Finished The Unhandsome Prince by John Moore. I’ve read some of Moore’s light-hearted fantasies before, so when I saw this one at the used bookstore, I snatched it up.

In this book, Caroline, a very determined peasant girl, has spent weeks systematically catching frogs and kissing them in hopes of returning a handsome prince to his original form (he was enchanted by an angry sorceress). She finally succeeds and ends up with Hal, who’s everything a prince should be — except handsome. Hal’s cute, but not cute enough for Caroline, so the two of them go to Hal’s kingdom so she can meet his brothers, who are much more handsome than he is. Also accompanying them is Emily, a magical apprentice who has a thing for Hal. Along the way, the trio meets Rapunzel and Rumplestiltskin, among other folks. There are sword fights, riots, and a wheel that can spin hair into gold.

Moore writes what I would consider to be fairy tale spoofs. He takes common fairy tales and myths and turns them on their head, and The Unhandsome Prince is no different. The humor is very wry and tongue-in-cheek. Moore doesn’t take himself too seriously, which is something I always appreciate.

If you’re looking for a light, fun, quick read, you’ll probably enjoy this one or one of Moore’s other books, like A Fate Worse Than Dragons. I did. Thumbs up.

Up next: Atlantis Awakening by Alyssa Day.

Books in my TBR pile: About 14.

A thought: On a side note, it is just me or are several of the Ace Books usually shorter than those published by other fantasy lines? This one was less than 300 pages. I believe Patricia Briggs is one of their authors too, and her books are usually right at 300 pages or a little less. I’m wondering if the line’s word count is only 90,000 words instead of 100,000. Anyone know?

Finished Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman. This is a superhero book that came out about the same time as Karma Girl did last year. For much more on Invincible, check out Girls Read Comics. Karen Healey did an interview with Grossman last year. You can find it in the archives.

This book is about Doctor Impossible, a supervillain who escapes from prison and tries to take over the world (for about the 13th time), and Fatale, a female human/cyborg who becomes part of the superhero team the New Champions in order to stop Impossible. The book alternates between the two of them. One chapter is from Impossible’s first-person point of view; the next is from Fatale’s first-person POV; and so on and so forth.

It’s a little confusing at first, but it really works well toward the end of the book. And like my significant other, Wheezley, said, it feels like you’re getting two books in one because of the different narrators.

This is a really, really interesting book. Grossman has an easy-to-read style (no matter who’s narrating) that sucks you in. The different POVs make the book a sort of chess game, as you see what Impossible’s doing and how Fatale and the other heroes are countering him. The plot moves along at a brisk pace, and Grossman really makes you believe in his world and how commonplace the heroes/villains are. There’s also an index in the back of the various characters, which helps keep everyone straight.

But what really struck me about the novel is how sad it is. One scene that illustrates this is when Fatale is spying on the other heroes as they get ready for bed. One has to take over a dozen pills; another has back problems; one pops painkillers just to keep going; and so on and so forth. Fatale muses about how heroes have their problems just like everyone else.

Then, there are Fatale and Impossible themselves. Impossible’s a villain because he never fit in anywhere. Fatale became a cyborg, and now she doesn’t fit in either. Neither one complains about things, but there’s a sad undertone to their narration. A longing for acceptance that I think is the major theme of the book — along with the endless cycle of battles, triumphs, and breakups between villains and heroes.

I did have a few quibbles with the book. There were several places in the book where I wasn’t sure who was talking and/or who was being referred to. Too many he’s and she’s and not enough names. It happened enough times to make me really notice it.

Also, there wasn’t nearly as much resolution at the end as I would have liked. (Maybe this is because he’s writing a sequel? Does anyone know?) For example, toward the end, Fatale finds out that she’s actually one of Impossible’s creations. You’d think she’d ask him some questions about that. Instead, she punches him and that’s about it. Impossible doesn’t even tell us why he made Fatale during his narration. Again, something I would have liked to know.

There’s also a fairy warrior named Elphin. I sort of got the idea she disappeared or went back to fairyland at the end, but it’s not really confirmed. I would have liked to have known one way or the other.

Still, if you’re a superhero fan, you’ll probably enjoy this book. The story is interesting, and Grossman leaves you with a lot to think about afterward. Thumbs up.

Up next: The Unhandsome Prince by John Moore.

Books in my TBR pile: About 15.