Tracey's Calling by Rob Santana; The Mantis Continuum (The Mantis Gland Series Book 4) by Adam Andrews Johnson and Where The Wave Broke by Robert Rooks, The Travel Man

Tracey's Calling by Rob Santana, The Mantis Continuum (The Mantis Gland Series Book 4) by Adam Andrews Johnson and Where The Wave Broke by Robert Rooks, The Travel Man 

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews 

Tracey's Calling by Rob Santana 

Tracey's Calling by Rob Santana is a tense psychological suspense short novel about trauma and its chilling aftermath on two people, the victim and the perpetrator.

Tracey is left traumatized after being sexually assaulted by Phil, a married husband and father. She is angry and filled with vengeance but she doesn't want to just have him arrested or kill him. She has a more long-term goal. She manipulates her way into his home, befriends his wife, Patsy and daughter, Joy, and blackmails Phil into financially providing her escape from her abusive family.

This book is essentially a two-person story between Phil and Tracey, the abuser and his sexual victim, the blackmailer and her financial victim. They both have plenty of depth and layers in their one-on-one combat.

 Tracey is very methodical in planning and executing her revenge. She decides to become a haunting presence in Phil’s life instead of taking the easy way out and killing him. It's a way of disarming Phil and leaving him as vulnerable and uncertain as he was. She may have been physically underneath him then but she is figuratively on top of him now.

Phil is also an interesting albeit antagonistic character. His memories of that night are filled with the graphic violence that he inflicted and his weak attempts at justifying it. He is not understandable at all here.

However, there are points where the safety of his family is compromised and the Reader's thoughts shift to Patsy and Joy's welfare and how Phil will be affected by their losses. It allows Readers to understand and even be concerned about the husband and father without defending or condoning the violent actions that he did.

Also, Patsy and Joy’s subplots are handled well. Patsy sometimes acts as the comic relief by rehearsing weather girl monologues and being preoccupied with an upcoming job interview at a news TV station. However, she also shows awareness with Tracey’s presence and the circumstances of her arrival by going from empathy, to suspicion towards her, then distrust towards Phil.

Joy is an effective foil to Tracey. She was a sheltered girl thrown into violent catastrophic circumstances which Tracey knew about practically since birth. She acts like a spoiled brat at times, but is also a very realistic teenager with emotions, hormones, and irritation at everyone else around her. She follows Tracey into some dangerous circumstances without thinking of the consequences.

This is a cold calculated tale of revenge in which much is lost and there are very few victors.

 

The Mantis Continuum (The Mantis Gland Series Book 4) by Adam Andrews Johnson 

No matter how good an ongoing book series seems, not every volume is going to be a winner. The first three books of Adam Andrews Johnson’s The Mantis Gland Series told a captivating series about a world where some people called Shifts have mutations because of a gland called the Mantis Gland. These people develop extraordinary abilities like flight, telekinesis, elemental control, super strength, impervious skin, or remote viewing.

 The Shifts are targeted by the Messiahs, a religious cult that has a great deal of power and influence. They perform ritualistic murder on the Shifts so they can swallow and absorb the glands. In each volume, the Shifts gather together in Teshon City where they form a resistance aided by a Demifae,a person who studies magic, called The Mystic and others who fight against the Messiah’s influence. The first three volumes tell a streamlined story and introduce new characters with the goal of bringing them together. They have a definite beginning, middle, and end. 

The fourth volume in The Mantis Gland Series, The Mantis Continuum is by far the weakest book in the series. It has some interesting passages of character development that push some forward into new relationships, abilities, positions, and self-awareness. However, there are too many characters and subplots to tell a comprehensible or compelling story. It’s a case of doing way too much at once.

Some of the new characters and subplots aren’t bad. After the murder of their mother, twins Thech and Jzuna flee to Teshon City with an entertainer named Bivon. A trio, Kosephaji, Relliduna, and Pelipi have to escape via boat after Relliduna becomes seriously injured. Meanwhile a group of former Messiahs whose bodies have completely altered into monstrosities by consuming too many Mantis Glands are heading straight for Teshon and they are hungry.

When the book slows down, it captures some pretty decent moments. Thech and Jzuna have a loving sibling relationship. The sweet but dim Thech is the more physical one while the bright eloquent Jzuna provides the brainpower. Jzuna is a maternal influence on her brother’s life while Thecha brings out her more empathetic side. 

