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mellhay's review against another edition
4.0
Corny names, costumes, and characters. I loved it! I was smiling at the names and costumes that corresponded to them. lol. And I enjoyed Gary's (Merciless's) view on things. The fun comic corks that go with the way Superheroes and Supervillains are and react. Wow. Gary, Merciless's, first day as a supervillain has gone further than he ever imagined, bringing him to experience and see so much of the 'super' world.
I am looking forward to future stories with these characters and world, as there are more coming.
****FULL REVIEW****
*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com, at my request.
Gary Karkofsky has been the supervillain Merciless for less than 24 hours. The things he has done, surpassed in battle, and seen are more than he ever imagined in his lifetime. Somehow a box was dropped off at his door with files and a magical cloak, all having belonged to the superhero of Falconcrest City who died less than a week ago, Nightwalker. Gary's not a superhero, he's poor, and plans to take advantage of his gift to start his reign of terror on the city... and take some easy cash. On his first day, he learns his powers, limits, and down sides to being a super villain. Gets under the skin of The Malt Shop gang who call for revenge for the death of Ice Cream Man in a robbery Merciless intervened in. And gets a call from the Chief of Police to help with a kidnapping of a rich daughter. Gary sees dollar signs and takes the money, however things seem to shift on him drawing the attention of the superheroes.
I enjoyed listening to Jeffrey as his reading voice is one I love to listen to, but he also does the voice differences for the additional villains that Merciless comes across, and there are a more than a few. They seem to fit the characters in mind and voice. I think this is the most voice variation I've heard from Jeffrey in the few books I've listened to from him. Sounds like he had fun with these characters. I know I did! The dry humor in Jeffrey's voice fits Gary to the T and made the book all the more fun listening to the humor and jokes than just reading them.
LOL! Oh this was a fun listen. Just what I wanted, and was hoping for. The names of the villains alone made me giggle as I'm listening to this story, but Gary on his first test drive with the powerful cloak is a hoot. He didn't even test out his powers before diving in.
Gary is our main super villain, if that's the category he wants to classify himself as. It's amusing to listen to him bicker with Cloak. Yes, Cloak. Cloak IS Gary's cloak and the reason for his super powers. They are so different in thought and Gary's thinking process is entertaining. Gary is wonderful at turning situations to capitalize on them personally. Just a few things that stick out in my head, among many, are: I had to laugh and shake my head at his thought on what to do with the rich daughter, to make money and a villain team to make more money. I had to nod and chuckle at Gary's thoughts of the police. When a kidnapping happens, he feels they are lazy and doing a poor job as they called the Nighwalker, who's dead, for help instead of doing the work themselves. He's a supervillain who supports the tough on crime policies the president is passing. He wants to eliminate other supervillains because they cut into his pay check.
Gary lives in a 'super' world. There are super heroes and super villains everywhere. His family has a long line of supervillains, along with many of those he knows. He graduated from South Falconcrest High were most have gone off to do some supervillainous events, and his deceased brother is who inspires him to be a villain now.
Family... I love how Gary goes about things with his wife, Mandy. This is a wonderful bonus for me as he's not a *whistle*. Gary loves his wife. He wants things to work out for them and for their dreams. I love this!
Corny names, costumes, and characters. I loved it! I was smiling at the names and costumes that corresponded to them. lol. And I enjoyed Gary's (Merciless's) view on things. The fun comic corks that go with the way Superheroes and Supervillains are and react. Wow. Gary, Merciless's, first day as a supervillain has gone further than he ever imagined, bringing him to experience and see so much of the 'super' world.
I am looking forward to future stories with these characters and world, as there are more coming.
I am looking forward to future stories with these characters and world, as there are more coming.
****FULL REVIEW****
*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com, at my request.
Gary Karkofsky has been the supervillain Merciless for less than 24 hours. The things he has done, surpassed in battle, and seen are more than he ever imagined in his lifetime. Somehow a box was dropped off at his door with files and a magical cloak, all having belonged to the superhero of Falconcrest City who died less than a week ago, Nightwalker. Gary's not a superhero, he's poor, and plans to take advantage of his gift to start his reign of terror on the city... and take some easy cash. On his first day, he learns his powers, limits, and down sides to being a super villain. Gets under the skin of The Malt Shop gang who call for revenge for the death of Ice Cream Man in a robbery Merciless intervened in. And gets a call from the Chief of Police to help with a kidnapping of a rich daughter. Gary sees dollar signs and takes the money, however things seem to shift on him drawing the attention of the superheroes.
