The Rules of Supervillainy: The Supervillainy Saga Volume 1
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The Rules of Supervillainy: The Supervillainy Saga Volume 1 Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Jeffrey Kafer (Narrator), C. T. Phipps (Author), Amber Cove Publishing (Publisher)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 896 ratings
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Gary Karkofsky is an ordinary guy with an ordinary life living in an extraordinary world. Supervillains, heroes, and monsters are a common part of the world he inhabits. Yet, after the death of his hometown's resident superhero, he gains the amazing gift of the late champion's magical cloak. Deciding he prefers to be rich rather than good, Gary embarks on a career as Merciless: The Supervillain Without Mercy. But is he evil enough to be a villain in America's most crime-ridden city? Gary soon finds himself surrounded by a host of the worst of Falconcrest City's toughest criminals. Supported by his long-suffering wife, his ex-girlfriend turned professional henchwoman, and a has-been evil mastermind, Gary may end up being not the hero they want but the villain they need.

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  1. Listening Length
    6 hours and 38 minutes
  2. Author
    C. T. Phipps
  3. Narrator
    Jeffrey Kafer
  4. Audible release date
    October 23, 2015
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Amber Cove Publishing
  7. ASIN
    B016X10L8U
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 6 hours and 38 minutes
Author C. T. Phipps
Narrator Jeffrey Kafer
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date October 23, 2015
Publisher Amber Cove Publishing
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B016X10L8U
Best Sellers Rank #126,907 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#301 in Superhero Fantasy
#1,367 in Humorous Fiction & Satire
#2,074 in Superhero Science Fiction

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
896 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

The Bookie Monster
5.0 out of 5 stars I'm a believer!
Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2015
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Nothing can shatter a man's dreams like finding out the super secret magical cloak mysteriously showing up on your doorstep wasn't actually meant for you...after you've bonded with it for life.

Forget everything you think you know about heroes and villains. Phipps redefines the genre. The Rules of Supervillainy is wildly entertaining, delightfully original, and will make readers everywhere yearn to don spandex and join the crusade.

Gary is just a regular guy, with with problems. Money woes, a checkered family past, and a whole lot of resentment plague the unemployed protagonist until a superheroes death finds him in possession of the deceased's magical cloak. Don't get confused, though. This cloak is so much more than Harry Potter's cloak of invisibility. This cloak imbues the wearer with some powerful tools to add to his arsenal of supervillainy. Unfortunately for Gary, he finds out the hard way that super strength is not one of its benefits. The cloak, a character all on its own, is a snarky addition to the story. Besides giving Gary superpowers, it's a wealth of knowledge, outside of Judaism, of course.

As any comic book fan will tell you, no supervillain is complete without his henchmen, and in this case, henchwench. I was so nervous to read this book. I know Charles Phipps. He's read my own books and has made it no secret that he's a superfan of the Time of Death series (much appreciated Charles!). This is first book I've ever read in the superhero genre. To say that it's way out of my comfort zone would be an understatement. So, I was apprehensive going into the read that I would not be an appropriate target audience for the content. I underestimated Charles's ability to spin an entertaining tale, and for that, I'm a bit ashamed of my original apprehension.

I couldn't begin count the number of times I found myself chuckling out loud at the witty banter flying back and forth between Gary, the cloak, his wife, and the plethora of other superheroes/villains and antiheroes. Not to mention his inner dialogue, which was just as enjoyable.

As its title would suggest, The Rules of Supervillainy reads almost like a manual for becoming Super. Chapter subheadings sets the readers anticipation of what's to come. With every new chapter I found myself envisioning how it set the scene in graphic form. Much like the movie, Kickass, I could see this going to the big screen.

Supervillains have real families with real problems; ex-wives, the struggles of raising teenage kids, college loans, and the ever-important task of keeping their wives happy. Merciless, Gary's moniker of choice for his alter ego, is married to Mandy. It's fun to witness the progression of their marriage during Gary's transformation into Merciless and even more fun as she reveals hidden parts of her past to Gary for the first time. Like Bruce Wayne's dark spiral to becoming Batman, Gary's past defines him and drives his yearning to become a supervillain.

What's great about this book is that there's no long buildup to explain how the Supers come to be. It's a world where people have powers, objects of power exist, and the war waged between good and evil is prevalent. Phipps doesn't pussyfoot around. Instead, he dives in with the (accurate) assumption that readers will accept the reality he's penned. I like that boldness, and to his credit, even with a nonbeliever like me, it was a successful risk, and one that paid in dividends. Because, let's get real, if I had to read chapters of fluff just to lead up to the meat and potatoes, It'd likely have been yawn central.

It's also worth mentioning that this is the most impeccably edited book I have ever read. Normally I'd find at least minor typos missed, like it instead of if, but there was absolutely nothing I could find.