Another winning relationship is that of Kosephjai and Relliduna. As their lives are in danger, they evolve from best friends to lovers. With the constant threats to their lives and feeling out of focus because of the suspicion towards Shifts, there are very few people that they and Pelipi can rely on. These stressful situations bring out their most vulnerable emotions, cause them to evaluate their feelings towards each other, and move their relationship forward. 

The problems occur when the action moves to Teshon City where the new characters meet the old ones. There are way too many characters to focus on and it’s hard to remember who is whom, what their significance is, which book they debuted in, or even their powers. 

If you notice in my previous paragraphs, I mentioned some of the character developments that I liked but not their powers, it's because I don't remember them. There wasn't anything that made their abilities stand out or differentiate from the older characters.

There are times when the chapters read like one giant roll call by showing brief scenes of characters in their current setting but don’t do anything important with them. It was almost like Johnson said, “See this character? Yeah they are still alive. Move along.” With that many introductions or reintroductions, it takes a long time for them to actually do anything.

Even an interesting plot point that was introduced in the previous book of Messiahs whose bodies have become distorted by their addictive consumption of the Mantis Gland, isn't as compelling as it was in the previous book. They leave a creepy disturbing presence, enter Teshon City with unending appetites, kill a few Shifts, and anticlimactically meet their end. They were much more intimidating as a cult.

Perhaps Johnson should have ended the series at Book Three or, as much as I like the new characters, just developed the original ones instead of inserting new ones. This book shows that there is a time to write and build on a new series but there is also a time that it should end. There is a fifth book, The Mantis Synchronicity. Here's hoping that it's better.

Where The Wave Broke by Robert Rooks, The Travel Man 

This review is also on Reedsy Discovery.

Where The Wave Broke by Robert Rooks is a short novel about a touring music group that is long on atmosphere but not on plot or thankfully music group cliches.

Two years after they break up, the band Borrowed Light has re-formed to go on a tour of several European cities. Drummer Giada, bassist Julian, and the guitarist Narrator endure long days going from one place to another, long nights of performing, playing at various clubs, and facing fans, owners, executives, on and on.

Let's explain what this book doesn't have. No love triangles though they had some romantic entanglements in the past. No drug addiction fights or onstage meltdowns. No slow climb to success followed by a rapid fall thanks to personnel disputes and the soulless music industry. No internal conflict between the member who is full of themselves and the others. Not much of the usual music tropes, which actually makes this a great short novel.

The biggest strength in the book is the atmosphere. The opening describes the trio’s travels as “The map matters only because sound behaves differently from where you stand. Amsterdam’s wood, Paris’ velvet, Brussels’ take, Montreux’s morning light, Valencia’s warm air, Stockholm’s clean edge, those spaces shaped our tempos more than adrenaline ever could.” 

The book is a constant stream of wearying movement, travel, faces running together, frustration with last minute changes and bookings, the exhilaration of a performing high, and the languid exhaustion afterwards. 

The clubs are filled with smoky air, tight compacted space, argumentative organizers and club owners, and customers either enraptured by the music or bored with life. Only faces and names change. The music draws the band, their listeners, and club employees for one moment before it ends and they trudge along to their separate lives.

The tone explains perfectly why this book doesn’t go into the usual tropes and cliches about music groups, It tells the truth about that kind of life. Julian, Giada, and The Narrator don’t fall into those typical hijinks because realistically they don’t have time to. They travel to different places, check into hotels, inspect the clubs, negotiate with owners and executives, put up their instruments, sound check, play a few sets, close, thank everybody, pack up, maybe have a few drinks or talk to customers, stagger off to bed, sleep, wake up the next day, check out, and then go on to the next city. 

Any conflicts that occur between them is not because of rock star ego. It’s because they are tired and snippy from constant travel and are getting on one another’s nerves, 

There is a simplicity within these characters and how they accept the music and travel lifestyle as just a part of their lives. They leave complicated love lives, conflicts with family members, and their own insecurities and self-esteem issues behind to play. Also their personalities mesh well with Giada’s no nonsense leadership and organization skills, Julian’s flash and outgoing personality, and The Narrator’s rationality and poetic observation. 

The band gives them a chance to use their musical talents and personality traits to good use by contributing to their chosen art, openly and honestly expressing their emotions, seeing different places and meeting different people, and despite the hardships having a good time, and making exciting memories to look back on.

In fact their tour isn’t really seen as a means to become discovered and sign on with a bigtime record company. It’s just something that they get to do once in a while as friends and musicians and then return to normal life afterwards. . 

