Superheroes in Prose

Welcome to Prose

By: Sevan Paris

Narrated by: Bryan Reid

Length: 1 hr and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

"Imagine you have the power to fly.

"Pretty awesome, right? Imagine you have the power to levitate or crush something the size of a Winnebago. Equally awesome. Now... here's the catch: having the power means you are bonded irreversibly to a smartass, sociopathic alien life form.

"Not so awesome.

"So, what would you do with all of that power? The way I figured it, I had one of two options: Option #1) Use it to commit crime or Option #2) Use it to fight crime. My name is Gabe Garrison and I chose Option #2.

"This is my story....

©1998 Sevan Paris (P)2013 Sevan Paris

Like a Comic Book in Your Head

Going into this I had few expectations, but I came away quite impressed.

Aside from the slow first half, the story was excellent and came across exactly like a comic book in... well, prose. It was light, fun, and had a "stellar" ending.

One of the biggest surprises was the setting of the story (basically Chattanooga in all but name). As someone who lives in East Tennessee, I felt like the author had a good grasp on the setting and conveyed it rather well. I'm still trying to process that the area has the largest concentration of superheroes in the world, but maybe the author explains why in further installments.

The performance itself was also excellent. Bryan Reid has a good grasp on the way he tackles characters like M, and handles the various character interactions with grace.

In conclusion: fun story, great performance, and Tennessee awesomesauce. I'll definitely checking out the next installment.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Every superhero needs an origin story...

What made the experience of listening to Superheroes in Prose the most enjoyable?

Well written and well performed characters. A lead character who is very easy to identify with, and villains that are dangerous, but don't necessarily have to take themselves so seriously

What did you like best about this story?

Fun characters- even the villains get their lighter moments. And just when you think you've got things figured out, another twist comes in and keeps you guessing.

What about Bryan Reid’s performance did you like?

Very well performed- every character has a definite voice, and even the ones that seem based on other pop culture characters are still defined enough to stand on their own.

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

The ending is a really nice twist that sets up the next book perfectly.

Any additional comments?

It's the beginning of a series- so obviously all your questions aren't going to be answered right away, so hang in there! It's a short enough book to keep your interest, but long enough that you don't feel short changed.

Fun, Fast and Enjoyable

Superheroes in Prose: Welcome to Prose is the first book in a fairly large series of short books. All I have to say, really, is awesome. If you don't expect a story like this to take itself very seriously, are a fan of heroes with super powers, alternate identities, super villains, and want to laugh out-loud, then you will really enjoy this opening audiobook. We get to ride-a-long with a relatively new hero, or maybe young is the right word, as he battles a super villain and banters, like a couple that have been married for 50 years and knows everything about each other, with his bonded alien life form, the reason for his powers.Then there is the side story of the government wanting to have all of the heroes on file, sound familiar? There is very little reasoning for why I enjoyed this so much, I just did and hope you do too.

Audiobook provided for review by the narrator.

Please find this complete review and many others at audiobookreviewer dot com

Superheroes Woody Allen style

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The protagonist was kind of cliche and whiny. He seemed more like the comedy-relief sidekick than the hero.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Robert McCammon's The Five

What three words best describe Bryan Reid’s performance?

Acceptable, OK, Nothing wrong, but not exceptional.

Do you think Superheroes in Prose needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

I wouldn't mind finding out what happens to the love interest.

Any additional comments?

It was OK.

Wish I had approached this differently

Another reviewer mentioned this was like a comic book. I think that's exactly right. I was expecting more story and less comic qualities. I was probably not the target audience for this book. I think someone who enjoys superhero comic books would enjoy this story. The narrator did a good job bringing the characters to life.

Good but not overwhelmed

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I struggled through the first 30 minutes of the book before I decided to finish listening. There wasn't any significant character development throughout the book, but once I accepted it for what it was it was mildly entertaining.
The narrator did a great job of hamming up the characters in true super-hero style and the dialog between the main character and the attached alien was rather entertaining. The other aspects of the story were a bit forgettable.
I was hoping for something that I could share with my younger children, but there are a few words and some dialogue that isn't suitable (in my mind) for the younger teens.

Interesting read

I wasn't really sure what to expect with this read. It is kind of a comic book disguised as fiction. It is a really short read, which hurts it in the world building. It does set-up the series, or I expect it will be a series because it ends in a cliffhanger.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Bryan Reid, who does a nice job. I liked most of the narration, but the alien voice was a bit grating. Most of the banter between the two voices is easy to follow who is speaking. It has a nice steady pace and great energy in the fight sequences.

It will be interesting to see where this series is headed. I am not huge into this genre, but it was interesting and has me wondering "what next"?

Disclosure - I received this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts, opinions and ratings are my own.

Supers are...SUPER!

Would you consider the audio edition of Superheroes in Prose to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print version, however the audio edition ROCKS.

What did you like best about this story?

The concept and the narration.

Which character – as performed by Bryan Reid – was your favorite?

M.

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

I wouldn't say 'moved' me, but the entire book was very good. I loved the story concept.

Any additional comments?

Superheroes in Prose: Welcome To Prose is a fun, exciting and very engaging story. I loved the 'world' the writer created - it was perfectly sarcastic and ironic! On its own, this story is a great thing. Narrated by Bryan Reid, well, it's a must listen to. Bryan's narration style is perfect for this story. He brought a unique and very believable live to Gabe, M, Deathbot, all the Supers and every other character in Prose. I can easily see this story being made into a movie, however, it will not be as awesome unless Bryan narrated! Well done!

Superheroes

What did you love best about Superheroes in Prose?

I love action scenes, this is a good audiobook. its good enough to recommend for those who love several action scenes.

Superheroes!

Would you listen to Superheroes in Prose again? Why?

Yes I AM listening again. I received the audiobook free of charge in exchange for an unbiased review. It's really good!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Superheroes in Prose?

I don't know of a single moment I like best, It's all well written and well executed.

Which scene was your favorite?

I like Rock Creek Books when the lady comes in and asks for all the books on indian tattoos. That was hilarious. Her eyes glowed and she was a super too. I like all the scenes in this book. All very fun and fantastic! Great characters.

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

Oh that's a hard question. I think this could become a film. The tag line could be 'Superheroes of Light'.

Any additional comments?

Sevan is an excellent writer. And combined with Bryan's voice versatility, Superheroes in Prose is a huge success! This is so original that it works.