The only family member to survive the 9/11 attacks. A sidekick-turned-construction-worker. The teenaged products of an institute for unwanted metahuman children. The man who can make anyone do anything. Are they heroes? Are they villains? Sometimes they're both. Often, even at the same time. Corrupts Absolutely? collects twenty brand-new stories from veteran authors and newcomers, each with a unique perspective on what it might really be like to be superhuman in today's day and age. In the center of such a roiling mass of uncertainty and excitement lies one important truth: the fight against good or evil is never as important as the fight for or against oneself. Contributors: Weston Ochse, Jeff Strand, Joe McKinney, Cat Rambo, A.D. Spencer, A.S. Fox, Andrew Bourelle, Anthony Laffan, Edward M. Erdelac, Jason Gehlert, Jason M. Tucker, Jeremy Hepler, Karina Fabian, Kris Ashton, Lee Mather, Lincoln Crisler, Malon Edwards, Tim Marquitz, Trisha J. Wooldridge, Wayne Helge, Wayne Ligon, and William Todd Rose.
Corrupts Absolutely? Dark Metahuman Fiction.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
“The editor has done a fine job of assembling a batch of stories filled with attitude and badassery.”
– Superheronovels.Com
“Lincoln Crisler has taken pains to choose this myriad collection of stories exploring the theme of Metahumans acting out inhumanely and there are quite a few zingers to this collection. This is a collection very much in vein of Masked by Lou Anders; however, with a tenebrous and twisted bent to it.”
– Fantasy Book Critic
“…the large majority of the stories establish intriguing conditions, insert equally intriguing characters, add appropriately devastating consequences to either action or inaction, and let the chips—or bodies—fall where they may. Recommended.”
– Michael Collings
“Really got me to thinking about who really is a 'Hero' and a 'Villain' and where is the line drawn.”
– Melsworld
“…The perfect collection for horror fans with a taste for superhero prose or lovers of hero tales who enjoy a bit of corruption with a horror flavor.”
– Dreadful Tales
– Superheronovels.Com
“Lincoln Crisler has taken pains to choose this myriad collection of stories exploring the theme of Metahumans acting out inhumanely and there are quite a few zingers to this collection. This is a collection very much in vein of Masked by Lou Anders; however, with a tenebrous and twisted bent to it.”
– Fantasy Book Critic
"Corrupts Absolutely? is a great anthology with a concept that never gets old. Each of the stories is incredibly unique, even the ones that deal with a similar power or theme. I had a great time with this and I didn't dislike a single story. That's hard to do. Highly Recommended!" -- Only the Best Sci-fi and Fantasy
“Lincoln Crisler’s compilation is commendable for showing a range of variations on its theme. The contributors address the motif from different aspects and genres. Aficionados of horror will find several tales to whet their genre appetite.”
– Hellnotes
– Hellnotes
“…the large majority of the stories establish intriguing conditions, insert equally intriguing characters, add appropriately devastating consequences to either action or inaction, and let the chips—or bodies—fall where they may. Recommended.”
– Michael Collings
“Really got me to thinking about who really is a 'Hero' and a 'Villain' and where is the line drawn.”
– Melsworld
“…The perfect collection for horror fans with a taste for superhero prose or lovers of hero tales who enjoy a bit of corruption with a horror flavor.”
– Dreadful Tales
From the Author
Superheroes spark the imagination. I'd go so far as to say they have damn-near universal appeal. In some instances, I'd even say superhero stories are the mythology of our modern culture, and why wouldn't they be? Not only are they archetypical, versatile, and capable of crossing generation gaps in (dare I say it?) a single bound, they're great escapism, and they tell us something about ourselves.
I'd go so far so as to posit you can't tell what a person is really like unless they're in a position to do anything. Would she marry the same guy if she could go anywhere? Would he be content with a regular job if he didn't need the paycheck? Would they act the same way if they were immortal and didn't fear the judgment of the grave? If they didn't have to be afraid of a fight, or the law? In most cases, we'll never know those answers, about those around us or ourselves, for that matter. Comic books--superheroes--are a way for us to explore such things.
