ORDER A COPY: How to Date a Henchman
Publisher: Carina Press
Publishing Date: September 3, 2012
eBook: 81 pages
Rating: 3 stars
Gina Hall is a college dropout with big dreams. Working as the receptionist at EnClo Corp isn’t one of them, but she needs the paycheck, and she amuses herself by speculating what the mysterious company actually does. She’s even more intrigued when the owner arrives, bringing with him a very attractive man named Burke.
Burke’s job is more deadly than dead-end: as head henchman for Gina’s boss, aka supervillain Static, he makes sure his boss doesn’t end up in jail—or worse. But Static’s latest scheme is way more legitimate than either of them are used to. This time they have a real office—with a smart, sexy receptionist.
Unfortunately, Gina isn’t the only one curious about EnClo Corp’s business. When a superhero starts sniffing around, he proves to be less than heroic, and the lines between good and evil blur. Only Gina and Burke can foil his investigation…provided they can keep their hands off each other long enough to save the day.
THOUGHTS:
The colorful cover and interesting title caught my attention on this very short, short-story by Mari Fee. It was a clever concept of not only bringing to life the superhero comics, but she also twists it by making the super-villains persecuted by the twisted, self-important superheros. By setting it in Canada where the superheros are considered vigilantes rather then in the U.S. who worships the superheros and give them big contracts for commercials, etc., it gives a believable feel to the superheros being pompous and it adds a way to protect our henchman-hero.
I would say that this was a fun and original storyline and a quick break from my usual reading list. It was short at only 80 pages, but you probably would be bored with the premise if it was much longer. It was not a must have story, but it worked as a quick and novel diversion.
Favorite Scene:
No. Down, girl. Gina found a jar of green olives, popped one into her glass and downed half her drink in one long, desperate gulp. Her raging hormones were probably the onset of Stockholm syndrome. She didn’t know anything about Burke except that he was a criminal who worked for Static. And it wasn’t kind of hot. Not. At. All.
“Is he?” she asked quietly.
“Is he what?”
“Stupid.”
Burke snorted. “No. He’s just…super.”
Super. What the hell did it mean anyway? Gina sipped her martini and focused on the tiny headlights cast by the tiny cars below. They looked like a parade of army ants with flashlights. “You say ‘super’ like you’re not one of them.”
“I’m not.”
Gina arched an eyebrow. “You threw Glimmer into a Dumpster. I’d say that makes you pretty super.”
Burke ran a hand through his hair, winced and turned to face her. “Gina, if I was like them—like him—I wouldn’t be doing odd jobs for Static. I’d have a million-dollar sponsorship for winter tires and beat up a few guys during the week to keep up appearances. But I’m not. You know how Turbojack can throw a bus?”
“He can throw a bus?
“I tried that once. I gave myself a hernia. I’m like the nerdy kid playing dodgeball in a room full of Olympians. I can’t keep up.” He spread his hands wide. “And so I’m a henchman.”
