A rollicking superhero adventure that, much like its protagonist, shows promise but lacks polish.
Brewner’s debut YA superhero adventure mixes high-octane antics with shadowy, sinister conspiracies.
Fifteen-year-old Michael lives in an African village with his brother, Alex. Each of the boys possesses superhuman abilities, setting him apart from fellow villagers. Everything changes, however, when the brothers’ idyllic life is shattered by the arrival of other superhumans—some planning to harm the boys, some to help. Auto, head elder of the Trifecta Council, convinces Michael that he can better protect his fellow villagers by coming with him to America to hone his abilities in Hero City. Michael is hesitant, though, since he views American society as brutal and corrupting, but he decides to make the journey anyway. In Hero City, Michael meets other heroes, friends and allies such as Blue Moon, a stunningly beautiful girl with the ability to control minds by gazing into her targets’ eyes. Unfortunately, Michael also discovers conspiracy and intrigue: Someone is killing heroes, and there may be a traitor within the Trifecta ranks. All in all, it makes for a rough first year for the trainee heroes at the Trifecta Academy—one made more difficult for Michael after he discovers that he bears the same birthmark on his chest as Mr. Infinity, “the greatest and most powerful hero in the world’s history.” Brewner makes full use of a wide variety of superhero tropes, from the frequent, over-the-top action sequences to the shadowy villain, secret master plan and Chosen One destined to save the world from evil. The occasional spate of clunky dialogue can be forgiven, although the book would have benefited from additional copy editing. Additionally, each chapter begins with a line that functions as a summary or teaser of the coming chapter, but formatting makes it difficult to separate that line from the chapter’s real first line. Yet that shouldn’t stop eager thrill-seekers from finding what they’re looking for.
A rollicking superhero adventure that, much like its protagonist, shows promise but lacks polish.Pub Date: May 5, 2013
ISBN: 978-0615816265
Page Count: 374
Publisher: J.P. Brewner
Review Posted Online: Sept. 4, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A must-have for history buffs.
The authors (The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Vs. Lizzie A. Borden, 1994) return with a riveting history of the flourishing small town of Fall River, Mass., and its most infamous resident, Lizzie Borden.
It’s been more than eight decades since the death of Lizzie Borden, but interest in the gruesome ax murders that made her famous lives on. This book isn’t intended as a commentary on those murders of August 4, 1892, or speculation about her guilt or innocence; instead, it provides insight into Lizzie Borden, the woman, the city in which she spent most of her life and the society that would later judge her. According to documents, young Lizzie’s implication in her parents’ murders wasn’t based on evidence but merely suggestion and “village gossip.” Varying points of view on the family’s relations—especially between Lizzie and her stepmother—were recorded, but most townspeople distorted the Borden’s evidently normal familial disagreements into a sinister light, spurred on by the macabre events that transpired. The book, culled from exhaustive research by the curators of the Fall River Historical Society, offers an alternate perspective to the previously known particulars. The authors share unprecedented access to never-before-seen documents, memorabilia and other information. The result is an ambitious tome featuring a plethora of information and replete with beautiful photographs. Though the narrative and history are nonlinear, the telling flows seamlessly. The fateful events of August 4, 1892, are discussed early on, but references are peppered throughout, with additional perspective and data. Fall River itself is a compelling character: Its main claim to fame may be Lizzie Borden, but the town—one of the first to open a free library in the United States, in 1860—also persevered through two devastating fires, the Civil War, Lincoln’s assassination and multiple instances of embezzlement. Every page may not be dedicated to the Borden family, but the lush history of the town and its many residents somehow connect to the family and its notorious daughter.
A must-have for history buffs.Pub Date: Nov. 22, 2011
ISBN: 978-0964124813
Page Count: 1138
Publisher: Fall River Historical Society
Review Posted Online: June 7, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Sound advice, no matter your age.
A self-help book about staying active as you age.
Prolific writer McHugh (Aging with Grace—Whoever She Is, 2011, etc.) has tackled topics as diverse as veterinary medicine, death and dying, and three mystery novels. Her half-dozen self-help titles deal with aging, a field in which, at 83, she’s highly qualified. In this text, she includes a number of photos of herself; she appears to have benefitted from her list of “10 ways to get more energy.” Her vivacity adds a personal touch to the recommendations she makes for this slender book’s 100 topics, most of which take up a single page and are based on her own experience. Some of the suggestions are dated (“Listen to the Beatles” or Judy Collins); some are luxuriously over-the-top for a person on a fixed income (“Swim with a dolphin” or travel to Greece); and some are creative (“Take a baby to lunch” or ride in a hot air balloon). But the genuine tenderness of her personal comments paired with her lavish imagination makes this book a breezy, lightweight read. It almost doesn’t matter that its premise is demographically flawed: A woman in her 50s, or even early 60s, is most likely still a career woman, without the leisure time to pursue these sometimes extravagant ways of feeling young. The target audience appears to be a married woman with free time and the funds to take advantage of her advice—an empty nester or perhaps a baby boomer—but that woman is probably not in her 50s.
Sound advice, no matter your age.Pub Date: May 11, 2012
ISBN: 978-1475218299
Page Count: 122
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: July 9, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