Superheroes do well in a variety of media, but original superhero prose always seems hardest to come by. This anthology isn't the first of its kind, but you probably won't see another for a couple of years, and I'd stack it up against any other I've read. Every author between these pages performed, as far as I'm concerned, a labor of love, and I think you'll be hard-pressed to find a better speculative fiction anthology this year. They did that good a job. They answered a few burning questions. They gave us a hero or two, maybe even a couple of hapless souls who can't be termed anything but villain. Mostly, though, we have real people, with real problems and unreal solutions.
I really hope you like it.
Lincoln Crisler
Augusta, Georgia
December 22, 2011
I'd go so far so as to posit you can't tell what a person is really like unless they're in a position to do anything. Would she marry the same guy if she could go anywhere? Would he be content with a regular job if he didn't need the paycheck? Would they act the same way if they were immortal and didn't fear the judgment of the grave? If they didn't have to be afraid of a fight, or the law? In most cases, we'll never know those answers, about those around us or ourselves, for that matter. Comic books--superheroes--are a way for us to explore such things.
Superheroes do well in a variety of media, but original superhero prose always seems hardest to come by. This anthology isn't the first of its kind, but you probably won't see another for a couple of years, and I'd stack it up against any other I've read. Every author between these pages performed, as far as I'm concerned, a labor of love, and I think you'll be hard-pressed to find a better speculative fiction anthology this year. They did that good a job. They answered a few burning questions. They gave us a hero or two, maybe even a couple of hapless souls who can't be termed anything but villain. Mostly, though, we have real people, with real problems and unreal solutions.
I really hope you like it.
Lincoln Crisler
Augusta, Georgia
December 22, 2011
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By K B
Format:Paperback
I liked Corrupts Absolutely? so much I bought a couple of copies for friends. Just what does power do to normal people? Crisler has assembled a really interesting collection of stories; some good, some great; a few so chilling and demented that they've really earned the right to be horror stories. Acquainted with the Night by Cat Rambo and Ozymandias Revisited by A.S Fox both get under your skin and make it crawl. Rambo's voice softly lulls you into trusting her and then whacks you with a heavy bat. Fox comes out swinging, bludgeoning you into submission until you end up somewhere scary and not at all where you expected. The whole collection has been chosen with care and leads the reader through a greater story about human weakness, desire and how we become the things we ought to fear.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I'm a sucker for superhero prose and this anthology definitely delivers and satisfied my craving. Reading is a very subjective experience, and this is merely my opinions, but I can appreciate the reasons why some of these stories were included in this collection. As with any anthology, some stories are hit or miss, but overall I really enjoyed reading this collection of tales.
First, the good: my top picks from this antho are MAX AND ROSE by Andrew Bourelle, THE REAL CHURCH by Jeremy Hepler, OZYMANDIAS REVISITED by A.S. Fox, and CROOKED by Lee Mather. These stories were authors firing on all cylinders and were a real pleasure to read and experience. Out of the twenty tales compiled here, there were only 3 that I didn't care for and that's saying much about Crisler and his talent for assembling anthologies. He has excelled here and has brought together some really good, some even great, stories.
Definitely pick this up, folks. There's a little something for any reader between these pages. From familiar superhero tropes to some nice twists on old comic lines.
It was a pleasure to read this and I will definitely be searching out a few of these authors to see what else they have out there.
R. Thomas Riley
First, the good: my top picks from this antho are MAX AND ROSE by Andrew Bourelle, THE REAL CHURCH by Jeremy Hepler, OZYMANDIAS REVISITED by A.S. Fox, and CROOKED by Lee Mather. These stories were authors firing on all cylinders and were a real pleasure to read and experience. Out of the twenty tales compiled here, there were only 3 that I didn't care for and that's saying much about Crisler and his talent for assembling anthologies. He has excelled here and has brought together some really good, some even great, stories.
Definitely pick this up, folks. There's a little something for any reader between these pages. From familiar superhero tropes to some nice twists on old comic lines.
It was a pleasure to read this and I will definitely be searching out a few of these authors to see what else they have out there.
R. Thomas Riley
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Max Zaoui
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
We want more books like "Corrupts Absolutely?". Kids - and not just kids - around the world have been brainwashed long enough with one-sided deceitful stories centred on retarded, underwear-on-the-outside so-called superheroes. It was time someone penned the truth and brought nuance to the genre. We're glad it's not just one man but a whole band of gifted authors who did it.
