By Carl Slaughter: Betsy Wollheim has a gift for discovering new talent.
by Sarah Kuhn
The first in a DAW series on Asian-American superheroines.
Being a superheroine is hard. Working for one is even harder.
Evie Tanaka is the put-upon personal assistant to Aveda Jupiter, her childhood best friend and San Francisco’s most beloved superheroine. She’s great at her job—blending into the background, handling her boss’s epic diva tantrums, and getting demon blood out of leather pants.
Unfortunately, she’s not nearly as together when it comes to running her own life, standing up for herself, or raising her tempestuous teenage sister, Bea.
But everything changes when Evie’s forced to pose as her glamorous boss for one night, and her darkest secret comes out: she has powers, too. Now it’s up to her to contend with murderous cupcakes, nosy gossip bloggers, and supernatural karaoke battles—all while juggling unexpected romance and Aveda’s increasingly outrageous demands. And when a larger threat emerges, Evie must finally take charge and become a superheroine in her own right…or see her city fall to a full-on demonic invasion.
PRAISE
“Sarah Kuhn creates characters you want to befriend, worlds you want to live in, and situations you can’t begin to imagine. Heroine Complex is at once fiendishly snarky yet colossally big-hearted.”
—Javier Grillo-Marxuach, writer and producer for Lost, creator of The Middleman
“Smart, sexy, and filled with beautifully fleshed-out/kick-ass women, Heroine Complex is the kind of read that sticks in your brain like a fanged cupcake…. I adored it.”
—Amber Benson, author of The Witches of Echo Park
“The superheroine we’ve been waiting for; the urban fantasy we deserve. Sarah Kuhn is the total package: comedy, tragedy, and sincerity. Grab your cape. We’re saving the city.”
—Seanan McGuire, New York Times bestselling author of the October Daye series
“Every page of Sarah Kuhn’s novel delighted me immensely…. Kuhn’s writing is bouncy and engaging, and Evie is very clearly spun into a captivating character. I also have to give Kuhn props for balancing romance and humour and drama, and making me wish that Heroine Complex would go on just a little bit longer.”
—Book Riot
“Onomatopoeias? Check. Snarkiness? Check. Kick-ass Asian-American superwomen saving San Francisco from demon-possessed cupcakes? Check and check, Kuhn’s Heroine Complex is a ridiculously fun read.”
—RT Reviews (top pick)
“Witty…. Kuhn starts of the novel with vivacity and a tongue-in-cheek narration.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A fresh take on a superheroine story. Full of wit and of course danger!… This seriously was an entertaining read. The character development was superb.”
—Boundless Books
“Love the humor and wacky hijinks, along with character development…. This is everything I’ve ever wanted in a book!“
—Dreaming of Cats
BIO
Sarah Kuhn is the author of Heroine Complex—the first in a series starring Asian American superheroines—for DAW Books. She also wrote The Ruby Equation for the comics anthology Fresh Romance and the romantic comedy novella “One Con Glory,” which earned praise from io9 and USA Today and is in development as a feature film. Her articles and essays on such topics as geek girl culture, comic book continuity, and Sailor Moon cosplay have appeared in Uncanny Magazine, Apex Magazine, AngryAsianMan.com, IGN.com, Back Stage, The Hollywood Reporter, StarTrek.com, Creative Screenwriting, and the Hugo-nominated anthology Chicks Dig Comics. In 2011, she was selected as a finalist for the CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment) New Writers Award.
SOCIAL MEDIA
- Website: http://www.heroinecomplex.com/
- Twitter: @sarahkuhn
- Facebook: Sarah Kuhn
- Amazon Author Page: Sarah Kuhn
Get well soon!
Ouch. Best wishes for a speedy recovery for OGH!
Home soon is better than home later, but hospital at all is awful. I’m glad to hear Mike is on the mend!
Belatedly adding my own well-wishes for Mike.
Speedy recovery, Mike!
Adding my own wishes here for Mike’s speedy recovery. Rest up and feel better soon!
I’ve heard good things about Sarah Kuhn’s book. I’ve got a copy, but haven’t read it yet. Sounds immensely fun.
Also, I want to add to the good wishes for Mike Glyer’s health and quick (and complete) recovery.
@Jeff Warner:
La’briute, Mr. Glyer!
To your health indeed, good sir. Also: “à votre santé”, and “prosit”. (The other 6,500 languages will have to wait.)
ZOMG, a hospital?? Those places are full of bacteria and weird smells and craziness. Hope you escape soon! The internet is just not quite the same without you
@JKT,
Thanks for the update. Really good to know that Mike will be out soon.
I hope Sarah Kuhn sends Mike a nice gift or something, cuz I’ll be done with the book by the time Mike gets home. At least the page got stuck on something positive.
Wanted to add late but heartfelt well wishes for your recovery, Mike – sounds like no fun at all but hopefully you’re on the mend and finding some good therapeutic things on the Kindle.
I picked up Heroine Complex on my last trip europewise and it’s now sitting in my flat waiting for me to get back for good tomorrow – the reinforcement from this post is definitely pushing it to the top of the pile!
Feel better, Mike.
@JKT
Thanks for keeping us in the loop.
Get well soon, Mike! We miss you.
Best wishes for a quick recovery Mike
Get well soon, Mike!
Mike, get well! Otherwise we will start composing memes at you or something!
I’m sure he’ll be up and glying again in no time.
Which makes me wonder–how many mikes could a mike glyer gly, if a mike glyer could gly mikes?
Gly, glyer, glyest?
Duh. 770, obvs.
I finished the book and can report it is, in fact, delightful. Funny, charming, geeky, and more moving than I expected.
The cover is a perfect illustration of basically Chapter 1.
