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Steel City Heroes #1
Catalyst
How far would you go to save the city you love?
A mad scientist fighting the laws of man and nature.
A demon-monster of mythical proportions.
A corporate conspiracy that goes back more than a century.
The Steel City is in desperate need of a hero.
Willa Weil has a secret--she comes from a long line of magicians trained to unlock the power hidden within poetry. This skill requires discipline, and the Guild demands obedience. Willa has long kept her power to herself, but when a molten metal creature threatens to consume her friends, she can no longer remain on the sidelines.
History professor Elijah Branton moved to Pittsburgh for the job of a lifetime, researching the family history of one of the nation's wealthiest and most attractive CEOs. But not everything is as it seems in the Steel City. The historian soon unearths a deadly conspiracy that threatens to unravel his world.
Can they save their city, or will they lose themselves in the process?
Catalyst is Daredevil meets The Dresden Files, a gritty and gripping superhero/urban fantasy story for the 21st century. With magic and monsters, science and secrets, Catalyst pushes readers to consider their own path and the ethical compromises we all make--heroes and villains alike.
Welcome to The Steel City.
A mad scientist fighting the laws of man and nature.
A demon-monster of mythical proportions.
A corporate conspiracy that goes back more than a century.
The Steel City is in desperate need of a hero.
Willa Weil has a secret--she comes from a long line of magicians trained to unlock the power hidden within poetry. This skill requires discipline, and the Guild demands obedience. Willa has long kept her power to herself, but when a molten metal creature threatens to consume her friends, she can no longer remain on the sidelines.
History professor Elijah Branton moved to Pittsburgh for the job of a lifetime, researching the family history of one of the nation's wealthiest and most attractive CEOs. But not everything is as it seems in the Steel City. The historian soon unearths a deadly conspiracy that threatens to unravel his world.
Can they save their city, or will they lose themselves in the process?
Catalyst is Daredevil meets The Dresden Files, a gritty and gripping superhero/urban fantasy story for the 21st century. With magic and monsters, science and secrets, Catalyst pushes readers to consider their own path and the ethical compromises we all make--heroes and villains alike.
Welcome to The Steel City.
- GenresEbooks
257 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 28, 2019
About the author
C.M. Raymond
48 books68 followersC.M. Raymond holds a PhD in philosophy, which qualifies him to write pop fiction but not much else. His home is in a river valley of Western Pennsylvania.
Outside of reading and writing, he loves to spend time with his family in the woods and wilds or the city streets.
You can also check out his Steel City Heroes saga and fast-paced thrillers, The Jack Carson Stories (beginning with The Devil's Due).
Outside of reading and writing, he loves to spend time with his family in the woods and wilds or the city streets.
You can also check out his Steel City Heroes saga and fast-paced thrillers, The Jack Carson Stories (beginning with The Devil's Due).
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 5, 2019
actual rating: 3.5
I feel like this book started out really interesting but petered out a little bit towards the end. It follows several people living and working in Pittsburgh who have superpowers as they all kind of orbit around each other and a certain company that plays a large part in everything. I did like most of the individual characters, but felt like everything moved a bit too quickly once they finally came together at the end. I think my favorite was Willa, who used poetry to speak certain things to life as her power. There was also a part where she was only supposed to use certain 'classic' poems that had been approved by some council we never really get to see that I THOUGHT was going to be an interesting commentary on gatekeeping in literature but never really went anywhere in the end. I will probably check out the next book just to see where it goes next.
I feel like this book started out really interesting but petered out a little bit towards the end. It follows several people living and working in Pittsburgh who have superpowers as they all kind of orbit around each other and a certain company that plays a large part in everything. I did like most of the individual characters, but felt like everything moved a bit too quickly once they finally came together at the end. I think my favorite was Willa, who used poetry to speak certain things to life as her power. There was also a part where she was only supposed to use certain 'classic' poems that had been approved by some council we never really get to see that I THOUGHT was going to be an interesting commentary on gatekeeping in literature but never really went anywhere in the end. I will probably check out the next book just to see where it goes next.
October 25, 2020
The Catalyst
(Steel City Heroes #1)
by C.M. Raymond
This had magic, science, and monsters. It started ok but got boring in the middle. The end picked up again.
(Steel City Heroes #1)
by C.M. Raymond
This had magic, science, and monsters. It started ok but got boring in the middle. The end picked up again.
July 29, 2021
The writing is pretty good. The plotting left me cold as steel.
I was strongly drawn in by the writing style used in this book. It felt like I was reading a cinematic comic book, in the most complimentary fashion. I learned much about Pittsburgh that I found fascinating. The characters were interesting enough to keep me reading. I did feel like the writers were a bit over-eager to share their quotes and poetry, and the idea that someone could use poetry magic in the middle of a pitched battle challenged my suspension of disbelief almost past its breaking point, but I found the idea so intriguing that I let it slide. Cinematic comic book, after all.
