Super Human

May 10, 2010
Carroll's alternate version of our world includes superpowered heroes and villains, but even they are falling victim to a global epidemic. Or at least the adults are—teenagers, superhuman or not, are immune. So when a group called the Helotry plans to resurrect an ancient, invincible superhuman named Krodin, the only people in their way are a handful of teenagers. These include telekinetic Roz; superstrong Abby; Thunder, who manipulates sound waves; and a con artist named Lance. But they have little experience using their powers, and none working as a team. Balancing abundant action with moments of introspection, Carroll's (the Quantum Prophecy trilogy) exuberant prose is just right for setting, story, and characters alike—this is basically a novel-length superhero comic, sans illustrations, and should easily appeal to fans of the X-Men, Justice League, etc. The young heroes are both brave and terrified, often acting solely because it's the only way to save their families. They're clever, yet make mistakes, which casts them in a more realistic light. Ages 10–up.

July 1, 2010
Gr 6–9—-early 4500 years ago, the Fifth King—a godlike, violent man who brought the entire known world under his rule—vanished from his palace balcony in full view of hundreds of his subjects. Now, in the present-day United States, a group calling themselves the Helotry is determined to bring him back. These fanatics create a plague that affects adults all over the world, including the contemporary superheroes who had the best chance of stopping them. But the Helotry has not counted on opposition from a newly formed group of teen superheroes (and one "normal" but extremely clever and resourceful 14-year-old) unaffected by the plague and determined to use their powers to save the day. The characters are introduced at a rapid-fire pace that may be difficult for less advanced readers to follow, and the book's ending is somewhat abrupt. However, the continuous action and entertaining interactions among the teen protagonists will likely win over some fans of superhero comics and adventure novels.—"Hayden Bass, Seattle Public Library, WA"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2010
Grades 5-8 Teens Abby, Roz, Thunder, and Lance are matched against an enigmatic group of superpowered fanatics, known only as the Helotry, who are bent on bringing an ancient warrior forward 4,000 years through time to rule again. Granted, the teens possess superpowers themselvesincluding Lance, who has the ability to talk his way out of anything. With the adult population crippled by a Helotry-created virus, will the teens combined powers be enough to simultaneously stop the spread of the virus and the near-immortal Krodin? Carroll has created a prequel to his popular Quantum Prophecy series that will have fans cheering. This time the superheroic swashbuckling is told in chapters that alternate the point of view between each of the teens and the ancient bad guy, Krodin. Readers can dive right in without having read the trilogy, but chances are that once they start, theyll want to finish all four books. Fast paced and occasionally funny, this book will also appeal to readers of David Klass Caretaker Trilogy and the armies of X-Men fans.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)