Velveteen vs. The Junior Super-Patriots

Velveteen, Volume 1

By: Seanan McGuire

Narrated by: Allison McLemore

"How dare you? I never asked for you to hunt me down!" No, Velma Martinez hadn't. But when you had once been Velveteen, child super-heroine and one of The Junior Super Patriots, West Coast Division, you were never going to be free, even if your only power was to bring toys to life. The Marketing Department would be sure of that.

So it all came down to this. One young woman and an army of misfit toys vs. the assembled might of the nine members of The Junior Super Patriots, West Coast Division who had come to take her down.

They never had a chance.

Velveteen lives in a world of superheroes and magic, where men can fly and where young girls can be abducted to the Autumn Land to save Halloween. Velma lives from paycheck to paycheck and copes with her broken-down car as she tries to escape from her old life.

It's all the same world. It's all real. And figuring out how to be both Velveteen and Velma is the biggest challenge of her life, because being super-human means you're still human in the end.

Join us as award-winning author Seanan McGuire takes us through the first volume of Velveteen's - and Velma's - adventure.

©2012 Seanan McGuire (P)2013 Audible Inc.

Good fun, original

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes. It kept me engaged. Excruciating material mixed in with the fluffy fun. Light hearted mostly which is what I was looking for.

Any additional comments?

Very clever and amusing.

I hesitated, but I was wrong to wait

I love Seanan McGuire in general. I started with October, went to Mira Grant's parasitology, and then Indexing, and Sparrow Hill Road, I hesitated on this series because I thought it was YA and graphic novel. It seemed like something I would feel Meh about. (TBH, I am meh on Incryptid, but I have only read the first novel and a few short stories, maybe it picks up if I give it a chance). I started this book because it was Seanan and, in the end, I was willing to take a chance on something she wrote.

I was totally wrong to hesitate. This series is wonderful, honest, and written for someone like me (who loves character-driven stories of the fantastic). This was an excellent collection of stories tying together the narrative of Velveteen, the toy-animating superhero.

Bottom line, trust Seanan McGuire to tell you an excellent story. Don't worry about the topic or the setting. She will take you on a journey every time. And every time, you will be glad you went with her.

Humorous and heartfelt

This was a wonderful read that was humorous and highly entertaining while at the same time being thoughtful and heartfelt. I am a huge fan of Seanan McGuire and I enjoyed this just as much as her Incryptid and October Daye series. This is a series of stories following Velma as she travels from Southern California to Oregon; there is a loose plotline but this is very much a set of stories...not really a book.

I listened to this on audiobook and the audiobook was incredibly well done. I would definitely recommend listening to on audiobook; McLemore sounds exactly like I imagine Velma would and does a great job with character voices and emotion.

The whole story is set in an alternate reality where superheroes exist and are heavily marketed with the majority being controlled by a large corporation. There are a lot of interesting issues addressed from very real issues (like corporate monopolies) to more fantasy issues (how does a superhero who can animate toys find a guy who understands her). Additionally there are questions about identity; who is Velma? Is she Velveteen or is she Velma? Is she something in between?

I loved all the characters in this book, even the side characters have a lot of depth and are completely real. I loved the world and thought this was an amazing read.

Overall I really enjoyed this story collection and look forward to reading the other Velveteen vs. collections. I would recommend to those who enjoy superhero stories with a human touch to them. The book is also pretty funny at times so I would recommend to those who enjoy humor in their stories as well.

oh yeah!

This is the beginning of yet another incredible series from Seanan, with all the excitement, humor, and imaginative inspiration fans love her for.

Amazing work with great narration

This is so much more than just a fun super hero book. It deals with corporate manipulation and the all to relatable struggle to live a life separate from the rules that seem to govern how we can. While taking place in a fictionalized version of America, there is a grounded universality to the characters and their struggles that transcend the genre.

I loved this book and would recommend it to all

a favorite

I've listened to the velveteen books so many times and it only just occurred to me that I've never left a review. and more people should find these books

a whim that paid off

Astra from the Wearing the Cape series did a cross over with Velveteen which was fun enough to make me curious, although the Velveteen concept seemed a bit silly to me. In her own universe, Velveteen is much more interesting. Seanan does good characterization and world-building despite the cartoonish concept. I am now a fan and bought volume 2.

Very fun!

This book is so much fun! It's not really a novel, per se, but neither is it really a series of short stories as some readers claim. It definitely has a "serial" feel to each "chapter" though. This book reads more like a mix of superhero "info guide", flashbacks, and short current day vignettes revolving around Velma Martinez, "aka Velveteen". Whatever it is, it works. Or at least it worked for me. Light and fun, I found myself laughing on several occasions. Narrator Allison McLemore does a great job with all of the voices. If you like quirky superheroes and humorous writing, I'd give this a try. Definitely worth the audible credit or cash. Looking forward to the next Velveteen collection.

A Great Intro

McGuire is a really effective writer in her presentation of how the people we trust may not really have our best interest in mind and how a supervillain can be in the most unlikely of places.

Allison McLemore is excellent to listen to, and I will be looking for new material by her for listening pleasure. She does an amazing job at using different voices and is really engaging.

Velveteen Vs covers a universe of superheros and while it may have just started as a LiveJournal writing blog, the collection is amazing and episodic with an overall arching storyline that is engaging and thoughtful. I really wish there were more than just a few books (2 available the 3rs is hard to find and access). my boyfriend had recommended a listen and I was not disappointed.

Delightfully dark humor, wrapped in a super story.

Apparently velveteen is my altar ego: finding herself surrounded by cute things and people mistaking it for nonthreatening, vapid, devoid of depth . Trying to run from people's perceptions, leaning into who you really are, while trying to escape from those who would rather see you act the part- it's amazing how the author captures humanity, sexism, and striking out on your own in a realistic super-human dynamic. Honestly I can't recommend it enough.