror or fast-paced action, skilfully balancing the tension of a single bite potentially being the end with the rough-and-tumble extended fights of classic superhero tales.
The question of not merely surviving but removing the zombie threat is similarly altered by it being a superhero story: by subtly reminding the reader of the convention that superhero origin stories could be scientific, alien, or supernatural rather than all having to have a consistent source, Brink removes the readers expectation that the zombies will be caused by this because of that. This sense of learning as one goes is supported by the protagonist having just started as a hero, so similarly not knowing all about all the powers and possibilities.
The potential downside of this is of course that readers who like to strategise possible solutions in advance or who prefer speculative fiction with a more overtly coherent metaphysical system will find the uncertainty over what is happening and what can be done either a too random or too convenient in places.
While this is primarily a story about superheroes with imperfect characters fighting zombies, Brink does move beyond the strictly personal issues of selfishness vs self-sacrifice into questions of heroism such as whether short-term decency justifies the risk of greater problems later.
As is common in tales about flawed superheroes, neither the descriptions nor the language are clean. However, the violence, profanity, and so forth are not gratuitous in context of the characters.
Spitball is a well-crafted portrayal of a modern college man with a talent. While superspeed is objectively more impressive than being good at sport, his personality is “high-school football captain” with all the expectations and desires for girls, fame, and money that US culture instils in good-looking jocks. However, although his perspective is tainted by entitlement, he also has morals and virtues. Thus, while not an unsullied example of heroism all the time, he is ultimately heroic because it is good thing to do rather than just because it bolsters his image. He also, somewhat amusingly, struggles with his superspeed not always speeding his mind as well as his body, amplifying the mundane habit of many young people to act without thought.
The supporting cast are similarly complex and varied, displaying a plausible level of commonalities based on their job and so forth, but also displaying strong differences or a similarity to people from another group; although perhaps most stark in showing those with powers and those without both have the same ability to be virtuous and weakness for vice, this sense that how one chooses to act is more defining that what one can do pervades the cast.
Overall, I enjoyed this novel. I recommend it to readers seeking superhero action that is neither shallow nor mired in philosophical questions.
When a giant lizardman attacks Opal Bay, budding superhero Spitball races in to defeat it on live television, an act that attracts the attention of the US Army. Taking the mission will involve both promising to keep everything he does secret and missing a private interview with an attractive local news reporter, but the opportunity to join the big leagues (and get paid like it) is too much to turn down—and he has a brilliant scheme for how footage of his heroism can get out anyway. Unfortunately, the Army’s desire for secrecy includes not telling him why they have quarantined a small town.
This novel weaves the flawed superheroes trope with zombie action. In addition to the usual challenges of selfishness, shock, and lack of experience that come up in the classic zombie outbreak narrative, this adds an interesting layer of questions about which powers might be good or bad against zombies and what might happen if someone with powers is infected.
The major arc of the book is dealing with the zombie infestation, and Brink does not short the reader on either horror or fast-paced action, skilfully balancing the tension of a single bite potentially being the end with the rough-and-tumble extended fights of classic superhero tales.
The question of not merely surviving but removing the zombie threat is similarly altered by it being a superhero story: by subtly reminding the reader of the convention that superhero origin stories could be scientific, alien, or supernatural rather than all having to have a consistent source, Brink removes the readers expectation that the zombies will be caused by this because of that. This sense of learning as one goes is supported by the protagonist having just started as a hero, so similarly not knowing all about all the powers and possibilities.
The potential downside of this is of course that readers who like to strategise possible solutions in advance or who prefer speculative fiction with a more overtly coherent metaphysical system will find the uncertainty over what is happening and what can be done either a too random or too convenient in places.
While this is primarily a story about superheroes with imperfect characters fighting zombies, Brink does move beyond the strictly personal issues of selfishness vs self-sacrifice into questions of heroism such as whether short-term decency justifies the risk of greater problems later.
