In Hero Years... I'm Dead Deluxe Edition [Kindle Edition]

Michael Stackpole (Author)

Book Description

In Hero Years... I'm Dead is New York Times bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole's first Digital-Original novel.

Twenty years ago someone stole him away from Capital City. Having been released from captivity he returns to find everything changed. The great heroes of his day, men who could move planets or tear apart criminal syndicates, have all retired. A new breed of hero has sprung up to deal with a perplexingly new brand of villain. It's a world that makes no sense, and a world which, if he persists in playing the hero, will surely see him dead.

In Hero Years... I'm Dead mixes action, dark humor, satire and strong characters into a thrilling page-turner. It's superheroes facing challenges both in costume and out, battling a cunning enemy bent on destroying all they have worked so hard to preserve.

The Deluxe Edition of In Hero Years... I'm Dead includes a long essay about the story's genesis and the author's process in writing it. It's full of insights about the labors of producing a novel and is a rare chance to look behind the scenes at how a book comes together.

Product Details

• File Size: 582 KB
• Print Length: 325 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Stormwolf.com (November 8, 2010)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004BDOU4E
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #70,778 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #69 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Humor & Entertainment > Humor > Satire

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Very impressive.... January 1, 2011

By Gafoon

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I purchased this because the book was filed under "graphic novels" and I wanted to see how graphic novels translated to the Kindle. Well, it's *not* a graphic novel, it's a traditional superhero novel. But I read it anyway and was very impressed.

Our protagonist, an aging superhero (who is intentionally never named in the book) returns to Capital City *Cough Metropolis* *Cough Gotham City* after twenty years away. He faces several dilemmas that he must resolve: 1) Who kept him from his home for 20 years, 2) What has happened to his city and 3) how does he adjust to the new reality. Oh and who's behind what appears to be a new coordinated wave of super-villain crime.

By the end of the book, all of the issues are resolved, with a couple of interesting twists.

Unlike some of the other self-published Amazon titles, it's clear that Michael Stackpole is an acomplished author - his writing is crisp and after an initial couple of slow chapters, he never lets the action drop.

All-in-all, a very worthwhile read.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining, fast-paced, and satirical view of the costumed hero! November 18, 2010

By Chris Deeds

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I decided to give this novel a shot and found it well worth it. This is the first of Michael Stackpole's novels I've read outside of his Star Wars works.

I found this to be a highly enjoyable read. The characters were interesting and covered many of the 'classic' superhero archtypes; the truth and justice Superman down to the antihero Batman. Often it's not easy to take a bunch of costumed heroes running around seriously but Stackpole did an excellent job of making them believable.

As one would expect from a superhero novel there is quite a lot of action along with the 'who-dun-it' of a mystery. I anticipated a great deal of humor in this book, of course, and was not at all disappointed. Mr. Stackpole wove together all of the elements into a fast-paced and fun read.

I think the extra dollar was well worth it for the deluxe edition of the book. I very much enjoyed reading about how the book came together.

The only disappointment I felt was a slightly anti-climactic ending but all in all I recommend this to anyone who enjoys an outside-of-the-box superhero adventure.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Slow Start but Promising Finish December 12, 2010

By Sean C. Duggan

Format:Kindle Edition

The first two chapters of the book are slow and difficult to get into. This is regrettable since the book picks up significantly after those chapters. Michael Stackpole's writing is excellent and you quickly get caught up in Coyote's attempts to understand the system and learn its weaknesses.

I have recommended this book to several of my friends. I bought the Deluxe Edition so as to get Stackpole's background on what went into the novel and I can vouch that it's worth the extra dollar to understand where everything is coming from.

More About the Author

Michael A. Stackpole is the New York Times bestselling author of over 40 novels, including I, Jedi and Rogue Squadron. He's won awards in the realms of podcasting, game designer, computer game design, screenwriting, editing, graphic novel writing and novel writing. He lives in Arizona and frequently travels the United States attending conventions and teaching writing workshops. His website is www.stormwolf.com