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Just Cause Universe #1
Just Cause
A NEW HERO FOR A NEW ERAMustang Sally has some speedy shoes to fill. This young superhero has waited her whole life to join Just Cause? the premiere team of American heroes. Now she?s hoping her super-speed will earn a spot on the same team to which her parents and grandparents belonged.AN OLD GRUDGE FROM AN OLD ENEMYA chance encounter with the villain who killed her father changes everything. Even though she?s only an intern, Sally devotes herself to finding the man known as Destroyer. With the help of her eagle-winged best friend Sondra and her super-strong love interest Jason, her investigations uncover a sinister plot stretching all the way back to her grandparents? era. Sally and Just Cause must risk everything to halt Destroyer's plans and save the entire world.BONUS FEATURESBeyond the revised original text, this volume contains three all-new short stories that expand upon the history of Mustang Sally's family line in the context of the Just Cause Universe. It also contains a summary of the historical and contemporary superhero teams that have been part of the legendary history.
363 pages, Paperback
First published May 31, 2007
About the author
Ian Thomas Healy
90 books97 followersIan Thomas Healy is a prolific writer who dabbles in many different speculative genres. His superhero novel Deep Six: A Just Cause Novel was a Top 100 Semi-finalist in the 2008 Amazon.com Breakthrough Novel Award. He’s a seven-time participant and winner of National Novel Writing Month where he’s tackled such diverse subjects as sentient alien farts, competitive forklift racing, a religion-powered rabbit-themed superhero, cyberpunk mercenaries, cowboy elves, and an unlikely combination of vampires with minor league hockey. He is also the creator of the Writing Better Action Through Cinematic Techniques workshop, which helps writers to improve their action scenes.
His goal is to become as integral to the genre of superhero fiction as William Gibson was to cyberpunk and Anne Rice was to urban fantasy.
Ian lives in Colorado with his wife, three children, and a plethora of housepets. When not writing, which is rare, he likes to take road trip, enjoys watching football and hockey, and listening to or playing music. His ebooks can be found on Smashwords, Kindle, Nook, iBook Store, and other online retailers.
His goal is to become as integral to the genre of superhero fiction as William Gibson was to cyberpunk and Anne Rice was to urban fantasy.
Ian lives in Colorado with his wife, three children, and a plethora of housepets. When not writing, which is rare, he likes to take road trip, enjoys watching football and hockey, and listening to or playing music. His ebooks can be found on Smashwords, Kindle, Nook, iBook Store, and other online retailers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
December 23, 2011
The best thing about Ian Healy's books is the accessibility of their worlds and characters. He welcomes us in and takes us for a fun and memorable ride, and unlike other superhero universes, we never feel like the understanding of an entire mythology is out of our grasp -- or would take thousands of reading hours to accomplish.
Mustang Sally is a fantastic flagship hero in that she's smart, quick (literally), and vulnerable, and she makes an interesting and relatable pair of eyes through which to see this incredible world of parahumans that feels both fantastical and realistic. But there is an entire cast of characters, all of whom are wonderfully developed, from the wiseacre Crackerjack to the sexy but wise Desert Eagle who can soar through the air on a pair of beautiful wings. There is also a sense of historical perspective lying beneath the surface here, and you get the sense that Healy is in complete control of this world and has all sorts of goodies in store for us. And judging from what I've read in interviews, he definitely has a lot planned for the Just Cause universe. For the first book in a series, this really gets things off to a great start and it makes us hungry for more. I cannot wait for the next books in this series.
Mustang Sally is a fantastic flagship hero in that she's smart, quick (literally), and vulnerable, and she makes an interesting and relatable pair of eyes through which to see this incredible world of parahumans that feels both fantastical and realistic. But there is an entire cast of characters, all of whom are wonderfully developed, from the wiseacre Crackerjack to the sexy but wise Desert Eagle who can soar through the air on a pair of beautiful wings. There is also a sense of historical perspective lying beneath the surface here, and you get the sense that Healy is in complete control of this world and has all sorts of goodies in store for us. And judging from what I've read in interviews, he definitely has a lot planned for the Just Cause universe. For the first book in a series, this really gets things off to a great start and it makes us hungry for more. I cannot wait for the next books in this series.
March 25, 2012
"Just Cause" is a great book; it is fast paced (which is doubly true given the protagonist's super power), and it is obvious Mr. Healy knows his superheroes (as a comic book reader/collector I appreciate this fact greatly). The writing is very visual and the scenes are crafted very well. There's no fat here. Everything written is essential for either character development or plot movement.
Great stuff! I strongly recommend it to anyone who likes their superheroes with a grounding of "reality" to them. This book makes them more believable.
Great stuff! I strongly recommend it to anyone who likes their superheroes with a grounding of "reality" to them. This book makes them more believable.
