Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

This is a Buddy read for Hell's Super by Mark Cain starting on February 4, 2025.


Happy Reading!

Thank you!

First Omnibus's worth has been scheduled:
1. Hell's Super (Feb 4)
2. A Cold Day In Hell (Mar 4) [link]
3. Deal With The Devil (Apr 4) [link]
4. The Reluctant Demon (May 4) [link]
---not requested yet---
5. I'm No Angel (Jun 4)
6. Beelzebub: A Memoir (Jul 4)
7. Saint Peter Takes a Holiday, or It’s About Time (Aug 4)
8. The League of Unusual Denizens (Sept 4)
9. A Room of Steve's Own, or Give Us Some Space! (Oct 4)
10. Bringing Up Baby in Hell, or What's the Matter? (Nov 4)
11. Hurt of Darkness, or Lighten Up! (Dec 4)

1-4 and 5-8 have audible omnibuses.

I was never gonna give this series another try, but you lured me in with omnibuses...

They're on KU, and the whispersync prince is 2.66... so I just got #1-8 for $5.32...

Which is wild, considering the regular single book editions are whispersync priced for 7.49 like normal...

This is the Feb choice for one of my local book clubs, and it sounded kinda cozy.

I liked book 1, but struggled to get into book 2 as more of the same, from my 2021 review... maybe with buddies that'll change...

My neighbor said that the quality of the books fluctuate, but she really enjoyed the different historical characters who end up in Hell, and the later books are her favorites.

Started this, as have book club on Friday. It started a bit slow, but it's been growing on me as the world building continues and we meet more characters. For some reason, it's reminding me a bit of the Marla Mason books--maybe with the level of grayness and humor? Through Chapter 6 and it's scared a few snorts out of me. (view spoiler)[It's also interesting how the book sneaks in little history lessons with all the characters. I've been happy with how many references I get so far. I love that Florence Nightingale decided to do good in Hell rather than continue on to Heaven, and how she loves pie charts. Every time Boo takes someone on a ride also gets a snort out of me for some reason. AAAAaaaaAAAA!

I'm hoping that the third person sent to work on the escalator is Nicola Tesla. (hide spoiler)]

Also noticed that the chapters on Audible omnibus are off by one number. Chapter 7 is actually Chapter 6.

I too was seduced by the cheap omnibuses plus I am in good shape with my reading presently so I'll start this one after I finish the Lockwood & Co book I started this morning :)

Started my re-read... I haven't read books 2-8+ before...

This is a real "the author can do whatever he wants" series... you have a basic premise, and then all the excuse you need to mention famous dead people and demons, and do things with them... right from the get-go, too, with Orson Wells...

Hah, I totally see that. Finished yesterday, and it was a pretty fun stroll, though I do have some serious issues (view spoiler)[mainly with the treatment of Flo. First turning her into a sex-hungry stereotypical virgin, then sex-shaming her with public porno. Sure, it's supposed to be Hell, and I can see the logic behind Satan's argument, but that was a pretty egregious and shallow move in my opinion.

I liked all the historical characters, but my favorite was Boo, who is a very good boy. I loved seeing the MC earn his trust, and how they became a good team. I wish I knew more about the Thee Stooges, so that that end reveal could have hit harder. (hide spoiler)]

I finished last night and it was what I expected. (view spoiler)[I agree with Nirkatze about Flo but I love that she is not allowing that to deter her from continuing to help people. I loved seeing all of the historical figures but I take issue with the fact he portrayed the Dewey Decimal guy as nice when he was a raging racist, anti-Semite and misogynist. Overall quick read and I'd be interested in the next since I bought the omnibus lol (hide spoiler)]

I'm interested, mostly since omnibus one is most of the Steve Minion books... 5-11 are mostly about other characters, and quickly devolve into novellas instead of full-length short books... so we get to explore a little...

I feel like you don't need to know much about (view spoiler)[the Three Stooges to enjoy the story?... I was never a big Stooge fan... but I know the hand trick to block eye poke... (hide spoiler)]

I don't know anything about them except their names. ^_^ And even those I get wrong half the time.

We had the book club last night--two back-to-back book clubs, whew! I hosted one from 4-7, then ran next door to my neighbor's from 7-9. Then I collapsed into a puddle and slept for 12 hours. I feel like I could still sleep for a few more, honestly.

Most people thought the book was light and fun, (view spoiler)[and enjoyed all the historic cameos, though some thought the never-ending parade was a bit overdone. Everyone agreed that Boo was a Very Good Boy. Most were also rather annoyed at the treatment of Flo, though more brought up that they thought she was overly naive in the first place. She'd been working in Hell for how long? And was how old when she died? A 90 year old woman working in Hell on charity for a hundred years shouldn't have been such a blushing ingénue. (hide spoiler)]

The neighbor who suggested the book said that Satan gets more depth in later books, that the later books have some that are really funny and some that are just insane. She also said that the whole series follows Steve--I'll have to ask her about what y'all said about the shorts/novellas.

I wasn't aware of what Ann-Marie mentioned about the Dewey Decimal person (view spoiler)[I'm surprised that the author didn't work that in, considering how he worked in Steve's hero-worship turned sour about Eddison and Ford. Maybe Cain just didn't do that much research? (hide spoiler)]

if they're all about Steve, the blurbs stop mentioning it...

Also, maybe they aren't aware of all the books?... book 4's blurb indicates it was designed as a finale... then book 5 happens, which follows Steve, still...

Book 6 is Beelzebub's Memoir... Book 7 is Saint Peter on holiday... Book 8 could include Steve in the ensemble that is the League of Unusual Denizels (LOUD)...

Book 9 is back to Steve for sure, Book 10 is Charon & Lilith adopting a baby in Hell, and book 11, the finale, follows Satan...

Based on the blurbs, anyway...

I am familiar with the 3 Stooges but only in a cursory they did physical comedy that my grandfather enjoyed. Can you even stream it still?

Yea... I was never really a typical kid... so not really into 3 Stooges type of comedy...

I was watching Murder, She Wrote and Matlock by 10 years old :D

Murder, She Wrote was awesome. I want to be Angela Lansbury when I grow up.

TY for that picture! And I'll have to ask her. Maybe she meant that Steve is in all of them, not that they're all Steve MC'd?

I used to watch Murder, She Wrote with my Grandmom! Not Matlock though, she was not a fan of him :)

My mom's favorite show was Lovejoy. ^^

Seems like folks are interested in continuing--so how far should I put in requests for? Through the end of the first omnibus, #4? Through June--#5? More? Assuming folks are good with the 4th monthly?

We can schedule the first 4-5 for now, I'd say...

And I think we should read 1-6 & 8 monthly... but 7 & 9-11 probably only need 2 weeks before we read the next one?... those ones are under 4hrs, instead of being 8-10hrs...

I'll schedule through #4 for now and use Iain as 2nd. We can make decisions on doubling up later...

That works :)

Requests made through #4, will update when links are live.