Failstate [Paperback]

John W. Otte (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2012

Publishers Weekly STARRED Review: "Otte nails the concept . . . He balances fantasy with teen hormones in a clever and page-turning debut . . . The amusing noirish atmosphere of the setting draws older readers . . . A TV show full of sequel possibilities." Why did Robin Laughlin (a.k.a. Failstate) think being a superhero on a reality show would be a good idea? Things seemed so simple: Win the show, become an official, licensed hero. But with his brother, Ben (a.k.a. Gauntlet) stealing America's heart-and with Rob's own powers proving too unwieldy for TV-Failstate begins to wonder if he's going to live up to the failure in his name. Until one of his friends and fellow competitors is murdered. Robin vows to find the killer, and he sets out on a very real quest to unmask the hidden villain. Can Failstate find justice? Or will his lunk of a big brother ruin everything-including taking the girl who has stolen Rob's heart? Very soon, Failstate and Gauntlet will come to blows. Which has been the villain's plan all along. John W. Otte leads a double life. By day, he's a Lutheran minister. He graduated from Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota, with a theatre major and then from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. By night, he writes weird stories. He lives in South St. Paul, MN, with his wife and two sons. Find John online at www.johnwotte.com. "A

Product Details

• Paperback: 426 pages
• Publisher: Marcher Lord Press (April 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1935929488
• ISBN-13: 978-1935929482
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #912,967 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John W. Otte grew up in Columbia Heights, a suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota. When he was younger, he dreamed of being a superhero, fueled by reading collections of Superman and Batman comics. Instead, he attended college at Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he majored in theatre. He graduated summa cum laude in 1996 and then attended Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, where he received his Master of Divinity in 2000. He now serves as a pastor in South St. Paul, Minnesota, where he lives with his wife and two sons.

He has published short stories in The Leading Edge Magazine and Dragons, Knights, and Angels in 2006. He was a ACFW Genesis Contest Finalist in 2008 for The Last Expedition, another Christian science fiction novel. He is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and participates in the Speculative Faith blog.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Failstate April 4, 2012

By celticfrogreviews

Format:Kindle Edition

Failstate is the young adult novel by John W. Otte, though it would be doing the story an injustice to limit it to the young adult audience. This is one good story. Failstate is a teen aged superhero who is on a reality TV show called America's Next Superhero. This show is no gentler on its contestants than any of our shows, so the reader will know immediately the kind of pressure Failstate is under.

One of the contestants is murdered and Failstate is determined to bring the perpetrator to justice. On top of the show and the murder, Failstate, Robin Laughlin in his regular life, has to deal with his big brother, his mother, school and maybe, just maybe a little romance. That's a lot for even a superhero to deal with.

Faith is a major part of the story of Failstate and Rob. He attends church and youth group, finds them a little boring, but there is something that is there in the background to challenge and strengthen. While faith and God are an integral part of the story, God is not brought in as a solution to any of the problems that Rob and his friends encounter.

The characters in the book are well written, and the premise of have superheroes doing good is developed fully in the book. The point of the TV show is to award a license to one of the contestants which allow that hero to pursue justice legally.

Failstate is a terrific addition to Marcher Lord Press' line up of books. It has all the adventure, turmoil and fun that you need to tell a good story. I would recommend Failstate to anyone.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Failstate is a great page-turner April 12, 2012

By Stephanie Lee

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I read the book in two sittings.

Failstate by John W. Otte combines so many of my favorite things: faith, superheroes and reality TV. Told through the eyes and mind of Failstate, whose alter ego is Robin, a high school boy, this book evokes the grandeur of superheroes and the poignant frustration of any high schooler. You end up cheering for Failstate to solve the murder, to prove himself to Gauntlet and win the reality TV competition of America's Next Superhero. You want to be a friend to urge Robin on with his "real life" dilemmas with girls and you want to encourage him in his faith. Otte's main characters are well-written and the secondary ones can shine because of that.

What a great debut!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent writing, good plot, but loses reader June 5, 2012

By Noah Arsenault

Format:Paperback

I can understand if someone is a bit wary of reading this book, at first. The cover art, though talented and meaningful, is a bit cheesy in concept and, let's face it, cartoon-ish. But once it's cracked open, it is not nearly as bad. With a wonderful writing style similar to Travis Thrasher's, Mr. Otte captures the reader's attention and holds it in place.

The plot was mostly well-planned, and didn't appear too cliche at the end. In fact, it was a bit harder to predict than many sci-fi/mystery titles. However, near the middle, Otte begins to lose the reader's intrigue, by confusing them with so many details, and they don't know what to do with them all! Each person could be the true criminal, and the reader is left throwing his hands in the air, because they are all suspect. He must simply read on, not caring as much as before.

To end on a positive note, Otte did a great job incorporating Scripture into key parts of the book. When Rob would attend a youth group lesson, or talk with fellow Christians, there was always something he needed, which is likewise important to us.

*This book was provided free by the publisher, in conjunction with Team Novel Teen. I was not required to write a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own.*