January 6, 2012
Just Cause starts out with a bang, as the Lucky Seven, along with 18-year-old main character, Salena Thompson, better known as Mustang Sally, are summoned by the police commissioner to stop a giant robot from destroying the Science and Technology Expo.
The Lucky Seven are decimated in the fight and Sally discovers the man inside the robot is Destroyer, the villain who killed her dad before she was born. She sets out on a mission of revenge with the help of her new team, Just Cause, to destroy the man behind the machine. However he has tricks of his own up his sleeve including partnering with a Hitler like villain by the name of Kaiser.
Though he’s introduced many characters early on, Ian describes them in great detail, each standing out by their unique abilities and costumes, making it easy to keep track of who’s who.
Mustang Sally is especially well drawn. She’s a tiny blonde thing, who wears a red and yellow costume, and probably the fastest parahuman on the face of the planet. She comes from a long line of speedsters on her mom’s side and is destined to follow in their footsteps.
Though she’s confident in her abilities as a speedster, when it comes to love she’s apprehensive. She’d concentrated so hard on her training, she never took the time to date. Then she meets, Jason, a Brick, better known as Mastiff, a boy two years older than she—huge, muscly, and incredibly hot.
Ian writes their relationship well, both are timid and bashful at first, but we get to watch their relationship bloom into a full on love story. It’s very sweet with a side of spice.
He also doesn’t forget that although the two lovebirds are parahumans, they’re still real teenagers doing real teenage things like having crushes, playing in rock bands, and driving crappy cars.
I like the way Ian has written all the heroes, super yes, but still with human qualities, they have relationships, drink coffee, laugh, celebrate, grieve. They’re fallible, vulnerable. They get beat up, break bones, and sadly but expectedly, some die.
Healy is also a master at action scenes. It almost feels like you’re watching a movie instead of reading a book when the superheroes are battling the villains. There’s shooting and hand to hand combat, and bodies flying everywhere. What I’ve found so difficult to write, Ian makes seem effortless.
Another thing I liked about the book was that Ian mixed historical fact with fiction. The beginning of every chapter starts with a quote. Some are quotes from real historical figures, like Ghandi, others are quotes from made up superheroes appearing on Oprah. Ian writes about how the parahumans helped out in the wars, and how they partook in the party culture of the seventies.
All in all I thought this was a great book. Though it has the superhero element, it’s not for kids. There is some foul language and sex. I think older teens and adults who are fans of superheroes, graphic novels, and action and adventure will really enjoy Just Cause. This is just the first in a series, so be on the lookout for the next book. I know I will.
The Lucky Seven are decimated in the fight and Sally discovers the man inside the robot is Destroyer, the villain who killed her dad before she was born. She sets out on a mission of revenge with the help of her new team, Just Cause, to destroy the man behind the machine. However he has tricks of his own up his sleeve including partnering with a Hitler like villain by the name of Kaiser.
Though he’s introduced many characters early on, Ian describes them in great detail, each standing out by their unique abilities and costumes, making it easy to keep track of who’s who.
Mustang Sally is especially well drawn. She’s a tiny blonde thing, who wears a red and yellow costume, and probably the fastest parahuman on the face of the planet. She comes from a long line of speedsters on her mom’s side and is destined to follow in their footsteps.
Though she’s confident in her abilities as a speedster, when it comes to love she’s apprehensive. She’d concentrated so hard on her training, she never took the time to date. Then she meets, Jason, a Brick, better known as Mastiff, a boy two years older than she—huge, muscly, and incredibly hot.
Ian writes their relationship well, both are timid and bashful at first, but we get to watch their relationship bloom into a full on love story. It’s very sweet with a side of spice.
He also doesn’t forget that although the two lovebirds are parahumans, they’re still real teenagers doing real teenage things like having crushes, playing in rock bands, and driving crappy cars.
I like the way Ian has written all the heroes, super yes, but still with human qualities, they have relationships, drink coffee, laugh, celebrate, grieve. They’re fallible, vulnerable. They get beat up, break bones, and sadly but expectedly, some die.
Healy is also a master at action scenes. It almost feels like you’re watching a movie instead of reading a book when the superheroes are battling the villains. There’s shooting and hand to hand combat, and bodies flying everywhere. What I’ve found so difficult to write, Ian makes seem effortless.
Another thing I liked about the book was that Ian mixed historical fact with fiction. The beginning of every chapter starts with a quote. Some are quotes from real historical figures, like Ghandi, others are quotes from made up superheroes appearing on Oprah. Ian writes about how the parahumans helped out in the wars, and how they partook in the party culture of the seventies.
All in all I thought this was a great book. Though it has the superhero element, it’s not for kids. There is some foul language and sex. I think older teens and adults who are fans of superheroes, graphic novels, and action and adventure will really enjoy Just Cause. This is just the first in a series, so be on the lookout for the next book. I know I will.
