Superheroes in novels

Thu Dec 3 17:08:06 CST 2015

I have just finished (upon recommendation of someone from the list, 
perhaps Dave), Lavie Tidhar's "The Violent Century". This novel really 
shouldn't work (Marvel Comics, John Le Carré, Mengele and 9/11 all 
rolled into one?) but does so splendidly, touching upon numerous 
Pynchonian concerns along the way -- Paperclip, Potsdam, Rocket-Men. 
Highly original, very dark and quite wonderful.

The novel, and the review in the Guardian, made me think about 
superheroes in novels. I have not read Lethem's "Fortress of Solitude", 
so I cannot speak to that. David Mitchell's "The Bone Clocks" is 
engaging in various, mostly Dickensian, ways, but the characters with 
supernatural capabilities, who are an integral part of the plot, seem 
out of place, severely marring an otherwise very fine novel.

Here is the Guardian review of Tidhar's book:

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/25/violent-century-lavie-tidhar-review