As is common in tales about flawed superheroes, neither the descriptions nor the language are clean. However, the violence, profanity, and so forth are not gratuitous in context of the characters.
Spitball is a well-crafted portrayal of a modern college man with a talent. While superspeed is objectively more impressive than being good at sport, his personality is “high-school football captain” with all the expectations and desires for girls, fame, and money that US culture instils in good-looking jocks. However, although his perspective is tainted by entitlement, he also has morals and virtues. Thus, while not an unsullied example of heroism all the time, he is ultimately heroic because it is good thing to do rather than just because it bolsters his image. He also, somewhat amusingly, struggles with his superspeed not always speeding his mind as well as his body, amplifying the mundane habit of many young people to act without thought.
The supporting cast are similarly complex and varied, displaying a plausible level of commonalities based on their job and so forth, but also displaying strong differences or a similarity to people from another group; although perhaps most stark in showing those with powers and those without both have the same ability to be virtuous and weakness for vice, this sense that how one chooses to act is more defining that what one can do pervades the cast.
Overall, I enjoyed this novel. I recommend it to readers seeking superhero action that is neither shallow nor mired in philosophical questions.
December 5, 2024
DNF - read to chapter 7 at the 29% mark.
The main character is a college-age teenager speedster with impulse control issues and really, really bad higher decision-making ability.
Initially I thought the boy would be dead by the end of chapter one or two in a twist I have seen in previous superhero prose, with a different hero continuing the story thereafter. I mean this man-child picked up a rock and threw it at a godzilla-like creature, when the first rock didn't work - he picked up another and threw it MUCH faster to get through the thick scales - when the giant green monster reacted, only then does Luke go "maybe this is a bad idea" and realized he needed a plan beyond throwing rocks. He continues throughout the next six chapters to make split-second choice-actions (as a speedster in motion) and his brain catching up three seconds later.
Let me tell you, it is the perfect weakness for a speedster. Most creators choose to have the speed-aging as a weakness, but this one really fits well with the power as well as his age and life experience.
That said, after reading for six chapters, ending the equivalent of two or three comic book scripts, I realized I didn't like Luke AT ALL. I wanted to reach into the manuscript and slap the man-child for being obtuse.
Am I interested in watching this well-defined character move with some clearly shaped superpowers in a solid world-building creation? Yes, except spending twice over the time I already spent with this grandiose, fame-seeking super is too much. The three hours I already read were enough. He might be a really good fit for some people; I might have even liked him when I was younger.
If you like supers with some personality issues, this could be a good fit.
The main character is a college-age teenager speedster with impulse control issues and really, really bad higher decision-making ability.
Initially I thought the boy would be dead by the end of chapter one or two in a twist I have seen in previous superhero prose, with a different hero continuing the story thereafter. I mean this man-child picked up a rock and threw it at a godzilla-like creature, when the first rock didn't work - he picked up another and threw it MUCH faster to get through the thick scales - when the giant green monster reacted, only then does Luke go "maybe this is a bad idea" and realized he needed a plan beyond throwing rocks. He continues throughout the next six chapters to make split-second choice-actions (as a speedster in motion) and his brain catching up three seconds later.
Let me tell you, it is the perfect weakness for a speedster. Most creators choose to have the speed-aging as a weakness, but this one really fits well with the power as well as his age and life experience.
That said, after reading for six chapters, ending the equivalent of two or three comic book scripts, I realized I didn't like Luke AT ALL. I wanted to reach into the manuscript and slap the man-child for being obtuse.
Am I interested in watching this well-defined character move with some clearly shaped superpowers in a solid world-building creation? Yes, except spending twice over the time I already spent with this grandiose, fame-seeking super is too much. The three hours I already read were enough. He might be a really good fit for some people; I might have even liked him when I was younger.
If you like supers with some personality issues, this could be a good fit.
November 1, 2018
This is a decent superhero novel that skips over the origin story and gets straight into the meat of the protagonist's life. The trouble is, he's a shallow, self-centred young man that can't seem to take anything seriously.