July 13, 2012
Being a gamer (Champions) I would say I am a bit biased. That said, I really liked this story. Sally was a very believable person and showed both her fear and courage. I really enjoyed the reality that the super heroes are still people with lives and outside interests. The relationships were fun and brought out some depths to the characters and made them reachable.
Thanks Ian for a good story! Looking forward to many more Just Cause stories!!
Thanks Ian for a good story! Looking forward to many more Just Cause stories!!
March 26, 2012
Loved this book!! This is a great opening book for the series. The characters grab your interest, the story line moves smoothly without being too fast or too slow. The character interactions are well written, giving a depth to them that I really enjoy.
January 15, 2013
I like most superhero movies, but am definitely NOT a fan of comic books or graphic novels, so I wasn't sure how I'd like this book. Happily, I found it to be engaging and entertaining, with strong, sympathetic main characters and a solid plot that leaves plenty of room for additional books in the series. Reminiscent of X-Men, or The Justice League. If you enjoy fantasy and science fiction genres, you should give this a try. Recommended.
February 5, 2015
Nothing like a good superhero book. And that she's a speedster makes it all the better. Superspeed is the best superpower, after all.
October 1, 2014
Just Cause is the first book in the Just Cause Universe by Ian Thomas Healy. Mustang Sally has prepared her whole life to be part of the Just Cause Team, A parahuman organization fighting crime. Sally is a third generation speedster, which means she can run really really fast, can put here senses into overdrive which results in time slowing down around her so she can do things before anyone even sees her such as disarm a bad guy. Sally Just graduated from the Hero Academy 6 months ago, and spent the last six months training with the lucky seven, an independent group of superheroes.She turned 18 and the Lucky seven hands her thier gift and its a letter informing her she got an internship of a lifetime with the just Cause team. Sally and the Lucky Seven are called for a ddisturbancethat proves to be difficult for the team to handle, and Sally recognizes the threat as a ghost from her families' history. Just Cause is a group of elite parahuman superheroes that take care of any parahuman threats the government doesn't know how to deal with. Sally starts her internship at Just Cause and is immediately thrown into a case, her quick thinking during the case earns her some recognition and she begins to feel more like one of the team. Sally is then selected to go on a mission with members of the Just cause team even thought she is just an intern due to her research on the subject of the case. Will Sally's first mission prove to be too much for her or will she prove just how much of a true hero she really is?
I love superheroes and this story didn't disappoint, it was full of combat and excitement and a little bit of romance mixed in. From the beginning of this book there was action going on. I liked Sally, she was very down to earth even though she was the fastest speedster to date. Sally was so dedicated to being a superhero and taking down those who pose a threat to society. I loved the powers that was given to the superheroes and the names that refrenced their powers such as brick or speedster. I enjoyed the little bit of romance that was mixed in but didn't take away from the superhero action part of the story.
In all honesty I didn't dislike anything about this story, I felt that it had strong characters and a strong story line. I felt that it was well written and I always knew what was going on, I was never confused or lost.
I will be trying to obtain the other books in this series so that I can read more about the characters I fell in love with in this first installment.
A review copy was graciously given to me by the author Ian Thomas Healy!!
I love superheroes and this story didn't disappoint, it was full of combat and excitement and a little bit of romance mixed in. From the beginning of this book there was action going on. I liked Sally, she was very down to earth even though she was the fastest speedster to date. Sally was so dedicated to being a superhero and taking down those who pose a threat to society. I loved the powers that was given to the superheroes and the names that refrenced their powers such as brick or speedster. I enjoyed the little bit of romance that was mixed in but didn't take away from the superhero action part of the story.
In all honesty I didn't dislike anything about this story, I felt that it had strong characters and a strong story line. I felt that it was well written and I always knew what was going on, I was never confused or lost.
I will be trying to obtain the other books in this series so that I can read more about the characters I fell in love with in this first installment.
A review copy was graciously given to me by the author Ian Thomas Healy!!
November 11, 2016
First: Just Cause is a fantastic name for a super hero group, and Mustang Sally is a fantastic name for a speedster.
Minor Spoilers Ahead
The adventure follows Mustang Sally as she joins Just Cause (The U.S.’s premier government backed superhero team) as an intern. Like most superheroes, Sally’s past has a stroke of tragedy: her father was killed by a super villain before the start of the story, and by chapter two Sally’s had her first run in with the man who killed him: Destroyer. From there, Sally gets to know her new teammates, falls for one of them, investigates Destroyer’s nefarious schemes, and kicks ass as necessary.
There are a lot of characters in this book. My one critique is that it’s occasionally difficult to keep track of them all, especially since they’ve all got civilian names and superhero names. That said, the plot focuses on Mustang Sally; we’re not bouncing around various points-of-view. Everyone gets a chance to shine, but this story is Sally’s. And Sally’s a great character. She’s spunky yet vulnerable, driven yet uncertain, powerful and fun and a delight to follow for 300 pages. So, while I found the number of characters a bit daunting at times, staying focused on Sally helped me get to know the others incrementally.
