Wearing the Cape [Kindle Edition]

Marion G. Harmon (Author)

Book Description

"I was driving east on the Eisenhower Expressway when the Teatime Anarchist dropped the Ashland Avenue overpass on top of me, using enough C4 to bring the whole southbound span down at once."
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Who wants to be a superhero?

Hope did, but she grew out of it. Which made her superhuman breakthrough in the Ashland Bombing, just before starting her freshman year at the University of Chicago, more than a little ironic.

And now she has some decisions to make. Given the code-name "Astra" and invited to join the Sentinels, Chicago’s premier super-team, will she take up the cape and mask and become a career superhero? Or will she get a handle on her new powers (super-strength has some serious drawbacks) and then get on with her life-plan?

In a world where superheroes join unions and have agents, and the strongest and most photogenic ones become literal supercelebrities, the temptation to become a cape is strong. But the price can be high—especially if you’re “outed” and lose the shield of your secret identity.

Becoming a sidekick puts the decision off for awhile, but Hope’s life is further complicated when The Teatime Anarchist, the supervillain responsible for the Ashland Bombing, takes an interest in her. Apparently as Astra, Hope is supposed to save the world. Or at least a significant part of it.
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Wearing the Cape, the first book of a new superhero adventure series, was released April 25th, 2011.
Book Two, Villains Inc., was released December 29th, 2011
Bite Me: Big Easy Nights (an Artemis adventure) will be available in mid-2012.
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REVIEWS

"If you love comic-book superheroes, you'll love this.
"If you hate comic-book superheroes you'll still love this!
"The author takes a tired genre graphic-novel superhero concept and transforms it into a very readable, thought-provoking and thoroughly enjoyable book that I cannot recommend highly enough."

John Caterham

"Superhero fiction is so full of tropes that it's nearly impossible to write something new. Wearing The Cape manages that heroic feat, being both a classic superhero story and a new take on the genre all at the same time."

Selia (Portland, OR)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

M. G. Harmon is Marion George Harmon, a former financial advisor in Las Vegas. He has a bachelors in literature and a masters in history, which he earned for pleasure rather than profit.

Product Details

• File Size: 595 KB
• Print Length: 272 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1463539657
• Publisher: Createspace (April 22, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004XRCC1G
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,362 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #33 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Comics & Graphic Novels > Graphic Novels > Superheroes
  • #85 in Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Graphic Novels > Superheroes

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining, and it's got teeth! June 6, 2011

By Derrick Dodson VINE™ VOICE

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was really surprised by this book, but surprised in a great way. I expected adventure and humor. I got adventure and humor, but there was an amazing amount of gritty realism in this one, too. Right off the bat I knew this was different. It opens with the funny, occasionally snarky, main character getting caught up in a terrorist bombing where her superpowers emerge. If you're expecting a comic book story, that's ruled out right away with deaths and injuries. Hope, the new hero, throws up at the carnage. The heroes are often flawed and perhaps a touch villainous, the villains are sometimes misunderstood or willing to pitch-in in a true disaster. Good people, children, complete innocents are hurt or die. Some people get away with bad things. And through it all, Hope tries to make sense of it all. The book is touching, funny, and I completely enjoyed it.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Quality Superhero Fiction plus interview with the author July 14, 2011

By Jim Bernheimer VINE™ VOICE

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Length: 9:42 Mins

This video made with Xtranormal's State program. I enjoyed this novel and look forward to the other works set in this universe. After the review, there's a quick question and answer session with the author.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good YA Super Hero Book October 5, 2011

By Art

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a pretty good little super hero story. The book wisely doesnt really try and explain how folks got super-powers or how their powers work, beyond attributing the rise of super-powers to a mysterious event, described in about a page, and stating that no one really understands how the powers work. The actual super powers one gets, and the principles of how one gets them, are pretty standard, tracking that from the Wild Cards series and many other books. For example, you have strong heroes, heroes with the full superman type package (minus laser vision they are called "Atlas" heroes here) and many other familiar types, including the "gageteer" that can make tech devices that non one else can work. This is a good thing, may as well borrow what works, but dont expect much originality. The social order arising from "the event" and the roles of heroes and villains in it are done fairly well, with the heroes woried about disaster relief, villains, and also PR and politics (think the type of political issues arising in X-Men, done at a somewhat more serious level). Again, not super original, but if it ain't broke, dont fix it. The main villain is actually pretty interesting, coming with a philosophical dilemma, and is the only meaningful truly original touch I can think of. Of course, if you really think about the villain's situation and what he is trying to accomplish, the realism falls apart, but things work well at a more casual level, and going along for the ride isnt too hard. There is a pretty decent amount of action, things flow pretty well and the characters and story are pretty likeable in general.

So why did I only give the book 3 stars? Well first, there is a heavy young adult spin to it, and I didnt dig that part of it. The main hero, Astra/Hope is 18 or 19, just going into college, but she is said to look much younger, and in some ways she acts it too. Although she is described as pretty, she hereself apparently never had a boyfriend, because she falls for boys that think she looks like their kid sister. So of course she falls for the main super, and the romance is done fairly shallowly and doesnt feel very natural. Second, just my sense that the story wasnt as compelling as it could be, perhaps because of the teen elements. Sure, I can see why Astra would want to run home for comfort to mom, why mom and dad wouldnt want her in so much danger, etc..., but these elements just detracted from the flow for me.

Overall, I did like the book and can recommend it -- my rating is 3 1/2 stars. The action is pretty good, the environment, heroes, villains and action work pretty well. Not terribly original, but its a fun read and a good value for any super hero fan, and an especially easy recommendation for the YA audience.

More About the Author

Marion G. Harmon (Marion for his great-grandfather, George for his father), was born in Salt Lake City but moved from post to post with his family at the whim of the US military. His travels have taken him as far as Stuttgart in Germany, Sydney, and finally to Las Vegas. After gaining degrees in literature and history, he settled down to tell people how to manage their money. Mr. Harmon's first novel, Wearing the Cape, was published in 2011, and he has since written two novels set in the same world (Villains Inc. and Bite Me: Big Easy Nights). He is currently working hard on a fourth book, this one featuring Astra and company, while polishing the plot of his deeply unserious space epic, Worst Contact.