Superhuman Review

Title: Super Human
Author: Michael Carroll
Pages: 336
Genre: Fantasy
Published: May 2010

Summary from Goodreads:
Four thousand years ago the world's first super human walked the earth. Possessing the strength of one hundred men, skin impervious to attack, and the ability to read minds, this immortal being used his power to conquer and enslave nations. Now plans are in motion that will transport this super human to the present, where he'll usher in a new age of tyranny unlike anything the world has ever seen.

Determined to stand against them, using powers they've only just begun to master, is a ragtag group of young heroes. For them this first test may be their greatest . . . and last.

My Review:
I must admit, despite my embarrassment, that I enjoy reading The New Heroes books. They are weird, their plots are usually pretty canned, the good guys are excessively pacifist (even the military) and the bad guys are usually caricatures of themselves. Yet I enjoy reading them, and this book was no exception. In spite of its cliche status, it is still a worthy read.

I must admit, most of the characters are very flat and dull, but some of the characters are so cool they make up for their co-star's dullness. One example is Krodin (the first superhuman mentioned in the above review) who is so cool and unpretentious, yet at the same time brutal and violent, that he is like the Bond villains mixed with Hannibal Lecter (minus the eating his victims). A villain you hate, but still smile whenever he is in a scene. Another example is Paragon, the armored superhero with a sense of humor, he is kind of like a black Tony Stark. His humor accents the darkness of much of the novel.

The integral portions of the plot, despite it’s overall cheesiness, are actually fascinating. With everything from an old hag who can create viruses, to attacking a nuclear power plant as a diversion for a bigger crime to the epic battle scenes that fill its pages (like when Krodin kills a rhinoceros--yes a rhinoceros--with his bare hands in the first pages of the book) make it the kind of cheesy like the action cartoons of one’s youth, always remaining as fond memories in one’s conscious.

I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone. I will guarantee that you will put the book down with a smile on your face because it is just the kind of book that makes you happy.

PS: Read this book before reading the other New Heroes books (also known as the Quantum Prophecy series) it makes the other books make much more sense because this book is, in fact, a prequel to the others.

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