Thanks to them, readers will question their preconceived ideas of good VS evil, right or wrong, the light side against the dark side... You noticed the question mark in the title: there's room for doubt, here. Does limitless power, or the quest for it, make you all that bad? Does it necessarily corrupt its owner or the people around him? I can only deplore the fact that some of the characters act too much like heroes in this anthology, though they had a potential for greatness. Such a waste, sometimes: that is the real corruption, for me... but never mind: the stories in this anthology spark your interest because they're fresh, they're new, they're different. You'll probably marvel (ah!) at the way you'll feel close to what you've been bred to despise for so long.
Villains - what people refer to as Villains, anyway, not that I do (everything's a question of point of view) - have always been more interesting than their arch enemies, have always offered more creative material, more food for thought. After all, isn't Darth Vader everyone's favourite character in the Star Wars saga? He's mine at any rate, and I find myself whistling his tune more than once a day. Who cares about his tasteless, goody-goody Jedi of a son? But anyway...
There's a limitless ground to cover where we're concerned: when you think about it, any super-story exists because we're here. Superheroes only thrive on the existence of their nemesis. Their lives would be meaningless without us: where would they be if not for our relentless desire to improve this desolate world? Surely not trapped along with their preeeeecious Metropolis inside a bottle. Ahah. Still can't get over that one. You have to give us credit.
Isn't it justice that our voice should be heard from time to time, then? And not just through humor (Hancock? Are you there?). The authors of "Corrupts Absolutely?" have had the strength and good taste to tackle their subject with "humanity", depth, seriousness (though there are tasteful jokes here and there) and, perhaps most importantly, style. All of the shorts are well-written, but some really pack an explosive, mind-blowing style that makes you read like mad and forget about wiping out the world.
Oops. Got carried away here for a second. Almost felt like I was writing a review on Amazon, when this is actually a petition addressed to the famous site, so they push forward more truth-saying books such as these. So now, read "Corrupts Absolutely?" and sign the petition (not necessarily in that order). Or else.
Join us.
Brainiac.
P. S.: have already signed:
Lex Luther, Joker, Magneto, Venom, Green Goblin, Dr. Doom, Doomsday, Thanos, Galactus, Kingpin... (more to come)
Thanks to them, readers will question their preconceived ideas of good VS evil, right or wrong, the light side against the dark side... You noticed the question mark in the title: there's room for doubt, here. Does limitless power, or the quest for it, make you all that bad? Does it necessarily corrupt its owner or the people around him? I can only deplore the fact that some of the characters act too much like heroes in this anthology, though they had a potential for greatness. Such a waste, sometimes: that is the real corruption, for me... but never mind: the stories in this anthology spark your interest because they're fresh, they're new, they're different. You'll probably marvel (ah!) at the way you'll feel close to what you've been bred to despise for so long.
Villains - what people refer to as Villains, anyway, not that I do (everything's a question of point of view) - have always been more interesting than their arch enemies, have always offered more creative material, more food for thought. After all, isn't Darth Vader everyone's favourite character in the Star Wars saga? He's mine at any rate, and I find myself whistling his tune more than once a day. Who cares about his tasteless, goody-goody Jedi of a son? But anyway...
There's a limitless ground to cover where we're concerned: when you think about it, any super-story exists because we're here. Superheroes only thrive on the existence of their nemesis. Their lives would be meaningless without us: where would they be if not for our relentless desire to improve this desolate world? Surely not trapped along with their preeeeecious Metropolis inside a bottle. Ahah. Still can't get over that one. You have to give us credit.
Isn't it justice that our voice should be heard from time to time, then? And not just through humor (Hancock? Are you there?). The authors of "Corrupts Absolutely?" have had the strength and good taste to tackle their subject with "humanity", depth, seriousness (though there are tasteful jokes here and there) and, perhaps most importantly, style. All of the shorts are well-written, but some really pack an explosive, mind-blowing style that makes you read like mad and forget about wiping out the world.
Oops. Got carried away here for a second. Almost felt like I was writing a review on Amazon, when this is actually a petition addressed to the famous site, so they push forward more truth-saying books such as these. So now, read "Corrupts Absolutely?" and sign the petition (not necessarily in that order). Or else.
Join us.
Brainiac.
P. S.: have already signed:
Lex Luther, Joker, Magneto, Venom, Green Goblin, Dr. Doom, Doomsday, Thanos, Galactus, Kingpin... (more to come)
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Stellar collection!
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