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Kristen Brand
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Hero Status (The White Knight & Black Valentine Series Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Kristen Brand (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 130 ratings
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David Del Toro used to be a superhero. Now he's retired and happily married—to his former nemesis, Valentina Belmonte, better known as the Black Valentine. The two have settled in sunny Miami and left the past behind them. No more masks, capes or handcuffs. At least, not outside of the bedroom.

But then the famous hero Supersonic turns up dead, and Valentina is arrested for the murder. Dave knows she's innocent, but he has to find the real killer if he wants to prove it. Investigating on his own, dodging the law, he gets tangled in a web of conspiracy that will take more than super-strength to break. If Dave wants to save his wife, he'll have to cross lines no hero ever should...

Fans of character-driven genre fiction will enjoy this action-packed thriller. If you like superheroes in movies, TV, or comics, don’t miss out. Download Hero Status and start reading now!
Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 5
    The White Knight & Black Valentine Series
  2. Print length
    226 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    November 25, 2014
  6. File size
    1545 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"[Hero Status] is a wonderful look at a world of superheroes, and a brilliant look at the morality of one's actions and what we should do in comparison to what we sometimes feel we must do." - K. Orion Fray

"It's funny, it's a little romantic, it has a really great plot and characters I like. There's really nothing negative about it, to be honest." - One Book Two Reviews

About the Author

If Kristen Brand could have any superpower, she'd want telekinesis so she wouldn't have to move from her computer to pour a new cup of tea. She writes sci-fi and fantasy books with fire-forged friends, explosive fight scenes, and kissing. She lives in Florida with her husband, and her hobbies include reading comic books and desperately trying to keep the plants in her garden alive.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00Q79Y536
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ (November 25, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 25, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1545 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 226 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 130 ratings

About the author

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Kristen Brand

Kristen Brand

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If Kristen Brand could have any superpower, she'd want telekinesis so she wouldn't have to move from her computer to pour a new cup of tea. She spends far too much time on the internet, and when she's not writing, she's usually reading novels or comic books. She lives in Florida, the Sunshine State, and will someday go outside for long enough to actually get some sun.

To find out more about her work and read her free web fiction, visit kristenbrand.com. Icon by @heckosart.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
130 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Baensidhe72
5.0 out of 5 stars My most sincere compliment
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2023
Verified Purchase
It's 2:15 AM, I have work in 6 hours, and I'm still saying up to finish this book. It's that good.
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Jacob Hawkins
4.0 out of 5 stars Super Strong Start!
Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2014
Verified Purchase
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it has been a long time since I have been so invested in a story and its characters. I think this is largely due to the exceptional use of the first person. A clear presentation combined with effective use of fourth wall breaks made it feel like I was listening to a person tell a story, not just watching it happen. All of the characters felt genuine, their points of view were grounded in the reality; this is an aspect that I think is missing in a lot of fantastic tales of the superhuman category.
The only real issue I had was the very end. I felt like the antagonists motive was present, but not strong enough to warrant the effort they put in to achieve their goal, it kind of felt spread thin for the last two chapters. I would have liked a slightly bigger twist, (SPOILER ALERT) Dr. Sweet seemed like a cop-out simply because an explanation of his regeneration was never even attempted or hinted at, it just felt like, "hey, I can just revive Dr. Sweet". That, and I personally would have liked to hear more of the 4 year recap of Julio's life (cough) spinoff (cough) and his reconciliation with Dave.
All in all this is a really good story and an excellent first book. I would highly recommend Hero Status to anyone looking for a fresh take on the well trodden grounds of the superhero narrative.
3 people found this helpful
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Jeff
5.0 out of 5 stars Literature Devil Was Right
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2021
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I was recommended this book as one of the best examples of the self published hero genre on Amazon by YouTuber Literature Devil, and he was right, it was great! The blending of the noir detective genre with the super hero tropes worked really well and I enjoyed it. The increasing collection of injuries the protagonist hero endured reminded me of many of the detectives from mystery writer Dick Francis who also experienced various levels of increasing injury during the course of his stories. A good way to build stakes, and not what you'd expect for someone with super strength and nye impervious skin!
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M. Robare
4.0 out of 5 stars Not The Standard Superhero Romp
Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2015
Verified Purchase
A bit of a change from the `normal' superhero offering. It's more a mystery/thriller than a superhero romp, although powers are in evidence. I especially liked that White Knight had a glaring physical weakness, although that wasn't explained very well...or at least not to my satisfaction.

Not a lot gets explained, and that's where the book loses a star. The bad guy keeps coming back...how or why, we're never told. How the bad guy does what he does...we're never told. He's just the bad guy and that's what he does. Why White Knight fell for Val in the first place doesn't really click for me, either. I can accept the Forbidden Fruit allure, and can get behind star-crossed lovers, but I didn't see any reason for White Knight to be attracted to her...pretty sure as a famous superhero he's got all the lovely women he could want, and given his personality, I couldn't see him finding anything attractive about Val. Based on their first meeting, their *second* meeting should have involved Val buried under tons of rubble because WK pulled a building down on her head. But that would have made for a very short book, I suppose, and an entirely different plot.

