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willrefuge's review against another edition
4.0
4 / 5 ✪
Reviewed on https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/
I’ve been after Ex-Heroes for a while. I mean, zombies + superpowers + apocalypse = well, I suppose it’d be a bad thing, but for the reading of it, I’d say it’s all good. Peter Clines debut features all the big names of a world that has succumbed to chaos: Stealth, Gorgon, Regenerator, Zzzap, the Mighty Dragon, Cerberus. Essentially they represent the last, best hope for mankind. The rest comprises gangs, outcasts, and somewhere around 99% Exes (the pretty-much-zombies).
When the infection began it was expected to be mopped up in a week. After months of fighting, however, and the fall of the eastern seaboard, the heroes were left with little in the way of allies. The fall of the government, the army followed, and the last vestiges of civility set up shop in LA—transforming the area of several film studios/locations into “The Mount”, their final stronghold against the hordes.
A year into the apocalypse things are looking bleak. The South Seventeens have stepped up their attempts to take down The Mount. Ammo is running thin. Patrols into the city are bringing back not only essential supplies, but also news of more. Exes acting strangely. Roadblocks and traps. And more worrying, sightings of previous heroes; those that once bitten, succumbed to the Ex plague. Now they are little more than shamblers themselves. Albeit totally badass, superpowered ones. And all the while, it seems the South Seventeens have been consolidating power.
This was a pretty good read.
I mean, it went by quick: only about 300 pages, took me about a week as I was reading two other things at the time. A straightforward plot with little surprises, a little mystery, and mostly packed with fight scenes and dark realism. Not surprisingly St. George (the Mighty Dragon) stood out as the character I enjoyed the most. After him… probably a tie. Between Zzzap or Cerberus. But St. George… yeah, the dude has superpowers, but he’s as human as the rest beneath it all. Though he’s pretty much unkillable, he bears the emotional and psychological scars of survivor’s guilt. Of everything he’s seen go to shit over the years. And still he tries to be better. And maintains that the people around him—even the other heroes—should do the same.
The story features a back-and-forth between past and present, with each glimpse of the past taken through the eyes of one of the heroes. Their origin story, the outbreak of the plague, the fall of civilization, how The Mount came to be—I can’t say they weren’t interesting flashbacks. And yet they leave a lot to be desired. Somewhere between ending to soon and taking to long to begin again. It’s not like some other books (Porcelain Blade) where there’s a flashback every other chapter. They appear now and then, but usually don’t remain for too long. Interesting snippets of lore, yet little more.
I really don’t have anything all that bad to say about Ex-Heroes, except that it was over too quick, and possessive of nothing terribly life-altering. I will say the opposing gang had a very unfortunate name (the SS? Not the best choice). The concept was good, combining the zombie apocalypse with superhero fiction, two tried and true genres. But as a book, it wasn’t anything special, either. A good read with some interesting (although not very developed) characters and a straightforward plot with gentle twists.
Not a super complex story here. I mean, it ain’t winning any awards. But even so, it was a quick, entertaining read. And I’d definitely be interested in seeing where Clines takes the series from here. Hopefully he develops the characters more. Explores the pre-collapsed world. And some more post-fall locations. This book begins a pentalogy—a five-piece series. Ex-Heroes is just the tip of the iceberg.
The Ex-Heroes series continues with Ex-Patriots, released in 2011.
Reviewed on https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/
I’ve been after Ex-Heroes for a while. I mean, zombies + superpowers + apocalypse = well, I suppose it’d be a bad thing, but for the reading of it, I’d say it’s all good. Peter Clines debut features all the big names of a world that has succumbed to chaos: Stealth, Gorgon, Regenerator, Zzzap, the Mighty Dragon, Cerberus. Essentially they represent the last, best hope for mankind. The rest comprises gangs, outcasts, and somewhere around 99% Exes (the pretty-much-zombies).
When the infection began it was expected to be mopped up in a week. After months of fighting, however, and the fall of the eastern seaboard, the heroes were left with little in the way of allies. The fall of the government, the army followed, and the last vestiges of civility set up shop in LA—transforming the area of several film studios/locations into “The Mount”, their final stronghold against the hordes.
