Hench is probably my favorite novel that i read in 2021 and easily the most unique. It takes place in a world where both superheroes and super villains exist. The protagonist, Anna, begins the story working as a temp for a mid level super villain. After being badly injured during a raid by super heroes she begins to calculate just how much collateral damage that the men and women in tights are doing.
This is a subject that often gets glossed over in comic books and movies. It usually only comes up if the casualty is attached in some way to the hero, a la Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider Man 2. Otherwise, every time a hero throws a car and misses the villain, someone loses a car and someone else suffers property damage, if not worse. The only time I recall it being mentioned is in the Daredevil show when someone brings up that organized crime is going to make a fortune skimming off the effort to rebuild New York City after the events of The Avengers.
Anna's research attracts the attention of a top tier super villain and she goes to work for him, both to exact revenge on the one that harmed her as well as show the hypocrisy of the unquestionable belief in the goodness of superheroes.
This is a great book that I highly recommend. If possible, pick up the edition with the bonus short story Meat, set in the same universe but among the hired muscle that works for super villains.
As always you can find me on twitter @jeffsbookcase or feel free to leave a comment below.
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