What I couldn't get past was the way plot twists seemed out of left field. For me, the best twists are the ones which, after their revelation, don't feel like twists at all. I think I'm supposed to be intrigued enough by the questions left at the end to make me read the next book—but something about them just made me angry. I'm honestly not sure why. I only know that the last third of the book felt like things were happening so the cool fight could happen, and so the ending could turn out the way the author(s) wanted. While every story is written that way to a degree, it's not supposed to _feel like it was written that way. The end result for me is that, while I enjoyed much of my journey through this book, I'm content to leave its questions unanswered. I will not be moving on to the next in the series.
I was strongly drawn in by the writing style used in this book. It felt like I was reading a cinematic comic book, in the most complimentary fashion. I learned much about Pittsburgh that I found fascinating. The characters were interesting enough to keep me reading. I did feel like the writers were a bit over-eager to share their quotes and poetry, and the idea that someone could use poetry magic in the middle of a pitched battle challenged my suspension of disbelief almost past its breaking point, but I found the idea so intriguing that I let it slide. Cinematic comic book, after all.
What I couldn't get past was the way plot twists seemed out of left field. For me, the best twists are the ones which, after their revelation, don't feel like twists at all. I think I'm supposed to be intrigued enough by the questions left at the end to make me read the next book—but something about them just made me angry. I'm honestly not sure why. I only know that the last third of the book felt like things were happening so the cool fight could happen, and so the ending could turn out the way the author(s) wanted. While every story is written that way to a degree, it's not supposed to _feel like it was written that way. The end result for me is that, while I enjoyed much of my journey through this book, I'm content to leave its questions unanswered. I will not be moving on to the next in the series.
December 8, 2021
Who is the Superhero
Like the comic skit, Who's on first,the reader may wonder who is the hero ( s ). A complex and entertaining tale.
Like the comic skit, Who's on first,the reader may wonder who is the hero ( s ). A complex and entertaining tale.
November 8, 2016
3.5 stars, really.
Caveat—I know the authors and call them friends. But I did say I'd leave a reviews and not hold back any punches.
The Catalyst is a superhero novel on its surface. Some ordinary folk have powers and use them to protect their city (in this case, Pittsburgh, Pa.). In that sense, the book is average. The plot has a few twists and turns, but it's similar to many other origin stories as well as other first parts of trilogies.The protagonists are, for the most part, connected with the realm of higher education, and they all fit into some cliched slots—the bookish adjunct professor, the self-important part-timer who's in it just for the research, the devoted student with a crush on his professor, and so on.
Where the Catalyst works is behind the obvious story beats. Deep down, the novel is really interested in the plight of adjunct faculty, in the tarnished "glory" of the Golden Age of Pittsburgh, in poetry, and in localism and love of place (in this case, Pittsburgh and the surrounding region). All of this is coated in a superhero-flavored urban fantasy shell. I'll admit I was a little disinterested until about a third of the way in; by then, all of the tossed-off observations started adding up into something worthwhile.
I really dug how the characters, while flat in some ways, all had redeeming qualities as well as major flaws. And, with this in mind, none of the characters came off as boring anti-heroes, either. There were a few points where I wasn't sure who the "good guys" were.
One thing I did not dig, at all: the "male gaze" rears its ugly head a few times, and its pretty sophomoric.
Still, the interesting aspects far outweighed the bad ones. And this is a debut novel, so I'm willing to give some slack in that regard.
Caveat—I know the authors and call them friends. But I did say I'd leave a reviews and not hold back any punches.
The Catalyst is a superhero novel on its surface. Some ordinary folk have powers and use them to protect their city (in this case, Pittsburgh, Pa.). In that sense, the book is average. The plot has a few twists and turns, but it's similar to many other origin stories as well as other first parts of trilogies.The protagonists are, for the most part, connected with the realm of higher education, and they all fit into some cliched slots—the bookish adjunct professor, the self-important part-timer who's in it just for the research, the devoted student with a crush on his professor, and so on.
Where the Catalyst works is behind the obvious story beats. Deep down, the novel is really interested in the plight of adjunct faculty, in the tarnished "glory" of the Golden Age of Pittsburgh, in poetry, and in localism and love of place (in this case, Pittsburgh and the surrounding region). All of this is coated in a superhero-flavored urban fantasy shell. I'll admit I was a little disinterested until about a third of the way in; by then, all of the tossed-off observations started adding up into something worthwhile.
I really dug how the characters, while flat in some ways, all had redeeming qualities as well as major flaws. And, with this in mind, none of the characters came off as boring anti-heroes, either. There were a few points where I wasn't sure who the "good guys" were.
One thing I did not dig, at all: the "male gaze" rears its ugly head a few times, and its pretty sophomoric.
Still, the interesting aspects far outweighed the bad ones. And this is a debut novel, so I'm willing to give some slack in that regard.
November 9, 2016
I have some affection for marvel stories and superheroes, so I was tempted to read this book and try something new, curious if the read would satisfy me enough to consider a future purchase of any sequels. Overall, I am really satisfied.
Generally, the story was action-packed, dramatic, full of suspense and with many surprising, unexpected twists. I appreciate the unusual superhero concept that is different from a traditional way one imagines a hero. Moreover, in the book is not exactly and explicitly outlined who is the hero and who is the villain, the line between good and evil is unclear. The story contains lots of mystery, hidden motives that are not quite explained in the end; however, a careful reader is able to guess the identity of the main villain.