A year into the apocalypse things are looking bleak. The South Seventeens have stepped up their attempts to take down The Mount. Ammo is running thin. Patrols into the city are bringing back not only essential supplies, but also news of more. Exes acting strangely. Roadblocks and traps. And more worrying, sightings of previous heroes; those that once bitten, succumbed to the Ex plague. Now they are little more than shamblers themselves. Albeit totally badass, superpowered ones. And all the while, it seems the South Seventeens have been consolidating power.
This was a pretty good read.
I mean, it went by quick: only about 300 pages, took me about a week as I was reading two other things at the time. A straightforward plot with little surprises, a little mystery, and mostly packed with fight scenes and dark realism. Not surprisingly St. George (the Mighty Dragon) stood out as the character I enjoyed the most. After him… probably a tie. Between Zzzap or Cerberus. But St. George… yeah, the dude has superpowers, but he’s as human as the rest beneath it all. Though he’s pretty much unkillable, he bears the emotional and psychological scars of survivor’s guilt. Of everything he’s seen go to shit over the years. And still he tries to be better. And maintains that the people around him—even the other heroes—should do the same.
The story features a back-and-forth between past and present, with each glimpse of the past taken through the eyes of one of the heroes. Their origin story, the outbreak of the plague, the fall of civilization, how The Mount came to be—I can’t say they weren’t interesting flashbacks. And yet they leave a lot to be desired. Somewhere between ending to soon and taking to long to begin again. It’s not like some other books (Porcelain Blade) where there’s a flashback every other chapter. They appear now and then, but usually don’t remain for too long. Interesting snippets of lore, yet little more.
I really don’t have anything all that bad to say about Ex-Heroes, except that it was over too quick, and possessive of nothing terribly life-altering. I will say the opposing gang had a very unfortunate name (the SS? Not the best choice). The concept was good, combining the zombie apocalypse with superhero fiction, two tried and true genres. But as a book, it wasn’t anything special, either. A good read with some interesting (although not very developed) characters and a straightforward plot with gentle twists.
Not a super complex story here. I mean, it ain’t winning any awards. But even so, it was a quick, entertaining read. And I’d definitely be interested in seeing where Clines takes the series from here. Hopefully he develops the characters more. Explores the pre-collapsed world. And some more post-fall locations. This book begins a pentalogy—a five-piece series. Ex-Heroes is just the tip of the iceberg.
The Ex-Heroes series continues with Ex-Patriots, released in 2011.
squeakywindow's review against another edition
3.0
Maybe I was over hyped on this one. I just was not into it.
aceinit's review against another edition
4.0
Ok, this is not a perfect piece of literature. It is the literary equivalent of a summer blockbuster, with lots of action and overly-sexualized women and characters who are more tropes than characters. But you know what? It's damn fun reading, and sometimes that's all that matters. Damn fun listening, too, since I enjoyed this one via audiobook. Superheroes fighting the zombie apocalypse in downtown LA (with all the undead celebrities that entails)? Sign me up. Time to track down the next novel in the series.
subparcupcake's review against another edition
1.0
I really liked both [b:14|15062217|14|Peter Clines|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1338999953s/15062217.jpg|20716929] and [b:The Fold|23164927|The Fold|Peter Clines|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1416182070s/23164927.jpg|42710963], so I thought I'd give this series a try as well. Unfortunately, I was pretty disappointed with the first book. It was ok, but just ok, and I was hoping for awesome. I don't even know what else to say about it. It wasn't anything in particular that bothered me, the story just wasn't that good. Disappointing for sure, but since I like Clines I'll go ahead and try book two at some point. Hopefully it gets better!
badseedgirl's review against another edition
4.0
I have had a 30 plus year love affair with zombies. My sister and I almost came to blows over if Night of The Comet was an actually zombie movie, by the way it is, so take that little sister. But like any love, after so many years it can get stale. I have tried to restore my love by readings from series I love, but when that does not work, sometimes one has to get creative. And that is why I am so happy to have found Ex-Heroes. It was the "naughty nurse" outfit my zombie love affair needed. That's right Superheroes vs. zombie books are the "tarts" outfits of the zombie genre!
mneiger's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
drprd's review against another edition
3.0
3.5.
