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The Superhero Doberman #1
A Superhero Called Doberman
Not yet published
Expected 30 Jun 26Leon Lewis is essentially the reincarnation of Anubis, but the idiot street thugs don’t know what a jackal is, so they call him “Doberman” instead…
Which works out, because in this new age of superheroes, most names are copyrighted.
It all started thirty-one years ago…
Humans began being born with a new organ called the “facet gland,” which mutated their bodies and granted them superhuman abilities. Each person’s power is unique, but one fact quickly emerged: these abilities were subject to progression and advancement, much like building muscles through exercise.
Complex powers even follow a tier system with multiple improvement paths. And while some use their gifts to benefit humanity, others embrace unprecedented villainy.
Leon grew up idolizing heroes like Nova, Glitter Ninja, and Japan’s fan-favorite Shine Shine Hero. But his own abilities are dangerous, and could harm random people, so he lives in isolation in a cramped apartment.
That is, until his neighbor, Rachel Anderson, is targeted by the Kings in Yellow—a mysterious street gang infamous for making people vanish.
Leon can’t stand by and do nothing, but activating his abilities might prove fatal…
Because Anubis is death to friends and foes alike.
A litRPG adventure for fans of Super Powereds by Drew Hayes or Villain Core by John Stovall!
Which works out, because in this new age of superheroes, most names are copyrighted.
It all started thirty-one years ago…
Humans began being born with a new organ called the “facet gland,” which mutated their bodies and granted them superhuman abilities. Each person’s power is unique, but one fact quickly emerged: these abilities were subject to progression and advancement, much like building muscles through exercise.
Complex powers even follow a tier system with multiple improvement paths. And while some use their gifts to benefit humanity, others embrace unprecedented villainy.
Leon grew up idolizing heroes like Nova, Glitter Ninja, and Japan’s fan-favorite Shine Shine Hero. But his own abilities are dangerous, and could harm random people, so he lives in isolation in a cramped apartment.
That is, until his neighbor, Rachel Anderson, is targeted by the Kings in Yellow—a mysterious street gang infamous for making people vanish.
Leon can’t stand by and do nothing, but activating his abilities might prove fatal…
Because Anubis is death to friends and foes alike.
A litRPG adventure for fans of Super Powereds by Drew Hayes or Villain Core by John Stovall!
375 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication June 30, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
A Superhero Called Doberman was one of those books that completely surprised me in the best way possible. The concept alone hooked me immediately — a man who can transform into the god Anubis, shifting between human and a terrifying jackal-headed supernatural powerhouse — but what really made the story work was Leon himself. He’s not just some unstoppable vigilante. He’s funny, sarcastic, awkward at times, and constantly trying to balance the burden of his powers with the fear of hurting the people around him.
Leon’s ability to see death approaching added such a dark and emotional layer to the story. Every interaction carries tension because he genuinely believes the curse tied to Anubis causes the people closest to him to die. That paranoia and guilt made him feel incredibly human despite literally turning into an ancient god. The book did a great job showing how isolated he becomes because of that fear, and honestly, some of the quieter emotional moments hit harder than the action scenes.
The humor was another huge highlight. Leon’s quips reminded me a lot of Spider-Man if Spider-Man suddenly became a sarcastic, jackal-headed god of death. Even during intense fights, he keeps throwing out smart remarks and awkward one-liners that make him instantly likable. The balance between comedy, supernatural horror, and emotional weight was handled really well.
The build-up and character development were probably my favorite parts of the book. Leon doesn’t instantly become a polished superhero. He’s messy, reactive, and more of a vigilante trying to survive than a true symbol of hope. Watching him slowly struggle with what kind of hero he wants to become kept me invested the entire time. By the end, it really feels like this is only the beginning of his evolution.
The Anubis transformation scenes were also incredibly vivid. Every time Leon shifted, the descriptions made him feel intimidating and almost mythological, especially paired with his super strength, speed, and terrifying sight abilities. You could feel the fear people had when Doberman appeared, even when he was trying to help.