The adventure itself (investigating Destroyer and what he’s up to) gives Sally ample opportunity to use her super powers, research superhero history, and be clandestine and clever and heroic. I’m often irritated with stories that rely on their heroes to be brash idiots to move the plot along, but there’s none of that here. Sally’s not perfect, but she’s careful and logical.
The climax is thrilling and emotional, and though it wraps up the adventure nicely enough, it leaves no doubt of more to come. Which neatly turns my critique above into a strength. There’s a lot of characters and a lot of history to explore. Also, there are appendices. Who doesn’t love appendices?
Just Cause is the first book in a series. According to the author, not every book needs to be read in order as some books follow different characters at different points in the timeline. Having read the first, I have no doubt I’ll read the rest.
Minor Spoilers Ahead
The adventure follows Mustang Sally as she joins Just Cause (The U.S.’s premier government backed superhero team) as an intern. Like most superheroes, Sally’s past has a stroke of tragedy: her father was killed by a super villain before the start of the story, and by chapter two Sally’s had her first run in with the man who killed him: Destroyer. From there, Sally gets to know her new teammates, falls for one of them, investigates Destroyer’s nefarious schemes, and kicks ass as necessary.
There are a lot of characters in this book. My one critique is that it’s occasionally difficult to keep track of them all, especially since they’ve all got civilian names and superhero names. That said, the plot focuses on Mustang Sally; we’re not bouncing around various points-of-view. Everyone gets a chance to shine, but this story is Sally’s. And Sally’s a great character. She’s spunky yet vulnerable, driven yet uncertain, powerful and fun and a delight to follow for 300 pages. So, while I found the number of characters a bit daunting at times, staying focused on Sally helped me get to know the others incrementally.
The adventure itself (investigating Destroyer and what he’s up to) gives Sally ample opportunity to use her super powers, research superhero history, and be clandestine and clever and heroic. I’m often irritated with stories that rely on their heroes to be brash idiots to move the plot along, but there’s none of that here. Sally’s not perfect, but she’s careful and logical.
The climax is thrilling and emotional, and though it wraps up the adventure nicely enough, it leaves no doubt of more to come. Which neatly turns my critique above into a strength. There’s a lot of characters and a lot of history to explore. Also, there are appendices. Who doesn’t love appendices?
Just Cause is the first book in a series. According to the author, not every book needs to be read in order as some books follow different characters at different points in the timeline. Having read the first, I have no doubt I’ll read the rest.
January 17, 2018
Mustang Sally is a third generation speedster superhero. Both her parents were super heroes. And two of her grandparents. So she has big shoes to fill. Trained from a young age by her family she is highly skilled and thus after graduating from a super hero academy is quickly invited as an intern onto the premier super hero team - Just Cause. Just as she is joining the team a long dormant villain - the only one to continually beat Just Cause and the person responsible for Sally's father's death - rears his head. Will just Cause be able to work out his plan and stop him before it is too late?
Just Cause is somewhat a coming-of-age story (the teenage romance is there), while also an intriguing story of super heroes. The story nicely ties together three generations of heroes, with the prior two providing some mystery and depth to the current situation.
The story is nothing ground breaking, but is interesting and keeps up the pace for it's entirety. Solid and enjoyable.
The universe is generally much like our, but just with heroes. For example, the 1994 and 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre both happened, but rather than being some form of terrorism they are both super hero attacks. So super powers have changed the world from what we know, but in subtler ways than you might expect. Each chapter opens with a quote - some real, from real people, and some from people who only exist in this universe speaking specifically about powers. It's a nice mix that gives the world a bit more of a 'lived in' feel.
The additional three short stories at the end expand and deepen the world, telling relevant adventures of the previous generations, telling detailed stories of events that are only briefly covered in the main story. They are a nice cap to the end of the main story.
Narration by Leslie Howard is really enjoyable. She is well paced, giving emphasis where required and matching her reading pace with the mood of the story. She provides voices, accents, emotions etc to all the characters, really bringing them off the page. I would not hesitate to pick up another book read by her.
I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.
Just Cause is somewhat a coming-of-age story (the teenage romance is there), while also an intriguing story of super heroes. The story nicely ties together three generations of heroes, with the prior two providing some mystery and depth to the current situation.
The story is nothing ground breaking, but is interesting and keeps up the pace for it's entirety. Solid and enjoyable.
The universe is generally much like our, but just with heroes. For example, the 1994 and 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre both happened, but rather than being some form of terrorism they are both super hero attacks. So super powers have changed the world from what we know, but in subtler ways than you might expect. Each chapter opens with a quote - some real, from real people, and some from people who only exist in this universe speaking specifically about powers. It's a nice mix that gives the world a bit more of a 'lived in' feel.
The additional three short stories at the end expand and deepen the world, telling relevant adventures of the previous generations, telling detailed stories of events that are only briefly covered in the main story. They are a nice cap to the end of the main story.