Good, but nothing amazing. No surprises. Well written
Good, but nothing amazing. No surprises. Well written
wicked_turtle's review against another edition
3.0
Good stuff first:
This book has a fantastic premise: what would a group of superheroes do in the event of a zombie apocalypse? In the world Peter Clines has created, the heroes team up and create a safe haven in Los Angeles at a former movie studio (Paramount, known in the book simply as “The Mount”). But even behind the relative safety of concrete walls, these survivors' lives are not without struggle. I enjoyed learning about each of the heroes, what motivates them to keep fighting, what their hopes and fears are, and how they approach their roles as protectors for the remaining civilian population. The action sequences are blistering and hard-hitting. There are also multiple sources of tension to keep things interesting, with the most fun stuff occurring between the heroes themselves. I think the main characters are wonderful: the enigmatic leader, Stealth (analogous to Bat Woman), the “boy scout” St. George (similar to Superman but with fire breath instead of ice breath), and the tough-talkin’ Gorgon (who has an interesting vampire-like power) were my favorites of the group.
I also liked the structure of the narrative. There’s two ongoing stories, one that takes place “then” and one that takes place “now.” All of the “then” sections features one of the heroes and their experiences during the beginning of the zombie apocalypse, all told from first person POV. I enjoyed these vignettes because they provided more backstory and a better understanding of why the heroes – those who survived, anyway – act the way they do in the present. The main story takes place in the “now” sections, which are in third person omniscient but usually following one or two of the superheroes. This is where the majority of the plot movement takes place, and where we get to see the heroes doing what they do best: killing zombies and getting into trouble.
So, the story is fun, but there were some things that bothered me:
I’ve lived in southern California all my life, with about 15+ of those years spent in Los Angeles. While Clines has a strong grasp of all the streets and landmarks, I don’t think he captured the diversity of the community. The vast majority of survivors and superheroes are all white. With the exception of Zzzap, who is African-American and in a wheel chair, the other heroes don’t reflect real-life LA demographics. Sure, there’s a Korean American hero, but she’s only seen in flashbacks. And speaking of Asian Americans (because I’m a part of that community), I find it problematic that a Korean American hero would willfully choose a Japanese name (“Banzai”) that has a lot of negative connotations thanks to WWII. One of her parents even brings that up, but the character brushes it aside. Maybe it can pass as a teenager being rebellious and getting under her parents’ skin – in the worst way possible – but then she needs their permission to go out at night and fight crime! That doesn’t work, especially when she tells her parents that “Banzai” is just a word. No, it’s a loaded word, and this whole scene should have been approached with more respect towards Korean Americans. The whole “Korean hero using a Japanese name and wearing a ninja-inspired costume” issue also plays to the stereotype that “all Asians are alike and interchangeable.” Furthermore, two Asian women in the book are both described as “bitchy,” which propagates another terrible stereotype.
Continuing with the fact that most of the “good” survivors are white, I also find it cringe-worthy that the only other large community of survivors left in LA is a Latino gang portrayed as bloodthirsty, violent people. It wouldn’t be so bad if there were Latino characters representing the good guys’ side, but there are none to be found… in Los Angeles! LA has a huge Latino population, not to mention that the name of the city itself is in Spanish! It’s kind of ridiculous that the only featured Latino characters are evil gang bangers. Again, terrible stereotyping.
One more thing that irked me – the zombies are all described as having gray, decaying skin. The main narrative appears to take place a year or so since the collapse of government, so that makes sense. Why, then, does Clines find it important to describe the zombies by their ethnicity? It’s fine when he describes them by their clothing, but how can you possibly identify a gray, decaying zombie as “black,” “Mexican,” or “Asian” during a fight scene? Are the white narrators really categorizing all of this information while chopping the zombies’ heads off? There’s one scene where it’s really problematic: a bloated zombie in a bathtub attacks one of the survivors, and the zombie is described as being “Mexican or Indian” because the narrator couldn’t tell with all the decomposition. Ummm… Why does that even matter?! Can’t he just say it was a large, bloated carcass? I appreciate the fact that the zombies are so diverse (sarcasm), but I would have loved it even more if the group of heroes reflected the same diversity. Spider-Man: Homecoming did it for New York. I know it can be done for Los Angeles, too.
“Ex-Heroes” has a fun premise and an interesting plot, but the offensive stereotypes puts a huge dent in the whole experience. I would have given it 4 stars, but I'm knocking it down to 3 because of bad characterization.
