A Once Crowded Sky: A Novel
Jul 2012 · Simon and Schuster
3.3star
10 reviewsreport
Ebook
336
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
reportRatings and reviews aren’t verified Learn More
About this ebook
“Everything we love about comics…it’s all here. And it’s a fun read.” —Wired.com
A “masterful story about humanity” (The Charleston Post and Courier) from a former CIA counter-terrorism office that fuses bombastic, comic-book-style storytelling with modern fiction. What happens when the world’s greatest superheroes give up their powers—and only one man is left to pick up the pieces?
A Once Crowded Sky unfolds in Arcadia City, where the legendary heroes have sacrificed their abilities—and the ultimate hero, Ultimate—to defeat a cosmic threat. Now depowered and ordinary, they wander a world without icons…except one. PenUltimate, the lone former sidekick who refused the sacrifice, still possesses power—and now the world needs him more than ever.
PenUltimate built a life beyond the game with his wife, turning his back on the superhero legacy. But when new terrorist attacks tear through Arcadia, humanity’s last powered defender is pulled unwillingly back into action. Alone, estranged, and viewed as a coward by his peers, he must decide whether duty still calls—or if heroism lies in simply walking away
With the scope of a graphic novel and the introspection of literary fiction, A Once Crowded Sky blends explosive action with a poignant meditation on legacy, identity, and the cost of greatness.
A “masterful story about humanity” (The Charleston Post and Courier) from a former CIA counter-terrorism office that fuses bombastic, comic-book-style storytelling with modern fiction. What happens when the world’s greatest superheroes give up their powers—and only one man is left to pick up the pieces?
A Once Crowded Sky unfolds in Arcadia City, where the legendary heroes have sacrificed their abilities—and the ultimate hero, Ultimate—to defeat a cosmic threat. Now depowered and ordinary, they wander a world without icons…except one. PenUltimate, the lone former sidekick who refused the sacrifice, still possesses power—and now the world needs him more than ever.
PenUltimate built a life beyond the game with his wife, turning his back on the superhero legacy. But when new terrorist attacks tear through Arcadia, humanity’s last powered defender is pulled unwillingly back into action. Alone, estranged, and viewed as a coward by his peers, he must decide whether duty still calls—or if heroism lies in simply walking away
With the scope of a graphic novel and the introspection of literary fiction, A Once Crowded Sky blends explosive action with a poignant meditation on legacy, identity, and the cost of greatness.
Ratings and reviews
3.3
10 reviews
Tuukka Rinkinen
- Flag inappropriate
October 15, 2022
This book is basically all dry dialogue, with very rarely anything moving the story forward or adding anything interesting. Couldn't finish the book, because it just didn't give anything to care about.
Andrew Schwartz
- Flag inappropriate
March 3, 2015
I enjoyed the unique take on superheroes King so effectively provides. I found the interspersed comic pages both informative and entertaining as a "primary source" of sorts. The story proved to be interestingly personal while discussing the supposedly epic nature of the comic medium. The only issue I had was that the ending seemed overdone. It seemed as if King was almost...hesitant...about bringing the novel to a close and had to build in several false endings to come, gradually, to the actual conclusion.
About the author
Tom King is the New York Times bestselling author and multiple Eisner Award winning writer of Batman, Superman, Mister Miracle, Vision, The Sheriff of Babylon, Omega Men, Strange Adventures, and many others. Prior to becoming a writer, King served in the CIA as an operation officer in the Counterterrorism Center. He lives in Washington DC with his wife and three children.
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