Overall, this was a fantastic read with strong worldbuilding, emotional depth, great humor, and a genuinely unique superhero premise. I’m really looking forward to seeing how Leon develops into a legitimate superhero instead of just a feared vigilante hiding in the shadows. There’s so much potential for where this story could go next, and after finishing the book, I definitely want more of Doberman.
Leon’s ability to see death approaching added such a dark and emotional layer to the story. Every interaction carries tension because he genuinely believes the curse tied to Anubis causes the people closest to him to die. That paranoia and guilt made him feel incredibly human despite literally turning into an ancient god. The book did a great job showing how isolated he becomes because of that fear, and honestly, some of the quieter emotional moments hit harder than the action scenes.
The humor was another huge highlight. Leon’s quips reminded me a lot of Spider-Man if Spider-Man suddenly became a sarcastic, jackal-headed god of death. Even during intense fights, he keeps throwing out smart remarks and awkward one-liners that make him instantly likable. The balance between comedy, supernatural horror, and emotional weight was handled really well.
The build-up and character development were probably my favorite parts of the book. Leon doesn’t instantly become a polished superhero. He’s messy, reactive, and more of a vigilante trying to survive than a true symbol of hope. Watching him slowly struggle with what kind of hero he wants to become kept me invested the entire time. By the end, it really feels like this is only the beginning of his evolution.
The Anubis transformation scenes were also incredibly vivid. Every time Leon shifted, the descriptions made him feel intimidating and almost mythological, especially paired with his super strength, speed, and terrifying sight abilities. You could feel the fear people had when Doberman appeared, even when he was trying to help.
Overall, this was a fantastic read with strong worldbuilding, emotional depth, great humor, and a genuinely unique superhero premise. I’m really looking forward to seeing how Leon develops into a legitimate superhero instead of just a feared vigilante hiding in the shadows. There’s so much potential for where this story could go next, and after finishing the book, I definitely want more of Doberman.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2026
I had the honor and privilege of being given the chance
to read John and Shami Stovall’s newest ARC, A Hero Named Doberman, and I jumped at the chance…I’m a HUGE fan of Shami’s Frith Chronicles!
The setup? Humanity has evolved a gland that grants superpowers, so powers are everywhere. Heroes and villains are a dime a dozen, and society has fully reorganized around them. Our main character, Leon, brings something extra to the table: the ability to transform into Anubis, the Egyptian god of death. Meanwhile, his supposedly “meh” Facet ability, super sight, lets him operate under the radar. It’s absurd in the best way, and early on I was getting strong Mystery Men vibes…which had me excited.
Not going to lie, though…it took me a bit to get hooked. The tone felt caught between lanes. It wasn’t quite playful or funny enough to lean into that Mystery Men energy, but it also wasn’t dark or gritty enough to go full Watchmen-vibe. Without a clear identity early on, the first stretch felt like a bit of a slog.
Then, BOOM, “Casino Royale” kicks in, and from there the book just goes. Everything starts clicking, the story finds its groove, and I was all in. I will say, the book really tries to dip into LitRPG territory at times, and those moments felt a little forced and out of place. Still, the positives easily outweigh that small crack in the armor.
I had to stick with it, but I’m genuinely glad I did, and I’d absolutely recommend giving it a shot. A massive Egyptian jackal running around as a street-level superhero? Come on, that’s just awesome. And by the end…well…let’s just say something got in my eye. Probably allergies. Definitely allergies.
to read John and Shami Stovall’s newest ARC, A Hero Named Doberman, and I jumped at the chance…I’m a HUGE fan of Shami’s Frith Chronicles!
The setup? Humanity has evolved a gland that grants superpowers, so powers are everywhere. Heroes and villains are a dime a dozen, and society has fully reorganized around them. Our main character, Leon, brings something extra to the table: the ability to transform into Anubis, the Egyptian god of death. Meanwhile, his supposedly “meh” Facet ability, super sight, lets him operate under the radar. It’s absurd in the best way, and early on I was getting strong Mystery Men vibes…which had me excited.