From Cassy B:
(I apologize in advance to rhyming purists. Stephen Sondheim, if you’re hanging around, please don’t read this.)
Gly, glyer, glyest
I may be biased
But gly must be glyer before it can be glyest
BigelowT, <applause>
@Lurkertype
Thanks for the book report. Sounds perfect for what I’m holding it for.
Well, the DragonCon ballot is out, and I’m keenly feeling the lack of a post here in which to discuss the nominees. So get well soon Mike!
And the nominees are (no idea why some categories have 6, some have 7, and YA has 8):
1. Best Science Fiction Novel
Agent of the Imperium by Marc Miller
Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie
Raising Caine by Charles E. Gannon
The Life Engineered by J-F Dubeau
Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson
Somewhither: A Tale of the Unwitheriing Realm by John C. Wright
2. Best Fantasy Novel (Including Paranormal)
The Cinder Spires: The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher
Asteroid Made of Dragons by G. Derek Adams
Son of the Black Sword by Larry Correia
Changeling’s Island by Dave Freer
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
Grave Measures by R.R. Virdi
Blood Hound by James Osiris Baldwin
3. Best Young Adult / Middle Grade Novel
Calamity by Brandon Sanderson
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
The Shepherd’s Crown by Terry Pratchett
Changeling’s Island by Dave Freer
Steeplejack by A.J. Hartley
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Updraft by Fran Wilde
Trix and the Faerie Queen by Alethea Kontis
4. Best Military Science Fiction or Fantasy Novel
Chains of Command by Marko Kloos
Allies and Enemies: Fallen by Amy J. Murphy
The Price of Valor by Django Wexler
Blood in the Water by Taylor Anderson
The End of All Things by John Scalzi
Wrath of an Angry God: A Military Space Opera by Gibson Michaels
Hell’s Foundations Quiver by David Weber
5. Best Alternate History Novel
Germanica by Robert Conroy
Deadlands: Ghostwalkers by Jonathan Maberry
1635: A Parcel of Rogues by Eric Flint & Andrew Dennis
League of Dragons by Naomi Novik
1636: The Cardinal Virtues by Eric Flint & Walter H. Hunt
Bombs Away: The Hot War by Harry Turtledove
6. Best Apocalyptic Novel
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
The Desert and the Blade by S.M. Stirling
Chasing Freedom by Marina Fontaine
Dark Age by Felix O. Hartmann
A Time to Die by Mark Wandrey
Ctrl Alt Revolt! by Nick Cole
7. Best Horror Novel
Alice by Christina Henry
Souldancer by Brian Niemeier
Chapelwood by Cherie Priest
Honor at Stake by Declan Finn
Disappearance at Devil’s Rock by Paul Tremblay
An Unattractive Vampire by Jim McDoniel
8. Best Comic Book
Saga
DC Universe: Rebirth
Providence
Astro City
Ms. Marvel
Daredevil
Civil War II
9. Best Graphic Novel
Chicago by Glenn Head
March: Book Two by John Lewis & Andrew Aydin
Sacred Heart by Liz Suburbia
The Sandman: Overture by Neil Gaiman
Killing and Dying by Adrian Tomine
Virgil by Steve Orlando
10. Best Science Fiction or Fantasy TV Series
The Expanse – Syfy
Game of Thrones – HBO
Daredevil – Netflix
Outlander – Starz
Jessica Jones – Netflix
The Flash – CW
Doctor Who – BBC
11. Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Movie
Deadpool
Crimson Peak
Ant-Man
Captain America: Civil War
Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens
The Martian
12. Best Science Fiction or Fantasy PC / Console Game
Overwatch by Blizzard Entertainment
Undertale by Toby Fox
Fallout 4 by Bethesda Softworks
XCOM 2 by 2k Games
Darkest Dungeon by Red Hook Studios
Metal Gear Solid V by Konami Digital Entertainment
13. Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Mobile Game
Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes by Electronic Arts
Fallout Shelter by Bethesda Softworks
PewDiePie: Legend of the Brofist by Outerminds Inc.
Quaser One by Emre Taskin
Hyper Burner by Patrick Cook
14. Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Board Game
Monopoly: CTHULHU by USAopoly
Star Wars: Rebellion by Fantasy Flight Games
Blood Rage by Cool Mini or Not
Codenames by Vlaada Chvatil
Pandemic: Legacy by ZMan Games
Talon by GMT Games
15. Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Miniatures / Collectible Card / Role-Playing Game
Call of Cthulhu Roleplaying Game (7th Edition) by Chaosium Inc.
Deluxe Tunnels & Trolls by Flying Buffalo
Mousguard 2nd Edition by David Petersen & Luke Crane
Magic the Gathering: Shadows over Innistrad by Wizards of the Coast
Magic the Gathering: Battle of Zendikar by Wizards of the Coast
Star Wars: Armada by Fantasy Flight Games
—-
Do I spy some pup favorites?
@Elusis: Thanks for the award info!
@Elusis: There’s some ongoing discussion in the August 1 Pixel Scroll thread.
I am about halfway through the book at this point and enjoying it rather a lot :-). Having had a difficult friend or two myself (and perhaps having been a difficult friend a time or two) I can sympathize with the protagonist. Looking forward to the rest of it.
@Bartimaeus – that’s a very long thread. Can you point to any comment links about where discussion starts?
@Elusis: https://file770.com/?p=30387&cpage=13#comment-466705
I bought this book at MAC2. ^^
Having now finished the book, I enjoyed it quite a bit. Not quite 5 stars but a very strong 4.
I also forgot that I had bought a paper copy while in Portland and mailed it to myself. Since my local public library is looking for donations of books for the recently-expanded shelves, I know what I will be doing with the extra copy.
We need a conspiracy theory blaming Mike’s illness on a plot by Sarah Kuhn, based purely on cui bono.