I enjoyed listening to Jeffrey as his reading voice is one I love to listen to, but he also does the voice differences for the additional villains that Merciless comes across, and there are a more than a few. They seem to fit the characters in mind and voice. I think this is the most voice variation I've heard from Jeffrey in the few books I've listened to from him. Sounds like he had fun with these characters. I know I did! The dry humor in Jeffrey's voice fits Gary to the T and made the book all the more fun listening to the humor and jokes than just reading them.
LOL! Oh this was a fun listen. Just what I wanted, and was hoping for. The names of the villains alone made me giggle as I'm listening to this story, but Gary on his first test drive with the powerful cloak is a hoot. He didn't even test out his powers before diving in.
Gary is our main super villain, if that's the category he wants to classify himself as. It's amusing to listen to him bicker with Cloak. Yes, Cloak. Cloak IS Gary's cloak and the reason for his super powers. They are so different in thought and Gary's thinking process is entertaining. Gary is wonderful at turning situations to capitalize on them personally. Just a few things that stick out in my head, among many, are: I had to laugh and shake my head at his thought on what to do with the rich daughter, to make money and a villain team to make more money. I had to nod and chuckle at Gary's thoughts of the police. When a kidnapping happens, he feels they are lazy and doing a poor job as they called the Nighwalker, who's dead, for help instead of doing the work themselves. He's a supervillain who supports the tough on crime policies the president is passing. He wants to eliminate other supervillains because they cut into his pay check.
Gary lives in a 'super' world. There are super heroes and super villains everywhere. His family has a long line of supervillains, along with many of those he knows. He graduated from South Falconcrest High were most have gone off to do some supervillainous events, and his deceased brother is who inspires him to be a villain now.
Family... I love how Gary goes about things with his wife, Mandy. This is a wonderful bonus for me as he's not a *whistle*. Gary loves his wife. He wants things to work out for them and for their dreams. I love this!
Corny names, costumes, and characters. I loved it! I was smiling at the names and costumes that corresponded to them. lol. And I enjoyed Gary's (Merciless's) view on things. The fun comic corks that go with the way Superheroes and Supervillains are and react. Wow. Gary, Merciless's, first day as a supervillain has gone further than he ever imagined, bringing him to experience and see so much of the 'super' world.
I am looking forward to future stories with these characters and world, as there are more coming.
gatun's review against another edition
5.0
The Rules of Supervillainy was a very fun listen. My son and I listened to it on a ten hour road trip. It kept both of us interested enough that neither of us napped. We both laughed out loud several times. All of the cultural references were a hit. The only one I had to explain to my 22 yr old son was the one related to the vice-presidential debate from the late 80's.
The characters, both super and normal, were great. The inanimate object character was a lot of fun. The action was fast paced. The description of the action and the heroes, villains and monsters were very well done. The one monster immediately brought to mind a boss from Dark Souls II. Describing items or people from fantasy worlds can be difficult because there is not usually a frame of reference in real life. Mr. Phipps did such a great job at the descriptions that I could draw (if I possessed any artistic ability, which I don't) pictures of them.
Jeffrey Kafer was a fantastic narrator. I have listened to his narrations before and enjoyed them. His speech is distinct and easy to follow. The voices and accents of the different characters were distinctive so I knew which characters were speaking.
I enjoyed this book so much, I already purchased the Kindle and Audible versions of the sequel. As soon as I can clear my present stack, I will dive into them.
The characters, both super and normal, were great. The inanimate object character was a lot of fun. The action was fast paced. The description of the action and the heroes, villains and monsters were very well done. The one monster immediately brought to mind a boss from Dark Souls II. Describing items or people from fantasy worlds can be difficult because there is not usually a frame of reference in real life. Mr. Phipps did such a great job at the descriptions that I could draw (if I possessed any artistic ability, which I don't) pictures of them.
Jeffrey Kafer was a fantastic narrator. I have listened to his narrations before and enjoyed them. His speech is distinct and easy to follow. The voices and accents of the different characters were distinctive so I knew which characters were speaking.
I enjoyed this book so much, I already purchased the Kindle and Audible versions of the sequel. As soon as I can clear my present stack, I will dive into them.
wetdryvac's review against another edition
5.0
The very best kind of terrible. Yes, that's a compliment.
abeckstrom's review against another edition
3.0
I received a copy of this audiobook free of charge in exchange for my honest feedback.