Rebirth Protocol The Return of Earth's Guardian and The Sword Magus Supreme by Nyxaris; Complex Science Fiction About Time Travel, Parallel Worlds, Genetic Evolution, and Seeking Revenge

 

Rebirth Protocol The Return of Earth's Guardian and The Sword Magus Supreme by Nyxaris; Complex Science Fiction About Time Travel, Parallel Worlds, Genetic Evolution, and Seeking Revenge 

By Julie Sara Porter 

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: Nyxaris’ Science Fiction novel, Rebirth Protocol: The Return of Earth's Guardian and The Sword Magus Supreme is about as long and complex as its name. 

Nick Valiente caught his girlfriend, Sarah, in bed with his best friend, Matt. After leaving in anger, he is attacked by an unknown assailant. When he wakes up, he realizes that he has traveled two years into the past. More importantly, he finds that he shares memories and consciousness with Arlize Dentragon, a master swordsman and magician. He is full of questions about who Arlize really is, what is happening, and why. In his pursuit of answers, Nick stumbles on a conspiracy that goes far beyond his desire for personal revenge.

The book has an interesting plot trajectory. At first it begins as a simple revenge thriller. Since Nick can see two years in advance, he has plenty of time to gather information on when Matt and Sarah’s affair began. The more time he spends observing Matt and Sarah from a distance, the more he recognizes their phoniness and annoying flaws that he overlooked before.

Besides revenge on his enemies, Nick actually uses this two year foresight to improve himself. He aces courses like Statistics, Physics, and Business, courses that the previous Nick barely passed. He also begins to build a nice portfolio by studying and investing in technology and researches prestigious fellowships so he can get his foot in the door of prominent businesses. Even if he doesn't get revenge, Nick is certainly getting the better of Matt and Sarah by living well.

The book expands to an immense Science Fiction novel with the arrival of Arlize. Nick dreams as Arlize, shares his thoughts and memories, and sees Arlize’s world through his eyes. It's a creepy but trippy experience that gets even stranger when Nick recognizes parallels in his own life like a love triangle and near fatal betrayal. 

Nick asks questions about this experience. Who is Arlize? Is he from a parallel universe? Another planet? A previous reincarnation? A future incarnation? An alternate personality? A bit of wish fulfillment? A fictional character? Why do they share minds, memories, and experiences? 

One thing is certain, in Arlize Nick finds someone that is braver, stronger, and a better leader than he thinks that he is. He is the type of person that Nick wants to be. 

Arlize is considered a guardian in his world and is gifted with a sword and magical skills which helps him out fight and out smart any enemy . But yet, Arlize has many of the same problems that Nick did. Despite feeling intimidated and confused by his presence, Nick feels a kinship with this man as he begins to think and talk like him, even becoming him. 

This shared consciousness emboldens Nick as he manifests abilities such as heightened senses and increased mental capacity which reads like computerized analysis. This contributes to reinventing the next two years of his life and  makes people around him suspicious as Nick becomes a target.

After he travels back two years, Nick begins to suspect that he is being monitored when he encounters people that he never met during the previous timeline. This suspicion mounts when he sees people installing cameras in his dorm hall and a hacker friend finds out about wider surveillance. He also learns that his family might have been watched since before he was born and those watching him aren't afraid to resort to violent, even fatal, means.

What started out as a time travel revenge thriller, Rebirth Protocol covers multiple worlds, space travel, parallel universes, alternate realities, government conspiracies, reincarnation, mental telepathy, surveillance, AI, ripples in space and time, and the evolution of characters into super beings. It succeeds in covering various intricate plots, rich characterization, and deep themes of awareness, perception, heroism, self-actualization, and the struggles to find one's personal identity in an increasingly depersonalized world.

The Gift Book 2 of The Others Trilogy by Evette Davis, The Mantis Equilibrium (Book 2 in The Mantis Gland Series) by Adam Andrews Johnson, Folded Steel (Book 3 of The Forge Trilogy in The Shadow Guardians Series) by G. Russell Gaynor

The Gift (Book 2 of The Others Trilogy) by Evette Davis 

This is a condensed review. The longer one is on LitPick’s site.

The Gift is the second book in The Others Trilogy. It greatly expands on the concept of a secret society of people with magical paranormal abilities including Witches, Shifters, Fairies, Vampires, by taking place in a new setting and introducing new characters. However, it also relies on some cliches like a love triangle to unnecessarily enhance the plot.