Spit-Ball's fame-seeking behaviour turns out to be the meaning behind the book's title. Fame is a hungry god. That line gave me hope that the story would offer a deep look at the shift in Western culture toward fame as an end in itself. Kids used to dream of growing up to do something great, with fame being a side-effect. Now they just want to skip the messy middle bit and simply be famous. But no, the book ends as it starts, with Spit-Ball seeking publicity and fame without taking a moment to understand a broader context.
As with many recent superhero novels, we see no sign of training or government oversight. I found it particularly disheartening to see Spit-Ball assaulted several times by another supposedly "good" super, only to be victim shamed for "provoking" the situation. Am I asking too much of this genre? Probably.
Spit-Ball's fame-seeking behaviour turns out to be the meaning behind the book's title. Fame is a hungry god. That line gave me hope that the story would offer a deep look at the shift in Western culture toward fame as an end in itself. Kids used to dream of growing up to do something great, with fame being a side-effect. Now they just want to skip the messy middle bit and simply be famous. But no, the book ends as it starts, with Spit-Ball seeking publicity and fame without taking a moment to understand a broader context.
As with many recent superhero novels, we see no sign of training or government oversight. I found it particularly disheartening to see Spit-Ball assaulted several times by another supposedly "good" super, only to be victim shamed for "provoking" the situation. Am I asking too much of this genre? Probably.
April 4, 2021
Graphic novel in written form
This is a comic book in written form. The MC is your average attention seeking generation Z media influencer with a penchant for annoying quips. The MC is an obnoxious and clueless tool, but does have some growth at the end of the story. This is a mystery whodunnit, with a superhero twist. This is set in a world similar to Robert Kirkmans Invincible universe or Bendis's POWERS universe, where metahumans are an everyday thing, and violence has a visceral impact. Unfortunately, the story suffers from little plot and feels a bit empty. I know this is a novella, a small part in an overarching story, but this could of benefited from a bit more background and character development. 5/10
This is a comic book in written form. The MC is your average attention seeking generation Z media influencer with a penchant for annoying quips. The MC is an obnoxious and clueless tool, but does have some growth at the end of the story. This is a mystery whodunnit, with a superhero twist. This is set in a world similar to Robert Kirkmans Invincible universe or Bendis's POWERS universe, where metahumans are an everyday thing, and violence has a visceral impact. Unfortunately, the story suffers from little plot and feels a bit empty. I know this is a novella, a small part in an overarching story, but this could of benefited from a bit more background and character development. 5/10
May 4, 2022
Super crisis
I just heard about this series and decide to give it a try. Quick summary: A young speedster wanting to be a recognized hero convinced to under take an clandestine mission by the Army. Overall, the story and "hero" are written well but it is the other heroes which captured my attention. The "villain" is from another genre that i don't particularly care for. The ending is a bit abrupt. Being a super hero fan and always looking for novels in the genre, i will probably continue to read some more of this universe to see how it evolves.
I just heard about this series and decide to give it a try. Quick summary: A young speedster wanting to be a recognized hero convinced to under take an clandestine mission by the Army. Overall, the story and "hero" are written well but it is the other heroes which captured my attention. The "villain" is from another genre that i don't particularly care for. The ending is a bit abrupt. Being a super hero fan and always looking for novels in the genre, i will probably continue to read some more of this universe to see how it evolves.
August 1, 2019
More superhero fun from this author and I loved this book as much as the origins book. A wonderful and original idea that is well-written. I love the characters, even the ones that are not so bright.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 25, 2021
This might be trying for redemption, but
What it got was a waste of time. The MC is about as bad as it can get, in EVERY conceivable way. It tries to go for a "learned my lesson" ending, but ruins that in the end with an attempt at humour. This was just bad top to bottom.
What it got was a waste of time. The MC is about as bad as it can get, in EVERY conceivable way. It tries to go for a "learned my lesson" ending, but ruins that in the end with an attempt at humour. This was just bad top to bottom.