Not going to lie, though…it took me a bit to get hooked. The tone felt caught between lanes. It wasn’t quite playful or funny enough to lean into that Mystery Men energy, but it also wasn’t dark or gritty enough to go full Watchmen-vibe. Without a clear identity early on, the first stretch felt like a bit of a slog.
Then, BOOM, “Casino Royale” kicks in, and from there the book just goes. Everything starts clicking, the story finds its groove, and I was all in. I will say, the book really tries to dip into LitRPG territory at times, and those moments felt a little forced and out of place. Still, the positives easily outweigh that small crack in the armor.
I had to stick with it, but I’m genuinely glad I did, and I’d absolutely recommend giving it a shot. A massive Egyptian jackal running around as a street-level superhero? Come on, that’s just awesome. And by the end…well…let’s just say something got in my eye. Probably allergies. Definitely allergies.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC from the authors directly in return for an honest review of the book.
TLDR: this book has my most hated troupe, the 'miscommunication' issue, and yet I read it, fell in love, and give this a solid read it now 5 star rating!
(as spoiler free as I can make this...)This is a LitRPG from the power couple John and Shami Stovall, about a world of superheros and villains as we follow a vigilante with a misnomer problem. Our main character Leon is a down to earth rough exterior soft interior type which one can quickly fall in love with (even with his bad humor and one liners). Following his story as he navigates the world without being a hero himself and still trying to take down the bad guys, is just a perfect story. Even the side characters feel fleshed out, and you can't help but care for them. The story wraps up nicely, with the over arching story really just starting, making you want the next book now.
The best way to put this, if you have read their others series: Leon Lewis here would fit comfortably at the table with Ethan Wolfe or Adair Finch, and that isn't a bad thing. Their personalities, bad humor, and outlook on life all fit perfectly to one another.
I can't WAIT to own a good dead tree format of this book on release day, to put this amazing book as a proud trophy on my shelves.
TLDR: this book has my most hated troupe, the 'miscommunication' issue, and yet I read it, fell in love, and give this a solid read it now 5 star rating!
(as spoiler free as I can make this...)This is a LitRPG from the power couple John and Shami Stovall, about a world of superheros and villains as we follow a vigilante with a misnomer problem. Our main character Leon is a down to earth rough exterior soft interior type which one can quickly fall in love with (even with his bad humor and one liners). Following his story as he navigates the world without being a hero himself and still trying to take down the bad guys, is just a perfect story. Even the side characters feel fleshed out, and you can't help but care for them. The story wraps up nicely, with the over arching story really just starting, making you want the next book now.
The best way to put this, if you have read their others series: Leon Lewis here would fit comfortably at the table with Ethan Wolfe or Adair Finch, and that isn't a bad thing. Their personalities, bad humor, and outlook on life all fit perfectly to one another.
I can't WAIT to own a good dead tree format of this book on release day, to put this amazing book as a proud trophy on my shelves.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A Fresh Take on LitRPG
Within LitRPG and Progression Fantasy, finding something new is exceedingly rare. For every Cradle series or Dungeon Crawler Carl or Beware of Chicken, there are hundreds of knock-offs. I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book, and I think LitRPG fans should read it before it also spawns copies.
First, a little background before I get into what makes this world unique. In the world of The Superhero Doberman series, everyone under thirty-one years old has a special gland in their brain that grants them an unusual ability (generally referred to as an omega-trait, or O.T.). While some O.T.s could legitimately be considered superpowers, some are rather mundane, like the ability to change the color of your skin. While the first book doesn't go there, I could see some interesting repercussions for that age division, with many real-life political leaders being older.
Along with the O.T. comes a readout showing the O.T. name and a breakdown of all the ways the O.T. affects them. This is an interesting departure from Solo Leveling, where the protagonist is the only person with a character sheet and the ability to "level up" their power. The format of the "character sheet" also leaves a nice amount of room: a breakdown of an O.T. may say "150% increase in baseline strength," but not list what those baselines are.
