Soon I Will Be Invincible: A Novel

If you have ever groaned in tortured agony when the Super Villain pauses before dispatching that annoying hero into the component atoms he is made from, (allowing the Hero one last chance, why won't he kill him!?), or wondered what Heroes lives are really like, you will love this book.

The story is told through two vantage points, a new heroine just starting out, and an old hand Super Villain. You see into the inner psyche of an emerging hero and what makes them tick. You also get to plumb the depths of a Super Villain's mind as he plots to . . . TAKE OVER THE WORLD!!! MUHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!! Just flippin' awesome, that's what it is!

This is a wonderful enjoyable tale that will take you back to your days reading comics and addresses all those questions you might have had about your favorite Hero or Villain. Totally enjoyable, not too deep, and the narration was excellent.

I enjoyed it immensely. This is a very light read, not War and Peace, so judge it accordingly. Worth a book credit for sure! I'd write more but I have to work on my plan to . . . TAKE OVER THE WORLD!

I listened to this book on a recent road trip with my sister. Unlike most Audiobooks, this one was more fun to listen to with someone else than alone (although it would still be fun alone). We had a great time picking out phrases and scenes from the story to discuss, repeat, and joke about later.

The voices were very well done, true to the "comic book" feel of the story, without being overdone. My favourite character was the super-villain, and I found myself anticipating his "turn" throughout the story.

This book is one of my favorite so far. However, I found myself being taken away from the story every time one of the two actors mispronounced a word. Seriously, was no one listening? One of them is supposedly the most intelligent man in the world, it was so unbelievable that he would mispronounce coup de etat. This is the first time in quite a few books I've noticed such incredible errors.

It would be an oversimplification to say this book is Watchmen-lite. In a lot of ways, it would be a disservice to this novel and a complete misunderstanding of everything that made Watchmen work. There’s a fundamental difference, aside from the obvious that this is a novel and Watchmen is a graphic novel. Where Watchmen is a complete deconstruction of the superhero formula, turning our brightly-colored saviors into normal people like you or me, Soon I Will Be Invincible carries a different ideal at its core. In Watchmen, there is only one superpowered hero, who is no longer even in touch with what’s left of his humanity. In Soon I Will Be Invincible, there is only one hero who is unpowered. The rest carry the burden of responsibility of who they are and where they came from, whether they are aliens, genetic grafts, reconstructed cyborgs, or supernatural beings. The message is that even though they are different, they are still (mostly) human too, and with great power comes great dysfunctionality, which they must overcome if they are to battle the mastermind Doctor Impossible.

There are two narrators who alternate turns as Doctor Impossible and Fatale, as the book is told alternatingly from their differing perspectives. For Doctor impossible, everything is old hat. He’s been defeated time and again for inexplicable reasons, and he will finally beat the heroes. For Fatale, as the junior member of the superteam, everything is fresh and new, and not quite what she imagined or hoped for. We meet Doctor Impossible first, and this first chapter is quite possibly the funniest thing I’ve ever been exposed to in the superhero genre, with the possible exception of perhaps Ben Edlund’s The Tick. It sets the tone for the rest of the story, and sucks you right in. Aided with the voice of the narrator, who sounds surprisingly like Maurice LaMarche, Doctor Impossible comes across as an interesting mix of Ozymandias and The Brain. Offering counterpoint to this viewpoint is the character Fatale, essentially a female version of RoboCop, who has become a superhero when the government funding needed to keep her running has come to an end. Again, the narrator for Fatale’s story is perfectly-chosen, offering a mix of strength and vulnerability.

As the story goes along, you get a concise and human (where possible) origin story for every character in the book, turning this into something every bit as complex as Watchmen on the character level. Some would say that on the literary level, it perhaps lacks the social relevance of Watchmen. Just the reverse, I think a story like this isolates exactly how alone and isolated the average comic book fan can feel at times, and why these kinds of archetypal characters resonate with audiences across decades. I won’t say it’s “as good” as Watchmen. Rather, I will say that Soon I Will Be Invincible is a great companion and counterpoint to Watchmen in most respects. It offers character development, all the classic bits with a fresh perspective, and a little something that Watchmen doesn’t have in abundance: hope. These characters, regardless of their backstories and inner turmoil, challenge us and themselves to rise to a higher level.

As one who used to collect comics heavily and then basically became jaded by the industry in the past decade, this book is a reminder of every reason of why I still love superheroes. It appeals to me on so many levels, and I think anyone who appreciates something more than the brooding, armor-clad killjoy characters will find something to enjoy here. Books like this bring back the fun to a genre that’s taken itself way too seriously since the closing days of the last century.

The actual plot was short. The book could have been 75% shorter than what it was. The main story was spectacular. I, however, was not entertained by the expository style. Present tense action was submerged in volumes of what has gone before. Including several repeated facts. I found myself not caring for them. Who are they now? What motivates them now? I enjoyed hearing Dr. Impossible’s story. The long version of a villian’s origin story. That alone would have been great (the fact I thought Dr. Impossible was a whiney punk aside), but the real story, the one that was being told was the actual caper. I didn’t need to know every single hero’s origin story in excruciating detail. Just tell me the story. Or change the story to be the biography of Dr. Impossible. The performances were okay. And the story was okay. I’ve read a few Hero Stories and heard “Hero” and so far this is my least favorite. By far.

I don't know how I ended up with this book but I liked it. It's a super-hero book but is not childish or silly like I expected. It actually looks at characters and their motivations from a mature perspective. If it weren't for the supernatural talents the characters have, it could have been like a traditional thriller with well-developed characters.

I think that's the surprising part of it all: how believable the characters were in a book that has characters who have unbelievable abilities. And the moral isn't as light as one would think, coming from a comic book.

The narration is excellent. There are two main characters, each with their own narrator, and they were perfect for their roles: supervillain complete with the evil cackle and a thread of goodness wanting out and superhero with emotional issues and a hero-worship complex.

This is a wonder! Forget all your troubles and just sit back and live in the wonderful world of Dr. Impossible Evil genius and possibly the smartest looser in the universe. I found this book highly entertaining and lots of fun to listen too. Don't enter into this story expecting anything but fun for it is a ride on the wild side. The narrators do an excellent job and hold the tension at just the right level of anticipation. Once again this is just a fun book so sit back and enjoy the show!

A tremendously fun read. I'm a pretty big fan of comic book mythos and cliches, and the author definatly touches on most of them, while playing with the standard themes.

Well written, with a good plot, though the character development is what you'd expect out of a 6'6" female cyborg, or a mad scientist.

Great character development, fantastic storyline, the plot had great pacing. The reader was able to really empathize with both Mr. Invincible and Cybergirl. Awaiting the next book. Great locution!

Humours book based on a supervillian's rise to the top. If you've watched the movie Megamind you can relate this book to what Megamind was going through. Lots of humor, super hero battles, revenge plotting and evil genius abound! Definately worth the read if you are into the not-so super hero genre. No graphic deaths or mayhem, just good clean family oriented evil :)