James Nicoll Reviews

Sleyca’s Super Supportive, first launched in 2023, is an on-going LitRPG superhero serial novel.

In 1963 alien space-wizards offered humanity a literally wonderous technology. A chosen few are imbued with superhuman abilities. In return for this, superhumans may be called on to assist Artonans off-world. Almost everyone benefits!

Young Alden wakes in pain; he has become collateral damage in a superhuman battle. Aghast, the superheroes manage to save Alden. Nothing can be done for his parents, both killed in the early stages of the fight.

After some thought, Alden decides to become a superhero himself. The odds are very much against him. Only a minute fraction of the people who volunteer are selected for empowerment. Even if Alden is selected, most of the enhanced are granted minor levels of power. Nevertheless, he invests years in the effort.

Alden is selected for the B‑rank level. On the obliquely-worded advice of Gorgon, an alien friend, Alden trades the power he is randomly assigned for the ​“Rabbit” powerset. At first glance, Rabbits appear to be glorified couriers. Rabbits are curiously well-paid for a seemingly miniscule work-load, so they are at least a valued minor class.

The specific skill-set to which Alden’s alien pal steered him is ​“Let Me Take Your Luggage,” whose unpromising definition is ​“The Rabbit carries an item that has been entrusted to them.” Essentially, a porter. However, many seemingly unimpressive skills have surprisingly powerful applications. Alden just has to figure out what makes this specific power and skill combination so useful that Gorgon steered Alden towards it.

Alden is summoned almost immediately. His off-world duties bring him into the orbit of an Artonan using the name Joe. Joe is a visionary researcher uninhibited by smallminded regulations; alternatively, Joe could be called a Mad Scientist. Either way, Joe can provide Alden with training otherwise unavailable to Alden. All Alden needs to is run a few minor errands for Joe.

Among the many useful lessons Alden receives: running errands for Joe is an excellent way to end up as the sole guardian of a little girl, trapped on an alien moon overrun by demons, and given up for dead by his alien patrons. Alden can indulge in heroism for as long as it takes the demons to kill Alden and his charge.

~oOo~

I am not well read in LitRPG. The game elements of the setting are foregrounded. Much of the plot involves poking at apparently deliberately poorly explained rules¹ to see what they actually do. I believe this is a feature for LitRPG fiction, not a bug.

I happened to glance at the author’s Patreon page. I am consumed with boundless rage and envy impressed by the author’s legion of supporters. Soon they will rue the day they were born. This is an example that I will bear in mind.

Among the many positive qualities the author offers their almost 8,000 Patreon supporters is a relentless work-ethic. Super Supportive launched sixteen months ago. In that time, Sleyca has written and posted 145 chapters, of which I have (on the request of a patron) read 72. Nor are we talking little itty-bitty chapters (except for one). Reading 72 chapters took me two days.

A no doubt-unintended benefit of the author’s relentless pace is that readers can watch the author’s prose improve over time. Early chapters are rougher than recent episodes.

Readers will no doubt have questions about the background. It is clear that the author has answers. What the author lacks is any urgency about sharing those answers. Like the protagonist, readers soon encounter hints that what’s going on isn’t the superheroes-versus-supervillains plot Alden believed in as a child. Like Alden, readers receive illumination gradually. This is clearly by design.

While the series’ pace is deliberate, the narrative never lost my interest. The author has created a diverse and interesting cast of characters. The series could be described as a slice-of-life leisurely exploration of superhuman existence… except for those chapters in which it seems that Alden and his companions are certainly doomed.

Super Supportive is worth readers’ time. Just don’t do what I did and try to read it all in one go.

Super Supportive is available on Royal Road.

1: It’s easier to control people if they don’t understand their full range of options.