Chelsea M. Campbell

Having read Wearing the Cape, this was a very unfortunate second in my book, the cliche of only the bad guy new good guy sees what's wrong with the good guys is very badly done, specially because it's obvious it's some kind of race discrimination that they have going for them. the thing that gives people superpowers changing the thumb in a H or V depending on if your parents are Heroes or Villains is kind of out there but the main character is what keeps the story going, it almost reminded me of Ravirn of WebMage and that's a compliment because he's one of my favorite characters of all time. If you like sarcasm and a bad guy good guy this book is for you.

Also, LOVED the cover art.… (mais)

I liked the book. I expected to like the book, since I'd liked the first three in the series (and two novellas: whee!), but of course, sometimes that doesn't work out. I got a bit annoyed with Damien in this volume, but at the same time, his self-pity made sense. The events of those three books and two novellas have been taking an emotional toll on Damien, and it shows up here. It didn't make the book any less readable: I was still eagerly turning the pages to find out what happens next. (That half star is for page-turning-ness.) Some parts of the plot were more interesting to me than others: the Amelia/Zach storyline grabbed me more than I thought it would, while the parts about fieldwork, well, didn't. But I read this series more for the world they're set in and the characters, and that didn't disappoint. Damien and Kat's relationship felt deeper in this book, Amelia is both less annoying and yet the same irritating sister she's been since the first book, and Helen seemed more of a person in her own right and not just "the stepmother." I wouldn't recommend this as your introduction to the series, but it's a good installment.… (mais)

(Re-posted from http://theturnedbrain.blogspot.com)

There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that I won’t forgive a book for if it gives me fantastic characters. Plot holes? Cliches? Incest? Like the annoying girl you tolerate because her brother is way hot, I’ll welcome all those flaws if the characters are bitching.

And boy are Chelsea M. Campbells characters bitching!

Which is not to say that the book is full of plot holes and clichés. Incest on the other hand… No, I kid. (Although, Damien does spend an unusual amount of time dwelling on this mother’s sex life…) There is little that is clichéd about Renegade X’s plot, which surprised me. Oftentimes in books like this, which is to say books that feature superheros (and villains!) of the author’s own creation, certain characters will mirror other, more well known comic superheros. Perry Moore’s excellent “Hero” for example is peppered full of awfully familiar superheros, including one from another planet whose only weakness is a certain kind of crystal…


There is none of this with Campbell’s superheros. It’s surprising how refreshingly original they are. Even when their abilities are not so unique, such as shape shifting or flying, Campbell avoids comparison with “real” superheros completely.


And there are no major plot holes, or at least none that immediately jump out me. Well, no, that’s not true. I did wonder why, if every villain is clearly identifiable by the V on their thumb, were they not all just thrown in prison? Or at the very least why were they allowed to have a school where torture and mayhem were on the curriculum? (Nothing in the text suggested that Villmore’s purpose was a secret to the general public). The world building, perhaps, is a little scarce, but Campbell outlines the “rules” of her universe clearly enough and then sticks to them.


But these faults are niggely and, as I said, the characters! Oh man, the characters make up for everything! She could name her heroes Superguy and Wonder Lady and have more plot holes than Twilight and I would still be here raving about this book.


Damien, in particular, is excellently written. There is much to be said in favour of characters who are always quick with the right comeback, who say the things that we would never dare to. This type of character is common in speculative fiction, think your Loche Lamoras and Kvothes, and Damien has this element in spades (his snarky sense of humour had me laughing out loud more than once, and I’m normally a very quite reader). But unlike the other dashing anti-heroes I’ve mentioned, Damien would also fit in very nicely in a mainstream YA novel. Something witty by John Green or David Levithan.


This is because, despite his super powers, Damien is a kid a kid with a set of problems that any coming of age novel would be happy to have. He’s meeting his Dad for the first time, he’s worried that his Mum has less time for him now she has a new boyfriend, he still has feelings for his ex and on top of it all he has to decide if he wants to devote the rest of his life to good or evil. Well, ok, maybe that last one is not so common…


The rest of the cast is just as well fleshed out as Damien, with all of them from main to minor, expertly toeing the line between realistic and comic book over the topness.


Fans of good old fashioned YA coming of age tales, and fans of comic books, and especially fans of both will find much to love here.… (mais)

When a superhero or villain turns 16 they get a V or and H telling the world what they are. If you are the child of a superhero and a villain you get an X and your behavior will choose your fate. They make it a point over the course of the book to establish that not all superheroes are necessarily good people just like not all villains are necessarily going to be bad people. There is also a lot of prejudice. Should someone who is the children of villains be helped when they will most likely end up being a villain?

The characters are great Damien, Kat and Lisa are all funny and I was really glad that Kat was willing to stick by her friend. I also loved Gordon's wife Helen. She always stuck by Damien even when his actions made it difficult. She always stood up for him and gave him a break when she probably had more reason to dislike him than anyone. Another important thing to note about Damien, yes he truly believes he is villain material and that is the best place for him. But as you read about his behavior over the course of the book, he really is kind of in the middle. He does wonderful things and awful things and I have a feeling he will be keeping his X for a long time.

I want to make a comment on the cover because my boss noticed it right away. The kid on this cover definitely has a Robin/Nightwing vibe to him, which got my boss super excited.… (mais)