Dear Reader, Love David H. Reiss

Dear Reader…

When I was a kid, I was a voracious reader of sci-fi and fantasy. I devoured Tolkien and Burroughs and Bradbury and Asimov and Heinlein and Niven and Clarke and Norton and so many more. But also…I loved superhero comics.

I loved the pageantry, the epic scale of superpowered battles, the bright costumes and complicated histories. I loved the bigger-than-life personalities and the ideals that drove so many iconic heroes to stand up and fight for what they believed in. There were tales of exciting action, of brilliant victories, and always the threat of devastating defeats.

There were elements of escapism in many of those stories, of fantastical wish-fulfillment and hero worship…but there was one thing that I learned early on: The most memorable tales were never about who had the most impressive powers. The best stories were always about the human beings behind the colorful masks.

The arachnid from Queens wasn’t compelling because he could stick to walls or throw cars around. He was compelling because the person under the costume was an awkward, nerdy kid struggling with the same insecurities as any other teenager. The very human challenges faced by the bespectacled reporter from Smallville were what made the flying Kryptonian relatable.

Here’s one that I remember very clearly. I was a bullied, lonely, and depressed kid when New Mutants Vol 1, Issue #45 came out. That issue didn’t have any costumed villains to defeat, nor did it have any aliens dropping from the skies to take over the Earth. It was a story about a high school dance…and a bullied, lonely and depressed kid named Larry Bodine. I’m not going to give any spoilers. I’m just going to say that I developed a very healthy respect for the broad range and emotional power of narratives that could be told within the framework of superheroic fiction.

And as such, I felt completely comfortable in my decision to explore the genre from a somewhat oblique angle.

Fid’s Crusade isn’t the story of a hero. It’s the story of a supervillain.

There are epic superpowered battles, and bright costumes, and complicated histories, and bigger-than-life personalities to be found within the novel. But in the end, Fid’s Crusade is the story of the very human person trapped behind the supervillain’s mask. It’s about pain, and grief, and hatred, and guilt. And, hopefully, about healing.

I hope that you enjoy it,

-         David H. Reiss

About the Author

While growing up, David H. Reiss 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-six years. Until recently, he also shared his life with a disturbingly spoiled cat named Freya.

(Farewell, little huntress. You were loved. You are missed.)

David's first book, Fid's Crusade, has just recently been published; this was his first novel-length project, but it certainly won't be his last—he's having far too much fun!

Website Link: https://www.davidhreiss.com

Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/davidhreiss

Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/davidhreiss

About the Book:

Title: FID’S CRUSADE
Author: David H. Reiss
Publisher: Atian Press
Pages: 365
Genre: Scifi/Contemporary Fantasy

BOOK BLURB:

Consumed by grief, rage, and self-loathing, a brilliant inventor rebuilt himself to take on a new identity: the powered-armor-wearing supervillain, Doctor Fid. For twenty violent years, Fid has continued his quest to punish heroes who he considers to be unworthy of their accolades, and the Doctor has left a long trail of blood and misery in his wake. After a personal tragedy, however, Doctor Fid investigates a crime and uncovers a conspiracy so terrible that even he is taken aback.

Haunted by painful memories and profound guilt, the veteran supervillain must risk everything to save the world that he once sought to terrorize. 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 entire Earth from those entrusted with the Earth’s protection.

Praise:

"Fid's Crusade by David H. Reiss is one of the most refreshing and lively takes on the superhero genre I've seen in years. His title character's crusade is colorful, compelling, and takes wonderfully unexpected turns, and the novel delivers an impressive emotional punch (to go along with the super-powered ones). It stands easily alongside other character-driven superhero novels like Austin Grossman's Soon I Will Be Invincible, Carrie Vaughn's After the Golden Age, and Paul Tobin's Prepare to Die!." - Hugo award-winning author Tim Pratt

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C92PMDH