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Not For Everyone Sep 6, 2007 (39 of 41 found this helpful)
I bought this book after reading it's review in People magazine for my daughter and I to read...she was busy rereading a Harry Potter book, so I decided to read it first. GOOD THING! This book is much more appropriate for LATE teen and adult readers. It is a beautifully powerful book about the strains of growing up different, and really not feeling accepted. Set in a familiar world of comic book reality, it's points are not missed and you really want to hold the main character as he proceeds through this minefield of life as he makes his way in very extreme conditions. Even when the scenerios become outlandish, this book captivates you...I didn't want to put it down. I would caution that you may not like this book if you are conservative in your views of family and sexual relationships, but this book might help you to open your mind a bit if you are!
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Phenomenal book for late teens Sep 16, 2007 (16 of 16 found this helpful)
I bought this book with the thought that I might use it during a social justice unit in my middle school English class. While the book proved to be a little too mature for my students (strong language, some pretty explicit sexual remarks), it would be excellent for a high school humanities or senior English class. The book dives into themes that are rarely explored in children's literature. By paralleling the protagonist's struggle with his own sexual orientation with the discovery that he possesses superhuman powers, the reader starts to connect the different ways in which people are outcast in our own, non-comic book society. I strongly recommend this book to anybody, be they a teacher, a student, or just a regular reader who wants to expand their understanding about tolerance and coming of age.
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Exactly what I needed Oct 13, 2007 (19 of 20 found this helpful)
I went on a reading binge, and struck gold with "Hero". This book is incredibly easy to fall into. The voice of the main character, Thom, has clarity and depth - in some ways he's your typical budding super hero teen, easy to relate to and connect with.
The story itself is over 400 pages but is so smooth that I read it in one sitting - the pace was steady and between the family relationships, the super powers, the new teammates and situations, there wasn't a single dull moment. It was easy to see this transferred into a movie or graphic novel, but as a story, it really allowed you to just immerse yourself in Thom's world.
The plot lines are tied up and the relationships settled by the novel's conclusion, but the style is such that when you close the book, you can't help hoping for a sequel, 'cause it's just that good.
If you enjoy reading slash fiction and/or fanfiction, comics books or heck just enjoy a good superhero romp, this book might just click perfectly with you. Do give it a try.
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Mixed Bag of Heroics Nov 9, 2007 (17 of 20 found this helpful)
Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
on 11/09/2007
Thom Creed has a lot of issues. You'd think that everyone would love him because of his basketball skills. Not so. His ex-superhero father is a pariah, despised by the public for his role in a horrific tragedy. Thom lives in the shadow of his father's greatest failure. Now that shadow is spreading.
Thom has two secrets from his father. The emergence of a super power has caught the attention of the very League that abandoned his father. The desire to be a hero is at odds with Thom's loyalty to his father. Then there's the other, deeper secret: Thom is gay. In a homophobic community, the truth would hurt his dad as bad as the guilt that dogs the former hero.
Thom's mettle as a superhero will be put to a larger test than many will face in a lifetime. Public scorn is nothing compared to the danger that Thom and his motley team of heroes will encounter in order to save the world. Sometime a gay teen superhero just can't catch a break.
Perry Moore's debut novel is a mixed bag of teen angst, fantasy, action, and social issues. His lofty aim is promising in theory but falls short of spectacular. What could have been a thoroughly original work is watered down by thinly veiled DC® characters, plot gaps, and a handful of disjointed scenes. The core people are well constructed, but they are often outweighed by cliché situations and characters.
Setting aside the superhero plots, there is the story of Thom's sexuality. In many ways, Moore presents a believable face to Thom's journey. Fear of discovery, the hope of finding true love, and, most important, the need for his father's acceptance are the very human aspects to this character. Readers will relate to these feelings, whether they are hetero- or homosexual. Thom's actions, however, are worrisome. He engages in risky behaviors that, in real life, could have severe consequences--but the potential disaster is not addressed. For an emerging superhero, some of these things are unheroic and scary and unnecessary in the story.
This book is not a bad read, but the odd mesh of action, attempts at campy humor, and the serious nature of Thom's life leaves a strange taste. If you're willing to suspend a lot of disbelief and overlook the book's minor flaws, you'll have a good time. But if you're the type to sweat the small stuff, you might try a different title.
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Sounds Strange, Is Great Mar 25, 2008 (9 of 10 found this helpful)
A friend who was really into fantasy novels recommended this book to me. I hate fantasy novels but he kept pushing. Begrudgingly, I ordered this book and the day it arrived I had committed myself to reading the first chapter so that I could write it off as something I'm not interested in and that would be that.
What actually happened was that I read the first few pages then I was absolutely hooked. I don't have a lot of time for reading lately but I actually made time for this book and I was done with it in a little over a day because it was that captivating.
I guess my point is that this is a great book and the premise might cause the serious reader to not consider it. Don't judge this book by it's synopsis! It's so much more!