The book compares favorably to books like Soon I Will Be Invincible and the D-List Supervillain series, but is arguably the weaker of that group. It was entertaining if you are now or ever were a fan of super hero comics and/or movies.
The main character, Merciless, isn't too likable, but he is evil after all. However, he is the most likable character in the book which is why I didn't rate the book higher. While enjoyable in bursts (I actually chuckled out loud a few times), I just didn't care about what happened to Merciless or any of the other characters.
Narrator Jeffrey Kafer is very well suited for the role. I enjoyed him equally on the D-List Supervillain books. He brings the right level of snark and believability to his reading.
The book compares favorably to books like Soon I Will Be Invincible and the D-List Supervillain series, but is arguably the weaker of that group. It was entertaining if you are now or ever were a fan of super hero comics and/or movies.
The main character, Merciless, isn't too likable, but he is evil after all. However, he is the most likable character in the book which is why I didn't rate the book higher. While enjoyable in bursts (I actually chuckled out loud a few times), I just didn't care about what happened to Merciless or any of the other characters.
Narrator Jeffrey Kafer is very well suited for the role. I enjoyed him equally on the D-List Supervillain books. He brings the right level of snark and believability to his reading.
mxsallybend's review against another edition
4.0
When C.T. Phipps first offered me a review copy of The Rules of Supervillainy, I was hesitant - despite having previously enjoyed his Esoterrorism. Not only did Amazon have it listed in their dreaded Teen & Young Adult category, but I've found superhero novels to be more miss than hit. Fortunately, we've gotten to know one another fairly well over social media, so I trusted his judgement in offering me a copy.
I'm exceptionally glad he did.
This is a novel written for those of us who grew up on superhero comic books, and who still have a nostalgic connection to their unabashed pulp sensibilities. Unlike so many authors who have tried (and failed) to make these kinds of stories serious and respectable, Phipps remains true to the spirit of the comics. This really does read like an 80s/90s indie comic (The Tick), crossed with a cartoon homage (Darkwing Duck), with a nod to TV both classic (Batman) and retro (Greatest American Hero), and updated for contemporary R-rated cinematic sensibilities (Deadpool).
The Rules of Supervillainy is as funny as it is violent, and as clever as it is imaginative. All the superhero tropes are here, and the characters are only too aware of them. What makes it work, of course, is how Phipps twists some of those tropes and throws other ones entirely out the window. Gary is an ordinary man who has always dreamed of being a supervillain. He's not necessarily a bad guy. In fact, he's a doting husband, a good friend, and a reasonable villain as Merciless - the Supervillain Without Mercy! All he wants to do is get rich, rule the world, and punish those who get in his way. Really, is that too much to ask? Sure, his methods might be a bit suspect, and he really needs to learn not to have awkward conversations with his sentient cloak, but in his defense he's only had his powers for a few days . . . and even then, only by accident.
The supporting cast of characters are fantastic here as well, heroes and villains both. I loved the relationships with his wife (who was previously involved in a kinky lesbian relationship with The Black Witch), and his two ex-girlfriends (one of whom is his sexy new hench-wench), and his Nightwalker cloak is one of the funniest consciences I've ever come across. Even better, however, is Phipps' willingness to go where comic books have never gone, and to take superpowers to the extreme. Free of the restraints of the Comics Code Authority (or concerned parents), he can kill people (permanently, I might add) with impunity, through some rather ingenious methods. I don't want to spoil it, but there's a scene involving Gary's car keys that's sure to both amuse and disgust.
If you're a fan of comic books and are up for something a bit more mature, then give The Rules of Supervillainy a read. There actually is a solid story behind it all, one that ultimately brings Gary to the superprison on the moon, and some decent character development. It has it's serious moments as well, and some legitimate conversations about ethics and morality interspersed among the jokes about rules. Overall, it's execution just about perfect, and has me excited to dive into The Games of Supervillainy next.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
I'm exceptionally glad he did.
This is a novel written for those of us who grew up on superhero comic books, and who still have a nostalgic connection to their unabashed pulp sensibilities. Unlike so many authors who have tried (and failed) to make these kinds of stories serious and respectable, Phipps remains true to the spirit of the comics. This really does read like an 80s/90s indie comic (The Tick), crossed with a cartoon homage (Darkwing Duck), with a nod to TV both classic (Batman) and retro (Greatest American Hero), and updated for contemporary R-rated cinematic sensibilities (Deadpool).
