After the Golden Age by Carrie Vaughn


An entertaining superhero story with a twist

Published 2011 by Tor.

Imagine if your parents were both legendary superheroes and you have no super powers at all. In fact, the closest you have come to being physically heroic is winning a silver medal at a high school swim meet.They have been "outed" and everyone knows them by their regular identities and as superheroes and you are a frequent target of various supercriminals who kidnap you to try to influence your parents. It happens so often that it would be funny if it wasn't interrupting your attempt to blend in, be normal and succeed in your career as an accountant.

Carrie Vaughn
That's the premise of After the Golden Age, a book that promises a superhero story with a twist and delivers. Celia West is a promising young accountant whose parents are the larger-than-life superhero duo of Captain Olympus and Spark. He's a Superman knock off with the nasty attitude and wealth of Batman. She creates fire at will. They have founded Commerce City's version of the Justice League. They are legends. They are beloved. They are just so-so parents and Celia has major issues with her parents.

Celia has tried to distance herself from her parents but the trial of a supercriminal has demanded her skills as a forensic accountant. As she digs and digs in the records of the case she may have discovered information that no one wants disclosed about the origins of both the superheroes and the supercriminals as her love life heats up, a new type of crime wave is sweeping the city and the mayor begins a crackdown on the vigilante-ism of the superheroes.

I rate this book 5 stars out of 5.

Reviewed on October 4, 2011.

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