This book has a fantastic premise: what would a group of superheroes do in the event of a zombie apocalypse? In the world Peter Clines has created, the heroes team up and create a safe haven in Los Angeles at a former movie studio (Paramount, known in the book simply as “The Mount”). But even behind the relative safety of concrete walls, these survivors' lives are not without struggle. I enjoyed learning about each of the heroes, what motivates them to keep fighting, what their hopes and fears are, and how they approach their roles as protectors for the remaining civilian population. The action sequences are blistering and hard-hitting. There are also multiple sources of tension to keep things interesting, with the most fun stuff occurring between the heroes themselves. I think the main characters are wonderful: the enigmatic leader, Stealth (analogous to Bat Woman), the “boy scout” St. George (similar to Superman but with fire breath instead of ice breath), and the tough-talkin’ Gorgon (who has an interesting vampire-like power) were my favorites of the group.
I also liked the structure of the narrative. There’s two ongoing stories, one that takes place “then” and one that takes place “now.” All of the “then” sections features one of the heroes and their experiences during the beginning of the zombie apocalypse, all told from first person POV. I enjoyed these vignettes because they provided more backstory and a better understanding of why the heroes – those who survived, anyway – act the way they do in the present. The main story takes place in the “now” sections, which are in third person omniscient but usually following one or two of the superheroes. This is where the majority of the plot movement takes place, and where we get to see the heroes doing what they do best: killing zombies and getting into trouble.
So, the story is fun, but there were some things that bothered me:
I’ve lived in southern California all my life, with about 15+ of those years spent in Los Angeles. While Clines has a strong grasp of all the streets and landmarks, I don’t think he captured the diversity of the community. The vast majority of survivors and superheroes are all white. With the exception of Zzzap, who is African-American and in a wheel chair, the other heroes don’t reflect real-life LA demographics. Sure, there’s a Korean American hero, but she’s only seen in flashbacks. And speaking of Asian Americans (because I’m a part of that community), I find it problematic that a Korean American hero would willfully choose a Japanese name (“Banzai”) that has a lot of negative connotations thanks to WWII. One of her parents even brings that up, but the character brushes it aside. Maybe it can pass as a teenager being rebellious and getting under her parents’ skin – in the worst way possible – but then she needs their permission to go out at night and fight crime! That doesn’t work, especially when she tells her parents that “Banzai” is just a word. No, it’s a loaded word, and this whole scene should have been approached with more respect towards Korean Americans. The whole “Korean hero using a Japanese name and wearing a ninja-inspired costume” issue also plays to the stereotype that “all Asians are alike and interchangeable.” Furthermore, two Asian women in the book are both described as “bitchy,” which propagates another terrible stereotype.
Continuing with the fact that most of the “good” survivors are white, I also find it cringe-worthy that the only other large community of survivors left in LA is a Latino gang portrayed as bloodthirsty, violent people. It wouldn’t be so bad if there were Latino characters representing the good guys’ side, but there are none to be found… in Los Angeles! LA has a huge Latino population, not to mention that the name of the city itself is in Spanish! It’s kind of ridiculous that the only featured Latino characters are evil gang bangers. Again, terrible stereotyping.
One more thing that irked me – the zombies are all described as having gray, decaying skin. The main narrative appears to take place a year or so since the collapse of government, so that makes sense. Why, then, does Clines find it important to describe the zombies by their ethnicity? It’s fine when he describes them by their clothing, but how can you possibly identify a gray, decaying zombie as “black,” “Mexican,” or “Asian” during a fight scene? Are the white narrators really categorizing all of this information while chopping the zombies’ heads off? There’s one scene where it’s really problematic: a bloated zombie in a bathtub attacks one of the survivors, and the zombie is described as being “Mexican or Indian” because the narrator couldn’t tell with all the decomposition. Ummm… Why does that even matter?! Can’t he just say it was a large, bloated carcass? I appreciate the fact that the zombies are so diverse (sarcasm), but I would have loved it even more if the group of heroes reflected the same diversity. Spider-Man: Homecoming did it for New York. I know it can be done for Los Angeles, too.
“Ex-Heroes” has a fun premise and an interesting plot, but the offensive stereotypes puts a huge dent in the whole experience. I would have given it 4 stars, but I'm knocking it down to 3 because of bad characterization.