From Publishers Weekly
Xavier Thaxton, erudite fine arts editor at a great metropolitan newspaper, views himself as a "superior" man. Then he is exposed to radiation that endows him with powers far beyond those of mere mortals. Adopting the name and costume of a popular new comic-book superhero, he becomes Count Geiger; his exploits include saving women from muggings, stopping a particularly exploitative exercise at a local strip joint and generally inspiring all and sundry--until he starts to die of radiation poisoning. Nebula Award winner Bishop ( No Enemy but Time ) sets this amusing super-hero sendup in the fictional city of Salonika, capital of the southeastern state of Oconee (no doubt on the same map as the famed comic-book locales Gotham City, Metropolis and Central City). The plot is developed in leisurely fashion; Thaxton does not don the Geiger identity until the novel's midpoint. His efforts are dedicated to reforming criminals and bettering humanity's lot. Along the way Bishop finds time to criticize nuclear power plants, making his story politically correct as well as entertaining.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Costumed comic book heroes, fast foods, and heavy metal music represent the ultimate in bad taste for fine arts critic Xavier Thaxton. Then an unhappy coincidence transforms him into his "worst nightmare " in this masterpiece of speculative fiction by the author of The Secret Ascension . Bishop consistently grapples with significant issues in his novels, and Thaxton's struggle to redefine his values while at war with his body is no exception. Whether viewed as modern parable, cautionary tale, or splendid satire, this is a top-notch addition to any library's sf or general fiction collection.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
