Review: The Science of Supervillainy

The Science of Supervillainy by C.T. Phipps
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Science of Supervillainy is the 4th book of The Supervillainy Saga and neatly ties up the story arc and plot hooks developed throughout the first 4 books. One thing I really respect from Phipps writing style is his ability to write a crazy, insane plot full of ridiculous humor and situational comedy and still make me care for and connect to his characters. The Science of Supervillainy has some great, happy times, but also some really sad, heart-wrenching moments as well. All I can say without giving away too many spoilers is that you will understand what I mean by the end of the book.

I also really appreciate the diversity presented throughout the series. Though much of the series pays homage to the golden age of comics, Phipps has retained the nostalgic references to the classics while recreating the genre with a modern cast of heroes and villains in a way that shows clear respect for all people, diverse lifestyles, and personal expression. He doesn’t just play it safe and avoid these issues but instead makes them a major theme that runs throughout the series.

Jeffrey Kafer is perfect for this series. After four books in this series, his tone and ability to create a diverse cast of characters have made Kafer one of my favorite narrators. If you have never listed to him before, you should give this series a chance just to hear his performance. You will not regret it (unless you hate fun and laughing out loud while people look at you nervously because they don’t realize you are listening to a really hilarious audiobook).

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Review: The Secrets of Supervillainy

The Secrets of Supervillainy by C.T. Phipps
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Secrets of Supervillainy is the 3rd book in The Supervillainy Saga and while not my favorite book overall in the series, it does contain some of my favorite moments, quips, and character banter thus far. The series continues its irreverent comedy, entertaining pop-culture references, and satirical allusion to classic comics and reading or listening to this book (or any book in The Supervillainy Saga) is a guaranteed way to lift your spirits whenever you need to smile. However, the normally convoluted plot in previous books is elevated to an insane level of… well, insanity, and becomes almost impossible to follow. So its best to just sit back, don’t think too hard, and enjoy the ride (kind of like that psychedelic scene on the chocolate riverboat from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). Much of it gets explained in the next book, so just go with it for now.

My only major criticism of this book is that both the start and end feel disjointed. This book is set almost a year after the end of the 2nd book and many of the events in the last are replayed through flashbacks, but they can get confusing and most feel unnecessary. I feel like there should have been a book between this one and the previous one (or even just a 2.5 novella). The ending is also a bit odd and feels as though it comes too soon. It doesn’t really end on a cliffhanger, but at the same time, it leaves major plot elements unresolved. That being said, The Secrets of Supervillainy is still great fun and well worth the listen.

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Review: Woven

Woven by Bree Moore
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Woven is a retelling of classic Arthurian legend in a new, unique way. And for something that has been retold as many times as the stories of King Arthur and his knights, a story that can put fresh life in the classic tales and twist it in an unpredictable way deserves fairly high praise. I cannot say more about the story without risking giving away its secrets, but if you are a fan of Arthurian legend, you’ll enjoy it.

Woven is well written and fun, but I did have a few issues with the story. Many of the characters felt flat and did not have many dimensions, or did not gain many until the end of the story. Their reactions to tragic events and deaths were often odd and muted and many of the characters you would expect to have powerful personalities were underwhelming. I found that although I really enjoyed the story, I didn’t develop an attachment to or feel empathy for any of the characters. Also, much like true Arthurian legend, magical events and people are not really explained, the source and origin of legendary items are not revealed, and the true motivations (and fates) of many of the characters remain a mystery. While this may be a stable of a millennium-old classical genre, it makes this narrative feel incomplete in some places.

One more note about the book: The plot develops slowly -- perhaps too slowly for some people. I found myself confused about what is really going on for the first half or so of the book, and was double-checking character’s names and was tempted to go back to the previous chapters to make sure I had not missed details somewhere along the way. That puzzlement will pass and your patience will be rewarded when the twists and turns of the plot are revealed, but you have to get there before it happens.

Rebecca McKernan does a decent job narrating this novel, but her accent was often so melodic that I found myself tuning out to what she was actually saying during long monologues in her “narrator voice” when characters were not talking. However, I do think her voice was fitting for the book given the genre and setting. There were some issues with audio repeating lines, but nothing that occurred so often it was detrimental to the overall performance.

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