C.T. Phipps kills it in the Tournament of Supervillainy. In a good way. After things were wrapped up nicely in book 4 of the series, I was very sad to think that we’d see no more of Gary, Cindy, Diabloman, and others — but I was never so happy to be wrong. The Tournament of Supervilliany continues the adventures of Gary (AKA Merciless, the Supervillain without Mercy™) after the events of the first 4 books have wrapped up, but it doesn’t feel like the series is getting old or stale; in fact, the Tournament has been one of my favorite books since the first book in the series. It’s written in the same style as the previous books, but the formula doesn’t get old as each book takes on a different nostalgic element of those who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s — this time it’s classic “fighting” games like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter.

The entire Supervillainy Saga is just plain fun, entertaining reading (or listening) that doesn’t take itself too seriously, yet still manages to tell some great stories and develop amusing characters that you’ll grow to love. If you haven’t tried any of the series, go back and start on book 1, The Rules of Supervillainy. Don’t try to think about it too hard and just sit back and enjoy the ride.