A mysterious journey through the meaning of life, with an ending you will not expect. In his early forties, the author, Vito DeLuca, set out to improve his physical and mental health through a regimen of fasting and meditation. To his surprise he discovered a passageway into the mind where the mysteries of life are revealed in the stillness of the soul. Hero Unaware is his attempt to reveal the essence of that experience through the fictional life story of a common man with a very uncommon touch.
On a dark night, the son of a supervillain, Johnny, is saved by a mysterious stranger. Years later, Johnny stumbles upon Hero living in the streets and wallowing in self-pity. He invites the superhero into his office, where she tells him her life story, which is filled with abuse, poverty, and anxiety. While telling her life story, she reveals to him her real identity, the identity of her friends and family, and her weaknesses. Hero's role as a superhero is to save other people's lives in moments of danger and stress, but as a matter of fact, she is the one who needs real protection and support. At the end of her story, Johnny realizes that she is keeping a secret from her fiance and convinces her to go back to him and tell him her secret. Is it a trap? Is Johnny planning to capture Hero and hand her, and her secrets, over to his father, her archenemy? Or will he let her go to be reunited with her fiance? Is she hiding her superhero identity and superhuman powers from her fiance, or is her secret much darker and life-changing? This science fiction, drama, and action novel with a hint of romance is an unconventional and unique superhero story. Throughout the tale, the characterization is strong, memorable, and nuanced, suited to the intricate, powerful, and compelling narrative. This work is an immersive and gripping piece that will resonate deeply with the reader, and the assured writing style and the way that the story builds and sustains tension throughout ensures that it will keep readers engaged and entertained.
AcknowledgementsIntroductionPart I: "e;I'm making this up as I go"e;: Lawrence Kasdan and Raiders of the Lost ArkChapter 1. Smith and Jones: Discourse Analysis of the Raiders of the Lost Ark Story ConferenceChapter 2. Visual Language in the Raiders of the Lost Ark ScreenplayPart II: Kasdan the Director: Developing Style(s)Chapter 3. Body Heat: Heightened Style in the Neo-NoirChapter 4. Classical Structure in the "e;Perfect Ensemble"e; of The Big ChillPart III: Voice of the Largest GenerationChapter 5. Altruism and Otherness in The Big Chill, The Accidental Tourist, and Grand CanyonChapter 6. Cowboys, Aliens, and Sixtysomethings: Age and Nostalgia in Kasdan's Later FilmsPart IV: Influences, Without and WithinChapter 7. From Noir to Kurosawa: Allusion and Homage in Lawrence Kasdan's FilmsChapter 8. Kasdan's Collaborations: Creation and PerformancePart V: A Long Time in a Galaxy Far, Far AwayChapter 9. From Star Wars to Saga: Lawrence Kasdan and The Empire Strikes BackChapter 10. Revenge of the Monomyth: Reclaiming the Hero's Journey in Return of the JediChapter 11. A New Hope in The Force AwakensChapter 12. A Changed Man: Solo and BeyondChapter 13. An Interview with Lawrence KasdanLawrence Kasdan: Writing and Directing CreditsFilmographyBibliography