Former political activist and half-Witch, Olivia Sheppard travels to Europe after a family emergency. She travels with her companions Gabriel, her Witch father, Elsa, her Time Walker Spirit Guide, Lily, her Fairy best friend, William, her Vampire boyfriend, and Josef, William’s Vampire friend. Olivia and company also have to face Nikolas, a powerful charismatic thousand year old Vampire who uses any means to lead the Council of Others, including murdering Humans and Others who oppose him. The investigation into Nikolas’ plans and actions put Olivia and Josef closer together and Olivia has to reconcile her love for William, her long term boyfriend and growing affection for Josef who has unrealistic feelings for her.

The Gift goes global and takes the characters to Europe. The change in setting puts them, especially Olivia, at a disadvantage since they are on Nikolas’ turf and are playing by his rules. 

The setting is one of glamor and Old World intrigue. Olivia and her friends visit various Medieval style villages and castles so the architecture calls to mind Gothic stories and legends and reveals the wealth and power many of the Others have. Nikolas isn't too far off from a James Bond villain, a character who compliments his adversary while using his vast wealth and power to do away with them.

There are some interesting new characters and plot twists that keep the series fresh and make the Readers look forward to the next volume. Nadia is a Tarot Card Reader and Clairvoyant whose predictions have a way of coming true that disturbs Olivia and in one key moment, Nikolas. 

The returning characters also go through a lot of development. A personal loss devastates Olivia causing her to question her decisions and current path. However, she finds her strength in taking charge of some unfinished business and pursuing Nikolas.

Both Gabriel and Josef reveal some dark secrets about their pasts, showing themselves as men who suffered great loss and heartache in their long histories. 

There are many things that work well but one that doesn't and that is the love triangle between William, Josef, and Olivia. There are some interesting parts such as Josef expressing his affection for Olivia and her acknowledging that she is not exactly appalled by his confession. It adds an interesting wrinkle but love triangles are so overdone.

For a series that has a unique concept of a thriving society of paranormal creatures and their interactions with the Human world and explores the precarious inner workings of this world, a love triangle is boring, ordinary, and ironically lacks the magic and mystery of the rest of the book.

The Mantis Equilibrium Book 2 of The Mantis Gland Series by Adam Andrews Johnson 

Spoilers: This review will mention the death of a character from the previous volume so I will reiterate and say that there are MAJOR HEAVY DUTY SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

The last time that we entered the world of Adam Andrews Johnson’s The Mantis Variant, the Messiah’s, a powerful cult residing in futuristic Teshon City participated in gruesome rituals in which they mutilated the bodies of Shifts, people with special abilities so they can absorb the glands that give those abilities. Agrell, a Messiah with a hidden Shift ability goes on the run and meets Ilya, a Shift with the power of flight and Dozi, a street smart thief who wants to be a Demifae, a mystic with special powers by study not birth. The trio hide out with a kindly couple, Mystic, a Demifae and Theolon, his husband. They reunite the couple with Lahari, their missing daughter while the Messiahs declare war on the Shifts.

In the sequel, The Mantis Equilibrium, things get darker, more sinister, and potentially more dangerous for the characters. It certainly anchors the series with a stronger sense of purpose for what the characters are going through and the changes that are affecting the world around them. 

A year has gone by and the protagonists are mourning the death of Agrell who died in the previous volume sacrificing herself for her new friends. They have accepted each other and new member, Tchama as a surrogate family. They journey outside of Teshon City where Dozi has a very uncomfortable reunion with her family. They also meet Ninyani, a Shift with the ability of creating fire and ice. Meanwhile, Vion, a Messiah, goes on the hunt for Shifts after he finds the murdered bodies of his colleagues. Also a trio of Shifts, Gawa, Eroli, and S’Kay, have a more violent and destructive goal in mind for the Messiahs.

The Mantis Equilibrium balances the expected darker stake-raising that occurs so often in second volumes while doing interesting things in terms of character and plot that make it fresh and unique in its own right.

I will get one personal issue out of the way. I miss Agrell. She was my favorite character in the first volume. Her story of Messiah turned rebel was the most fascinating. She greatly developed from someone who had much to hide to someone who loves, and as we found out would willingly die for her new friends. Her loss is not only felt by the characters but this Reader as well. 

Unfortunately, Agrell's loss is more felt because of Tchama’s presence. There isn't as much to make her stand out as an individual the way that her predecessor did. She seems to exist solely to make sure that the main protagonists remain a trio. In fact, Tchama is so indistinct as a character that Johnson could have just as easily had Agrell remain for one more volume before killing her off. In fact, he missed a golden opportunity to have conflict and backstory between Agrell and Vion, a current Messiah who still is a devotee. But Agrell's absence is a minor personal issue in a volume that is otherwise excellent.

