Does The Methuselah Project Rip-off Captain America?

When I wrote the initial draft of The Methuselah Project in 2009, several friends commented, “That reminds me of the Mel Gibson movie, Forever Young.” Now that my story has finally been published, a number of reviewers surprised me by declaring it reminds them of Captain America.

When I noticed a book review site called “The Minister’s Wife” had posted a review comparing the two heroes, I requested permission to repost it here. Lois (evidently the minister’s wife) agreed, even though it was her husband who actually penned the review. (I’ve never met or communicated with either of them before.) Here is his objective assessment:

A Fantastic Novel ~ The Methuselah Project

“Before I opened this book, I turned it over and glanced at the description of its contents. Roger Greene, an American soldier presumed dead in a plane crash during World War II, actually survives and, as a result of a secret scientific project designed to maximize human potential, returns many years later to our modern world. His amazing abilities leave him a man out of his own time: he must cope with technology and culture unfamiliar to him, while facing enemies with roots in Naziism.

“So, before opening this book, I reacted to its back cover. This sounds like a Captain America rip-off!

“I learned that the old adage is true. Don’t judge a book by its cover.

“This isn’t a superhero story. Roger Greene is a basically decent guy, as was Steve [Captain America] Rogers, and a dedicated soldier. But his physical transformation occurs after his plane is shot down over Germany and he is captured and used as a subject of a Nazi program to radically lengthen the human lifespan. When he escapes, circumstance do not make him a colorfully costumed crusader. Instead, he must go on the run from both his enemies and the authorities.

“Barry does not surprise the reader with gratuitous violence or high-stakes drama – in other words, this isn’t paced or plotted like a comic book. He does present characters and situations which make sense, placing his unusual hero in a very believable world. Some of the Nazi characters are surprisingly “human” instead of being shallow representations of unmitigated evil.

“I found the sequences which take place in Indiana especially enjoyable, because I have visited some of the places described in this book and could tell that the author [who lives in Indianapolis] has experienced first-hand the settings he deftly describes. But the scenes set in Atlanta, Georgia, seemed very convincing as well, and while I’ve not been there, they seemed every bit as real as the “local Italian eatery . . . along Highway 31 in Kokomo” where I’ve actually dined.

“After the opening chapter there is not much action in the first two-thirds of the book, but I found that the slow pace did not become boring. I was also surprised at how certain Nazi characters were presented as misguided but reasonable, rather than shallow monsters. [another contrast with the tales of Captain America].

“One trait shared by Roger Greene and Steve Rogers is a basic old-fashioned morality. Greene’s values are presented in an unapologetic way that make his stereotypically “boy scout” displays of virtue, perseverance and loyalty seem at the same simultaneously outdated and laudable.

“Read this book. With all the similarities to the adventures of one of my favorite comic book characters, this is no rip-off. It is a well-written story, and I finished hoping that the future holds more tales of its hero.

“By the way, if you’re a die-hard superhero fan who remembers the 1990 Captain America film, there’s a moment on page 219 that will surprise and delight you.”

Find the original posting of this review at…

http://theministerswifestampsandsaves.blogspot.com/2015/10/a-fantastic-novel-methuselah-project.html