Book picks similar to
A Christmas Carol by Marion G. Harmon


superhero
superheroes
sci-fi
short-story-novella

Subject 12 (Guild Files, Volume 1)


S.W. Douglas - 2010
    Unfortunately his ex-boss has other plans and drives him from hiding in a violent confrontation. In an attempt to get his bearings again, he seeks out his ex-girlfriend and finds himself getting drawn deeper and deeper into conflict with himself, his former employer, and the very 'heroes' he'd disdained for so long.

Good Guys


Steven Brust - 2018
    For jaywalking, supposedly. Actually, for arguing with a cop while black. Four of the nine shots were lethal--or would have been, if their target had been anybody else. The Foundation picked him up, brought him back, and trained him further. "Lethal" turns out to be a relative term when magic is involved.When Marci was fifteen, she levitated a paperweight and threw it at a guy she didn't like. The Foundation scooped her up for training too."Hippie chick" Susan got well into her Foundation training before they told her about the magic, but she's as powerful as Donovan and Marci now.They can teleport themselves thousands of miles, conjure shields that will stop bullets, and read information from the remnants of spells cast by others days before.They all work for the secretive Foundation...for minimum wage.Which is okay, because the Foundation are the good guys. Aren't they?

Heroes R Us


Mainak Dhar - 2011
    All that changes one day when he is beaten and left for dead after a robbery. Arnab awakens to discover that he has developed fantastic superhuman powers and he tries to master his new¬found powers and to use them for good. As a hooded superhero he takes to the streets on a one-man crusade against injustice. However he soon realizes that in a society where the only power that matters comes from having money or the right connections, one man, even a superhero, can make little difference.When he embarks on a final, desperate mission, he realizes that to succeed, he has to become a part of the very system he loathes by tapping into a motley set of allies such as the Minister who wants to use his powers to rig elections, the corrupt policeman who shot Arnab for exposing him and the corporate tycoon who wants to sign him up as a brand ambassador!At one level, Heroes R Us seeks to entertain with a delightfully contemporary take on the superhero genre, and at another level it asks the provocative question of whether in the dark and corrupt times we live in, there is any place left for heroes. Slumdog Millionaire meets Spiderman in this exciting novel that will entertain and make you think at the same time.BONUS CONTENT in this eBook:- The Making of Heroes R Us- the origin of this novel in the author's own words- Free sample of Vimana, the science fiction thriller by Mainak DharPraise for the paperback edition:"Strikes a chord somewhere, chronicling his journey from a nobody into a somebody and this theme for a dream - to dream big, rather - is what makes it endearing. Overall an honest attempt, Dhar tries to weave the superhuman existence with contemporary; Leaves the reader with the feeling that hope floats, after all!"- IBN Live"The plot, thereafter, is engaging, and wholesome Bollywood film material. Herogiri ends on a high note, the action sequence in the stadium is confusing but exciting."- Hindustan Times"A delightful take on the superhero genre."- LiveMint"Excellent balance between super powers and what they leave out, Herogiri also has a surprisingly refreshing take on politics and society. Arnab 'GA' Bannerjee is the unpretentious hero you want by your side.... The most super man ever, this affable, retiring 25-year old is possibly the most likeable of all characters you shall meet this summer."- Financial Express"Here's a delightfully engaging and refreshing take on the superhero genre.... racy good versus evil roller coaster"- Mid Day"Exhilarating!"- Tehelka Magazine

Renegades


Marissa Meyer - 2017
    Extraordinary Powers. She wants vengeance. He wants justice.The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies — humans with extraordinary abilities — who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone... except the villains they once overthrew.Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice — and in Nova. But Nova's allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.

Heroic: The Golden Age


Evan Currie - 2021
    No once noticed. We were invaded. No one realized. We fought back. No one... cared. In the last moments before defeat, our enemy deployed a bioweapon, spreading an invisible pandemic to the winds.The world just wanted to go back to normal.A third of the population have the genetic code needed to activate the Quantum Virus. Billions of people, waiting to wake up one morning with powers. Abilities. Enhancements beyond that of mortal men.The aliens bet on us destroying ourselves in the ensuing madness, but not all humans revel in destruction. When Order and Chaos go to war, Chaos always wins in the short term... but heroes know how to play the long game.Looking back, will this be the beginning of the end, or the start of the Golden Age?