Let me close with this. It was such a joy to find my name among those receiving thanks in the book's acknowledgments. Not only because I respect Charles as a writer, and friend, but also because my name is inside a book that's sure to become a smash hit. I've always known he was a hugely talented writer, but I never realized just how funny he was. Though, in hindsight, the fact that he enjoys the "poopy" humor in my books should have been my first clue. I never turn notifications off on my phone, but while reading, I did! I was so into the story I didn't want any interruptions. If that isn't a testament to The Rules of Supervillainy's awesomeness, I don't know what is.
34 people found this helpful
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Montzalee Wittmann
4.0 out of 5 stars Not your every day villain or hero, fun read!
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2016
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The Rules of Supervillainy by C.T.Phipps is an unusual superhero book. The super villain is not super bad and married to someone who wants to be a superhero. Come to find out, the cape was suppose to go to her and not him. There are lots of crazy drama of trying to cause crime but stopping crime in the process. Having to decide to give his wife the cape or not. He has 'teachers' to teach him how to be a villain. It is all good silly fun. The dialogue is clever and plot fun. Characters unique and likable, even the 'bad' ones. A good read overall.
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Gunrunner
5.0 out of 5 stars The Superhero (Ahem, villain) Tale You've Been Waiting For
Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2023
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This is one of my favorite books of the past few years, if not the past decade. Though I've read several of Mr. Phipps' eldritch-themed works in the past, I was particularly drawn to this one due to its unrelenting humor and focus on a true antihero (two of my personal weaknesses...). What you've got here is a masterfully constructed tale that not only evokes "sympathy for the Devil," but also has a knack for drawing genuine belly-laughs. Essentially, The Rules of Supervillainy follows one Gary Karkofsky, who happens to find himself in possession of superhuman powers after the acquisition of a hero's fancy (and sentient) cloak... His first move, naturally, is to get rich. What follows is a swiftly paced (and frequently hilarious) story packed with a motley cast of characters, such as the aptly named Ice Cream Man. It's tempting to call this one pure comedy, but there are some aspects played straight, much to the book's benefit. The titular arc, which involves "training" a figure that's fallen from grace, is somehow presented perfectly alongside all the aforementioned gags and distinctly "comic book" tropes (and their subversions or lampoons).

If you have even a passing interest in MODOK, Deadpool, or similarly irreverent media, you'll get a good kick out of this one. It really reads like a love letter to the Golden Age of superheroes, and at times reminded me of the Freedom Force games, which are similarly staffed by characters that are simultaneously over the top and genuine. Overall, a great, fast, and rewarding read that sets up a universe I'm all too happy to continue exploring.
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Top reviews from other countries

Ken byars
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome story that changed my opinion on a style of writing
Reviewed in Canada on March 6, 2017
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This is an interesting book. When I first started reading it I almost put it down; almost, but I didn’t and I am glad that I finished it. I am not a fan of stories that are carried by conversation. I like epic fantasy with descriptions that paint scenes that come alive as you read the story. I kept waiting for this to happen and it didn’t.
Charles Phipps surprised me, not only did he develop his characters skillfully but he changed my opinion on his style of writing. His characters are full of life. His plot line drew me into the story and made me part of it and I read the kindle version, I can’t wait to try the audio version.
I look forward to reading the next book in this series. If it is half as good as this one it will be an exciting story. If you enjoy the Deadpool style of story you will definitely enjoy C.T. Phipps style of writing. He is definitely an author to add to your must read list and one to follow. I know I have.
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Dawn Mckenna
5.0 out of 5 stars 10/10 One of the best books I've read in a while.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 30, 2016
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This book is a fantastic romp through every single superhero/villain trope and a delightful subversion of them. Well worth the price.

It features a cast packed with interesting characters, I especially like how the female characters are so often shown as having lives and existence outside of the main character's existence, it helps make them feel much more grounded and realistic, which is important to me when often female characters in various media are only known by their interactions with the main character. Despite the large cast, every character who matters has enough time spent on them for the reader to get an idea of who they are and their background. Since this comes in the form of observations by the main character or places where the main narrative overlaps with parts of their lives which aren't part of the main narrative, this makes for a much more natural feel to the story development.

Gary while he is the standard male main character is funny, likeable, and complex all at the same time. He really stands out as a main in a genre full of identikit chiselled dudes in spandex who always get it right, not just for his choices, but also for the way the story explores his thoughts and his experience of living in the world the author has created.

I found it enjoyable that the book explored the dark sides of such heroic worlds, without making it something that a superhero can just frown at and fix. I highly recommend it to all fans of superhero genre.
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Unsettled
4.0 out of 5 stars Super villans
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 17, 2023
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The MC is not all THAT Bad
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Kindle Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars A Cool Premise, and Some Cool Characters
Reviewed in Canada on June 18, 2017
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I enjoyed the book, for sure. That said, it reads a lot like fanfiction I might have written when I was a teenager, complete with an edgy and inconsistently-written protagonist spouting the same few running gags long after they ceased to amuse. The barrage of pop-culture references offers little inn the way of new commentary on the superhero genre, despite that being the in-universe rationale for many of the protagonist's actions, and the apparent goal of the book has a whole. The self-aware, self-deprecating comedy in lieu of actual witty banter or evocative descriptions seems like transparent laziness, coming to a head when an agonizing explosion of pain is described as (to paraphrase) worse than any description one could come up with, And therefore not worth actually coming up with a description for; the protag, being an obvious Mary Sue, of course gets right back to what they were doing a moment later, and never reflects back on this.

Still, while everyone in the story comes across as somewhat sociopathic or unrelateable at times (perhaps a deliberate reflection of the setting?), they are LIKEABLE within a comedic framework such as this. The superhero and supervillain pastiche are recognizable, but evince a bit of creative flair and imagination, and some of the plot points and especially the action scenes were skilfully written; that's what kept me reading! Probably won't ever continue the series unless I'm really bored, though.
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S. E. Britten
5.0 out of 5 stars Manic, hilarious and weirdly real...
Reviewed in Australia on February 15, 2017
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This is a book I've been waiting years for without even knowing it. The Rules of Supervillainy delivers in spades. It's an origin story of a totally different kind with a self-described anarchist who inherits the mantle and abilities of an old-school superhero who's a cross between Batman and Doctor Strange and becomes a villain instead. The book is filled with similar pastiches of recognisable characters that still manage to stand up on their own. The story, action and comedy is absolutely manic but the setting feels weirdly true to life as it explores the consequences and culture of a superhero universe filled with costumed heroes and maniacs (or "domestic terrorists"), 90s anti-heroes, apathetic cops and constant world-threatening danger. It's brilliantly thought-out and held together with fantastic characters.
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