Anyway, worth a read, especially if you're a little burned out on the standard superhero Huge Crisis plotlines.
One person found this helpful
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Skylark Rogers
5.0 out of 5 stars Melikes
Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2014
Verified Purchase
Let me try to calm my squeeful excitement over this book enough to write a review. First, the characters. Dave and Val are a well-written study in contrasts that play with stereotypes but don't play into them. They're adorable and what joint screentime they have together sizzles in a way most books' romantic pairings don't. Dave's got something of quiet gravitas going that ends out making him a strong lead, and man but you can feel each one of the blows he takes. Ouch. Val is... fabulous, that's the word. Fabulous. The non-leads, too, each have enough punch to their personas that they'll stick in your head. The worldbuilding's pretty decent, plenty of the fantastic but a lot of the feels-like-it-could-be. The only downside of the book is the reliance on damseling, but the female characters are well-developed enough that I've high hopes of them getting stronger roles in the sequels. Val, Elisa, and Mo, I'm looking forward to seeing what you do. All in all, an enjoyable read.
One person found this helpful
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WBurhans
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good read and entertaining
Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2019
Verified Purchase
I like the first book and got hooked and ended up buying the whole series. I am still reading the last book (or at least I think it is). I thought the author did a good job with the characters and the plot. I also think it is interesting how the first, third, and fifth book is told by The White Knight and the second and fourth book is told by Valentina. I like superhero books and these did not disappoint. I will probably read them again over time because that is how much I like them.
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Scott Austin
4.0 out of 5 stars Kept me turning the (digital) page.
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2015
Verified Purchase
We all know the saying, don't judge a book by its cover... Well, I'll be honest, the cover for for Hero Status definitely wasn't the reason I downloaded the sample. But I had been looking through the various superhero books on Amazon and so far wasn't too impressed. This impressed me. It kept me reading right from the beginning. It's not a comical, cartoony book, but I couldn't help from hearing Craig T. Nelson (Mr. Incredible) as the narrator.
:-D

I can definitely recommend this to any superhero comic book lover, seeking a worthwhile book.

This review is based on the sample and what I've read so far after purchasing the book. After I finish the book I consider if it still deserves the 4 star or maybe even a 5 star review.
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Top reviews from other countries

Paul Kettle
5.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining superhero mystery
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 12, 2015
Verified Purchase
This was a surprising read in many ways. I love superhero stories, so I thought I'd give this one a try for the hell of it, and I ended up enjoying the sample so much I went and bought the whole thing, not regretting it in the slightest. "Hero Status" is one of those superhero tales that plays on the familiar tropes of its genre in a refreshing and almost realistic sort of way, making it enjoyable not only to those who enjoy the traditional superhero story but also to those who simply enjoy a decent, well-written adventure.

"Hero Status" follows the misadventures of David Del Toro, formerly known as the costumed superhero called the White Knight, who has retired from active crime-fighting following a nasty injury and his marriage to a former enemy, the telepathic villainess called the Black Valentine. While the two have managed to thrive mainly on Val's wealth, raising a teenage daughter of their own in a lovely mansion, their lives are not entirely bliss.

Those aware of their relationship now treat the two with no shortage of stigma; Dave's ex-girlfriend Moreen, his former boss Walter and even his old sidekick, Julio aka Freezefire, have grown increasingly distant from the retired White Knight, to the point that relations between them are uncomfortable at best, confrontational at worst. And Val has problems of her own thanks to her relatives, in particular her sinister father, Lucio, who has officially disowned her as his daughter, yet has no qualms about trying to bring her daughter Elisa into the criminal fold.

The story kicks off as the police arrest Val for the murder of another superhero and one of Dave's old friends, Harris Holt, aka Supersonic. Convinced that his wife has been framed and desperate to find the truth, Dave embarks on a quest that repeatedly places him at odds with his former friends and allies and by extension the law itself, with Lucio and aggressive rival Giordano doing little to ease his problems. If that wasn't enough, Dave's injured knee hinders him at every turn. Can he hope to bail Val out of trouble and stop Supersonic's real killer?

My description marks this as little more than your typical standard superhero story, but that does by no means diminish its quality. Kristen Brand has written an entertaining story filled with likeable characters, plot twists that keep you intrigued and, as I said before, a refreshing and almost realistic take on superheroes; every superpower comes with its own flaws and weaknesses, and these aspects are mentioned consistently throughout the story. Dave is easily the typical carrier of super-strength and immense durability, not unlike Superman and the like, but while in most superhero stories these traits make the character nearly unbeatable and, let's face it, just plain boring, here they are presented as clear obstacles. Dave's knee injury is explained in the story as something that cannot be healed or treated properly simply because his skin cannot be pierced by conventional medical tools. Furthermore, his superhuman strength means he has to be extremely careful not to bump into anyone on the street or grip a person's hand too strongly. Even superhumans with psychic powers, like Val, are forced to deal with their abilities in problematic situations, as those new to such powers often struggle with blocking the thoughts of every other person in their vicinity.

The best aspect of this story, however, lies in its characters. Dave is an honest-to-goodness hero who tries to do right by his family even when he knows that doing so will land him in serious trouble. He always puts other people first and has a lot of experience in restraint and respecting others even when he would rather throw them through a wall, which he could more than easily accomplish with most people. Honest and serious when he needs to be, but not devoid of his own sense of humour and friendly disposition, Dave has a strong sense of right and wrong... which is why he bears very little tolerance towards so-called costumed heroes with a focus on celebrity status and fame over saving lives. To put it simply, he is the kind of person one could easily get along with if they met him. Val, the Black Valentine, is known for her humourous and sassy persona even in the worst of situations; after all, when you're a super-villainess with a history of criminal accomplishments under your belt, you tend to get used to stigma and distrust. That said, she's also caring and careful enough to set up contingency plans in case things go downhill, and the story makes several mentions of that. Despite her connections though, she is loyal to Dave and her daughter and wants nothing to do with her criminal family. Even the teenage daughter, Elisa, proves a promising character on her own. While a touch on the rebellious side, she is more amusing than annoying with her interactions with other characters, and her own issues are significant enough to make her near relatable.

All in all, Hero Status is a surprisingly mature rollercoaster ride of mystery, action and superheroics.
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