Narration by Leslie Howard is really enjoyable. She is well paced, giving emphasis where required and matching her reading pace with the mood of the story. She provides voices, accents, emotions etc to all the characters, really bringing them off the page. I would not hesitate to pick up another book read by her.
I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.
April 8, 2021
I really enjoyed Plague (book 18) where I was introduced to the characters for the first time and just had to start at the beginning. So glad I did because this book didn't disappoint. It is a different set of characters but that didn't matter as they were just as interesting. I have grown up watching the marvel characters on screen and thought a speeder was one of the weaker members of the team but this book has blown that idea right out of the water and I loved Mustang Sally. You are given plenty of back story or memories throughout the main story as Sally tries to work out what the Destroyer is up to but after the main story you are given extra stories of how Sally's grandparents and parent's each battled him, which despite knowing how it turned out I also enjoyed because it completed the story for me.There is plenty of action but the author also gives the characters lives to live and even what they face after retirement. If you are expecting this book to have a fairy tale ending like in films, where the good guys all go home and the bad guy is caught? then this book isn't for you but if you want action, bad guys plotting to destroy the world, a little bit of romance and one funny one liners then sit back and let the action begin.
Mustang Sally is finally old enough to join the Just Cause super hero team as a trainee, like her parent's and Grandparents before her. The problem is she finds herself battling there old enemy, who is also the reason she grew up without a father. The Destroyer's plans for revenge has set him on a path to create his own super hero army and he might have just worked out a way to do it. Can Sally with her super speed and the rest of the Just Cause team stop him in his tracks?
I liked the narrator. She had to give voices to a lot of characters but she did a brilliant job with it and like the main character the story zipped by in the blink of an eye.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Mustang Sally is finally old enough to join the Just Cause super hero team as a trainee, like her parent's and Grandparents before her. The problem is she finds herself battling there old enemy, who is also the reason she grew up without a father. The Destroyer's plans for revenge has set him on a path to create his own super hero army and he might have just worked out a way to do it. Can Sally with her super speed and the rest of the Just Cause team stop him in his tracks?
I liked the narrator. She had to give voices to a lot of characters but she did a brilliant job with it and like the main character the story zipped by in the blink of an eye.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
December 23, 2017
"Enjoyable superhero novel"
There are plenty of super hero books etc out there these days, but the author manages to produce an engaging novel that predominantly focuses on a 3rd generation speedster hero known as Mustang Sally. She is a recent graduate of the Hero Academy that trains young parahumans in the use of their powers and she quickly ends up being an intern to Just Cause, the premier super hero team in this book's universe.
For a while the book is happy to build things gradually, filling in some history and back story for both her and her new teammates, but things start to ramp up as she becomes involved with one of those teammates and has also been making progress into investigating the newly returned nemesis of Just Cause known as the Destroyer, a villain responsible for the deaths of many heroes including that of Sally's father.
As well as helping to move the plot along to it's eventual conclusion, her investigation also helps to serve as a means for filling in some of the back story for both her family and for the Just Cause team itself, nicely rounding out the world as a whole.
Following, the conclusion of the main storyline, the book shifts into some short stories that cover some significant early incidents for the previous generations of both the team and Sally's family, a nice little bonus.
The narrator's performance was a strong one, getting the pacing and tone right throughout along with providing sufficiently distinct voices for the various characters in the book too.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and will certainly be considering getting other books from the series too.
[I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.]
There are plenty of super hero books etc out there these days, but the author manages to produce an engaging novel that predominantly focuses on a 3rd generation speedster hero known as Mustang Sally. She is a recent graduate of the Hero Academy that trains young parahumans in the use of their powers and she quickly ends up being an intern to Just Cause, the premier super hero team in this book's universe.
For a while the book is happy to build things gradually, filling in some history and back story for both her and her new teammates, but things start to ramp up as she becomes involved with one of those teammates and has also been making progress into investigating the newly returned nemesis of Just Cause known as the Destroyer, a villain responsible for the deaths of many heroes including that of Sally's father.
As well as helping to move the plot along to it's eventual conclusion, her investigation also helps to serve as a means for filling in some of the back story for both her family and for the Just Cause team itself, nicely rounding out the world as a whole.
Following, the conclusion of the main storyline, the book shifts into some short stories that cover some significant early incidents for the previous generations of both the team and Sally's family, a nice little bonus.
The narrator's performance was a strong one, getting the pacing and tone right throughout along with providing sufficiently distinct voices for the various characters in the book too.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and will certainly be considering getting other books from the series too.
[I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.]
June 25, 2015
I enjoy superhero prose, and I enjoyed this, though it isn't my new favourite series or anything.
There are a few editing issues, minor ones for the most part, but no more than in many other books I read (including plenty of trad-pubs). The commonest error, and it wasn't especially common, was mispunctuated dialogue.
