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jkusters's review against another edition
4.0
This is a cleverly crafted book about superheroes, what makes them tick, and how five of them from very different walks of life, come together to form a team, a sacred band, to right some of the wrongs they've seen but weren't sure how to fix. The main characters are fully realized people, with depth and complexity rarely seen in works of superhero fiction. Some of the characters carry deep emotional scars, other are still coming to terms with what it means to have extraordinary abilities. While the setting is fantastical, who these people are, and how they interact, are entirely and relatably human. It's also quite refreshing in queer fiction to see characters romantically interested in each other rather than simply falling graphically into bed. Finally, the scenes in Portland, Oregon, are lovingly filled with details that only a resident of the place would think to use, though the descriptions of other locales aren't quite so evocative.
That said, I hope for the future books, Mr. Carriker is able to find someone who can catch the minor continuity issues I found while reading, things like the operability of one of the main character's phone (one scene it's fried to a state of non-functionality, the next it's being used to show photos to other people), the names of organizations being used by the main characters before they discover the names of the organization, and a couple other minor nitpicks. None of these took me wholly out of the book, but they did cause me to pause and double check to see if I had missed something (thankfully on my digital reader I can search for terms and confirm that they had indeed not been mentioned previously).
In summary, I very much enjoyed reading this story and am eager to see how the world expands in the (hopeful) follow-up novels.
That said, I hope for the future books, Mr. Carriker is able to find someone who can catch the minor continuity issues I found while reading, things like the operability of one of the main character's phone (one scene it's fried to a state of non-functionality, the next it's being used to show photos to other people), the names of organizations being used by the main characters before they discover the names of the organization, and a couple other minor nitpicks. None of these took me wholly out of the book, but they did cause me to pause and double check to see if I had missed something (thankfully on my digital reader I can search for terms and confirm that they had indeed not been mentioned previously).
In summary, I very much enjoyed reading this story and am eager to see how the world expands in the (hopeful) follow-up novels.
rekastormborn's review against another edition
5.0
This book delivered exactly what I was hoping for. Amazing characters who are well written, multifaceted, relatable, and flawed in their own unique ways. The action scenes were dynamic, well written, and exciting. The relationship building across the course of the novel was amazing. Even the antagonists were never reduced to stereotypes or cliches. It was easy to fall in love with these characters and I never wanted to put the book down.
jmanchester0's review
5.0
I really got into Joseph Carriker's writing. This was a fantastic tale.
I love it when writers get creative with superpowers!
Definitely worth reading - I fell in love with the characters and look forward to the next in the series.
I love it when writers get creative with superpowers!
Definitely worth reading - I fell in love with the characters and look forward to the next in the series.
magicpreppy's review
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This is a re-released version with a new publisher. Check my review of the other version to here how much I loved it.
The only thing better about the original version is the cover art. Read this version.
The only thing better about the original version is the cover art. Read this version.
mdpenguin's review
5.0
I picked this up because I was kind of moody and wanted something light. Yeah, this wasn't light. It was actually a really good dramatic story with well developed characters. The first half is mostly characterization and plot development: there's a little action but not superhero vs supervillain-type action. It's not slow, but it's kind of like a romance novel at that point. I liked it and, interestingly, a good bit about the characters and their relationships to each other that was laid out in the first half does come into play in the second half, when the action really picks up. And the action is really good. I felt the ending was a tad weak: all of the main plot points are resolved but it felt like it may have been tweaked because the publisher was demanding that this set up a series just in case it's successful. As such, it's not as satisfying an ending as it could have been.
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