Madman Adventures Collection


Mike Allred - 1994
    They wanted to know all about Frank Einstein, but they couldn't make it happen. Now, they can And this is the cool one, too, where Madman goes back in time and you get to see Mike draw cool dinosaurs and stuff. This is history, folks. You need to know it to understand the present. Plus, this edition features a new cover, the color version of the first ever Frank Einstein story, and a special gallery section.Contains: Madman Adventures #1-5

Pack


Lilith Saintcrow - 2014
    Unfortunately, she’s going to find out that’s not quite enough…

Edgewood Series: Books 1 - 3


Karen McQuestion - 2013
    Some friendly competition. A first love. And a dangerous organization that will stop at nothing to destroy them all. 1) Edgewood2) Wanderlust 3 AbsolutionEDGEWOODWandering the dark streets at night is Russ Becker’s way of dealing with his relentless insomnia and the angst of life. But that changes forever the night he witnesses a strange astronomical event, then discovers he’s developed incredible superpowers. And he’s not alone. Three others in his town—sexy Mallory, arrogant Jameson, and mysterious Nadia—have had the same experience and acquired intriguing powers of their own. As if Mallory isn't special enough with her good looks and high IQ, now she can control peoples’ minds. Jameson thinks he’s the coolest because he moves objects with his thoughts, and shy Nadia struggles to understand her new empathic abilities. At first the four secretly relish their newfound gifts while keeping them hidden. However, things get serious when they learn they're being hunted by an organization that wants them for its own nefarious purposes. Russ has always picked his battles wisely, but when the bad guys threaten his family, they're about to find out they messed with the wrong teens. What transpires will change all of them in ways they never imagined. WANDERLUSTPrepare to be taken away by Wanderlust, the second book of the Edgewood series by bestselling author Karen McQuestion. Mallory, Russ, Jameson, and Nadia are just trying to blend in as normal teens while secretly learning to use their newfound superpowers. Everything changes when they’re invited to travel to Peru under the supervision and protection of the Praetorian Guard, an organization claiming to have their best interests at heart. Seeing the trip as a challenge, the teens agree to go and help search for David Hofstetter, a man from their hometown who’s been presumed dead for sixteen years. Meanwhile, the threat of the rival organization, the Associates, is always present. When knowing who to trust becomes more difficult, the four discover they can only count on each other. And when Nadia and Russ are thrown together in a fight for their lives, they realize their relationship might be headed for more than just friendship.ABSOLUTIONAfter surviving a danger-filled trip to Peru, Russ Becker looked forward to a laid-back summer spending time with his new love, Nadia. But plans go awry when he and his friends are invited by the Praetorian Guard to the event of the season. The mission? To protect the president and her daughter from assassination at the elegant Presidential Black Tie Bash. While Nadia struggles with her own troubles at home, Russ is torn, but determined to do his job, not easy when he doesn’t know who to trust. Battling for his life against the evil Associates, Russ confronts his worst fears and learns shocking revelations about those around him.

Alison Brownstone Omnibus #1


Judith Berens - 2020
    And for Alison Brownstone that’s both a blessing and a curse.But it’s time for her to step out of her dad’s shadow and make a new name for herself. On Her Own: What’s the harm in taking a break from protecting the city for one date? Alison is about to find out…Bounty hunter license in hand and attitude in place, Alison is ready to house-train the city’s malevolent magicals.But even a Brownstone needs a little downtime! Courting can be tricky when you’re busy taking out the neighborhood trash and facing off assassination attempts by power-armored goons. My Name is Alison: What’s stronger than magic itself? A Brownstone with a mission.Brownstone Security continues cleansing Seattle’s magical mobster underbelly while Alison draws strength from her trusted circle as she fights off the virus draining her powers.She uncovers the smuggling of magical pets and the harmful side effects of testing savage spells on humans and still has time to chase down her enemies.It’s dirty, dangerous work and leaves her friends the targets of vicious attacks. The Family Business: The Bitch is back. Alison’s powers are restored, and her magic is sizzling Dark Wizards gather in Seattle for a meeting. Alison isn't about to let them set up business in her town.Her friends have her back, even if one of them may be a traitor. The Brownstone Effect: When you want an Angel, call God. When you want someone to kick ass… Call a Brownstone.Alison and her team are looking to expand Brownstone Security. Good timing, too, as it sounds like something is brewing.An unexpected phone call sends Alison to D.C. where she meets up with an old friend.Danger follows this Brownstone, but it isn’t prepared for her counter. The Dark Princess: When a Power Broker is threatened, she knows who to call… a Brownstone.Alison and her team have to travel across the world to protect Abigail Wilson, CEO of Aeternum, as she negotiates for mining rights of a mysterious crystal. The simple escort mission turns deadly. They aren’t the only ones interested in the crystal’s power.

The Emissary


G.J. Ogden - 2021
    

North (Hell's Legacy MC Book 1)


J.S. Andersson - 2020
    Having no other choice, she moves away, to live with her dad. After mourning the loss of her mum, Willow reinvents herself. North has grown up in Willow’s father’s MC club. When threats are made against Willow’s life North is given the job of tailing her for protection. On Willow’s seventeenth birthday, they come face to face. Captivated with each other, their worlds collide and become one. But with family, friends and life, trying to pull them apart, can they make it out the other side?

