- Paperback: 304 pages
- Publisher: Penguin (5 Jun 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0141030771
- ISBN-13: 978-0141030777
- Product Dimensions: 20 x 13 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 87,828 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
Soon I Will be Invincible
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Product Description
Wired
Every comic-book cliche in this witty, stunning debut is lovingly embraced, then turned inside out'
Douglas Coupland
'Grossman has a superpower himself - it's called writing . . . winning, smart and funny . . . terrific'
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Grossman very carefully avoids parody or mockery of the superhero genre itself, or of its central tropes. This is a good thing. Instead he gives us a psychoanalasys of the stock characters. What drives a man to turn his genius to evil?
The story's two lead characters, Doctor Impossible (Villain) and Fatale (Heroine) are wonderfully self-aware and often second guess their own motivations. The former, having been imprisoned twelve times for twelve different world-domination schemes seems in little doubt that he will fail again. In fact, he seems to take it for granted while still lying to himself - surely, this time he must win? No, and he knows it. Doctor Impossible does what he does simply because he must. He at once strives to live up to society's expectations of a supervillain, while at the same time belittling those expectations.
Fatale, the cyborg superheroine protagonist exists in a state of uncertainty between the paragons of the superheroing golden age and her self-defined rust age reality. She doesn't seem to believe that either is real, but they're all she has to define her world. Again, the character lies to herself while fully acknowledging the facts.
This is one of those rare books that's precisely as deep as the reader wishes - it can be a throwaway pulp adventure story or a thought-provoking study of satre-esque philosophy.
The story's two lead characters, Doctor Impossible (Villain) and Fatale (Heroine) are wonderfully self-aware and often second guess their own motivations. The former, having been imprisoned twelve times for twelve different world-domination schemes seems in little doubt that he will fail again. In fact, he seems to take it for granted while still lying to himself - surely, this time he must win? No, and he knows it. Doctor Impossible does what he does simply because he must. He at once strives to live up to society's expectations of a supervillain, while at the same time belittling those expectations.
Fatale, the cyborg superheroine protagonist exists in a state of uncertainty between the paragons of the superheroing golden age and her self-defined rust age reality. She doesn't seem to believe that either is real, but they're all she has to define her world. Again, the character lies to herself while fully acknowledging the facts.
This is one of those rare books that's precisely as deep as the reader wishes - it can be a throwaway pulp adventure story or a thought-provoking study of satre-esque philosophy.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is fantastic. Doctor Impossible is an evil genius bravely trying to take over the world whilst being thwarted by a pesky superteam.
Starting with Doctor Impossible in prison pondering his life and wondering whether he should have taken a path of scientific research rather than trying to take over the world, the story follows him through the implementation of his latest scheme. First he's got to raise capital to fund his new idea, which means such indignities as having to travel by bus and get changed into his villain costume in the bushes so he can make an entrance.
Meanwhile, a rookie cyborg is given a chance to join a reformed super-team who are out to thwart Doctor Impossible's evil plan.
If you're a fan of comic books or superhero stories in general then you will love this book - the narrative points out the absurdities of the superhero world, whilst making it all believable.
Starting with Doctor Impossible in prison pondering his life and wondering whether he should have taken a path of scientific research rather than trying to take over the world, the story follows him through the implementation of his latest scheme. First he's got to raise capital to fund his new idea, which means such indignities as having to travel by bus and get changed into his villain costume in the bushes so he can make an entrance.
Meanwhile, a rookie cyborg is given a chance to join a reformed super-team who are out to thwart Doctor Impossible's evil plan.
If you're a fan of comic books or superhero stories in general then you will love this book - the narrative points out the absurdities of the superhero world, whilst making it all believable.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Austin Grossman's "Soon I Will Be Invincible" (whose title really should have an exclamation mark at the end) is a witty and wonderful labour of love, a deeply-affectionate tribute to the comic-book worlds created by Marvel and DC, with added psychological depth.
Grossman's tale alternates between the stories of Doctor Impossible - a criminal mastermind who has done everything from travelling through time to suborning gods in his (failed) attempts to take over the world (and incidentally get one over on the oh-so-perfect college jock he accidentally turned into the world's greatest superhero, Corefire) - and Fatale, a down-on-her-luck cyborg with a mysterious past who suddenly finds herself a member of the world's greatest Superteam, The Champions. With Corefire missing, the not-so-good Doctor plans his most outrageous scheme yet, sure that this time he will finally take over the world, only The Champions stand in his way.