September 25, 2019
Hungry Gods
Identity Crisis Book 1
J. D. Brink
I loved the adventure of the story!! It was a great book. The characters were wonderful, and the storyline held my attention throughout.
Identity Crisis Book 1
J. D. Brink
I loved the adventure of the story!! It was a great book. The characters were wonderful, and the storyline held my attention throughout.
May 3, 2020
Wow..superhero action,but not in the way you think!! Author BRINK is the brains,behind the brawn,and he shows it...Really recommended if you want your cape loving socks blown off!!
July 7, 2021
Well…
I would have given it 5 stars but I did not like the Kid. In fact, I was ready to crawl in the pages and Butch slap him. But still not a bad story
I would have given it 5 stars but I did not like the Kid. In fact, I was ready to crawl in the pages and Butch slap him. But still not a bad story
July 11, 2021
Thrilling novel about superheroes who save the day while the government tried to make them fail. Fascinating!
July 24, 2024
A decent super hero universe read. Fairly light and quick but that also means it isn't burdened with a ton of exposition and back story.
August 20, 2015
I. Have. No. Words.
Zombies and superpowers? Shut up and take my money.
Loved this, so good. The main character Spitball (love this name) was a little annoying at first, but he grew on me. Wanting to be known and glorified I guess is what I would expect a college kid with superpowers to want, I mean I probably would at first too. Glad to see by the end he matured a little.
But man, this book had pretty much everything. Great action, superpowers, zombies, suspense not to mention it was funny..and yet still very serious. And Spitball is just so jokes, thinking he finally hit big time only to find out that maybe he just isn't as ready for the big show as he thought.
A few things that I wish it had though were a little more from the secondary characters. We see everything from Spitball's perspective, but I would have liked maybe a few chapters from others. I would have loved to see how others saw Spitball when he was in one of his hyper speed freak outs, talking about 100 words a second sounding like a chipmunk on crack.
I'm an avid comic reader and I can kind of see a lot of Hal Jordan's Green Lantern character mixed with Flash type powers in Spitball - didn't bother me, although I do find Hal Jordan's humor annoying more than funny...but it worked here. Loved it.
Another thing that always bothers me in zombie stories..Is swords. Slight Spoiler, nothing that will ruin the story -
But great read, I'll for sure pick up book 2 when its released.
Zombies and superpowers? Shut up and take my money.
Loved this, so good. The main character Spitball (love this name) was a little annoying at first, but he grew on me. Wanting to be known and glorified I guess is what I would expect a college kid with superpowers to want, I mean I probably would at first too. Glad to see by the end he matured a little.
But man, this book had pretty much everything. Great action, superpowers, zombies, suspense not to mention it was funny..and yet still very serious. And Spitball is just so jokes, thinking he finally hit big time only to find out that maybe he just isn't as ready for the big show as he thought.
A few things that I wish it had though were a little more from the secondary characters. We see everything from Spitball's perspective, but I would have liked maybe a few chapters from others. I would have loved to see how others saw Spitball when he was in one of his hyper speed freak outs, talking about 100 words a second sounding like a chipmunk on crack.
I'm an avid comic reader and I can kind of see a lot of Hal Jordan's Green Lantern character mixed with Flash type powers in Spitball - didn't bother me, although I do find Hal Jordan's humor annoying more than funny...but it worked here. Loved it.
Another thing that always bothers me in zombie stories..Is swords. Slight Spoiler, nothing that will ruin the story -
But great read, I'll for sure pick up book 2 when its released.
March 7, 2016
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, so now I'm going to try to explain how fun this book was with .gifs from The Venture Brothers, which I both love and it sort of reminded me of.
Our protagonist is Luke, alter-ego Spitball, a Flash-like super speed superhero. He wanted a spot on the super team the Phenomenal Five, his idols, but didn't make the cut. Then when they go missing, he gets his chance for the spotlight.
