Confessions of a D-List Supervillain

By: Jim Bernheimer

Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer, Talmadge Ragan

Length: 5 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

Exploding from the pages of Horror, Humor, and Heroes, Volume One - it’s the full length adventures of the one and only Mechani-Cal! So grab your battlesuit and prepare to get a little nasty.

"Being a supervillain means never having to say you’re sorry - unless it’s to the judge or the parole board. Even then, you don’t really have to. It’s not like it’s going to change the outcome or anything." Those are the words of Calvin Matthew Stringel, better known as Mechani-Cal. He’s a down-on-his-luck armored villain. Follow his exploits as he gets swept up in a world domination scheme gone wrong and ends up working for these weak willed, mercy loving heroes. Immerse yourself in epic battles and see what it’s like to be an outsider looking in at a world that few have ever experienced. Climb into Cal’s battlesuit and join him on his journey. Will he avoid selling out his principles for a paycheck and a pardon? Can he resist the camaraderie of being on a super team? Does he fall prey to the ample charms of the beautiful Olympian Aphrodite? How will he survive the jealous schemes of Ultraweapon, who wears armor so powerful it makes Cal’s look like a museum piece?

See the world of “righteous do-gooders” through the eyes of someone who doesn’t particularly care for them. Revel in his sarcasm and hang on for one wild ride! Just remember: losing an argument with a group of rioters isn’t a good excuse to start lobbing tear gas indiscriminately at them. You’ve only got so many rounds and it’s going to be a long day, so make sure you get as many as possible with each one.

©2011 Jim Bernheimer (P)2011 Jeffrey Kafer

A great surprise!

What made the experience of listening to Confessions of a D-List Supervillain the most enjoyable?

Unique story perspective.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Laughed often - i'm usually a chuckler....

Any additional comments?

The male narrator for the main story was great.
After hearing all about the main heroine through the eyes of the main character, the female narrating through her character for the postlude was a huge disappointment. Doesn't seem like a good reader & doesn't have an assertive voice to match the character she's portraying. Weird choice.....

Great sardonic humor

I really loved this book. The humor is very dry and Jeffrey Kafer (who narrates the lion's share) channels Cal with such aplomb and humor as to make the novel an absolute joy to listen too. The world building is wonderful and a welcome change from your normal Marvel/DC dynamic.

Great

I loved the story and I can’t wait to read the other books in this series.

Ejoyable

I enjoyed most of the story. I personally have enjoyed many of the super hero\ villain stories I have read\listened to. This was no exception. The narrator does a good job for much of the story never getting in the way of the author.

The writing of the book is pretty good except at times things seem to skip ahead a bit and I did not like the ending, specifically the second epilogue. The change in narrator while making sense is a bit jarring as their voices and style are very different.

While I would normally prefer a longer book for this story the length seemed to fit. Overall I would recommend this.

Loved it.

Would you consider the audio edition of Confessions of a D-List Supervillain to be better than the print version?

I don't have print copy

What was one of the most memorable moments of Confessions of a D-List Supervillain?

I'm not going to say, read it yourself

Which scene was your favorite?

I'm not going to say, read it yourself

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Ask Jim, he is great with words

Any additional comments?

Buy the book

A Seriously Great Story.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Totally - The main character is down on his luck and never gives up, punching at his fate with continuous snark and the super power of common sense.

What did you like best about this story?

The main character and the way he seemed to be the only sane person in a world of super hero cliches.

Have you listened to any of Jeffrey Kafer and Talmadge Ragan ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No I haven't - But thanks to this one, I'll be out chasing more of their stuff down.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There is a moment in the book where the main character steps up in a bad situation, and does what he knows no one else would do.. A villain in the good guys camp. as He says, his moral compass is as twisty as a gymnast, but in the situation, it is the thing you want him to do, something we all wish we could do in such a situation.

Any additional comments?

This book is worth the time, I gave up counting the number of times I've listened to this. It makes me laugh and smile every time, and I just keep cheering the main character on.

Super heroes be damned, the villains do the job better!

Surprisingly entertaining

As the title says, this book was surprisingly entertaining. I mean it is only about 5+ hours long and it you expect a literary masterpiece you are in for a disappointment. That being said it delivers exactly what the description says; a witty and humorous glimpse into the life of a “super” villain stuck on the right (or should that be wrong) side of the fence.

Diamond In the Rough

This is the only audiobook that I ever wanted to listen to a second time, immediately after I finished listening to it the first time!

The storyline in its most basic form is not all that exciting. However, you find yourself listening intently, and hanging on to every last word of dialogue.

Relationships between characters are quirky, spontaneous, sarcastic, cynical, and insanely whimsical. You are either nodding your head in agreement with the flow of the storyline or laughing out loud at some small event or statement said at just the right time.

This one is a real sleeper and I'm kicking myself for having D-List in my library for over 5 months and shelving it for more notable audiobooks.

In the end, the irony of the whole story plays with your mind and smacks you upside the head with you asking for more please.

Laugh Out Loud

I laughed out loud as I listened to this story. It was like an old fashioned comic book with super heroes fighting super villains. It is well worth the money or the credit.

Highly Entertaining Listen (Understatement)!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, and I have. Because it's a good balance between action, humor and fun characters.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Confessions of a D-List Supervillain?

When Aphrodyte realized Cal lied to her when he altered/slowed the clock speed after listening to a song previously replayed to her over and over again. Just an example of attention to detail that kept the story real.

What does Jeffrey Kafer and Talmadge Ragan bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I'd rate Jeffrey Kafer's reading as a solid 5 stars. Talmade Ragan would rate a 4. Maybe because the vast majority of the narration was by Kafer, and I became accustomed to that, but I think he has just a little more talent than Ragan--and that's not to say she isn't good.

Any additional comments?

If you like something that's a little out of the mainstream--a second string supervillain stepping up to the plate (sort of forced to) to save the world, and then try to remain a 'good guy,' this is for you. It's filled with little twists and humor that I believe listeners will appreciate and enjoy.