The Rules of Supervillainy is as funny as it is violent, and as clever as it is imaginative. All the superhero tropes are here, and the characters are only too aware of them. What makes it work, of course, is how Phipps twists some of those tropes and throws other ones entirely out the window. Gary is an ordinary man who has always dreamed of being a supervillain. He's not necessarily a bad guy. In fact, he's a doting husband, a good friend, and a reasonable villain as Merciless - the Supervillain Without Mercy! All he wants to do is get rich, rule the world, and punish those who get in his way. Really, is that too much to ask? Sure, his methods might be a bit suspect, and he really needs to learn not to have awkward conversations with his sentient cloak, but in his defense he's only had his powers for a few days . . . and even then, only by accident.
The supporting cast of characters are fantastic here as well, heroes and villains both. I loved the relationships with his wife (who was previously involved in a kinky lesbian relationship with The Black Witch), and his two ex-girlfriends (one of whom is his sexy new hench-wench), and his Nightwalker cloak is one of the funniest consciences I've ever come across. Even better, however, is Phipps' willingness to go where comic books have never gone, and to take superpowers to the extreme. Free of the restraints of the Comics Code Authority (or concerned parents), he can kill people (permanently, I might add) with impunity, through some rather ingenious methods. I don't want to spoil it, but there's a scene involving Gary's car keys that's sure to both amuse and disgust.
If you're a fan of comic books and are up for something a bit more mature, then give The Rules of Supervillainy a read. There actually is a solid story behind it all, one that ultimately brings Gary to the superprison on the moon, and some decent character development. It has it's serious moments as well, and some legitimate conversations about ethics and morality interspersed among the jokes about rules. Overall, it's execution just about perfect, and has me excited to dive into The Games of Supervillainy next.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for review consideration. This does not in any way affect the honesty or sincerity of my review.
philibin's review against another edition
3.0
(2.25 stars)
I think this is a great premise, and I really want to like this series. The book itself is fun and fast-paced but I find all the female characters to be really two-dimensional and cliché. I wasn’t sure if this was done purposefully because of the genre or not, but I don’t think it is.
I know I’m more sensitive to people’s personal politics being inserted into their writing now because the world has become so polarized… but if I had to guess, I wouldn’t say it has a liberal or conservative leaning, but is firmly in the libertarian camp.
I liked it enough to continue with the series, but I really hope the character development improves and that some of the sexist/racist tropes subside, or proves to be some unrealized attempt at intentional irony.
Edit: I am listening to the Audible version and the narrator is excellent.
I think this is a great premise, and I really want to like this series. The book itself is fun and fast-paced but I find all the female characters to be really two-dimensional and cliché. I wasn’t sure if this was done purposefully because of the genre or not, but I don’t think it is.
I know I’m more sensitive to people’s personal politics being inserted into their writing now because the world has become so polarized… but if I had to guess, I wouldn’t say it has a liberal or conservative leaning, but is firmly in the libertarian camp.
I liked it enough to continue with the series, but I really hope the character development improves and that some of the sexist/racist tropes subside, or proves to be some unrealized attempt at intentional irony.
Edit: I am listening to the Audible version and the narrator is excellent.
mollymortensen's review against another edition
5.0
Gary is a normal guy in a fantastical world. That is until the best superhero in the city dies and a week later his magical cloak arrives on Gary's doorstep.
Gary decides to use the cloak to achieve his dream of becoming a Supervillain.
The world of Supervillainy contains almost everything; magic, gods, death, cyborgs, aliens, mad scientists, and more. But it still managed to feel like a real cohesive world.
The magical cloak that Gary 'found' is one of the Reaper's cloaks. It's powered by Death herself, which is why he can now see ghosts. When I heard his list of powers; intangibility, floating, fire, and ice powers, I was afraid he was over powered, but the author did a good job limiting him.
Did I mention that the cloak talks? But only to Gary, so most of the time it sounds like he's arguing with himself. The cloak is less than pleased that Gary wants to be a villain instead of a hero. But since Gary's now bonded with the cloak, they're stuck together for life.
The Good:
Gary was a very real, relatable protagonist. (Is it scary I related to a potential sociopath?) He's also a bit crazy. (Okay, maybe it isn't such a surprise I related to him.) But he still manages to be loyal and he truly loves his wife. Who was also a great character! She was strong willed with good morals (How she fell for Gary is anyone's guess) and she trained her whole life to be a supporter for superheroes, so she has kick butt fighting and hacking skills. Due to dating a Supervillainess in college (Yes, she's also bisexual) she was prevented from becoming a hero.
