Superhero fiction can be hard to write. Overshadowed by multi-million dollar profit franchises like Marvel and DC, it’s difficult to write something that truly stands out. Tropes and clichés litter the genre, so to create something original you really have to go all out. Which is what Fid’s Crusade does… Turns the genre completely on its head. As one of the finalists for BBNYA 2020, it’s certainly standing out already!
***AD: This post features press samples but all thoughts are my own***
Synopsis
“Rage, grief and guilt have fueled Doctor Fid’s endless quest to punish the unworthy and he has left a long trail of blood and misery in his wake. For more than two decades, the sight of the villain’s powered armor has struck fear into the hearts of hero and civilian alike! But when a personal tragedy motivates Doctor Fid to investigate a crime, he uncovers a plot so heinous that even he is taken aback.
Haunted by painful memories and profound guilt, the veteran supervillain must race against time if he is to have any hope of confronting the approaching threat. Every battle takes its toll…but the stakes are too high for retreat to be an option.
In the end, it may take a villain to save the world from those entrusted with the world’s protection.”
(Taken from Goodreads)
My Review
As I said in the intro, superhero fiction needs originality to get anywhere. And that’s exactly why I wanted to read Fid’s Crusade by David H. Reiss – the plot just stands out. Because instead of following a successful superhero, or a fallen superhero, or something in between, we’re following Doctor Fid. And Doctor Fid is a supervillain.
Writing anti-heroes can be so difficult… How do you create an evil character that the reader will empathise will? The author does this incredibly well though. Fid is strongly developed throughout the book, with all sorts of complex emotional layers. He’s got an intense background story that gives you all the feels, and despite being a supervillain you’re rooting for him the whole way through. Fid is not just some evil guy trying to take down the superheroes of the world… He’s got a strong motive for doing so, and many facets to his personality that makes him surprisingly relatable.
Interesting characters don’t stop at Fid though, with an excellent range of major and minor characters that add to the story. My favourite in particular was Starnyx, Fid’s only friend, and I loved how he showed a different dimension to Fid’s personality. I also loved another character who turns up later on… I can’t say much about her because spoilers, but she was a very curious and fascinating person.
The story reads from Fid’s point of view, which makes sense given his role in the fictional world. This means there are some slower parts of the book which take place in between the action, but I felt on the whole it had good pacing and I never found myself bored or wanting to skip parts. The slower parts, whilst mostly monologues, gave interesting insights into Fid and the world around him. I especially liked the past events, and the way the author weaves into the present-day text.
Although I’m usually not about big battles in superhero fiction (or any media, to be honest), I found these scenes gripping in Fid’s Crusade. Sometimes in fiction I find they’re either too drawn out or not described well enough to develop a good enough picture in my mind. Here, however, they were exactly the opposite. Fast-paced and well-illustrated, each scene truly captivated me. It felt like I was really seeing them happen, so credit to the author there for really bringing them to life.
Final Thoughts
Out of all the books I judged for BBNYA 2020, Fid’s Crusade was my absolute favourite. It came second in the end, beaten only by a book I hadn’t read. I just couldn’t believe the quality of it as I read, and the story kept me gripped until the very end.
Fid’s Crusade is the first in the series of three books within The Chronicles Of Fid. I 100% will be reading the rest of them and I’m so excited to move onto the second one… With its brilliant main character and strong worldbuilding, Fid’s Crusade is easily the best novel I’ve read within superhero fiction.
Purchase Links
If you’d like to purchase your own copy of Fid’s Crusade by David H. Reiss then you can do so here:
Fid’s Crusade by David H. Reiss – Amazon UK
Fid’s Crusade by David H. Reiss – Amazon US
Author Bio
“While growing up, David was that weird kid with his nose in a book and his head in the clouds. He was the table-top role-playing game geek, the comic-book nerd, the story-teller and dreamer.
Fortunately, he hasn’t changed much.
David is a software engineer by trade and a long-time sci-fi and fantasy devotee by passion, and he lives in Silicon Valley with his partner of twenty-eight years. Until recently, he also shared his life with a disturbingly spoiled cat named Freya.
(Farewell, little huntress. You were loved. You are missed.)
Fear not…Two new kittens have since crept into the household and are working tirelessly to repair the hole left in the author’s heart.
David’s first trilogy, the Chronicles of Fid, has just recently been completed; these were his first novel-length projects, but they certainly won’t be his last—he’s having far too much fun!”
(Provided by author)
BBNYA
I received this book to read and review as part of the BBNYA 2020 competition organised by the @The_WriteReads tours team. All opinions are my own, unbiased and honest. BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors.
If you are an author and wish to learn more about the 2021 BBNYA competition, you can visit the official website (https://www.bbnya.com/) or our Twitter account, @BBNYA_Official. If you would like to sign-up and enter your book, you can find the BBNYA 2021 AUTHOR SIGN UP FORM HERE. Please make sure to carefully read our terms and conditions before entering.
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What’s something that you love seeing in superhero fiction? Do you prefer classic plots or books like this one that turn the genre on its head? Comment below, and don’t forget to like and pin if you enjoyed this review! You can read some other fiction reviews here:
Specter by Katie Jane Gallagher – YA Mystery Novel With A Paranormal Twist
Human Kind by Anton Eine – Thought-Provoking & Unconventional Collection Of Sci-Fi Short Stories
Amazing review! I am so glad you enjoyed it this much and I loved reading your thoughts.