Even Heroes Are Human

Zine
Title:	Even Heroes Are Human
Publisher:	Unpretentious Press; at some point it was agented/distributed by Bill Hupe
Editor:
Author(s):	Cathy Madden
Cover Artist(s):
Illustrator(s):
Date(s):	February 1995
Medium:	print
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	Quantum Leap
Language:	English
External Links:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

Even Heroes Are Human is a 90-page het Quantum Leap novel by Cathy Madden.

front cover: " a video print from Trilogy, Part 2"

Summary

From Bill Hupe's catalog:

Does the ending for 'Trilogy 2' and 'Trilogy 3' make you cry? Do you ever wish that Abigail could have come back into Sam's life? Do you ever wonder what would happen if she had? It's three days before Christmas, 2003, and Sam is home. When Sammy Jo's mother shows up unexpectedly to visit her daughter, Al knows things are about to get interesting.

Reactions and Reviews

It’s fall of the year 2003 and Sam has just returned, rather unceremoniously, to the Waiting Room for good. He is, in a sense, just as lost as when he was leaping for he had no memory of anyone but Al. Even Donna is a virtual stranger to him for the past he remembers is the original history. He has no memory of any of the changes he’s made in his own life. But people from the past come to haunt him and Sam’s new world is further turned upside down when the recently widowed Abagail Fuller comes to visit her daughter, Sammy Jo. It’s in their presence that Sam feels the first real spark of emotion since returning home. But he is unable to understand why these two women should make him feel this way. When Al finally tells Sam the history he and Abagail shared, Sam’s memories flood back and overwhelm him. Now, his feelings of duty & loyalty are deeply at odds with his intense emotions for Abagail & Sammy Jo. But no one knows better than Sam Beckett how precious time is and how some choices alter your life’s path forever.

This story is absorbing because Sam faces some particularly tough moral & ethical choices in this story. The author warns in her preface that this story may not appeal to members of the aptly named, “Saint Sam” club. But Sam is a man of valor and failings and this is what I found to be intriguing in this tale. Sam’s out on his own here — he doesn’t have the luxury of already knowing the outcome should history continue on its present course. The plot is quickly paced and this may be my only grouse, a little more fleshing-out may have added some more depth. (Or, perhaps I just didn’t want it to be over so soon!). In any event, this is a thought-provoking & unique story that is definitely worth checking out.