A Once Crowded Sky - by Tom King (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

This critically acclaimed and inspired debut novel brings to life a universe of superheroes stripped of their powers and forced to confront danger in a world without heroes--save one.

A tour de force debut novel from a former CIA counterterrorism officer, A Once Crowded Sky fuses bombastic, comic-book-style storytelling with modern literary fiction. Supermen stripped of their powers must wrestle danger in a world without heroes.

Review Quotes

"A fascinating concept...it kept me spellbound from page 1 right to the end."-- "Popcornreads.com"

"A good and quick read for anyone looking to enjoy some good fiction...even if you aren't into comics whatsoever you can enjoy this book."-- "Moarpowah.com"

"A more literary - and literate - novel, making effective use of the present tense to add urgency to the tale, and creates characters that are agreeably complex. 'A Once Crowded Sky' also benefits from the black-and-white comic book-style illustrations by Tom Fowler that help readers visualize these unfamiliar heroes."--Tulsa World

"An exciting post-millennial conflict allegory, which echoes the terror of Alan Moore's writing for Watchmen while sidestepping out of its shadow. "--The A.V. Club

"An original, assured debut . . . Impossible to put down."--Library Journal

"Beyond postmodern, complex in conception . . . relevant to the graphic-novel, video-gaming generation."--Kirkus Reviews

"Everything we love about comics -- origin tales, a worthy villain, team-ups...conspiracies, super technology, disgraced heroes, redeemed villains -- it's all here. And it's a fun read."--Wired.com

"In a summer swimming in comic book inspired blockbusters, perhaps the most visionary tale in a generation won't be found in either a multiplex or the local comic book shop but rather nestled in the shelves of your local book retailer."--Fandompost.com

"King presents us with a story that subtly questions our ideas of humanity and heroism. The tale moves quickly and fluidly... an incredible page-turner."--The Charleston Post and Courier

"King's story revolves around the only superpowered hero left in the world--the one who stayed behind with his wife when all the others sacrificed themselves to save the world. As a strange new violent terrorism begins destroying parts of cities at random, PenUltimate needs to decide whether he wants to be a hero again...an enjoyable postmodern superhero story."-- "Washington City Paper"

"Masterfully developed, incorporating versions of the archetypal superhero into a fantastic modern prose story. I loved the author's entertaining writing, the occasional humor, and the connections to myth, history, and literature. I breezed through a lot of the book, not wanting to put down such a well-written, epic fantasy story. By the way, I don't think I've ever read a comic book in my life..."-- "SusieBookworm"

"Ultimately a story of wonder, and of redemption. . . . At its core, this is a story about humanity, told from the perspective of simultaneously the most and the least human of us all."--Spencer Daily Reporter, IA