Fid’s Crusade (The Chronicles of Fid Book 1) by David H. Reiss

With the current saturation of superhero stories in films and television, Fid’s Crusade offers a fresh perspective on the genre.

Terry Markham is a Bruce Wayne-ish character who runs a company that creates and develops technologies that are used to help those in need. Under that guise, however, Terry Markham moonlights as Dr. Fid – a kitted-out supervillain who despairs at how the world treats superheros, despite their frequent failures.

The novel is immediately engaging because it feels like Dr. Fid is talking directly to the reader, as if in a diary – a personal touch that is often missing from action-driven films. Fid’s unique perspective is fresh and inviting – offering not just a critique of superheros in the world of this novel, but the whole genre.

The downside of this narrative style is that some moments are told, rather than shown, through Fid’s voice. There is also a distinct lack of forward momentum in the beginning of the book. This is tempered by world-building detail and plentiful fight scenes, though the action may be a bit heavy on detail as well.

Overall, Fid’s Crusade is an entertaining read because of its cynical – yet optimistic – lead character, and an innovative superhero universe all its own. It’s tough to create an original perspective on superheros, but Reiss has done so here, establishing an entertaining and multi-faceted character in Dr. Fid, and a solid foundation for a new series.