One of the most interesting aspects is the presence of Ninyani. He lived in a rural village that was isolated from the rest of the world so his powers are looked at very differently from the other Shifts. His mother believes that they are divinely inspired and this could be an opportunity to replace the Elder God of their village, a Shift who uses his powers to establish his own cult to worship him. Unfortunately, Ninyani's mother’s plans go awry when the boy accidentally causes a disaster that kills everyone in the village including the Elder God and his mother leaving him the sole survivor. 

Ninyani's backstory introduces some interesting concepts in this book. One of them is how similar things can happen to people but because of cultural or regional differences, they might be seen in various ways. Ninyani is unaware of the prejudice against the Shifts or even that there are people like him until he meets Ilya and she introduces him to the others. He is from a spiritual background that doesn't know about glands or genetic mutations, the way other characters do. Since his village can't explain it, they attribute it to divine intervention. It's quite an awakening and a bit of spiritual conflict when he learns of the truth. Though in his defense, he never really thought of himself as a god. His mother did, in an attempt to overthrow the previous one. He went along with it for her sake. “New God” was not a label that he was comfortable having so he doesn't mind when it is removed.

The other concept is that the destruction of Ninyani’s village can show what happens when those Shift abilities are misused. Even if they happen in a bout of thoughtless emotion, like it did with him, much damage can occur. This is why it is A) dangerous for one to absorb so many like with the Messiahs and B) why it is so important to learn to channel them and use restraint as the Mystic trains Ninyani to do. 

Vion also is an interesting figure in this volume because he is a contrast to the previous Messiah, Agrell like I said. She left the cult after finding out their true intent. Vion not only accepts the slaughter of Shifts, he is ruthless in implementing it. He is the dogmatic cult member who follows the doctrine to the letter. He would rather continue down the path no matter how bloody than admit that he was wrong about it. With so much conversation and debate about cult followings sometimes involving the surrender of one's free will and morals, this subplot is surprisingly relevant.

Vion is an unrepentant bigot and rigid dogmatist especially towards Shifts. However, there is a very curious moment in which something bizarre happens to him and his fellow Messiahs. He attributes it to the Shifts that they are following but it is purposely left ambiguous whether this strange event was caused by the Shifts or by Vion himself. Is it entirely possible that the Shift Hater is himself a Shift? If so, would he go the way of Agrell and rebel or repress his true nature underneath the veneer of hatred and authoritarianism?

The recurring characters have some fascinating things happen to them, most notably Dozi and fellow returnee, Auntie Peg. Dozi’s reunion with her biological family starts out well but becomes awkward and fierce once they learn about her Shift friends. Their ultimatum and Dozi’s decision to stand by her friends shows a strength of character.

Auntie Peg was a supporting character in the previous book. Here, she comes into her own as we learn about her backstory and why she lives her life the way that she does. She also serves as a warm maternal mentor to the others and leads many of the Shifts on the path to a civil resistance.

There are some interesting threads that could lead to potential story arcs. Gawa, Eroli, and S’Kay’s subplot is not fully realized or more than likely has not yet reached its full potential as though they have a much larger role to play in the events to come. Ilya goes through a chilling transformation with potential long term complications and might blur the lines between enemy and ally in future installments. It certainly leaves Readers hanging.

Folded Steel (Book 3 of The Forge Trilogy in The Shadow Guardians Series) by G Russell Gaynor 

Let's see in the first volume of The Forge Trilogy, The Blind Smith, we were introduced to John James Moore, AKA Augur who was blinded in an assassination attempt and is recruited by an organization of spies and assassins. He then is betrayed and plans revenge on his one-time recruiters and allies. In the second volume, Muted Rage, John recruited his team most notably, Sonya Bocharova, a deaf Russian woman, and weighed and analyzed their strengths and weaknesses. Let's see we have the leader, we have the team, what next? Why it's time for the missions of course. In this third, volume, Folded Steel , it's time for the team to organize and take action against their enemies.

This plot isn't quite as straightforward as the previous volumes. It's a series of gambits between John’s team and the organization fronted by Bob, John’s former recruiter/mentor turned betrayer and arch-enemy. Along the way characters fall in love, question their loyalty, play various sides, and conspire against their enemies and sometimes their allies. Meanwhile other characters like lovers, Thomas and Jessilae are thrown violently into the fray.