First of all, Spitball is a fun, relatable guy (minus the super speed, but this is a superhero story). How great would it be to have super speed? You could spend a lot of time saying stuff like this:
The other superheroes and the tidbits about them were entertaining as well. I got to play this game a lot:
Plus, zombies!
Overall, this is a very fun and entertaining romp. I was feeling five stars for entertainment factor alone up until the ending. It just didn't work as well as the rest for me (not that it was terrible, it just didn't 'wow' me). Then I learned the sequels will be prequels...part of me is excited and part of me is sad. Ah, well.
But, seriously, read this if you love superheroes! Or zombies! Or especially if you love both!
Our protagonist is Luke, alter-ego Spitball, a Flash-like super speed superhero. He wanted a spot on the super team the Phenomenal Five, his idols, but didn't make the cut. Then when they go missing, he gets his chance for the spotlight.
First of all, Spitball is a fun, relatable guy (minus the super speed, but this is a superhero story). How great would it be to have super speed? You could spend a lot of time saying stuff like this:
The other superheroes and the tidbits about them were entertaining as well. I got to play this game a lot:
Plus, zombies!
Overall, this is a very fun and entertaining romp. I was feeling five stars for entertainment factor alone up until the ending. It just didn't work as well as the rest for me (not that it was terrible, it just didn't 'wow' me). Then I learned the sequels will be prequels...part of me is excited and part of me is sad. Ah, well.
But, seriously, read this if you love superheroes! Or zombies! Or especially if you love both!
February 24, 2015
J.D. Brink has an out-of-the-box writing technique that sets him on the path of dabbling in a few various genres. An American native who now lives in Japan with his family. 'Hungry Gods' is the first installment to a new series and a nice debut that introduces it.
Meet Luke, AKA "Spitball", and superhero, but like most other people, superheros can also have (secret) roll models to look up too. Climbing that ladder isn't easy and he didn't quite make the cut to join the team of five most elite superhero's - But, all is not lost for Spitball because now the super team is missing and it's his time to shine and shine he will .... or just may be NOT (no spoilers)
A very different kind of adventure as we take the leap from superhero to disturbing and extremely hungry zombies with a little of government conspiracy in between. 'Hungry Gods' has it all so if your interests reek horror Vs superhero, this is the book for you. A well imaginative backdrop with a creative flow of characters leads to a relentless cast with a fast paced agenda. A full-filled and at times laugh-out-loud moments of bizarre incidents. An entertaining read and the start to a great series.
I was given a copy for evaluation and an unbiased review.
Meet Luke, AKA "Spitball", and superhero, but like most other people, superheros can also have (secret) roll models to look up too. Climbing that ladder isn't easy and he didn't quite make the cut to join the team of five most elite superhero's - But, all is not lost for Spitball because now the super team is missing and it's his time to shine and shine he will .... or just may be NOT (no spoilers)
A very different kind of adventure as we take the leap from superhero to disturbing and extremely hungry zombies with a little of government conspiracy in between. 'Hungry Gods' has it all so if your interests reek horror Vs superhero, this is the book for you. A well imaginative backdrop with a creative flow of characters leads to a relentless cast with a fast paced agenda. A full-filled and at times laugh-out-loud moments of bizarre incidents. An entertaining read and the start to a great series.
I was given a copy for evaluation and an unbiased review.
July 12, 2015
I watch super-heroes at the movies, but this is the first time I've read about them in a book. What a refreshing change! The scene is an America where the public take super-heroes for granted, almost to the point of complaining when they don't show up to sort out some mess or other. And these aren't your run of the mill invincible heroes - our guys are very definitely mortal, just people with one or two special talents, and the help of a techno-wizard. The story follows the ambitions of a youngster, with totally the wrong attitude, trying to break into the superhero set when they are called to get to the bottom of a zombie outbreak (well why not?). The story has plenty of humor, plenty of action and a number of surprising twists and turns. Nuff said. If you're into fantasy, super heroes and pretty scary zombies you'll like this one, which is a full length introduction to the series. Well written, page turning stuff.