Extinction Series (The Complete Collection)


James D. Prescott - 2019
    A few miles off the Yucatán coast, Jack and a team of scientists tow an aging drilling platform over the impact crater with the aim of securing a sample. But buried deep beneath the earth lies a shocking discovery that threatens to shatter everything we think we know about our species.A world away, geneticist Dr. Mia Ward receives a mysterious delivery from her former boss and mentor, Alan Salzburg. In it are clues of a dire warning hidden inside the human genome, one which foretells man's very extinction.His instructions to Mia are simple: keep the information safe and, above all, trust no one--words all the more chilling after Alan turns up dead. But who wrote the message and what does it mean? Only Jack Greer holds the answers, but can she reach him in time to save the human race?Extinction CountdownDr. Jack Greer's startling discovery beneath the Gulf of Mexico proved to the world we were not alone in the universe. But when images from the Voyager One space probe reveal an alien doomsday ship hurtling toward the Earth, the human race seems marked for extinction.As news of the approaching ship spreads panic around the globe, signs of a sinister plot begin to emerge--one that threatens to unravel the already fragile fabric of society and everything Jack and Dr. Mia Ward have fought for.But could a mysterious signal emanating from inside Greenland's ice sheet unlock the secrets hidden within our genome and prevent humanity's destruction?From the frozen fields of Greenland to the bustling Indian subcontinent and the cobbled streets of Rome, the race is on to stop the deadliest countdown to extinction the human race has ever known.Extinction CrisisWith the doomsday ship only days away from impacting the Earth, humanity's demise seems all but assured. In every corner of the world, news of the impending destruction has led to chaos, looting and the collapse of the rule of law.As the foundations of civilization crumble around them, Jack and Mia must race to find answers to perhaps the most important questions of all time. Why have the Ateans repeatedly eradicated life on our planet? And could the key to ending the cycle of extinctions be locked somewhere within the Salzburg Chromosome?Unraveling the mystery will mean journeying deep into the heart of a perilous alien world and facing off against the very beings who created us.

House of Dolls


Harmon Cooper - 2018
    Win the lottery. Get a superpower. Roman Martin is a normal guy until he happens upon a winning lottery ticket that grants him an incredible superpower. Unfortunately, Roman has to keep his new power a secret, and in a society that separates superpowereds from half-powereds, that's a big deal. There's also his troubled past, a dark secret that constantly looms over him, his co-worker's mysterious death, and the fact that Roman is being blackmailed by two beautiful female spies at war with one another. So Roman does what any down-on-his-luck partially exploited office worker would do in his situation: get women, get good, and get ready to fight back. Warning: House of Dolls contains a blossoming harem and other polyamorous situations, toxic cat girls, superpowers used in ways they weren’t intended to be used, cosplay, fantasy violence, office humor, dark themes, and other trigger-worthy adult situations. It was inspired by Office Space, the anime High School DxD, Drew Hayes’ Superpowereds, and The Americans.

Defiance Rising


Amy Miles - 2011
    “What are you doing here?” I scream. “Get out!”“Aw, don’t tell me you’re a shy one. I didn’t peg you for that.” Bastien grins as he throws his leg over a rock and settles in for what appears to be an annoyingly lengthy time.Using one arm, I swim as quickly as I can away from the center of the pool and head straight for the rocks. Bastien seems completely unphazed by my rising fury and he grins down at me. He does however reach out to retrieve my dagger from the pile of clothes he’s perched beside. “Have you no decency?” I growl through chattering teeth. If I don’t get out soon I’ll risk hypothermia, but there’s no way I’m going to give Bastien the satisfaction of seeing me naked.Twirling the dagger in his hand, he appears to contemplate my question. “I suppose this might seem a bit forward of me, but I thought you might like to know it’s time to go.”“Fine. Message received. Leave now!”He leans over the edge, peering down at me. “And miss all the fun? I think not.”Illyria has never known a life without the Rebellion.Instinct.Survival.Nothing else matters…until she ventures out into unknown territory and is faced with an enemy that proves even more fierce and determined than she ever thought. Bastien is infuriating, dangerous and annoyingly gorgeous. Eamon is familiar, comforting and turning into a man before her eyes. Both want her heart...but she is torn between duty and desire. When her choice affects all of mankind, how can she allow herself to be selfish?There is a power within her that can change everyone’s fate…but she underestimated the most potent force on Earth—love. Illyria must discover if she has the strength to sacrifice her heart to save mankind.

I Did NOT Give That Spider Superhuman Intelligence!


Richard Roberts - 2016
    there was TEAM TINY! Being a superhero should be fun. After all, a world of super powers is a world where amazonian juggernauts made of candy battle guys in spandex that drive talking cars. Irene loves that weirdness, loves the game of fighting, and loves being a four foot tall woman who still gets to drop big heavy objects on villains' heads. In 1980, that fun is in danger. A mad scientist who murders people for his research has everyone afraid. Two of the friendliest super powered rivals around stop playing and go for the kill. If superheroes and villains aren't safe in their own homes, how can having powers be anything but a nightmare? Irene will not let that happen. She wants to show her friends - a ten year old grim reaper, and a zombie mish-mosh of living and metal parts - that their lives don't have to be grim. With the help of a superintelligent spider, Team Tiny will make the world fun again. Except maybe it's the spider who's in charge after all...