It’s always so exciting, getting your hands on the sequel to a book that you really loved. The book was so good, and so gripping, and you just can’t wait to dive back into that world, reconnect with the characters that you love, and go on another exciting adventure, or continue the original one. However, that often means that these sequels have a whole mountain of expectations to live up to. Sometimes sequels switch things up, and focus less on the main character from the first book, and more on one of the more minor characters. It can be hard for a minor character to take up a bigger role and just don’t have the depth to support a narrative of their own. And sometimes this move works fabulously, as in one of my favourite books Dev1at3, where the secondary character Lemon Fresh takes a more major role, and it’s amazing.
Dear Henchman has a lot of pressure to perform. It’s the sequel to the amazing Dear Hero, a book that was unique and fun and rounded the story off beautifully. There were a couple of trailing threads for a sequel to pick up on, but at the same time, this could have been a standalone book without much trouble. Not only that, but Dear Henchman shakes things up by giving us a different set of narrating characters. Rather than following the previous two main characters, the hero Caleb, and villain V, we’re now hearing from the sidekick Kevin, and the henchman Himari. Caleb and V were so, so good as main narrators that it’s hard to imagine them taking more of a backseat in a second book and still loving it as much. However, Dear Henchman achieves this really well.
This book is funny and witty in all the same ways that Dear Hero was, but I may dare to say that it was maybe even a bit more hilarious. Kevin moves seamlessly from comic relief in the first book, to comic hero in the second. Often, comic characters get monotonous when they’re put in the spotlight, because their humour can be their only personality trait. However, Kevin is allowed the space to be deeper and occasionally more serious, rounding him out as a character. Himari is the perfect foil for him, confident, smart, down to earth, but also now more vulnerable. Dear Henchman takes two secondary characters and explores them further, giving them richer lives and letting them grow through a fun an engaging story.
Another exciting development in Dear Henchman is that the chat format of storytelling is expanded.. We’re no longer restricted just to the chat threads on the superhero/villain matching site MetaMatch. Now we’re treated to other text based narratives like forum posts and TV transcripts. I feel like it’s a great decision. The chat format was perfect in Dear Hero. I really enjoyed the experience. However, Dear Henchman tries some different formats, and it’s so effective. Plus it’s just fun, catching up with the talk show hosts with their own little side narratives, or seeing the regular forum users every so often. It builds out the world and adds layers to the story, letting it grow naturally and giving us a wider view than is afforded just by the four or five regular characters we’re intimately acquainted with.
As well as being fun, entertaining and unique, Dear Henchman carries on the deeper thread that Dear Hero start, exploring what it really means to be a hero and a villain. Do the powers make them, or is it their actions? What happens when those powers are taken away? Is that the end of superheroes as we know them, or do the true heroes rise to the surface in the end? It’s a fascinating idea that, while it’s been covered in plenty of media before, feels fresh and exciting here.
Dear Henchman is a fun take on the superhero genre, with lots of action, adventure, and humour, utilising an interesting storytelling format to explore bigger ideas of power, responsibility and what makes a true hero. The main characters are fun and bring an awesome sense of humour, while at the same time being real and vulnerable and super relatable. I highly recommend Dear Henchman and it’s predecessor Dear Hero to anyone who loves superhero stories, wisecracking characters, and books that try something different with how they tell a story.
Have you read Dear Hero? Is Dear Henchman on your TBR? What is your favourite superhero book or movie? Let’s chat in the comments down below!
Looking for more super powered fun? Check out my latest novel Frost Hands, a YA sci-fi about kids with mutant abilities, a well-dressed villain on a mission, and a desperate race against time. Available on Amazon now!