Sometimes things get incredibly confusing with the cunning schemes and action-centered nail hanging chapters. It also doesn't always help as characters alternate being called by their real and code names. It can be difficult to say who is involved in what, what the goals are, whether they succeed, and who they are successful for. It keeps the Reader’s suspense and interest, but it is bad when trying to summarize and keep track of it all (even worse when adding the first two volumes).

However, there are some great moments. Unlike many similar novels, John and Sonya do not become lovers. They are just allies and partners, close to friends as the often cynical John will allow. They do however become paired with other characters. Sonya and her lover have a touching moment amid the tension and violence of their usual lives that allows them to receive a great release of emotion and humanity no matter how brief. Meanwhile, John’s relationship comes to a harsh end that can be expected in a world when lives are on the line and loyalties can be and often are for sale. 

Jessilae and Thomas’s subplot alternates between humor and heartache as they are confused and out of their depths,  the way most normies that are suddenly thrust into such a situation would act. They can't tell friend from foe, ally from enemy, and do not find it easy to trust anyone. On the outside looking in, they, especially Jessilae, can see that the two sides aren't really that different and that it was just circumstance over which side they ended up with. 

By far one of the strongest moments is a one on one confrontation between John and Bob. Both insufferable geniuses, they don't use weapons but they use words. The one time allies show mutual respect for one another, even admiring their tenacity, perseverance, and iconoclastic creative thinking. In another life, they might have had a father and son relationship. But in their case, respect gives way into treachery and distrust. In a way, their conflicts arise because they are too much alike. They are both brilliant men who are dogmatic in their views and have a serious addiction to being the smartest and best in the room. They were bound to be on opposite sides and are bound to fight until one is victorious and the other is completely annihilated and/or preferably dead.

John’s pursuits has left him with a small group of allies, but they have earned his trust and he theirs. Once a rich kid and tech guru, he has to live a clandestine life of revenge, secrets, and violence but thankfully because of his alliances and his new team, he doesn't have to do it alone.

The Hero Virus by Russell Dumper; Having Super Powers: The Reality

 The Hero Virus by Russell Dumper; Having Super Powers: The Reality

By Julie Sara Porter 

Bookworm Reviews 

Spoilers: I have read many novels where characters obtain super powers or special supernatural abilities and they have been portrayed in different ways. They can be allegories for people with disabilities or from different races or ethnicities. They could represent a young character going through puberty or searching for their family or identity. They could result in a search in which the protagonist finds acceptance and belonging. This genre could be satiric, serious, tragic, fantastic, comedic, beautiful, scary, or intelligent but almost always at least entertaining. Some place the fantastic premise for all of its worth, some take a surprisingly realistic approach. Very few have taken the premise of people obtaining supernatural abilities and superpowers as realistically as Russell Dumper does with the novel, The Hero Virus.

Chris Taylor’s wife died and he is depressed to the point of suicidal. He has tried to kill himself several times but something always keeps the trigger from being pulled. During his latest attempt, he falls ill and passes out for a few days. When he wakes up, he finds that he has sudden energy and super strength. With the help of his friends, Tim and San, and Dr. Mike Norbury, of the Health Protection Agency (HPA), Chris learns that his super strength is the result of a virus that gives people special abilities. As they learn when they encounter Chris’s friend Nathan who has the ability to project lightning from his fingertips, the virus is spreading. As more people are afflicted with these abilities, England becomes the center of a health crisis that is threatening to go global. One of the newly afflicted is Tim who has the power of absorbing other people’s powers and is gaining a vengeance seeking megalomaniacal personality in the process leaving behind the misfit likeable stoner that Chris once knew. 

The phrase that kept coming to my mind as I read this was “of course.” Of course people would panic as others develop powers. Of course authorities would want them contained. Of course they would treat it like a virus. Of course it would be exciting and terrifying at the same time. Of course the body would suffer from serious side effects. Of course most people would use them for their own personal gain. 

Despite the fantastic premise, The Hero Virus plays it very straight. It shows how the real world would react if people suddenly developed super strength, speed, telekinesis, and so on. This isn’t a Science Fiction novel out of the MCU where these abilities are seen as a gift and colorful costumed heroes fight larger than life villains. Instead these are regular people with unique powers and no real way of understanding, controlling, or mastering them. They have the powers of gods but the limited capacity of humans. It’s enough to drive anyone insane. 

Chris is someone who recognizes his powers and the responsibility that comes with them but struggles to hold onto his humanity. He tries to retain connections with friends and family and hold onto memories of his late wife. He also wants to retain his memories of Tim and the man he once was. He doesn’t want to believe that his friend is capable of violence, so he lies in denial. He couldn’t save his wife, so he wants to save his friend to retain the last hold of his humanity. He feels that he was saved from suicide for this exact purpose to become a real life superhero and also be a decent person. Through trying to save Tim, Chris wants to preserve his former self, and still have the abilities of the god-like being that he turned into by accident.