The main character had a personal stake in the plot question ("Hello! My name is Mustang Sally. You killed my father. Prepare to die!"). There were plenty of desperate fights. And yet, I'm hesitating to buy the sequel.
I think perhaps the trouble was that the minor characters felt flat (which reduced the impact when several of them died), and the main character felt too capable. The course of true love ran fairly smooth, and a bit rapidly. The deputy team leader - who everyone warned the main character about, implying she was a horrible person and hard to get on with - did seem serious, but not inappropriately so, given the situation. There was no significant interpersonal conflict within the team itself, and the villains were cartoonishly evil and one-dimensional. There were a couple of "huh?" moments for me, as well: Why would a female superhero name herself "Colt", if she's going for a horse theme? Why not "Filly"? And how is it that someone with super speed isn't fast enough to swat an insect?
All the elements were there for a great superhero story, and they were enjoyably handled - I looked forward to getting back to reading it, which is one of my litmus tests - but somehow it didn't catch fire for me.
There are a few editing issues, minor ones for the most part, but no more than in many other books I read (including plenty of trad-pubs). The commonest error, and it wasn't especially common, was mispunctuated dialogue.
The main character had a personal stake in the plot question ("Hello! My name is Mustang Sally. You killed my father. Prepare to die!"). There were plenty of desperate fights. And yet, I'm hesitating to buy the sequel.
I think perhaps the trouble was that the minor characters felt flat (which reduced the impact when several of them died), and the main character felt too capable. The course of true love ran fairly smooth, and a bit rapidly. The deputy team leader - who everyone warned the main character about, implying she was a horrible person and hard to get on with - did seem serious, but not inappropriately so, given the situation. There was no significant interpersonal conflict within the team itself, and the villains were cartoonishly evil and one-dimensional. There were a couple of "huh?" moments for me, as well: Why would a female superhero name herself "Colt", if she's going for a horse theme? Why not "Filly"? And how is it that someone with super speed isn't fast enough to swat an insect?
All the elements were there for a great superhero story, and they were enjoyably handled - I looked forward to getting back to reading it, which is one of my litmus tests - but somehow it didn't catch fire for me.
October 29, 2015
I've been a Marvelphile all my adult life, and while I've enjoyed some of the DC universe too, I'm generally really happy with Marvel's cast of superheroes. But I don't often read superhero novels - it's probably been almost ten years since I picked one up. But last week I met Ian Healy at Denver's MileHi Con and decided to take a chance on his Just Cause Universe.
Fortunately, I had a long plane ride as an excuse, because I devoured this book. Mustang Sally and the rest of the Just Cause characters are believable and have a depth that goes beyond most new creations on 4-color pages. Healy's universe is expansive, and dangerous. He doesn't hold back and we find heroes and villains that are willing to kill for their cause.
Sally has a lot to deal with beyond being the newest hero on a superteam - new love, a complicated relationship with her mom, and a villain that killed her father and has been extremely efficient at taking out other superpowers in the past.
Note - this book is not G rated. Healy explores violence, physical and psychological torment, and sexual situations. Think Jessica Jones, not Spider-Man.
The writing is pretty solid. My only complaint is that Healy introduces the reader to an abundance of characters in heaping waves (7 or 8 in Chapter 1, for example). Though the way the story unfolds, it would have been difficult to do otherwise.
If you love superheroes, my advice is to give Just Cause a read. You'll probably want to pick up book #2; I know I am planning to.
Fortunately, I had a long plane ride as an excuse, because I devoured this book. Mustang Sally and the rest of the Just Cause characters are believable and have a depth that goes beyond most new creations on 4-color pages. Healy's universe is expansive, and dangerous. He doesn't hold back and we find heroes and villains that are willing to kill for their cause.
Sally has a lot to deal with beyond being the newest hero on a superteam - new love, a complicated relationship with her mom, and a villain that killed her father and has been extremely efficient at taking out other superpowers in the past.
Note - this book is not G rated. Healy explores violence, physical and psychological torment, and sexual situations. Think Jessica Jones, not Spider-Man.
The writing is pretty solid. My only complaint is that Healy introduces the reader to an abundance of characters in heaping waves (7 or 8 in Chapter 1, for example). Though the way the story unfolds, it would have been difficult to do otherwise.
If you love superheroes, my advice is to give Just Cause a read. You'll probably want to pick up book #2; I know I am planning to.
