Usually by this point with an author, I’ve gotten bored/annoyed or they’ve gotten predictable. This is Drew Hayes book number 13 for me, and no author fatigue in sight. The only other author I can think of with this kind of reading record for me is Terry Pratchett. Drew Hayes is not Sir Terry, but not in a bad way. Even though Corpies is set in the same world as Super Powereds, and includes some character crossover, there’s still enough new characters and situations that it remains an entertaining and fun riff on the superhero genre. Much like the Super Powereds quad, Corpies is a long but fast read (600 and some pages which took me about 3 evenings to finish). Retaining the web-based format of the short chapters still works here, since it presents episodes that stand alone but also connects as a part of a bigger story. That story belongs mostly to Owen Daniels, known to the rest of the world as Titan, or Roy and Herschel’s disgraced-hero-who-got-caught-having-an-affair-with-a-man father. Owen wants to rejoin the Hero world, and the only place that will take him is a team of corporate sponsored (hence ‘corpie’ Super rescue workers. Various adventures, big and small, personal and public, ensue, all with a good dose of good humor and snark.
Several of the characters from Corpies make appearances in Super Powereds 4, which I’ve already read. It helps explain some things I’d wondered about, like how is it that Jeremey and Owen know each other and who is Jeremy anyways, and who is Hexcellent and what’s up with the rabbit. It was also interesting see some more of Lenny, top agent to top Heroes- including Titan. I saw an author chat recently where someone asked where Corpies fit into the chronology, and should they read it before or after book 3. Apparently the preferred order is between books 2-3. I can’t say I quite agree with that, since I think it works nicely having read all 4 of the Super Powereds, then Corpies.
There’s just such a sense of fun that at the same time acknowledges some serious realities both in their world and ours. Yet at the same time, there isn’t such a focus on the personal drama like with any of the DC or Marvel heroes. Theirs is much kicking butt and saving the day, there’s personal time that’s real but not too melodramatic, and in the end, a good time is had by most (except the villain of course), and that includes the reader.
NB: The Amazon link noted here is for the Audiobook. Apparently Amazon doesn’t offer the paper version. I am and always will be Team Paper Book.