Gary's henchmen were also funny. Cindy's sense of morals was hilarious! (She hasn't got any)
It's no surprise that the plot was all over the place with a possibly insane main character, but it didn't suffer from this and was nicely paced. I only planned to try out this book, but before I knew it I was 20% in.
I enjoy comedic books, but their subjective and tricky to pull off. Supervillainy succeeded. I was entertained and even chuckled a couple of times. Almost the whole book was a joke, but it didn't feel forced or over the top.
The Bad:
Zombies. They aren't gross scary zombies at least, because their bites only turn you if you die, but I still don't like them.
I have a feeling this series will have plenty of zombies because of the whole Reaper's Cloak thing. If he doesn't use his powers, the dead rise. This Curse was placed on the cape by Death until the wearer proves themselves worthy.
Will I read the sequel? After that ending, yes!! (It wasn't a cliffhanger, but almost. The epilogue left things totally up in the air.)
Point of View: First Person (Gary/Merciless)
Predictability: 2 out of 5 (Where 1 is totally unpredictable and 5 is I knew what was going to happen way ahead of time.)
Mood: 4 out of 5 (Fun and funny! A light book in a gritty world.)
Source: Kindle Unlimited
My Rating: 9/10 Stars
Errors: low (24 that I highlighted on my Kindle) but numerous klunky sentences towards the end
Gary decides to use the cloak to achieve his dream of becoming a Supervillain.
The world of Supervillainy contains almost everything; magic, gods, death, cyborgs, aliens, mad scientists, and more. But it still managed to feel like a real cohesive world.
The magical cloak that Gary 'found' is one of the Reaper's cloaks. It's powered by Death herself, which is why he can now see ghosts. When I heard his list of powers; intangibility, floating, fire, and ice powers, I was afraid he was over powered, but the author did a good job limiting him.
Did I mention that the cloak talks? But only to Gary, so most of the time it sounds like he's arguing with himself. The cloak is less than pleased that Gary wants to be a villain instead of a hero. But since Gary's now bonded with the cloak, they're stuck together for life.
The Good:
Gary was a very real, relatable protagonist. (Is it scary I related to a potential sociopath?) He's also a bit crazy. (Okay, maybe it isn't such a surprise I related to him.) But he still manages to be loyal and he truly loves his wife. Who was also a great character! She was strong willed with good morals (How she fell for Gary is anyone's guess) and she trained her whole life to be a supporter for superheroes, so she has kick butt fighting and hacking skills. Due to dating a Supervillainess in college (Yes, she's also bisexual) she was prevented from becoming a hero.
Gary's henchmen were also funny. Cindy's sense of morals was hilarious! (She hasn't got any)
It's no surprise that the plot was all over the place with a possibly insane main character, but it didn't suffer from this and was nicely paced. I only planned to try out this book, but before I knew it I was 20% in.
I enjoy comedic books, but their subjective and tricky to pull off. Supervillainy succeeded. I was entertained and even chuckled a couple of times. Almost the whole book was a joke, but it didn't feel forced or over the top.
The Bad:
Zombies. They aren't gross scary zombies at least, because their bites only turn you if you die, but I still don't like them.
I have a feeling this series will have plenty of zombies because of the whole Reaper's Cloak thing. If he doesn't use his powers, the dead rise. This Curse was placed on the cape by Death until the wearer proves themselves worthy.
Will I read the sequel? After that ending, yes!! (It wasn't a cliffhanger, but almost. The epilogue left things totally up in the air.)
Point of View: First Person (Gary/Merciless)
Predictability: 2 out of 5 (Where 1 is totally unpredictable and 5 is I knew what was going to happen way ahead of time.)
Mood: 4 out of 5 (Fun and funny! A light book in a gritty world.)
Source: Kindle Unlimited
My Rating: 9/10 Stars
Errors: low (24 that I highlighted on my Kindle) but numerous klunky sentences towards the end
zj5's review against another edition
2.0
I can’t honestly think of anything I liked about this book BUT it’s fast, mostly inoffensive, and passes the time. It’s like watching Law & Order; it’s something to do. It’s about a dude with a magical, talking cloak who goes from robbing banks to prison escapes on the moon in a matter of days. He can levitate and phase and shoot fire and ice and raise the dead but mostly he’s a snarky, above it all guy who can’t help but describe any and all women by how attractive they are. A real Dresden type.