The people are terrified, albeit amazed of those affected by the virus. When your spouse suddenly projects the ability to make fire when they are mad, you have two options: stay on their good side or leave. You never know that a disagreement with a work colleague could erupt with them creating earthquakes, you telekinetically shoving them into the side of a building, or hundreds of bystanders getting killed in the process.The book is interesting because it’s so real. People would panic and fear those who are different while also being in awe of and envious towards those who can do these amazing things. 

While many would like to believe that they would use superpowers for good, the truth is most people probably would be like Tim. Suddenly, you have unlimited powers and can finally seek vengeance on the people who made you miserable, make a mark in society when you had been ignored or overlooked, and become powerful and wealthy in the process. Plus, the particular power that Tim has, absorbing other powers, would increase one’s emotions and mindset. He develops paranoia, delusions, and uncontrollable rage. He can no longer feel anything but his various powers. He is addicted to them and craves more. For him, going back would mean going back to his old life as a failed single miserable writer. His pursuit for super powers could end up killing him and destroy the world around him, but he has lost the ability to care.

Naturally, the government would get involved and cause problems by isolating and containing the virus, its spread, and those who have it. They also wouldn’t mind turning those abilities into weapons for example, super strong soldiers, invisible spies, or assassins that can enter and exit through shadows. That would be too tempting for even the most idealistic politician to resist, let alone those who are driven by greed, power, or in Norbury’s case obtaining knowledge. 

Norbury does not himself have powers nor does he obtain them. But he does have a keen insight into human nature as well as knowledge about biology and how the virus affects people. He is mostly neutral, an observer for other’s actions particularly Chris and Tim. He bears some fatherly concern for how the virus has affected them but he also views the events with a detached scientific analysis. He is fully aware of the gains and advantages the virus could mean for his research and for the government at large. He plays Chris and Tim like chess pieces, aware that he will be the one with the checkmate no matter who is the victor in their conflict.

Chris and Tim’s conflicts are central to the book which while excellent for one and one battles could benefit from expanding the initial concept. Nathan’s powers are introduced in a chaotic manner that unfortunately puts him into a coma before he is able to affect the plot. There is an intriguing chapter in which other characters gain other powers like releasing pheromones and shape shifting but they really aren’t developed very much as people before they become appetizers for Tim’s lust for obtaining more abilities. 

Now that Dumper has created this concept, it would be interesting if he explored it further. Maybe writing different books set in the same universe about other people who contracted the virus and how they are affected with these strange gifts, how they evolve, how they choose to use their powers, and how they lose or regain their humanity in the process.

The Evolver by Jessica Grace Vargas; Science Fiction Novel About Searching For Family and Finding A Purpose

 

The Evolver by Jessica Grace Vargas; Science Fiction Novel About Searching For Family and Finding A Purpose 

By Julie Sara Porter 

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: Jessica Grace Vargas’ The Evolver is a familiar topic this year of “High School Aged Kid Discovers That Have Super Powers and Become a Hero.” However, this search goes from a Science Fiction novel about a girl discovering her abilities but also trying to learn about her family and her own place in the world, or worlds.

Kennedy Neff feels like a freak in Tucson. She doesn't get along with her single mother, Roberta, or her vapid sister, Audrey. Most of the other kids think she's weird except Reddick Vincent, a senior who tries to befriend her. She also has unusual powers like telekinesis and astral projection. An incident in which she uses her abilities is observed by Reddick and Zuele Zuniz who reveal that they are part of an alien race that are members of an intergalactic defense team called the Evolvers. Oh and they want Kennedy to join them. Oh yeah and she's half human and her missing father isn't from Earth. Kennedy is stunned, amazed, and excited about this new adventure. While she is looking forward to the adventure, there is another more important reason. She has been trying to find out information about her father, even basic things like his name or where he lives. Maybe since he isn't from Earth, she can go with them and find out the truth.

The Evolver has some tropes that are standard on these types of books but there is enough attention to world building and characterization that makes it stand out as a better than average standard for the genre.

There are some standards that are to be found in typical YA novels. There is the fish out of water meeting her new friends. One who is the smart scholarly one that provides the much needed exposition and. The other is a plucky but good natured comic relief/trouble maker. There is the snooty rival who fights the protagonist for academic success and the love interest’s attention. Then there is the obligatory love interest who seems detached but later shows that they loved the newcomer all along. All present and all here and frankly doesn't add anything new.

