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Prepare to Die is the first novel by Paul Tobin. It was originally published in 2012, by Night Shade Press.

Plot summary

The protagonist of the novel is Steve Clarke, a man who fights crime as a superhero under the secret identity of "Reaver". As a result of a chemical spill Clarke encountered as a high school student, he has several superpowers, including super strength, exceptional physical toughness, and speed three times that of a normal man. Additionally, each time he punches another person, that person's maximum lifespan is reduced by one year. Clarke has been a superhero for ten years, and in that time he has become jaded as a result of the constant conflict in his life, the loss of various colleagues, and his alienation from normal humans.

Clarke is defeated during a fight with the supervillain team the Eleventh Hour. When the villain Octagon tells Clarke to "Prepare to die!", a figurative expression of bombast typical of the superhero genre, Clarke interprets the statement literally and asks for a month to set his affairs in order. Taken aback, Octagon counters with an offer of two weeks, confident that a man of Clarke's character can be trusted to return and face his punishment after the appointed period has elapsed. Accordingly, Clarke returns to his original hometown, Greenway, which he has not visited since acquiring superpowers, and begins reconnecting with figures from his past, most notably his ex-girlfriend Adele. The plot of the novel is driven by these interactions, interspersed with accounts of Clarke's past actions as a superhero.

External links

http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/ew-feelings/Content?oid=6618938 http://geek-news.mtv.com/2012/09/12/book-review-paul-tobin-prepare-to-die/ http://www.avclub.com/articles/paul-tobin-prepare-to-die,80937/ http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/07/prepare-to-die/