February 8, 2021
This was an enjoyable listen. There are many things to like about the start of the series but I think the two most important are the character building and also the universe building. Both of these things are done incredibly well. There are many characters described throughout this book and as the list grew I thought it would be hard to comprehend and to follow who does what, surprisingly it was very straightforward and very easy to follow. I was not confused with which powers going to which character. I very much enjoyed the background and in-depth detail that went into each characters description and backstory. It was very refreshing and you got a sense of the characters past and present. This was great because you really got a feel for our characters. Also, the universe building was very very awesome! The author does a great job of painting landscapes into vivid pictures in my mind. It is easy to see why I flew through this one. Best thing about this is I get the sense the author is a little quirky and his writing reflects that in the best way possible. The narration and performance is done very very well. There’s lots of subtle tone changes and each character almost has a unique voice so you’re never confused at who is speaking. As I like to say, the performance really adds value to the authors writing and brings the words to life. A lot of times what the characters were saying almost jumped off the page to me just because of the way they were said. It appears I have many more great audiobooks to enjoy in this universe.
August 18, 2018
I met Ian Thomas Healy at the Denver MileHi Con in October, 2017. His description of his super-hero world intrigued me. Being a super-hero fan of sorts (I’ve watched all the movies from Superman, Spiderman, Batman, DC, & Marvel), I picked up this first book in the Just Cause series entitled Just Cause.
In the Just Cause world superheroes, or “parahumans” with paranormal abilities, are known entities. They’ve been “out of the closet”, so to speak, for decades and now can be identified with by the Musashi gene encoding for a parahuman. These parahumans attend special schools like the Hero Academy and join various hero groups. One group, sanctioned by the US Government, is known as Just Cause and is the elite hero team.
Sally, an eighteen-year-old parahuman, is the main character in the story. Her para-ability is speed. We join the story as she becomes an intern with Just Cause. This books is much more than a super hero book with elements of a coming-of-age story. Super hero genre fans won’t be disappointed and those that are looking for a touching storyline will also love Ian’s plot.
Full disclosure, this is the first super-hero book I’ve read. I wasn’t sure what to expect and still am not sure how to compare it to others in the genre, but I can definitely recommend it as it kept me page-turning and I grew invested in the characters.
In the Just Cause world superheroes, or “parahumans” with paranormal abilities, are known entities. They’ve been “out of the closet”, so to speak, for decades and now can be identified with by the Musashi gene encoding for a parahuman. These parahumans attend special schools like the Hero Academy and join various hero groups. One group, sanctioned by the US Government, is known as Just Cause and is the elite hero team.
Sally, an eighteen-year-old parahuman, is the main character in the story. Her para-ability is speed. We join the story as she becomes an intern with Just Cause. This books is much more than a super hero book with elements of a coming-of-age story. Super hero genre fans won’t be disappointed and those that are looking for a touching storyline will also love Ian’s plot.
Full disclosure, this is the first super-hero book I’ve read. I wasn’t sure what to expect and still am not sure how to compare it to others in the genre, but I can definitely recommend it as it kept me page-turning and I grew invested in the characters.
July 28, 2019
I gave this a four star. It took me awhile to finish it. The beginning and middle were good. The end was really good. I plan on reading the next volume. What I really liked were the short stories at the end of the book. Golden and Silver age. Plus a description of all of the other teams that were briefly involved in the story.
This was more in depth than I imagined it was going to be. Mustang Sally has the speed of the flash. Hopefully she’ll develop more of her super speed in further volumes. Right now she’s just a one trick pony. No pun intended. She is a newbie fresh out of superhero school. She joins the biggest supergroup in America. The group has their hands full with long time nemesis the Destroyer. He has a very checkered past with her new group Just Cause. Their line up has included her grandmother, her father and her mother. She follows in their footsteps with one goal. To take down the Destroyer. It’s personal and involves her family. I won’t say anymore. It’s worth reading if you are into superheroes, superhero teams and just the genre in general.
The author keeps it as real as possible. No DC made up cities. Just imaginary heroes in the real world. I found it very enjoyable.
This was more in depth than I imagined it was going to be. Mustang Sally has the speed of the flash. Hopefully she’ll develop more of her super speed in further volumes. Right now she’s just a one trick pony. No pun intended. She is a newbie fresh out of superhero school. She joins the biggest supergroup in America. The group has their hands full with long time nemesis the Destroyer. He has a very checkered past with her new group Just Cause. Their line up has included her grandmother, her father and her mother. She follows in their footsteps with one goal. To take down the Destroyer. It’s personal and involves her family. I won’t say anymore. It’s worth reading if you are into superheroes, superhero teams and just the genre in general.
The author keeps it as real as possible. No DC made up cities. Just imaginary heroes in the real world. I found it very enjoyable.
February 24, 2024
I think this is my second attempt to read Just Cause; I gave up the first time, finding it bogged down with switches between past and present. The new updated version fixes all the issues, removing the historical world-building scenes out which had bleed all tension from the story, and moved them to the end as optional short stories.
Now the story concentrates on Mustang Sally's coming-of-age story and all the angst and joy it entails - her first job, and the upgrade to the job she really wanted. Her first love. Her development of an adult relationship with her mother. The changing of her relationships with her mentors and teachers as she becomes an adult. Just Cause is a good New Adult mashup of coming-of-age and the superhero genre. Then you can read the "historical" short stories and concentrate on the tragedies and heroics of the past that shaped the present.