What The Evolver excels in is world building. Zuele goes into the history of the Evolvers and the intergalactic conflicts between planets. We also get some insights about the various issues within the planets like how Zuele’s home world has a dubious reputation which causes its citizens like her to downplay their origins. We also get inside looks at the various topographies and socio political structure of the planets. 

The Evolvers’ abilities and origins are elaborated to provide interesting context to who has those powers and how they contribute to their society. One gets the feeling that Vargas did not only do a thorough job on creating her fictional world, but that what we are told is less than a third of what she knows about it.

The other aspect that makes The Evolver a well written work is its attention to the themes of identity and belonging. Kennedy's primary motive for becoming an Evolver is so she can locate her father. She searched the Internet but came up short. All that she has to go on is a strange tattoo on his forearm. She follows the lead and questions other characters. Many know about her search and tell her that she is better off not knowing. This only continues to fuel her curiosity.

Mostly, Kennedy wants to find her father to answer questions about who she is, why she feels like an outsider, and where she belongs. This search could fill in the missing parts to her life and give her a full picture. The book presents two possibilities, one more positive than the other but both still rely on deceit, secrecy, betrayal, and unclear motives. 

Kennedy thinks that she needs to reunite with her father to belong. She doesn't realize until it's almost too late that she has finally found a place to belong and be accepted all along. In searching for her birth family, she created a new one with the people around her.

Weekly Reader: Legacy of Heroes by Daniel P. Riley; Character's Real Identities Outshine Their Superheroics

Weekly Reader: Legacy of Heroes by Daniel P. Riley; Character's Real Identities Outshine Their Superheroics

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: Maybe because I am sick of superheroes everywhere, but when the superhero's real life identity and problems are better written than their super identity and fights with villains, that's not a good sign.

That's the problem facing Daniel P. Riley's Legacy of Heroes. He gives us three interesting characters then puts them in a typical hero plot that is trite and leaves very few surprises or excitement.

The protagonists are three teenagers with different abilities. Dasani Watson suits up as the newest version of Paragon, as a tribute to the original hero who lost his life saving Dasani years ago. James Lassiter is followed by a demonic figure that hides in the shadows and is barely controlled by James. The third member is Amy Price AKA Shriek AKA Crescendo who was once a member of a supervillain gang but now uses her power of making sonic sounds for good when her old gang abandons her. 

The three are assembled by Martin Lieberman, journalist and friend to the original Paragon. He wants to turn the trio into the latest superhero team to take on various villains like Amy's old gang and enemies of original Paragon's.

Individually the trio have some great moments that revealed their personal problems and struggles. They are actually more interesting in their conflicts with their placements and teen problems then they are with their fights against their super antagonists.

Dasani is still grief stricken over the deaths of his parents and of the original Paragon. Even though he only met Paragon once, it was such a monumental moment that changed his life forever. Living with his grandfather and struggling to take the role of his hero, gives Dasani a sense of reality of a world in which heroes are all too mortal and can't always be found in reality. Dasani has to look for the heroism within himself.

James has some pretty frightening passages with his companion, The Shadow Man. In a way, he is similar to someone with a severe mental illness like Paranoid Schizophrenia, PTSD, or Dissociative Identity Disorder. He can't always control his darker aspects. Sometimes it lives independently and does things that James is often against. The Shadow Man makes James feel isolated from his new friends.

Amy has to deal with leaving a toxic group and getting her life back in order. She was frequently abused and knew that she was only being used because of her abilities but as a runaway estranged from her parents she had few options. She is intimidated by the gang leaders, Comedy and Tragedy (called because they wear the comedy and tragedy theater masks). Amy isn't able to cut herself off from the gang until she is abandoned and found by James and Dasani. There she finds people who understand and accept her.

The trio start strong until the team heroics begin. There are some interesting costumes and characters that they face, notably Amy's old acquaintances Comedy and Tragedy. But they are lost to the typical plot points found in most superhero tales: the fights where they are overpowered, then come together stronger and united, the moment when one of the good guys gets kidnapped with their weaknesses exposed, the history between these new enemies and the good guy's mentor, and the twist of one of the villain's secret identity. Of course, the climactic ending reminds us that this is only the beginning. It's all regular and even boring with no new approaches to the plot. So much so that I forgot many of the plot angles almost as soon as I ended the book.

We've seen it all before and with the exceptions of the trio's individual backstories, the rest isn't really that super.