In his novel Other People’s Heroes, Blake Petit puts together an interesting premise. It’s a combination of the Justice League and the Legion of Doom run by a professional wrestling federation. In the world he created, in Siegel City, there is a cadre of superheroes and super villains except the heroes aren’t always good and the villains aren’t always bad. They play characters much like in pro wrestling with staged rumbles between the good guys and bad guys. Right off the bat, this is a cool concept, which definitely made me what to read more. Josh Corwood is a very ordinary guy who finds out by accident that he has superpowers. His is that he can replicate other people’s powers when in close proximity to them. He’s also a reporter, who when indoctrinated to what’s going on in Siegel City, wants to expose the scam. However, when he befriends some of the heroes, including Miss Sinista, he has a change of heart.

This novel has a very fast pace to it. There is little fluff, which I enjoyed since most novels tend to be overwritten. Petit employs a light style and humor, and never takes his story too seriously. The collection of superheroes in the novel is pretty cool. They don’t necessarily have the typical superpowers found in the Marvel and DC universes. I give Petit an A+ for originality. The writing is also good and the climax explosive. If I were to offer some criticism, the use of humor in spots seems forced and the idea of less is more should have been employed. Also, some of the action sequences, especially at the finale were a little hard to follow. All told, this was a fun novel that I recommend reading.

Carl Alves - author of Reconquest: Mother Earth ( )

Book Title: Other People's Heroes: The Heroes of Siegel City
Author: Blake M. Petit
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 9781463599072
Reviewed By Michele Tater for The Couch Tater Review

I believe that interest in heroes is universal and eternal. ~Norman Spinrad

Joshua Corwood is a “regular” guy in a world filled with super heroes (Capes) and villains (Masks). The only saving grace in his mundane life is the fact that he gets to write about these extraordinary people in a newspaper called Powerlines. He gets to interview them and get their back story to share to the world, well his small corner of the world. Joshua secretly wishes he was a superhero, someone who could save the innocent and be a hero to all. In his pursue of the next big story he discoveries the tale of the millennium. Could everything he knows and ultimately loves about the Capes be a sham? And if it is should he tell others or keep it to himself? The life as Siegel City knows it will be changed forever if the story gets out.

Imagine a comic book story made into a book without pictures...this is the result. Not really heard of right, but it works so well here. I really enjoyed this method because it give the reader the opportunity to use their imagination to picture the characters and events. Each character, even the superheroes and villains, have depth and substance with very human-like personalities including their flaws. I loved the sense of humor sprinkled throughout the book along with the serious story line. A plot like no other keeps the reader engrossed and entertained with the pasting of each page. Recommended to readers of all ages especially lovers of comic books who are willing to see it in a different light and in a whole new way. ( )

Article first published as Book Review: Other People's Heroes by Blake M. Petit on Blogcritics.

Comic books have long been a way to savor our heroes and find those with super human powers that do good in our world. As with most, in order to be successful as a hero, there must also be villains. In Other People’s Heroes by Blake M. Petit, we follow the exploits of a group of heroes and villains known as Capes (superheroes) and Masks (villains).

Ever since being rescued as a young child from a burning building by the superhero Lionheart, Josh Corwood has been enamored of the Capes. His obsession never waned and as he gained adulthood he went into the only profession he could that he felt would bring him close to his idols. Working for Powerlines kept his finger on the pulse of crime, and he could stay in contact with the inevitable conflicts that continued to rise between these two forms of superpowers.
Over time, his hero worship never really dimmed although his favorite hero Lionheart had disappeared in a confrontation with the Mask known as Carnival. When Josh receives an opportunity for an exclusive interview with Dr. Noble, one of the most highly respected of the Capes he is excited. His best friend Sheila is his copy editor at Powerlines and is just as discouraged as he is, by the pompousness experienced during his interview. The one thing though that Josh did find interesting was the rush of power he experienced when he was around Dr. Noble. It was the same feeling he had experienced so many years ago when rescued by Lionheart.

As he experiments with this power with seems to fill him in the presence of both Capes and Masks alike, he realizes that he is capable of becoming one of them and fulfilling is lifelong dream. He soon realizes that everything he believes my not be real. And even as this education initiates, it begins to appear as though there is now an extreme super villain. Can Josh with his new powers along with the other Capes save the day, or will they need more than what they themselves are capable of.

Petit has done an exceptional job of building heroes and villains that are unique and quite true to form from the comic books and cartoons. He has taken this group and built an incredible story around them. Like reading a comic from the beginning issue to the end, it is satisfying and enriching. As with the comic when I was young I could become the hero or the villain, and while they were both incredibly talented, they were not extremely evil. It was fun to make believe because there was always just a bit of good even in the worst of the bunch. However, when real evil enters the fray all bets are off, and it is anyone’s guess who will win and who will lose.

Written with a keen eye it is easy to picture the characters and the places. The story told is exceptional, and if I had pictures with it, I would have felt again as a child as I read the most recent issues of my favorite hero. The thing about comics though is some readers never gave up and have been followers for their whole lives. The true comic lovers are the people I envy even as I read and find myself transported back to a time of real believing.

I would recommend this book for anyone that enjoys action and adventure, and especially those that enjoy comic book heroes. It is fun and absorbing. I found it hard to put down once I began.

This book was received as a free download from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material. ( )