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maidmarianlib's review against another edition
3.0
Fun, fast paced. Like the new superheros. Very much part of the series. Some violence.
drtlovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
What it’s about: Abby lives in a world where there are superheroes - and supervillains. When she finds that she has some powers, she decides she's going to try to use them for good. When she gets pulled into a situation by another would-be teen hero, she starts to quickly find that being a hero isn't always what she thought.
Roz has grown up with an older brother who is known around the world for his super powers. She has been training for years to be part of his strike team. She gets more than she bargained for when her brother's team is taken out by an unknown cause and she is left to figure out how to save them from one of the most dangerous supervillains out there.
Lance just wants to blend in - the better to run his scams and get away unnoticed. He's very clever, but when he accidentally runs afoul of a superhero who happened to be passing by, he finds himself drawn into a situation that escalates from a simple robbery to something that might threaten the whole planet.
These teens end up crossing paths as the fate of the world is threatened by a group that's been plotting for over four thousand years. They've launched their attack; and four teens are all that stand between humanity and world domination.
What I thought: I did not expect much from this book - the blurb sounded like a pretty so-so concept, sort of a retread of one of the recent X-Men movies. But I was pleasantly surprised! This was an enjoyable romp. It was a bit darker than I would have figured - for a book about fighting and violence, it is surprisingly mild in MOST areas, but with some spots of death that felt a little out of character with the rest of the book.
The story itself is a pretty straight-forward teen adventure. I appreciated that the characters were not just white males - the core group was 50-50 male/female and white/black, which is better than some other stories out there. Considering this was written a decade ago, I'm impressed that Carroll was as diverse as he was in his character creation.
Why I rated it like I did: The tone vacillated a bit between younger YA and more adult violence, which was a little odd. But the storyline was enjoyable in a "don't think about it too much" kind of way, and it seemed to set up some interesting possibilities for future story arcs. I'm definitely going to read the next in the series.
Roz has grown up with an older brother who is known around the world for his super powers. She has been training for years to be part of his strike team. She gets more than she bargained for when her brother's team is taken out by an unknown cause and she is left to figure out how to save them from one of the most dangerous supervillains out there.
Lance just wants to blend in - the better to run his scams and get away unnoticed. He's very clever, but when he accidentally runs afoul of a superhero who happened to be passing by, he finds himself drawn into a situation that escalates from a simple robbery to something that might threaten the whole planet.
These teens end up crossing paths as the fate of the world is threatened by a group that's been plotting for over four thousand years. They've launched their attack; and four teens are all that stand between humanity and world domination.
What I thought: I did not expect much from this book - the blurb sounded like a pretty so-so concept, sort of a retread of one of the recent X-Men movies. But I was pleasantly surprised! This was an enjoyable romp. It was a bit darker than I would have figured - for a book about fighting and violence, it is surprisingly mild in MOST areas, but with some spots of death that felt a little out of character with the rest of the book.
The story itself is a pretty straight-forward teen adventure. I appreciated that the characters were not just white males - the core group was 50-50 male/female and white/black, which is better than some other stories out there. Considering this was written a decade ago, I'm impressed that Carroll was as diverse as he was in his character creation.
Why I rated it like I did: The tone vacillated a bit between younger YA and more adult violence, which was a little odd. But the storyline was enjoyable in a "don't think about it too much" kind of way, and it seemed to set up some interesting possibilities for future story arcs. I'm definitely going to read the next in the series.
awesome514's review against another edition
4.0
I've been reading quite a bit of middle school fiction lately, and this book is one of my favorites so far. It is exactly what it claims to be - an action-packed, comic inspired, sci-fi/fantasy adventure. The characters are likeable, the plot is uncomplicated, and the writing is solid. I think the thing that I like the most is that this book can be enjoyed by both genders at an age where boys and girls feel so very different from each other.
paschott's review against another edition
4.0
This was a pretty good book. It was interesting seeing how the main characters came together, used their abilities (or lack thereof), and worked to try to stop the ultimate villain. I also appreciated some of the twists that the plot took along the way. I'd say this is a great addition to the superhero genre and wouldn't limit this just to Young Adults. It was a quick read, but very interesting. Borrow or buy and enjoy. I know I now want to follow the adventures of these characters.
crtney's review against another edition
1.0
It may be that some boys who are really into super heros would really get into this book (may even get some non-reading teens to pick up a book--which would be fabulous). But as for me, I felt the entire book was entirely unsatisfying. There were obnoxious characters who rather than learning from mistakes (or too-large egos) succeed and get even more obnoxious. There were plot holes and unrealistic happening (as in timelines not matching up). And the ending left far more answers unanswered than answered (I expect this is because there is a sequel coming).
imaginationindex's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
The ideal formula for a teenage superhero comic book, I can practically see the panels being drawn out with each character existing with a unique personality and [super]power. And the fact that there are already established superheroes really helped the story move along and place these new heroes into the spotlight.
Though there are a few too many clichés for my liking, especially from the dialogue betweenLance and Thunder and Brawn being added to the team last minute, I can honestly say I didn't see the ending panning out like it did. Luckily, my copy offered a preview of the first chapter of the next installment, which piques my curiosity to see what happens next and gives hope for furthering the development of the characters.
Though there are a few too many clichés for my liking, especially from the dialogue between
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