Audio Book Review: The Rules of Supervillainy

The Rules of Supervillainy

By:  C.T. Phipps

Publish Date:  June 8, 2015, Audiobook October 23, 2015

Format:  Audiobook - 6 hrs 42 mins
Narrated By:  Jeffrey Kafer

Genre:  Paranormal

Series:  1st in The Supervillainy Saga series

Impression:  Fun story to enjoy for a weekend set in a superhero, VILLAIN, world. ;)

Synopsis:
Gary Karkofsky is an ordinary guy with an ordinary life living in an extraordinary world. Supervillains, heroes, and monsters are a common part of the world he inhabits. Yet, after the death of his hometown's resident superhero, he gains the amazing gift of the late champion's magical cloak. Deciding he prefers to be rich rather than good, Gary embarks on a career as Merciless: The Supervillain Without Mercy.

But is he evil enough to be a villain in America's most crime-ridden city?

Gary soon finds himself surrounded by a host of the worst of Falconcrest City's toughest criminals. Supported by his long-suffering wife, his ex-girlfriend turned professional henchwoman, and a has-been evil mastermind, Gary may end up being not the hero they want but the villain they need.

Purchase At:
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Audible


My Thoughts and Summary:
*This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com, at my request.

Gary Karkofsky has been the supervillain Merciless for less than 24 hours. The things he has done, surpassed in battle, and seen are more than he ever imagined in his lifetime. Somehow a box was dropped off at his door with files and a magical cloak, all having belonged to the superhero of Falconcrest City who died less than a week ago, Nightwalker. Gary's not a superhero, he's poor, and plans to take advantage of his gift to start his reign of terror on the city... and take some easy cash. On his first day, he learns his powers, limits, and down sides to being a super villain. Gets under the skin of The Malt Shop gang who call for revenge for the death of Ice Cream Man in a robbery Merciless intervened in. And gets a call from the Chief of Police to help with a kidnapping of a rich daughter. Gary sees dollar signs and takes the money, however things seem to shift on him drawing the attention of the superheroes.

I enjoyed listening to Jeffrey as his reading voice is one I love to listen to, but he also does the voice differences for the additional villains that Merciless comes across, and there are a more than a few. They seem to fit the characters in mind and voice. I think this is the most voice variation I've heard from Jeffrey in the few books I've listened to from him. Sounds like he had fun with these characters. I know I did! The dry humor in Jeffrey's voice fits Gary to the T and made the book all the more fun listening to the humor and jokes than just reading them.

LOL! Oh this was a fun listen. Just what I wanted, and was hoping for. The names of the villains alone made me giggle as I'm listening to this story, but Gary on his first test drive with the powerful cloak is a hoot. He didn't even test out his powers before diving in.

Gary is our main super villain, if that's the category he wants to classify himself as. It's amusing to listen to him bicker with Cloak. Yes, Cloak. Cloak IS Gary's cloak and the reason for his super powers. They are so different in thought and Gary's thinking process is entertaining. Gary is wonderful at turning situations to capitalize on them personally. Just a few things that stick out in my head, among many, are: I had to laugh and shake my head at his thought on what to do with the rich daughter, to make money and a villain team to make more money. I had to nod and chuckle at Gary's thoughts of the police. When a kidnapping happens, he feels they are lazy and doing a poor job as they called the Nighwalker, who's dead, for help instead of doing the work themselves. He's a supervillain who supports the tough on crime policies the president is passing. He wants to eliminate other supervillains because they cut into his pay check.

Gary lives in a 'super' world. There are super heroes and super villains everywhere. His family has a long line of supervillains, along with many of those he knows. He graduated from South Falconcrest High were most have gone off to do some supervillainous events, and his deceased brother is who inspires him to be a villain now.

Family... I love how Gary goes about things with his wife, Mandy. This is a wonderful bonus for me as he's not a *whistle*. Gary loves his wife. He wants things to work out for them and for their dreams. I love this!

Corny names, costumes, and characters. I loved it! I was smiling at the names and costumes that corresponded to them. lol. And I enjoyed Gary's (Merciless's) view on things. The fun comic corks that go with the way Superheroes and Supervillains are and react. Wow. Gary, Merciless's, first day as a supervillain has gone further than he ever imagined, bringing him to experience and see so much of the 'super' world.

I am looking forward to future stories with these characters and world, as there are more coming.