The world setup is complex, believable and feels realistic. It's a combination of academic science environment and sheer fantasy. The characters are developed, believable, exposing both their virtues and vices - which makes them human and relatable.
However, we can find also some cliches in the book, especially in the choice of character types and their relations. Also, the story was a bit slower in the beginning, but accelerated nicely and the last part was practically a race through pages. I enjoyed the book and I am looking forward to next installment.
Generally, the story was action-packed, dramatic, full of suspense and with many surprising, unexpected twists. I appreciate the unusual superhero concept that is different from a traditional way one imagines a hero. Moreover, in the book is not exactly and explicitly outlined who is the hero and who is the villain, the line between good and evil is unclear. The story contains lots of mystery, hidden motives that are not quite explained in the end; however, a careful reader is able to guess the identity of the main villain.
The world setup is complex, believable and feels realistic. It's a combination of academic science environment and sheer fantasy. The characters are developed, believable, exposing both their virtues and vices - which makes them human and relatable.
However, we can find also some cliches in the book, especially in the choice of character types and their relations. Also, the story was a bit slower in the beginning, but accelerated nicely and the last part was practically a race through pages. I enjoyed the book and I am looking forward to next installment.
January 26, 2017
Not your typical super hero story which I appreciated. A new kind of hero with a different set of powers than I've seen before. I was forewarned that the beginning was a little slow to start and that would be accurate as the tale takes a while to set the stage. Over all it is essential information but could've perhaps been tightened. That said, if you stick through the first part it picks up well and finishes strong. It was a fun story which I finished far too quickly and am now anxious to get my hands on the sequels.
May 27, 2016
Really fast read. Good book with few errors. First book in a while to illicit emotion from me. Mostly sad. But it was a good book. Not sure I'll read the second. I gave it 4 stars because it was well written and most people would like the development of the story. I dropped a star for personal disappointment. Bothered me enough that I couldn't give it 5 stars. This is for personal reasons. Not the authors lack of skill.
August 28, 2016
The beginning of a cool superhero world
It really feels like Chris and Lee are building a cool setting, different from what I expected when I started reading it. I'm intrigued by the use of poetry, and the backstory behind those who use it. The book has a great pace, never feeling like certain scenes were dragging out.
It really feels like Chris and Lee are building a cool setting, different from what I expected when I started reading it. I'm intrigued by the use of poetry, and the backstory behind those who use it. The book has a great pace, never feeling like certain scenes were dragging out.
April 28, 2019
Great book
I loved this book. It has so many different things going on, and it's exciting to see how they become intertwined. Well written characters help you empathize with all of them. A different twist on supernatural that keeps you wondering until the end. Even then, there are unanswered questions. Can't wait to read the next one.
I loved this book. It has so many different things going on, and it's exciting to see how they become intertwined. Well written characters help you empathize with all of them. A different twist on supernatural that keeps you wondering until the end. Even then, there are unanswered questions. Can't wait to read the next one.
June 11, 2019
Very different! In a good way!
Definitely a very unique take on superheroes. I love the whole words have power theme running through the story. Great characters great writing. Really really enjoyed it
Howard S
Definitely a very unique take on superheroes. I love the whole words have power theme running through the story. Great characters great writing. Really really enjoyed it
Howard S
October 4, 2016
Demons, monsters, what is Steel City supposed to do. They need a hero and they have one without knowing. Delightful story. Easy style Sean learned everything from comic books, cool way to learn
April 14, 2019
Not bad but yet not good
An interesting tale with a lot of writing skill but it just didn’t work well. All the concepts were good just somehow they clashed.
An interesting tale with a lot of writing skill but it just didn’t work well. All the concepts were good just somehow they clashed.
May 12, 2019
Captain of his book
Great start to a new series. Never heard of a mage using poetry for a incantation. The power of words. Good characters and story.
Great start to a new series. Never heard of a mage using poetry for a incantation. The power of words. Good characters and story.
April 6, 2017
Interesting but somewhat confusing
I found that the writer has created several characters that are believable in that they are presented in a logical manner and that react in a manner consistent with their backgrounds.
The world that is created to house these characters is also built in a fairly consistent manner - but which I found to be somewhat scattershot.
I found that characters were brought in and out with little to no preamble or follow up.
I will admit that the story does set up a tag that indicates that there might be more detailed development of the world and characters which will get better in the follow on books.
Get this one and try it - I think you may enjoy it.
I found that the writer has created several characters that are believable in that they are presented in a logical manner and that react in a manner consistent with their backgrounds.
The world that is created to house these characters is also built in a fairly consistent manner - but which I found to be somewhat scattershot.
I found that characters were brought in and out with little to no preamble or follow up.
I will admit that the story does set up a tag that indicates that there might be more detailed development of the world and characters which will get better in the follow on books.
Get this one and try it - I think you may enjoy it.
April 19, 2017
Wow
Things are changing. Are hidden secrets about to come to light? I really can't wait for the next addition to the saga!!
Things are changing. Are hidden secrets about to come to light? I really can't wait for the next addition to the saga!!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews