Ruby City Heroes

by Sevan Paris

From the writer of the bestselling Superheroes in Prose series comes an exciting new superhero novel!Excerpt...“Attention, people of Ruby City. I am Baron Ethan von Faust, and I have something to teach you. A new way of thinking. A new way of living… “To many, I need no introduction. Your media and government have already painted a precise, if unfair, portrait of me. They call me a villain, a despot. A mad genius. A tyrant.“But that could not be further from the truth.“I am a herald of peace, a shepherd of equality. A defender of life and prosperity. And I come before you today to share this and more. To offer an olive branch that will benefit you, your loved ones—all of humanity. Many of you have already called this Invasion Day. If that is what you choose to dub this momentous triumph, so be it. However, know it is not tranquility that I invade—but chaos.“I implore you to place your hands next to mine—to grip the shackles of poverty, of disease, of hunger, of division and yank them asunder. Let us all be set free. It no longer matters where you were born or what you have become. All will serve equally in this great Paradigm. All will become the best version of themselves.“But there are those who will try to stop us. Rash, undisciplined, greedy fools that have no place in our new world. At 4 PM Pacific Time, I took control of Ruby Tower and fought such individuals. They now lay dead at my feet. Do not mourn their loss. Instead, mourn the loss to our great Paradigm.“I invite you now to choose paradise.“If you don’t—if you slap away my open hand, if you spit in my face, if you dare bring harm to any who follow me—you will be given no quarter. You will perish painfully. Those are the two options laid before you.“Peacebringers and Paradigm soldiers travel throughout the city tonight to purge it of all resistance—superpowered or otherwise. This battle will be long; it will be difficult—but that is the price of greatness. I encourage you—I command you—to stay within the relative safety of your homes to keep this price to the Paradigm low. Eventually, you will be contacted for interviews and, when necessary, re-education.“I know it is in our nature to panic at a time of change. But take comfort in knowing this is not a time to fear; it is a time to celebrate. To put your mind at ease, troops are now dispersing throughout the city. Any citizens caught looting, rioting, or participating in violence of any kind will be executed on sight. As I deliver this historic message, Peacebringer airships erect an energy cordon, preventing any means of egress or electronic transmissions of any kind. The Paradigm will regulate your power stations, Internet, and other utilities. Public transit will eventually halt.“ Umbridge, Paramour, and Maligant have added their respective resources to the Paradigm. They have sworn their allegiance to me. To us. They and their resources will help defend this city against those who will it harm.“And… as for the Eighth Wonder rotating in the Ruby City skyline, granting powers to a select few… take comfort in knowing that the Paradigm will harvest this great marvel. It will determine who receives powers and who does not. No longer will such things ride the fickle winds of chance. It—like your lives—will submit to a beautiful new order.“Now go. Be with your loved ones. And wait for your lives to begin. Or end.“That is all.”

275 pages, Paperback

Published April 24, 2021

Reviews

[Fern Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

ruby city shines

Typically I’m not one for alternating viewpoints but Paris weaves together a tantalizing tale of loss, responsibility, and it’s core what it means to be a good person. (Even when you do bad things). Hopefully more will be seen of this universes

[Scott Wozniak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Salty and Hilarious

These are real people with powers—both the good and bad guys. And they’re really funny. Huge plot twists and a really satisfying ending.