Official Review: Fid's Crusade by David H. Reiss
Authors and publishers are not able to post replies in the review topics.
- Erin Dydek
- Book of the Month Participant
- Posts: 1058
- Joined: 20 May 2019, 19:07
- Favorite Book: Shadowborn
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 328
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-erin-dydek.html
- Latest Review: Northern Umbrage by Dennis Lorenz Ph.D.
Official Review: Fid's Crusade by David H. Reiss
"Someone needed to remind the public that, beneath their colorful costumes and flashy powers, their idols were only human. Someone needed to remind the cape and cowl set that they could--no, should!--aspire to be something more." --from Fid's Crusade
Enter Doctor Fid: he's the notorious supervillain who has made it his mission to knock heroes undeserving of the title down a notch. While his methods involve a certain edge of madness, Fid still holds to a set of standards—he wasn't always a monster, after all. Before the tragedy, he was Terrance Markham, MIT professor, ordinary but genius. But unable to ignore the negligence of the world's so-called heroes, he takes it upon himself to hold the worshiped idols accountable for their less-than-noble deeds.
As he carries out his mission, he uncovers an even greater deception among those the world looks up to in times of peril. An alien refugee camp hides a secret that cannot be ignored. Driven to make the guilty party pay, Fid must "be loud" for the truth to be revealed; but will his madness be the key to saving the day, or merely the means by which it is destroyed?
Fid's Crusade, by David H. Reiss, is a science fiction novel set in near-future earth where villains and heroes play an active role in day-to-day life. Fid tells the story from his perspective with charisma and biting humor and reveals that there is more to a supervillain than a faceless suit of powered armor.
I loved the depth and details Reiss used to construct the backstory for Doctor Fid. The author went to great lengths to allow the reader to dive deep into the inner workings in Fid's mind. It was amazing to witness the thoughts and emotions hidden behind the mask, and I also enjoyed Terrance Markham's assessment of the motives and behaviors of Fid. It was fascinating to see the dynamics of maintaining a double life. From managing his finances, secret projects, and upgrading his armor, Reiss uses technical language and reveals the pure genius of Markham/Fid, while giving him a confident, theatrical side with a flair for showmanship and monologues.
Reiss also created a complex network of villains and heroes for Doctor Fid to exist within. Throughout the book, we see Fid come up against his familiar rivals, the Guardians and the Boston Knights, as well as the occasional interaction with rouge villains who enter Fid's territory unannounced. The author also included various minor heroes and villains to create a sort of long-standing history that added even more depth to the story.
Although I did find almost ten errors, the book is so well-developed and enjoyable to read that I find it hard to justify taking off a star. "Like the old adage says: if you want to make an omelet, you have to crack a few legs" (Reiss). The errors I found were minor and did not distract from the credibility of the book. This character-driven story was hard to put down, and I was eager to learn more about Fid as Reiss allows the reader to decide if Fid is a man or a monster. Therefore, I gladly give Fid's Crusade a 4 out of 4.
With very mild profanity, no sexual content, and mild battle violence, this book is fit for teens and adults. I never felt like the author added gruesome or disturbing information for shock value, and instead kept the book engaging, creative, and thought-provoking. Fans of superhero/villain stories will enjoy the technical genius of Doctor Fid, his origin story, and growth. As for me, I look forward to reading book two and three of the completed series. But if a trilogy is not your cup of tea, this book has a complete arc with a satisfying ending (no cliffhangers), so it can be read as a standalone novel.
******
Fid's Crusade
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
- hasincla
- Posts: 224
- Joined: 04 Feb 2020, 09:00
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 50
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-hasincla.html
- Latest Review: Fortune Cats with Full Tummies by Dave Hutchinson
-
- Posts: 586
- Joined: 15 Apr 2020, 09:24
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 119
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-jko.html
- Latest Review: 7 Ways To Manage Pain With CBD by David Anthony Schroeder
- snowbear
- Posts: 139
- Joined: 05 Apr 2020, 05:44
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 16
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-snowbear.html
- Latest Review: What am I by stephen Thiele
-
- Posts: 140
- Joined: 13 Mar 2019, 03:21
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 16
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-adamgreenrock.html
- Latest Review: Away To Me, My Love by Naomi McDonald
- spencermack
- Posts: 596
- Joined: 06 Feb 2019, 16:37
- Favorite Book: A Loaf Of Bread
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 46
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-spencermack.html
- Latest Review: Love, Grandma by Ann Morris
- Reading Device: B00JG8GOWU
-
- Posts: 126
- Joined: 20 Apr 2020, 04:43
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 12
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-nujudee.html
- Latest Review: Masters and Bastards by Christopher J. Penington
Nice review.
- Adanna Inya
- Posts: 1106
- Joined: 18 Apr 2020, 14:00
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 46
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-adanna-inya.html
- Latest Review: The Ripsons by Joe v morrow
-
- Posts: 1617
- Joined: 08 Dec 2018, 16:37
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 385
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-mbrooks2518.html
- Latest Review: The Portal by Russell Cederberg
-
- Posts: 410
- Joined: 16 Mar 2020, 15:26
- Currently Reading: Be the Change: The Future is in Your Hands
- Bookshelf Size: 73
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-laurina-olowo.html
- Latest Review: Mister Pushkin Sees The Light by AC Michael
- Amberlily
- Posts: 128
- Joined: 06 Dec 2017, 16:34
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 12
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-amberlily.html
- Latest Review: Homecoming: The Unari Experiment Book 1 by Brian L. Harad
- NetMassimo
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 6557
- Joined: 24 Jul 2019, 06:37
- Currently Reading: The Ripsons
- Bookshelf Size: 416
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-netmassimo.html
- Latest Review: Three Bullets by Charles Alexander
- 2024 Reading Goal: 60
- 2024 Goal Completion: 23%
Massimo
-
- Posts: 346
- Joined: 20 Apr 2020, 04:09
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 14
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kachi-ejiogu.html
- Latest Review: The Reel Sisters by Michelle Cummings
- AvidBibliophile
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 2679
- Joined: 30 Aug 2019, 12:53
- Currently Reading: Gold Digger
- Bookshelf Size: 480
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-avidbibliophile.html
- Latest Review: How I Became Santa Clause by Chris Kringle
- Damis Seres Rodriguez
- Posts: 528
- Joined: 17 Feb 2020, 14:34
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 46
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-damis.html
- Latest Review: Cynthia and Dan by Dorothy May Mercer