SciFi/Fantasy Novella Review: Unsung Heroine by Sarah Kuhn

Unsung Heroine by Sarah Kuhn:

Unsung Heroine is the latest in Sarah Kuhn's Heroine Complex series, which is one of my favorite discoveries of the past few years. For those who have somehow missed the series, don't start here, but with the first book Heroine Complex instead, but know that this is an absolutely fun series about a group of Asian American superheroines, fighting hilariously shaped demons in San Francisco, all the while trying to figure out their own personal and romantic lives (complete with sex scenes, fair warning).  Unsung Heroine is actually a break from the main trio of characters, and instead focuses upon side character, mixed-race bodyguard Lucy, and her relationship with another minor character.  It's probably the least effective of the series since it kind of feels duplicative of the first book to an extent, but I love the characters enough, along with the romance and comedy involved, that I don't mind too much.





Quick Plot Summary:  Set after the events of Heroine Worship, Unsung Heroine switches its perspective to Lucy Valdez, bodyguard to San Francisco's #1 superheroine team....and its resident goddess of Karaoke.  As Lucy finds herself with competition for the #1 position at their local Karaoke spot, The Gutter, she more importantly finds herself with an internal crisis about commitment to the woman she's been in love with for the last few months (years?) - SFPD's Demon Unit commander, Rose Rorick.  And then of course there's the new demon outbreak - karaoke-themed demons of course - to make everything more complicated, as Lucy finds herself just as emotionally torn as her charges have been previously....can she really open up and have happiness with Rose?

Thoughts: The Heroine Complex series generally mixes romance with fantasy superhero(ine) fun, as our heroines inevitably have a romantic crisis at the same time that some major events in San Francisco require their ingenuity and powers to save the day.  Lucy, unlike the main series heroines, doesn't have superpowers, but she is a kickass bodyguard well equipped to defend herself.  Still, this is more a romance between two characters whose relationship has been going on in the background of the main series, and it works pretty well.  The only issue is that Lucy's issues are VERY similar to those of Evie from the first book, in terms of her inability to open up to her significant other, and while the root cause of that inability is very different, it did feel kind of like we've been through this angle before.  Still, as a novella, the story doesn't overstay its welcome, so the feeling of having done this before doesn't become too much of a problem, and the story continues having the absolute blast of dialogue and fun that the original trilogy contained, which will make series readers very happy.  Again, you really can't start here - aside from the novella spoiling past books, it relies upon an understanding of who these characters are that you won't have going in cold, but if you enjoyed the trilogy, you'll enjoy this.  I definitely did.