February 9, 2015
I received this in exchange for an honest review and I have to say that I was quite interested in the premise. Hungry Gods is a variety of different styles that blend well together. You have action, horror, and even bizarro all coexisting and not once does it ever lose its momentum.
Hungry Gods is proof that a talented writer can take risks and they pay off. At the center of Gods is Spitball a superhero looking for his big break and when he's recruited for a top secret mission he finally feels as if this is exactly what he needs to break into the big time.
Throw in a town invaded by zombies and you would think everything would start to fall apart but Brink holds it all together. The end result is a novel that would work great as a film. The action is fast paced and doesn't let up. It's an original and well paced book that fans of superheroes and zombies will drool over.
Hungry Gods is proof that a talented writer can take risks and they pay off. At the center of Gods is Spitball a superhero looking for his big break and when he's recruited for a top secret mission he finally feels as if this is exactly what he needs to break into the big time.
Throw in a town invaded by zombies and you would think everything would start to fall apart but Brink holds it all together. The end result is a novel that would work great as a film. The action is fast paced and doesn't let up. It's an original and well paced book that fans of superheroes and zombies will drool over.
April 11, 2016
This was a short book that moved pretty quickly.
I don't dislike the book, but I didn't really get much into it. I found myself reading, but not really caring at certain points. I'm not really on zombies either, I think that is being done to death in media and we need to come up with different concept or at least if you do zombies, let it be more unique than the typically zombie story.
Other than that, I felt the protagonist was a decent character and the other characters were very forgettable. I didn't hate them, I just couldn't find too much to actually care about them. Definitely not a bad book, but I was looking for more after seeing the rating and hearing about it word of mouth.
I like how he explained the powers of most characters, I think that always helps the reader visualize when the writer can write at high level in descriptions. I like the book for what it is.
I don't dislike the book, but I didn't really get much into it. I found myself reading, but not really caring at certain points. I'm not really on zombies either, I think that is being done to death in media and we need to come up with different concept or at least if you do zombies, let it be more unique than the typically zombie story.
Other than that, I felt the protagonist was a decent character and the other characters were very forgettable. I didn't hate them, I just couldn't find too much to actually care about them. Definitely not a bad book, but I was looking for more after seeing the rating and hearing about it word of mouth.
I like how he explained the powers of most characters, I think that always helps the reader visualize when the writer can write at high level in descriptions. I like the book for what it is.
January 24, 2015
When I created this posting, GR prompted me for a review. What could I do? Yes, I wrote the book, so I may be a little biased. But I'm giving it a good rating anyway.
I started out expecting this to be a short story of about 5,000 words. It turned out to be eleven times that length and great fun to write. I think it'll be great fun to read too.
I started out expecting this to be a short story of about 5,000 words. It turned out to be eleven times that length and great fun to write. I think it'll be great fun to read too.
March 6, 2015
Wow! Great read! One crazy ride into a plateau filled with zombies and superheroes. Love the twist at the end! The story was character-driven, one thing I truly enjoy, and gave reminiscence of The Watchman, which I do like. Looking forward to the next book in the series!
J.D. Brink is a writer to watch.
J.D. Brink is a writer to watch.
May 24, 2015
I could have sworn I already rated this. I know I recommended it to several people. Oh well.
I loved this book! Putting superheroes and zombies together was an awesome idea. Spitball does take a little bit of time to actually be likeable, but then all characters need to grow. I can't wait for the next one!
I loved this book! Putting superheroes and zombies together was an awesome idea. Spitball does take a little bit of time to actually be likeable, but then all characters need to grow. I can't wait for the next one!
March 16, 2015
I received a free copy for an honest review. I liked it. It was pure pulpy fun.
June 25, 2016
Good narration, well paced, decent story. YA but minimal teen angst thank goodness.
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