Authors: Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, Deborah Biancotti
Published: September 29th 2015 by Simon Pulse
Format: Hardcover, 546 pages
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy
Series: Zeroes #1
Ten years ago, I found Scott Westerfeld’s Uglies series and fell in love with it. Since that time, I have been on the lookout for another young adult fantasy that would give me the same feel. Unfortunately, I felt let down by Zeroes. This book does not have the same pull that his previous writing did. I did not find myself connecting with any of the characters or the plot; and found myself constantly flipping to the end wondering when this book was going to be over and yet hoping that with each chapter something would grab me.
Zeroes begins a year after Ethan (Scam) angered his fellow “superheroes” and completely broke up a group of teens that all have special abilities. Scam, for instance, has the ability to use a voice that he cannot control to talk about events that he has no previous knowledge of. This voice will just let loose and this is what had gotten him into his most recent predicament. Somehow coming up with too much information during a bank robbery has set his world spinning.
With Chizara’s (Crash) ability to decimate electronics, Nate’s (Glorious Leader) ability to charm, Riley (Flicker), though blind, can see through the eyes of others, Thibault (Anonymous) with his ability to be easily forgotten and Kelsie (Mob) who can control a crowd with just her mind.
The book, to me, seemed over the top. Not sure that it will fully play to the early teen set since the main characters are too overdone and young adults are much more sophisticated when it comes to this genre. The plot is redundant and drawn out and I am sure that the premise of teens who are trying to get away from Russian drug dealers has been done before.
Second thought, maybe this really is not about a new book series and just a premise to open the door for a movie with multiple sequels. I could see that. This book might have better appeal as a movie tie-in, but then again, that seems to have already played out. I do wish this writing team well but I cannot seem myself searching out any future books.
Zeroes begins a year after Ethan (Scam) angered his fellow “superheroes” and completely broke up a group of teens that all have special abilities. Scam, for instance, has the ability to use a voice that he cannot control to talk about events that he has no previous knowledge of. This voice will just let loose and this is what had gotten him into his most recent predicament. Somehow coming up with too much information during a bank robbery has set his world spinning.
With Chizara’s (Crash) ability to decimate electronics, Nate’s (Glorious Leader) ability to charm, Riley (Flicker), though blind, can see through the eyes of others, Thibault (Anonymous) with his ability to be easily forgotten and Kelsie (Mob) who can control a crowd with just her mind.
The book, to me, seemed over the top. Not sure that it will fully play to the early teen set since the main characters are too overdone and young adults are much more sophisticated when it comes to this genre. The plot is redundant and drawn out and I am sure that the premise of teens who are trying to get away from Russian drug dealers has been done before.
Second thought, maybe this really is not about a new book series and just a premise to open the door for a movie with multiple sequels. I could see that. This book might have better appeal as a movie tie-in, but then again, that seems to have already played out. I do wish this writing team well but I cannot seem myself searching out any future books.
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