On the way through this conventional comic-book plot, Grossman takes time to ask and answer some of those questions that even the youngest comic-book readers can find themselves pondering: why do these super-intelligent scientists so often turn to evil, why do they fight on even in the face of perpetual failure and do they really do their own clothes-designing? Mixed in among the musings and super-powered maulings are fanboy-pleasing nods to everyone from Batman and Superman to Wolverine and Doctor Strange plus an array of supervillains old and young.
A funny and fun-filled book, with all the wit one might expect from a former member of Looking Glass Studios, the team that worked on classic video games such as Ultima Underworld, Deus Ex, Thief and System Shock.
Grossman's tale alternates between the stories of Doctor Impossible - a criminal mastermind who has done everything from travelling through time to suborning gods in his (failed) attempts to take over the world (and incidentally get one over on the oh-so-perfect college jock he accidentally turned into the world's greatest superhero, Corefire) - and Fatale, a down-on-her-luck cyborg with a mysterious past who suddenly finds herself a member of the world's greatest Superteam, The Champions. With Corefire missing, the not-so-good Doctor plans his most outrageous scheme yet, sure that this time he will finally take over the world, only The Champions stand in his way.
On the way through this conventional comic-book plot, Grossman takes time to ask and answer some of those questions that even the youngest comic-book readers can find themselves pondering: why do these super-intelligent scientists so often turn to evil, why do they fight on even in the face of perpetual failure and do they really do their own clothes-designing? Mixed in among the musings and super-powered maulings are fanboy-pleasing nods to everyone from Batman and Superman to Wolverine and Doctor Strange plus an array of supervillains old and young.
A funny and fun-filled book, with all the wit one might expect from a former member of Looking Glass Studios, the team that worked on classic video games such as Ultima Underworld, Deus Ex, Thief and System Shock.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
One of the best superhero books, written from a villains viewpoint
The books starts off great. A super villain, Doctor Impossible, is in a high security prison, is thinking of his life, and what it takes to survive. Read more
Published 20 days ago by Shantnu Tiwari
A lot of fun
I loved this book, it's what got me interested into the whole superhero genre.
Characters - 5/5 Soon I Will Be Invincible has a killer cast of characters. Read more
Characters - 5/5 Soon I Will Be Invincible has a killer cast of characters. Read more
Published 1 month ago by FF7
Not a new idea, but not a bad effort
Soon I will be Invincible is the story of a a supervillain Doctor Impossible and his ongoing quest to become well, invincible. Read more
Published 3 months ago by latepaul
Run, don't walk, to the nearest book shop to buy this...
If you haven't read this book as yet, and you are a fan of comic books/superhero ripping yarns, then run, don't walk, but run to your nearest purveyor of quality books because you... Read more
Published 3 months ago by V G Harwood
The geek shall conquer the Earth
Writing about superheroes is a difficult proposition. They are so suited to the visual medium, that conveying the sense of wonder that goes with the genre in prose is a great... Read more
Published on 19 Mar 2009 by S. Bentley
Subversive Pastiche or Cheap Imitation?
'Soon I will be Invincible' is the product of an admirable idea, the graphic novel in prose format. But does it work? Read more
Published on 24 Aug 2008 by Quicksilver
Curses, foiled again!
This is a book that never quite recovers from its own terrific start:
"This morning on planet Earth, there are 1,686 enhanced, gifted, or otherwise superpowered persons. Read more
"This morning on planet Earth, there are 1,686 enhanced, gifted, or otherwise superpowered persons. Read more
Published on 1 July 2008 by Torgo
A comicbook tale with literary flare!
I have really enjoyed reading this book. Being a long-term fan of the comic genre, Grossman's book made a well-written alternative. Read more
Published on 27 Jun 2008 by Kenn
Invincible reading
The best book I have read in a long time. Absolutely superb - couldn't put it down.
Can't wait for the sequel.
Can't wait for the sequel.
Published on 22 May 2008 by S. Austin
Absolutely fantastic, one of my favourite books
I bought this book because I'm a fan of comic books and wanted to see how the concept could be done in novelisation form, I've read Batman No Man's Land, the novel as well as the... Read more
Published on 7 Feb 2008 by L. Young
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