Nothing in the Sally portion of the book would be considered "gritty" - I'm getting a very similar feeling as I get from reading Percy Jackson (alternated reading this story on eBook with the physical PJ book). Overall a fun read.
Now the story concentrates on Mustang Sally's coming-of-age story and all the angst and joy it entails - her first job, and the upgrade to the job she really wanted. Her first love. Her development of an adult relationship with her mother. The changing of her relationships with her mentors and teachers as she becomes an adult. Just Cause is a good New Adult mashup of coming-of-age and the superhero genre. Then you can read the "historical" short stories and concentrate on the tragedies and heroics of the past that shaped the present.
Nothing in the Sally portion of the book would be considered "gritty" - I'm getting a very similar feeling as I get from reading Percy Jackson (alternated reading this story on eBook with the physical PJ book). Overall a fun read.
October 16, 2022
I enjoyed the action throughout the book. The story line was very good. Keep up the great work!
September 26, 2014
Mustang Sally aka Salena Thompson is 3rd generation speedster. She wants to be in Just Cause, a super hero group that is helping to keep the world safe from those who are using their powers for evil.
Her enemy, the Destroyer who killed her father, is a guy bending on something sinister. Destroyer has weapons to counter attack almost every super power in the planet. When Mustang Sally uncovers a diabolical plan to create more people with super powers, Just Cause team steps in.
Salena herself is a determined character full of creative thinking; you know that the author had put a lot of thought into characters for the book by the amount of personality and behaviour. Aside from fighting crime, Salena also finds time to make new friends and a budding romance.
If you are someone who likes super heroes, Mustang Sally is one to follow, the story is interesting and the characters are convincingly real. Overall it will be worth all the nights spent chasing this series.
Her enemy, the Destroyer who killed her father, is a guy bending on something sinister. Destroyer has weapons to counter attack almost every super power in the planet. When Mustang Sally uncovers a diabolical plan to create more people with super powers, Just Cause team steps in.
Salena herself is a determined character full of creative thinking; you know that the author had put a lot of thought into characters for the book by the amount of personality and behaviour. Aside from fighting crime, Salena also finds time to make new friends and a budding romance.
If you are someone who likes super heroes, Mustang Sally is one to follow, the story is interesting and the characters are convincingly real. Overall it will be worth all the nights spent chasing this series.
November 27, 2016
I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up Just Cause. The Superhero genre offers an author so many opportunities to be cheesy and melodramatic. Healy's first installment of the Just Cause Universe is neither. Instead, it's thoughtful and filled with diverse relatable characters a reader can't help but care about. It's action packed and suspenseful. The few predictable points are countered with a few genuine surprises. In a word, it's fun, hitting all the high points the genre offers. I want more and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series. Highly recommended!
June 10, 2016
Fun book that makes superhero look more human
Sally is a speedster that is pretty fast but she has to deal with surroundings unlike The Flash since it wears on her.... No protection around her or Speed Force. Same goes it for others, as in the have flaws that are bigger than your normal superhuman in comic books plus there's not as many of them in their world. It's a good read that's fun and different.
Sally is a speedster that is pretty fast but she has to deal with surroundings unlike The Flash since it wears on her.... No protection around her or Speed Force. Same goes it for others, as in the have flaws that are bigger than your normal superhuman in comic books plus there's not as many of them in their world. It's a good read that's fun and different.
December 3, 2020
Just gotten round to reading this after it has been in my 'to read' list for a while. I hoped to like it and was not disappointed. Why the missing star? I took off one star for the silly insta-love, it hardly seems likely that a new superhero rather than learning how the team functions would spend her first week mooning over the first boy she meets (even if he is from Georgia!)
Look forward to the next in the series
Look forward to the next in the series
January 16, 2018
My review is based on the Audiobook. Just Cause is Book 1 in this series and a great beginning. I love that it is not like your everyday SuperHero story and contains uncommon Superheros. The narrator does an amazing job bringing the story to life. I look forward to more in this series and from this Author and narrator.
February 4, 2017
This is my first time reading a superhero novel and I have to say that 'Just Cause' did not disappoint! The story line is both exciting and intense and found the characters in this book held up to likes of Xmen, Fantastic Four and the Avengers! A real page turner!
December 21, 2022
This was funny. Superhero's abound, and a supervillian of course. This story see's the main team down 2 at the end but Sally gets not just the internship but full membership much sooner than she could ever imagined. And the supervillian still needs his comuppance.
January 7, 2014
This was a really good, basic super hero story. Solid and very much what I was looking for. It was a little slow in the middle, but the end more than made up for it.
April 22, 2018
It was pretty fun. A lot of it was pretty normal Superhero fare. It was fun following the speedster protagonist.
July 18, 2018
A different take on the superhero genre. Not quite like anything I've read before.
December 7, 2018
Fun super hero story set partially in Denver.
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