Ty Wilcox doesn’t really believe in superheroes. Then one is murdered right in front of him.
Ty is just a normal guy trying to do his best. He’s single, stuck in a dead-end job with the most hateful boss in the universe, and struggling under a mountain of debt.
When he witnesses an impossible battle between two superpowered people, every instinct he has tells him to run. Instead, he becomes the owner of a device that can change his life in ways he can barely imagine.
All he has to do is survive for long enough to learn how to use it.
Warning and minor spoilers: “Enhancer” is an 18+ book intended for mature readers. It contains sex, violence, and nudity. It includes light gamelit elements, occasional bad language, and is set in a cyberpunk alternate future. Within its pages you will find attempted murders, actual murder, home invasions, kidnapping, fights, betrayals, destruction of property, random deaths that can be considered self-defense, a really malevolent boss who treats Ty very badly, and a monstrous bad guy who treats him even worse. Most importantly, you will find gorgeous superheroes and beastkin beauties who are comfortable with unconventional, polyamorous, harem relationships, and there are waffles on offer as well.
Read at your own risk.
I received an audible code of this book via Audiobookboom for an honest review. What follows is my opinion and mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.
I should begin by saying that I’ve always wanted to try a Litrpg/Gamelit style book. If you don’t know what a Litrpg or Gamelit book is, it is basically a book that has the similar styles or schematics as an rpg or game system. In the case of Enhancer, a lot of the rpg style is seen in the way the main characters’ stats are shown in the electronic device that literally enhanced him from a typical human to something more.
The story follows a nerd everyman type of character. There doesn’t seem to be anything too special about Ty Wilcox and he basically lives his life to the least. What I mean by that is, he doesn’t really try to change his situation in life. He seems pretty stuck and, though not content at being stuck, doesn’t seem to do anything to get out of it or seems to decide to get out of it.
That is until he witnesses two superpowered humans fight and one dies at his feet.
The story is a pretty basic concept of an everyman being thrust into a predicament that he may have wanted to stay away from. However, there was enough about this world that Kane made this hero journey into something interesting. There was humor and the story itself did grab me. I loved the geek factor and references from anime that I’ve been a fan of myself.
I’ll admit that I was hesitant about the polyamorous twist in the book, but was surprised that the more adult scenes weren’t a focus and didn’t become graphic. Not that graphic would have necessarily bothered me, but I did like that the story itself was more important and that the relationships between the characters seemed to enhance (pun intended) the story.
In all, it wasn’t a bad story. It was a good beginning to a world that I wouldn’t mind revisiting. I would recommend this for the geek at heart, anime fan, and the person who likes the idea of electronics making the superhero.
Final rating: 3/5
Casia's Corner 