To some extent, Leon's abilities break those rules, which in itself is not that unusual for LitRPG. First, while Leon was born with one O.T. (telescopic vision) that gave him amber eyes, he inherited another "Mythological O.T." (Aspect of Anubis) at age twelve. Second, although it is described as an omega-trait, this ability predates the first appearance of facet glands. Third, based on those first two facts, there is a very real chance that not everything about the Aspect of Anubis made it onto Leon's "character sheet," such as a death curse. When his parents died, Leon was taken in by his grandfather, who both knew about the Aspect of Anubis before facet glands were around and 100% believed the curse was real, but took his grandson in anyway, knowing that decision put his life on a countdown.
While common in other subgenres, not knowing both the upside and downside of one's own abilities is rare to nonexistent in LitRPG. It brings back many qualities to the subgenre that have been missing for a long time. In addition to his grandfather's example and noble sacrifice, you have an incredibly lonely man, desperate to connect with those around him and to keep them safe, while at the same time working as an Uber and food delivery driver for fear that having coworkers will kill them.
Within LitRPG and Progression Fantasy, finding something new is exceedingly rare. For every Cradle series or Dungeon Crawler Carl or Beware of Chicken, there are hundreds of knock-offs. I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book, and I think LitRPG fans should read it before it also spawns copies.
First, a little background before I get into what makes this world unique. In the world of The Superhero Doberman series, everyone under thirty-one years old has a special gland in their brain that grants them an unusual ability (generally referred to as an omega-trait, or O.T.). While some O.T.s could legitimately be considered superpowers, some are rather mundane, like the ability to change the color of your skin. While the first book doesn't go there, I could see some interesting repercussions for that age division, with many real-life political leaders being older.
Along with the O.T. comes a readout showing the O.T. name and a breakdown of all the ways the O.T. affects them. This is an interesting departure from Solo Leveling, where the protagonist is the only person with a character sheet and the ability to "level up" their power. The format of the "character sheet" also leaves a nice amount of room: a breakdown of an O.T. may say "150% increase in baseline strength," but not list what those baselines are.
To some extent, Leon's abilities break those rules, which in itself is not that unusual for LitRPG. First, while Leon was born with one O.T. (telescopic vision) that gave him amber eyes, he inherited another "Mythological O.T." (Aspect of Anubis) at age twelve. Second, although it is described as an omega-trait, this ability predates the first appearance of facet glands. Third, based on those first two facts, there is a very real chance that not everything about the Aspect of Anubis made it onto Leon's "character sheet," such as a death curse. When his parents died, Leon was taken in by his grandfather, who both knew about the Aspect of Anubis before facet glands were around and 100% believed the curse was real, but took his grandson in anyway, knowing that decision put his life on a countdown.
While common in other subgenres, not knowing both the upside and downside of one's own abilities is rare to nonexistent in LitRPG. It brings back many qualities to the subgenre that have been missing for a long time. In addition to his grandfather's example and noble sacrifice, you have an incredibly lonely man, desperate to connect with those around him and to keep them safe, while at the same time working as an Uber and food delivery driver for fear that having coworkers will kill them.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received this book as an ARC reader, but all opinions are my own.
I can see what they were going for, but this book feels half finished. Not in that it ends in the middle of the story, but that it only when through half the drafts and edits it needed. There are quite a few typos and some big continuity errors. On a more technical level, many of the themes and arcs seem to not work as well. The final battle with the big bad comes with a revelation that is supposed to show the difference between taking the easy route and hard work, but both characters have unnatural legs up. The final battle even feels flat because the villain our hero has the most beef with has already been taken care of.
Still, there are some cute ideas here and possibly if you are looking for a straightforward superhero story, this could scratch the itch.
I can see what they were going for, but this book feels half finished. Not in that it ends in the middle of the story, but that it only when through half the drafts and edits it needed. There are quite a few typos and some big continuity errors. On a more technical level, many of the themes and arcs seem to not work as well. The final battle with the big bad comes with a revelation that is supposed to show the difference between taking the easy route and hard work, but both characters have unnatural legs up. The final battle even feels flat because the villain our hero has the most beef with has already been taken care of.
Still, there are some cute ideas here and possibly if you are looking for a straightforward superhero story, this could scratch the itch.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews